Happy Easter from New Mexico!!!!

70  F  sunny afternoon wind.

Here I am on the East side of Rio Grande Gorge near Taos, New Mexico, this Easter Sunday.

#500 Rio Grande Gorge from Picuais Trail.

4-5-15

11x14

It feels like we are on the moon, this landscape, from Upstate NY.  It's overwhelming, so instead of stopping just anywhere I drive to the end of the pavement and hike up a hill.

With everything so different I needed the consistency of my same pallet.

Sky, and distant mountains.

I felt totally lost. (that's not bad is it?)

What a mess I made!

Sight size shot.

I'm just off the path, and in such an uncomfortable position!

I got the painting to this place, mess-on-mess, but it's my first here and I'm feeling like a fish out of water, so I chalk it up to experience, and move on.

The scene. This is not Cambridge, NY.

I hiked down to the rented van, it was 12:00 noon and windy, so I thought I'd find a protected spot by the water.

There are so many fuzzy pink and grey patches blending together!

The brightness of the water needed me to darken the light pinkish-greyness, so you could get that the water was really bright.

I also liked the shadows/rocks providing some contrast, and a bit of green.

Here is where I finished,

#501 Rio Grand Gorge, off rte 570.

4-5-15

Sight-size shot.

Money Shot.

This is my family getting ready to go down the river on a raft, they are very understanding that I needed to paint today, and we all had a good time!