Donna Clair

Southwest Contemporary Artist

Author: Donna Clair

“ADOBE WALLS/SANTA FE” – NEW 24″X30″ Original Oil (Completed)

“ADOBE WALLS/SANTA FE” – NEW 24″x30″ Original Oil Painting on Fine Belgian Linen,  framed in Gold with Linen Liner.  This painting was completed about an hour ago. Have worked on this canvas over the past two months — wanted that coziness one feels after a good ol’ New Mexico snowstorm.  For price and availablility, please […]

“ADOBE WALLS/SANTA FE” – Work in Progress

16 December 2009 —  Worked all day yesterday on the foreground, after putting dark glazes (burnt sienna, ultramarine blue and burnt umber) on the walls.  There is a heavy impasto in the foreground – added cadmium red and cadmium yellow to Permalba White for the snow.  This is the stage of a painting where I […]

“ADOBE WALLS-SANTA FE” – WORK IN PROGRESS

“ADOBE WALLS-SANTA FE” – A Work in Progress — This photo is of the painting after it has been glazed; now I will work on the opaque paints and hope to finish it sometime this next week….. DC, Taos, N.M.

TAOS SNOW DAY!!

3 December – View through my kitchen window – First significant snow of the season.  Am ready!  The “extra” snow day groceries are in the pantry, all my painting supplies are in — going to varnish and frame some small paintings today – and prepare my palette to start some new underpaintings tomorrow!  I love […]

GESSOING CANVAS — PREPARING TO PAINT

PREPARING TO SPEND THE WINTER PAINTING!  GESSOING CANVAS.  For large and medium paintings I usually use a double-primed linen canvas.  I mix up gesso with Payne’s Grey.  This creates a “grisaille”, or a grey ground, much favored by the Renaissance painters.  Letting each coat dry thoroughly between applications, I apply two or three coats, depending […]

WINTER ROAD – Special Print Offer – Visit the HIGH ROAD PRINT CATALOGUE

“WINTER ROAD” Winter on the road to the ranch at Llano Quemado (suburban Truchas). My first winter there was an unknown — I bought a little freezer from Sears and filled it to the brim with groceries. Foresight was rewarded when it snowed for days over the Christmas holidays — the snowplow didn’t come through […]

DOS ARBOLES DE TAOS – Click here to visit THE PRINT STORE

3 November  -FYI — Have begun a new web log entitled “THE PRINT STORE”.  This blog will be a venue for new print images, both small and large, available through my Taos studio.  It is my intention to post to this blog on a regular basis.  You are invited to bookmark that page and visit […]

WINTER DREAMS – Click to Visit the High Road Print Catalogue

21 October 2009 — Cloudy, raining – just looked out of my kitchen window to the hills in the distance — SNOW! My first thought was “I’m not ready for winter”! Going to visit with son, John, today — fix him a nice lunch. Clean up the studio — set up a new palette — […]

48″x60″ Original Oil Painting “FIRST LIGHT”

“FIRST LIGHT”48″x60″ Original Oil on Fine Belgian LinenCall Taos Studio (575)758-7454 Earth, give me back your pristine gifts,towers of silence which rose fromthe solemnity of their roots.I want to go back to being what I haven’t been, to learn to return from such depthsthat among all natural thingsI may live or not live. I don’t […]

FIRST LIGHT – 48″X60″ WORK IN PROGRESS – OPAQUE COLORS

23 September 2009 – Making progress! Have concentrated on the top one-third of the painting. The sky and distant landscape are completed and, I believe, inform the light for the rest of the canvas. The middle ground – I have found some long forgotten tubes of Transparent Oxide Yellow and Transparent Oxide Red — Am […]

FIRST LIGHT – 48″x60″ Oil Painting (Work in Progress)

21 September 2009, Taos, N.M. — “PENTIMENTI is an alteration in a painting….that the artist has changed his mind as to the composition during the process of painting – the word derives from the Italian pentirsi, meaning to repent”. First of all I changed the name from “Donde Nace la Vida” to “FIRST LIGHT” – […]

DONDE NACE LA VIDA – 48″x60″ UNDERPAINTING

(PLEASE CHECK OCTOBER 13, 2009 POST  TO VIEW COMPLETED CANVAS NOW TITLED “FIRST LIGHT” –“DONDE NACE LA VIDA” (UNDERPAINTING) — NEW 48″X60″ Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen — Started the drawing for this canvas in late May. Tomorrow I will post the photo of this underpainting with the first layer of glazes. Have passed […]

