Ruth Soller News

Ranch-Way Feeds at Loveland Feed & Grain Mill (c) Ruth Soller

This aged and rusty Ranch-Way Feeds sign caught my eye in the Loveland Feed & Grain Mill. The patterns and colors of the chipped paint and weathered deterioration were challenging to capture in paint. I experimented with Golden Fiber Paste and Golden Light Molding Paste in building up the texture of the bricks. This painting will be available at Tenfold Collective in Loveland, CO, Friday July 8th from 4-9 pm during a city-wide event recognizing the Artspace Inc. agreement to purchase and renovate the historic 1891 Loveland Feed & Grain Mill into a multi-purpose space for the arts.

Howe Scale at Loveland Feed & Grain Mill | Ruth Soller - Blog

2011-06-22T09:40:00.001-06:00

Howe Scale at Loveland Feed & Grain Mill Ruth Soller - Blog

This Howe gooseneck benchtop scale inside Loveland Feed & Grain Mill is more rare than the Fairbanks Scale in my previous painting. Notice the green and the red and white state inspection stickers on the edge of the scale, evidence that the scale had been certified accurate. The 1891 Loveland Feed & Grain Mill in Colorado ceased operations in 2003.

Horseshoe Door at Loveland Feed & Grain Mill | Ruth Soller - Blog

2011-06-13T11:13:00.001-06:00

Horseshoe Door at Loveland Feed & Grain Mill Ruth Soller - Blog

This old and worn door was the main entry from the west side loading dock of the historic 1891 Loveland Feed & Grain Mill. You can see the passage of time as you observe the layers of renovations to the original red brick building. At one time the building was painted a light blue and the doors were a cadette grey-blue. A later coat of white paint covered exterior and interior walls; then this paint has worn through to reveal under layers. I replaced the outline of a standard quarter horse shoe with a large draft horse shoe; because I have seen early photos of draft horses pulling wagonloads of feed from this busy mill in the early 1900's. What memories does this bring to your mind?

Fairbanks Scale at Loveland Feed & Grain | Ruth Soller - Blog

2011-05-30T09:48:00.001-06:00

Fairbanks Scale at Loveland Feed & Grain Ruth Soller - Blog

This antique Fairbanks Scale at the 1891 Loveland Feed & Grain Mill caught my attention as it reminded me of the ornate old equipment and implements I had seen at my grandfather's general store in Cornerville, Arkansas as a child. Notice how elegantly designed and engineered is this utilitarian scale used for weighing sacks of grains and animal feeds. Features include fluted Doric columns with base, a shiny brass beam arm with poise and the large gold lettering across the mantle. Numerous examples of a variety of scales collected dust on the main floor of the retired grainery.

For the full story of Granddaddy's Store please sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter here http://ruthsoller.fineartstudioonline.com/email-newsletter .

Chevy at Loveland Feed & Grain Mill

2011-05-23T11:46:00.000-06:00

Chevy at Loveland Feed & Grain Mill

2011-05-23T11:44:00.000-06:00

Chevy at Loveland Feed & Grain Mill

Beryl's Rooster

2011-05-18T18:27:00.001-06:00

Beryl's Rooster

Beryl is a wonderfully imaginative spirit who creates garden gargoyles out of rusty farm implements and aged machine parts. Beryl's rooster used to survey our figure drawing classes from his cage in Beryl's Gallery. I photographed Beryl's Rooster one sunny summer morning while we were painting in Beryl's back yard. Lately, I envisioned Beryl's Rooster on a checkerboard background; and doesn't he look handsome?

