Final Tse'bii'nidzisgai Elementary School Mural

 The Elders Speak, Oil on Board, 34" x 68"

 

Well, I watched this one leave the studio today bound for its new home in Monument Valley. It will join "Evening Homework" which has already been hung. The paintings hang on the North and South walls of the central concourse of the new elementary school, where students enter and pass through each day. Because Navajo culture connects each sacred direction (East, South, West, and North) with a different phase of life (Childhood, Adolescence, Adulthood, and Old Age) I worked with students and Elders in the tribe to create these two images celebrating the phases of life that correspond to the directions where the paintings are displayed. “Evening Homework” (hung on the South wall of the concourse) celebrates Education in Adolescence. This one, “The Elders Speak” (hung on the North Wall), showcases the Elders educating the rising generation through storytelling. 

Bridal Portrait

Richard is working on a huge painting in the studio (a second mural for the new Tse'bii'nidzisgai Elementary School in Monument Valley), which I will post when it's finished. But for now, I'm posting an oldie but a goodie.

This is my particular favorite of his paintings. It's a bridal portrait of me which he gave me for our wedding.

The Bride's Room
12 x 9
Oil on Board

Weekly Warm-up #4

This painting started as a fascination with the desert sky. We drove down to Monument Valley and stopped at this jewelry stand. The clouds there were so fun I had to try to paint them. The trickiest part of this painting was getting the color of the shadows right. I worked to capture the color under the roof of the stand, so that it would read correctly as shadow and give the viewer a feeling of depth.

Monument Valley Summer Market

11" x 14"

Oil on Board

Work Week

Well, there are painting weeks and there are prep weeks. These last two weeks have been intense prep weeks. Richard has been preparing boards to paint on, posing models for upcoming paintings, and taking a trip to the Wasatch front to buy paints and other supplies. I suppose one can't paint without paint.

So, while I'm anxiously awaiting what new work will emerge from the studio next week, I thought I'd share this flyer about one of his most recent series of paintings. These are some of my favorites, and this gives a little background on why he created them (click on the flyer to see it larger):

Weekly Warm-up #3

Well, Richard had so much fun with this week's warm-up that it became a painting! And I can see why. The subject was so fun! This lovely flapper girl's outfit, the jewelry, the charming way she's putting on that lipstick, all make for a fun composition and a jewel of a painting!

Weekly Warm-up 2

I'm not upset I didn't get the first post. Actually, I'm glad to have someone posting sometimes so I can be in the studio painting things to post about!

This little warm-up was fun because of the shape of the dress and the transparency of the fabric. It's always a challenge to try to capture things that are fleeting, so the bubbles were another enjoyable part of this piece.

Weekly Warm-up 1

This was Richard's weekly warm-up: the first, quick painting he does in the studio Monday morning to get the paint flowing!

I Love New Stuff!

Here's what came out of the studio this week:

Evening Homework

12" x 24"
Oil on Board

In the first post, you see Richard working on a mural. This is the polished-up version of the color study he did for that mural. I love how each goat is so individual. The front goat really draws me into the picture, as if he's regarding me as I approach the scene.

Stealing the First Post

I'm stealing Richard's first post, though he probably has a legal right to it, since this is his blog.

However.

Sometimes wives have to do these things. I expect to be hijacking the blog often, because I get to observe him in the studio, and I'll try to share those observations with you. For example, I think this photo I snapped is an appropriate kick off for the blog:

Anyway, since the background of the blog features one of Richard's paintings of me, I'm sure I'm granted some posting privileges!