El Prado

 

oil on panel, 8" x 8"

ON LOAN

This study is a scene that became very familiar to me when I lived near Taos, New Mexico.  I needed to find safe areas to walk my little dog Lola and maybe let her enjoy some off-leash time, something she loves.  El Prado is a high-end neighborhood in the north section of Taos as you're heading toward Taos Ski Valley.  It is dotted with well-kept modern adobe homes, the only drawback for me being that there are no paved roads in that area; in fact, much of Taos is unpaved, a bit of a nightmare in winter.  That's why many of these nice homes are either unoccupied or rented out for the duration of what can sometimes be a brutal winter.  I lived there for only one year in 2018, but it was a heavy snowfall that winter and I found it to be a deal breaker, coming as I did from the California coast, where snowfall is unheard of.  Alas, even in El Prado, I found free-roaming dogs on occasion.  I always had to be vigilant for my dog's safety everywhere I went, which was psychically exhausting.  The views of Taos Mountain and the Ski Valley were always breathtaking, though, with the high desert carpeted in sagebrush.

Cottonwood Cluster

 

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

Another trip down memory lane with this painting of cottonwood trees by the roadside I found so enchanting on a drive from Taos to Ojo Caliente.

Lower Ranchitos

 

oil on canvasboard, 6" x 12"

This study is a rural scene from the lower end of Taos, New Mexico, mostly done with palette knife.  

Sunset in Seco

 

oil on panel, 12" x 12"

Here's another painting from New Mexico. I used to drive by this scene in Arroyo Seco on my way to  Taos Ski Valley, and as the sun was setting, it would light up Taos Mountain with shades of pink, crimson, and maroon as the sun slowly sank out of sight, giving credence to the monicker Sangre de Cristo.

Casa Azul with Taos Mountain, Early Spring

oil on panel, 10" x 10"

This is the view I had from my kitchen window in Arroyo Seco, NM.  This scene frequently mesmerized me with the ever-changing moods of that mountain.  It seemed like a living, breathing thing.

Pedernal with Cottonwoods

oil on panel, 8" x 8"

Taking a trip down memory lane with this little painting of Cerro Pedernal from a photo I had taken from Ghost Ranch in New Mexico a few years ago.

Bedroom Window, Casa Azul

oil on panel, 10" x 8"

The narrative painting of my previous post reminded me of Taos, New Mexico, where I was first introduced to the narrative approach to painting, which reminded me of the casita I inhabited for a year.  It was an amazing place with astounding views of Taos Mountain, and it would glow at times with an otherworldly radiance.  I've tried to capture the intensity of that glow in late afternoon.

Merwin and Friend

 

oil on panel, 18" x 24"

I finally got around to painting a couple horses I encountered near the grounds of Taos Pueblo in the winter of 2018.  I'm pretty sure the light horse was named Merwin, as he looked just like the one in a photo I saw at Taos Plaza that year.  My heart went out to all the horses who had to tough out the long New Mexico winters without even a blanket for warmth.  At least these two didn't seem to be undernourished.

Winter Garden

 

acrylic on canvas, 12" x 16"

This is a winter scene from the property in Arroyo Seco, New Mexico where I lived in 2018.  It was a magical 4-acre property, a sculpture garden with both natural and man-made sculptures dotted throughout, one of which (a wood totem) is visible beyond the stream on the right.  

Church at Black Mesa

 

oil on panel, 11" x 14"

Here's another scene from colorful New Mexico, a simple little adobe church sits in peace and harmony with its surroundings.

I am happy to say that, after years of neglect, I have finally updated my website, www.lianaharris.com.  I had originally created it entirely in Flash, which was recently rendered obsolete.  That got me off my duff to bring my website into the 21st Century.  And for the first time, I am officially offering paintings for sale directly from the website.  I am also excited to share my digital art, which until now hasn't really had a proper showcase.  Prints of the digital paintings will be offered for sale as well in the coming days as I get the commerce end of it set up.  I will continue to post on a regular basis to my blog, though, where I share anecdotes about each painting.

The Vagabond

 

acrylic on canvas, 8" x 16"

Out on the mesa near Taos, New Mexico, there is a cluster of rentable trailers next to the Taos Brewery in a compound called Hotel Luna Mystica.  It's a form of "glamping" (glamorous camping) which affords everyone awesome views from all directions.  I was particularly taken with this turquoise-painted trailer, dubbed "The Vagabond."  Aside from the mountains rising in the background, the sky is often the star of the show, offering consistently spectacular sunsets and sunrises. 

South Side of the Mission

 

oil on canvas, 12" x 16"

Here's my take on a classic artists' subject, one that has been painted many times over but continues to draw us in.  Apart from the beautiful lines and curvy shapes of this amazing structure, it's the light that emanates from it, even under a dark sky, that inspires my awe.  To be inside of this church is to invite the light into your soul.

The Road to Seco

 

oil on panel, 12" x 16"

It's back to New Mexico with this colorful scene of an unpaved road I frequently took to the charming little village of Arroyo Seco on my way to Taos Ski Valley to commune with the mountain.  New Mexico is rich in color, with the most amazingly deep azure sky as a backdrop.  

Chamisa

acrylic on canvas paper, 9" x 12

An aerial view of chamisa, a beautiful, fragrant shrub and a common sight in New Mexico.  It makes for a fun color study.

Green Adobe with Chamisa

oil on panel, 12" x 12"

After a long hiatus, I'm finally able to start clearing some time for painting again.  Other obligations pulled me away as I was starting this one, so its trajectory was interrupted and, although I worked it to some sense of completion, I can't help wondering how different it would have turned out had I been able to work it from start to finish in one or two back-to-back sessions.  This is a corner of a modern adobe home I often drove by on my way to and from Arroyo Seco, a charming little village in New Mexico between Taos and Taos Ski Valley.  I loved the pale green color of the walls of this home set against the citron yellow of the chamisa blossoms, with the latilla ladder leaning against a wall, and the peak of Taos Mountain just "peaking" over the home.  This is a quintessential Southwest scene, at least to my eyes.

Backyard Cottonwoods

oil on panel, 12" x 12"

Here's another New Mexico painting dug out of storage, one that I'd forgotten about.  I painted this with a palette knife en plein air in my backyard one brilliant day.  I love the irregularity and organic look of latilla fences of the Southwest, and the view from my backyard of those golden cottonwood trees was just amazing.

From Out of the Blue

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

I've been rifling through my paintings in storage as I am mounting an exhibit in the tasting room here at Denman Ranch, and I came across this abstract painting I did in New Mexico in 2018.  Looking upon this with fresh eyes, I quite like it.  Glad I kept it.

Old San Luis Facade, with Salvia

oil on panel, 10" x 8"

It's back to New Mexico with this one, or rather, Colorado.  San Luis is reputedly the oldest town in Colorado, just over the border with New Mexico.  I've painted this structure before but from a different angle.  I found it very intriguing from a painting perspective, and so of course, I had to paint it again!

Taos Mountain with Cows and Clouds

oil on canvas, 12" x 36"

This was a scene that I passed by daily in Taos, NM.  Every time I drove past it, I had to stare at that magnificent mountainous landscape.  The photo I worked from was taken in July, so this is a summer scene.  The mountain has many moods within each season, however, and I am not done with it, not by a long shot.  

Holy Cow

oil on panel, 24" x 24"

I started this painting in New Mexico and finished it here in California.  This is one of those iconic Southwestern sights, and a reminder of our temporary status here on earth, that we, too, are just passing through.  I find the bones themselves to be luminous and wanted to accentuate that quality. I also love the curvilinear shapes of those horns!