Ruth Soller latest artwork sales | Ruth Soller - Blog

2011-04-27T19:01:00.000-06:00

Ruth Soller latest artwork sales Ruth Soller - Blog

Soller_BUMC.ps

2011-04-18T18:39:00.000-06:00

Best Oil Award and Sales Update | Ruth Soller - Blog

2011-04-01T13:09:00.001-06:00

Best Oil Award and Sales Update Ruth Soller - Blog

I'm happy that my oil painting "Broomfield Grain Elevator" won Best Oil Award at the Western Spirit Art Show & Sale at Cheyenne Fontier Days Old West Museum. Three jurors Jerry Palen, Sarah Woods, and Matt Flint agreed unanimously that my painting was best of 132 oil paintings juried into the show. Both "Broomfield Grain Elevator" and my miniature oil painting "Budweiser Clydesdale" sold so far. Two paintings still available are "Moonlit Percheron" and "La Fonda Las Posadas".

http://solleroriginals.com/blog/28434/best-oil-award-and-sales-update

Best in Oils Award and Sale | Ruth Soller - Blog

2011-03-06T14:48:00.001-07:00

Best in Oils Award and Sale Ruth Soller - Blog

I'm thrilled to win Best in Oils Award at the 2011 Western Spirit Show and Sale at Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum. Three jurors Jerry Palen, Sarah Woods, and Matt Flint agreed unanimously that my "Broomfield Grain Elevator" was the best of 200 oil paintings in the show. I'm also happy that my miniature oil painting "Budweiser Clydesdale" sold to a new collector of my work at the opening reception. For information about my three available paintings in the show, "Broomfield Grain Elevator", "Moonlit Percheron", and "La Fonda Los Posadas" click here http://www.oldwestmuseum.org.

Dream Lake Rocky Mountain National Park | Ruth Soller - Blog

2011-02-23T14:55:00.001-07:00

Dream Lake Rocky Mountain National Park Ruth Soller - Blog

Double Daffodil Replete | Ruth Soller - Blog

2011-02-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

Double Daffodil Replete Ruth Soller - Blog

Tulips in Snow | Ruth Soller - Blog

2011-02-09T14:15:00.000-07:00

Tulips in Snow Ruth Soller - Blog

Budweiser Clydesdale | Ruth Soller - Blog

2011-01-28T14:09:00.001-07:00

Budweiser Clydesdale Ruth Soller - Blog

Special Offer on Select Paintings | Ruth Soller - Blog

2011-01-08T10:08:00.001-07:00

Special Offer on Select Paintings Ruth Soller - Blog

My new collectors enjoy owning my smaller works before deciding to acquire a larger piece. These works are unique in that two are color studies from which I painted larger studio paintings. The third is special because it is the first plein air painting which I finished and am offering for sale. Each is an original one-of–a-kind oil painting on canvas board size 8x10 or 10x8, signed, varnished and ready to frame or to display on a small easel on a mantle, shelf or table. This special offer is available January 8, 2011 through January 15, 2011. I am posting this offer on all my media outlets in order to give everyone equal opportunity. You may purchase each painting for the reduced price of $125 including Free shipping in the US. This offer is first-come-first-serve so please respond quickly by email or phone if you are interested.

Recent Painting Sales | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-12-22T18:32:00.001-07:00

Recent Painting Sales Ruth Soller - Blog

The Graduate Feature Article | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-11-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

The Graduate Feature Article Ruth Soller - Blog

Latest Art Sale | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-11-24T18:17:00.000-07:00

Latest Art Sale Ruth Soller - Blog

Award Winning Paintings by Ruth Soller | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-11-18T15:02:00.000-07:00

Award Winning Paintings by Ruth Soller Ruth Soller - Blog

Road Less Traveled | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-11-05T18:47:00.000-06:00

Road Less Traveled Ruth Soller - Blog

Suffolk Punch Day is Done | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-10-19T11:01:00.002-06:00

Suffolk Punch Day is Done, oil on linen, 16x20, $1200

Driving home on a summer evening I saw this gorgeous pair of Suffolk Punch draft horses. Glowing in the last rays of sunlight they had just finished their day's work of pulling the dump rake over the freshly mown hay. Following them was a hay bailing tractor shaping the rows of hay into compact rectangular bails. The beauty of this vision etched in my mind compelled me to paint this scene to share it with you.

