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| Chimney Rock at Ghost Ranch, NM |
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| Old Abiquiu Mission |
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| As the Crow Sees |
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| October's Hike at Ghost Ranch |
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| View from the Upper Mesa |
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| Southwest Migration |
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| Little Burro of the High Plains |
Exploring New Lands
by Cindy Morawski
Shedding my city skin like a garden snake, I left Texas to try on the roles of explorer and high desert landscape painter on October 2nd, 2011. I had last visited New Mexico two years ago, and I was itching to return. While taking a plein air painting workshop last April with Austin master painter, Dianne Grammer, I learned about Ghost Ranch, a mecca for artists, naturalists, and outdoor enthusiasts. I signed on at the beginning of summer, anticipating fall and a seasonal prize for enduring a long, hot San Antonio summer.
One of my beloved painters, Georgia O'Keefe, discovered northern New Mexico on a trip from her home in Texas in 1917. Twelve years later, she returned to New Mexico and found her way to the beautiful valley that would eventually become her home~~Ghost Ranch at Abiquiu.
Like O'Keefe, I sensed the freedom and natural beauty of this area. The rugged and colorful landscapes called to me. I was ready for plein air painting, hiking, and studio work and classes on the ranch. Some of my favorite landscape subjects included the Kitchen Mesa, the Pedernal, and Chimney Rock. When I hiked down the Kitchen Mesa Trail the first day, I felt a sense of awe. The birds were singing, the sun was shining, and when I looked up and eyed the mesa, I knew I was in a very special place. Immobilized, I first stood looking up into the sky feeling the goosebumps on my skin; I knew without a doubt that I was one lucky person to be in this moment.
Other favorite subjects included the local crows and burros. You could hear the crows' cawing and spot their shiny black feathers catching the desert thermals in the dramatic skies. I continued to look for the burros. There were signs everywhere on the ranch that said: Beware~~Burros bite! But, the corrals and pastures were empty. Later, I had a chance to see them while touring the more remote areas of the ranch during the end of my stay. I learned that they get turned out at times so they can graze and move freely. Their sturdy endurance was apparent as I spotted them ducking behind the native bushes on the high desert after a rainstorm that lasted for a couple of days.
Inspiration comes in many packages. For me, new lands and people along with discoveries in learning with art, allowed me the privilege of a week's stay at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. When I think back on my experiences, I'll sense that high desert air and sun upon my face. I'll remember the colorful cliffs and skies, the music of the wind and birds, and I'll appreciate what the natural world has to offer. Adios for now, Ghost Ranch. I'll return some other day.
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Plein Air Painting at Ghost Ranch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MY UPCOMING OCTOBER ART EVENTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Wimberley Valley Art League's FALL INTO ART Annual Show and Sale, plus Artist Studio Tours, October 14 through 16, 2011
Buda Fine Arts Festival, JURIED Art Show and Sale, October 22 and 23, 2011 New Braunfels Art League ARTOBERFEST, Juried Event, October 2 through November 12, 2011
Happy October Discoveries! ~~Cindy
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