ARROYO SECO AFTERNOON – Click here for the HIGH ROAD PRINT CATALOGUE

“ARROYO SECO AFTERNOON” – Now available as an archival giclee print from THE HIGH ROAD PRINT CATALOGUE. (BUY TWO, GET ONE FREE). 9/9/09 — Have had good intentions all week, but unable to get into the studio. Making green chile chicken soup for daughter Mary and her husband’s visit tomorrow. On Friday a visit from […]

Birthday Roses in the Morning Sun

5 September 2009 — Another year! Friend John sent these roses from LA — they are brightening my kitchen bookcase this morning — making me smile. This was one of those BIG birthdays that brought up a lot of strange feelings of getting older — one remedy for that is for me to get back […]

#15 – HIGH ROAD AFTERNOON – SOLD

“HIGH ROAD AFTERNOON” SOLDNEW! 6″x8″ Orig. Oil unframed on Italian Gessoed PanelThis painting was sold within an hour of studio newsletter – in it’s placesee “Vecinos de Truchas” below)

ADOBE WALLS – NEW WORK IN PROGRESS

8/10/09 – Here are the glazes on a new canvas “ADOBE WALLS” – 24″x30″ Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen. I posted the underpainting June lst — you can scroll down to see the color combinations. Will let this dry for several days before working into it again. Am all set to begin new work […]

“CASA VIEJA DE CHIMAYO” – Visit THE HIGH ROAD PRINT CATALOGUE

5 AUGUST 2009 – “Casa Vieja de Chimayo” – Available as a Studio Edition Print — You are invited to visit THE HIGH ROAD PRINT CATALOGUE on my website — just click the above link. Deciding to spend most of August prepping for new work — gessoing canvas, blocking in new paintings — am anxious […]

CORDOVA AFTERNOON – WORK IN PROGRESS – THE GLAZES

15 July 2009 – “CORDOVA AFTERNOON” – 24″x30″ Work in progress – Phase II – The Glazes – transparent and semi-transparent colors — painted over the underpainting after it has dried using the painting medium (recipe for medium in column on the right of this page). The sky is completed — Thalo Blue, Thalo Green, […]

CORDOVA AFTERNOON

15 July 2009 — “CORDOVA AFTERNOON” – 24″x30″ Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen. Underpainting – Palette colors mixed with turpentine and MG Underpainting White. Sky: Thalo Blue, Thalo Green, touch of ochre to gray color a bit. Middle Ground – combinations of Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Yellow. Foreground: Ochre and Diox. Purple. Back […]

NEW PAINTS ARRIVED YESTERDAY!

11 July 2009 – Jerry’s Artarama (online) had a fabulous 4th of July Day Sale — I went the whole hog and spent all my money — strange, this is something I would do in November right before the snows arrive…..hmmmm. Does this mean I am settling in again?

FROM MY TAOS STUDIO

7/8/09 — Don’t think I can stand more “rest” — I miss my easel — cleaned most of my cabinets, did the laundry, unpacked cartons — settling back into my old routine — and I NEED TO PAINT!

GONE FISHIN’

29 June 2009 — Taking some much needed time to rest, relax and reorganize……Will resume posts to this blog 15 July. HAPPY SUMMERTIME TO ALL! DC – PS – To receive notice of new paintings and prints, send your e.mail address to me and I will add your name to my list of Art Friends.

“ROAD TO WILDERNESS GATE” – NEW Original Oil

“ROAD TO WILDERNESS GATE”Completed 25 June 200924″x30″ NEW Original Oil on Fine Belgian LinenFramed in Gold with Linen LinerFor price and availability, please e.mail or call my Taos Studio at(575)758-7454

“ROAD TO WILDERNESS GATE” – PHASE II – GLAZES

“ROAD TO WILDERNESS GATE” – 24″x30″ Oil on Belgian Linen – Work in Progress – The Glazes. Glazes are transparent, semi-transparent color which I apply over the underpainting. I believe this phase of the painting is essential to add depth and vibrancy to the final painting. After the painting is completed (the next stage is […]

“ROAD TO WILDERNESS GATE” – WORK IN PROGRESS

“ROAD TO WILDERNESS GATE” – NEW WORK IN PROGRESS – My most favorite place in “suburban” Truchas, N.M. (UNDERPAINTING). Mixing all my colors (except for “cartoon” which is reinforced with Prussian Blue) with MG Underpainting White and turpentine. Sky: Thalo Blue – Thalo Blue Green with touch of Ochre to “gray” the colors. Clouds: White […]

GUATEMALAN JOURNEY

“ANTEPASADO” – This week I found a real treasure – a portfolio of photos and sketches from Guatemala — planning to do some new prints and paintings from this material and have begun a new web log – http://donnaclairguatemalanjourney.blogspot.com Stay tuned!

NOCHECITA DE CHIMAYO – New Studio Edition Print

“NOCHECITA DE CHIMAYO” – Just published as a small-format Studio Edition print – 8″x10″; 9″x12″ – On Ultra Premium Presentation paper with Ultra Chrome Inks — hand-titled and hand-signed – $35.00, plus $5.00 S&H. To order, call my Taos Studio at (575)758-7454.

“SCENE FROM A SUNSET WALK” – UNDERPAINTING

9 June 2009 – WORK IN PROGRESS – “FROM A SUNSET WALK” – 8″x28″ Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen. This underpainting has been drying for a little over a week – My painting medium has turpentine in it, so the oil sketch must be dry, otherwise the color would be picked up. Now I […]

“BEHIND ADOBE WALLS” – New Underpainting

1 June 2009 – “BEHIND ADOBE WALLS” – NEW 24×30″ Underpainting. FYI — While the large 48″x60″ underpainting “Donde Nace la Vida” is drying, I am spending this week “blocking in” several more canvases. Sitting at an easel for long periods to complete a painting is not easy — and there are days when I […]

“WILDERNESS ROAD” – STUDY

“WILDERNESS ROAD” – STUDY NEW 6″x8″ Original Oil on Italian Wood PanelFor price and availability e.mail or call my Taos Studio at(575) 758-7454

DONDE NACE LA VIDA – 48″x60″ UNDERPAINTING

“DONDE NACE LA VIDA” – New 48″x60″ Original Oil (Underpainting) – Here is the palette for the underpainting – using MG White with turpentine and mixing the colors. Sky: Davy’s Grey, Payne’s Grey, Cadmium Yellow. Middle ground: Cadmium Red, Yellow Ochre and Burnt Sienna. Trees & Foreground: Same colors as middle ground, adding Chrome Oxide […]

“DONDE NACE LA VIDA” – New 48″x60″ Oil Painting

“DONDE NACE LA VIDA” — Here is the “cartoon” for a new 48″x60″ Canvas — this begins a series of 12 large format oils titled “AMBIENTES” (Environments).I will attempt to journal every phase of this painting on this web log – would love to hear your feedback. DC

STARTING OVER –

ANOTHER NEW BEGINNING — The reception for the exhibit of my new paintings was Friday – and today I go into the studio with many, many blank canvases talking to me – “Paint me, paint me!” Unlike years past, this time I have a new “starting place” in my head. Normally, I would rest on […]

AGUA FRIA – SANTA FE EXHIBIT

“AGUA FRIA” – 30″ x 24″ Original Oil on Fine Belgian Linen, Framed in Gold with Linen Liner…..now on exhibit at McLarry Fine Art Gallery, 225 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, N.M. Gallery opening, Friday, May 22nd – 5 to 7PM — to view complete exhibit — http://www.mclarryfineart.com/donnaclair.html Am in a really quiet place right now […]

A PERSONAL INVITATION…….

YOU ARE INVITED TO AN EXHIBIT OF MY NEW PAINTINGS AT MCLARRY FINE ART GALLERY, 225 CANYON ROAD, SANTA FE, N.M. – May 22nd, 5 to 7PM

“DULCES, DULCES!” -NEW Original Oil Painting

“DULCES, DULCES!”(Candy sellers taking a morning break – Juarez, Mexico) NEW 6″x8″ Original Oil on Italian Gessoed PanelFor more information, please call my Taos Studio at(575) 758-7454

“LAST LIGHT” – SOLD

“LAST LIGHT” — SOLD “LAST LIGHT” – 6″X8″ Original Oil Painting, Framed in Silver with Linen Liner. Oil study/View from my kitchen window after the last snowstorm in Taos Valley — the last moment before sunset.

“WAITING” – NEW ORIGINAL OIL – SOLD

“WAITING” – SOLD “WAITING” – 6″X8″ Original Oil Painting, Framed in Gold with Linen Liner. Oil study/Saturday’s groceries – waiting to go home to the pueblo and prepare for the Feast Day. For price and availability, please call my Taos Studio at (575) 758-7454.

“WINTER RIVER” – SOLD

“WINTER RIVER” – SOLD 6″x8″ Original Oil on Italian Gesso PanelFramed in Silver with Linen Liner

“NOCHECITA” – Sold

“NOCHECITA” – SOLD 6″x8″ Original Oil on Italian Gesso PanelFramed in Gold with Linen Liner

“CAMPOSANTO” – New Original Oil

“CAMPOSANTO” 6″X8″ Orig. Oil on Italian Gesso PanelFramed in Gold with Linen LinerFor price and availability, please call my Taos Studio at(575)758-7454

“THE READER”

“THE READER” – Not for Sale 6″x8″ Original Oil on Italian Wood PanelFramed in Gold with Linen Liner

TABORET – 15 APRIL 2009

15 April 2009 — DANCING WITH THE EASEL! Getting back to work after taking some time off to regenerate and trying to create some order in my life (chuckle, chuckle!). Need to warm up again (the yoga of painting) — have begun some small oil studies which I will post here and then put up […]

“COFRADIA” – Click here to visit my Website

“COFRADIA” Easter Sunday — The hermanos of the Cofradia – Antigua, GuatemalaThis image is available as a Studio Edition PrintYou are invited to visit my website at the above linkOr just call my Taos Studio to order(575) 758-7454

BLANK IS THE BEGINNING

BLANK IS THE END, AND BLANK IS THE BEGINNING – After completing the paintings for my Santa Fe exhibit, a lot of catch up work on the house, including a spring cleaning for the studio. I looked at that blank canvas on the easel today and thought it would be wonderful if I could start […]

“CAPILLA DE PLACITAS” Click here to visit The High Road Print Catalogue

“CAPILLA DE PLACITAS” — One of my “touchstones” on the High Road to Truchas — As I remember this day, I climbed a little way up the water tower across the street from this church in order to take this photograph — ah, Youth! This image is now available as a Studio Edition Print in […]

“INTO THE LIGHT” – Click here to visit THE HIGH ROAD PRINT CATALOGUE

“INTO THE LIGHT” — There are backroads; there are days where the wind blows strong, the clouds fly fast over the landscape — one minute you are in deep shadows and soon you emerge into the light….just another day in the north country! This image is now available as a Studio Edition Print — click […]

CASITAS DEL NORTE = Click here to visit THE HIGH ROAD PRINT CATALOGUE

“CASITAS DEL NORTE” – A view of the main street in Truchas town from in front of the old church, La Nuestra Senora del Rosario……wonderful old adobes, another time….. Now available as a Studio Edition Print from The High Road Print Catalogue — you are invited to visit my website through the above link.

“NUESTRA SENORA” – Click here to visit THE HIGH ROAD PRINT CATALOGUE

“LA NUESTRA SENORA DEL ROSARIO” – Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, Truchas, N.M. — The foundations of this church are over 250 years old — there is a new church down the road a bit where the priest says Sunday Mass — but this old church is the heart of the village. Now […]

“MAYORDOMO” – Click here to visit The High Road Catalogue

“MAYORDOMO” – Now available as a Studio Edition Print.(Visit the High Road Print Catalogue to order) A Mayordomo is the official elected to maintain the irrigation system known as the Acequia Madre — centuries old “Mother Ditches” that bring water from the mountains to the villages here in northern New Mexico. He oversees the spring […]

“SUNSET DREAMING” – NEW Original Oil Painting

“SUNSET DREAMING”NEW 14″x11″ Original Oil Painting on LinenFramed in Gold with Linen Liner This is the winter view from my kitchen window — looking toward the Pecos Wilderness — at sunset, after a snowstorm. This window never disappoints and never fails to surprise — Ah, the wonders I have seen! Whooping Cranes, wild snowstorms, forest […]

VIEW FROM MY TAOS WINDOW

26 January 2009 — Good Morning from Taos! — This is the view from my kitchen window — I have looked at this scene for almost twenty years now and it never appears quite the same. Some years ago my neighbor built a pond in front of his barn and every so often a pair […]

AMALIA AFTERNOON – SOLD

“AMALIA AFTERNOON” – NEW 6″x12″ Original OilFramed in Gold with Linen Liner – SOLD PS: One of my favorite day trips is to head north out of Taos to the little villages of Amalia and Costilla – photograph, sketch and later sit on a huge boulder next to the river and have a wonderful picnic […]