Suffolk Punch Day is Done Ruth Soller - Blog

Colorado Council on the Arts Exhibition | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-10-07T10:49:00.001-06:00

Colorado Council on the Arts Exhibition Ruth Soller - Blog

Broomfield, CO artist Ruth Soller is thrilled that two of her oil paintings “Black Canyon of Gunnison” and “Cache de Poudre” are accepted in the Creative Capitol Metro Denver Exhibition. Creative Capitol celebrates Colorado artists and images of the state of Colorado. The Colorado Creative Industries & Denver International Airport received submissions from Colorado artists who reside in the following counties - Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson. After four rounds of jurying of 222 artworks entered, 112 artworks by 83 Colorado artists were accepted for the exhibition. William Castner, Joellyn Duesberry, Kit Mahoney, Anita Mosher, Tony Ortega, Dennis Pendleton, Cheryl Price, and Harriet Peck Taylor are some of the well-known artists included in the exhibition. The Exhibit will be on display at Denver International Airport from November 5, 2010 to February 27, 2011 and at the Colorado State Capitol from March, 2011 to June, 2011.

In 2009, Denver International Airport was the tenth-busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic with 50,167,485 passengers. The airport's distinctive white tensile fiberglass roof is aesthetically designed to be reminiscent of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains in winter. DIA is also known for a pedestrian bridge connecting the terminal to Concourse A that allows travelers to view planes taxiing directly underneath and provides sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains to the West and the high plains to the East. Both during construction and after the opening of the airport, Denver International Airport has set aside a portion of its construction and operation budgets for art. The corridor from the Jeppesen Terminal and Concourse A usually contains additional temporary exhibits.

The Colorado Creative Industries uses funds appropriated by the Governor and the legislature, combined with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, to invest in communities across the state. Creative Capitol brings permanent and rotating art exhibitions to the state capitol building. Staff and visitors are welcomed into the Lt. Governor’s office to view the rotating exhibitions and to the Governor’s office to view a permanent collection. This new program of the Colorado Creative Industries celebrates Colorado’s rich creative economy and shares this abundant resource with the citizens of Colorado.

“Black Canyon of Gunnison” by Ruth Soller will also be published in the 2010 American Art Collector book by Alcove Books of Berkeley, California. Ruth is represented by Solveig Lark of Gallery East in Loveland, Colorado. http://www.GalleryEast.com

Moonlit Percheron | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-09-24T14:58:00.000-06:00

Moonlit Percheron Ruth Soller - Blog

My artistic mentor Michael Ome Untiedt has been working on nocturnal western landscapes and suggested that I might like to study Frederic Remington's nocturnal works. In this painting I challenged myself to create a "negative" view of my previous painting Out of the Mist. First, I flipped the image and printed out the negative version of Out of the Mist. This came out really weird, as if the light source was to the left and beneath the horse; not exactly what I had in mind. So, I was working much from imagination in creating a background with the moon as the light source and the horse being backlit by moonlight. My goal was to keep the background colors close to the same value, on my grey scale between a 3 and a 5 value. I think the result is pleasing. What are your thoughts?

Colorado Council on the Arts Exhibition | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-09-20T14:05:00.001-06:00

Black Canyon of Gunnison by Ruth Soller

These original oil paintings by Ruth Soller are accepted into the Colorado Council on the Arts Exhibition which will debut at Denver International Airport November 1, 2010 through February 28, 2011 and then will travel to Colorado State Capitol building for display March 1, 2011 through June 30, 2011.

Cache de Poudre by Ruth Soller

Out of the Mist | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-09-06T10:34:00.000-06:00

Out of the Mist Ruth Soller - Blog
This enormous yet gentle draft horse lives and works at Four Mile House Farm in Denver. This is the oldest remaining homestead in Denver and served as a way station and tavern four miles south of the Colorado State Capitol building. One of the jobs of the draft horses is to pull covered wagons in which visitors may ride on weekends. Note the powerful muscles of the neck, shoulders, and hips. My concept was to show him emerging from a chilly autumn morning fog as the sun just begins to break through to warm the fall foliage.

Out of the Mist by Ruth Soller, oil on linen, 11x14, $600

Belgians Mowing Hay | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-08-31T10:06:00.006-06:00

I was amazed to view this nostalgic scene one block from my home and felt I had traveled back in time one hundred years. This bearded farmer had hitched his handsome Belgian pair to a horse-drawn hay mower. I hope you enjoy this original oil painting as much as I enjoyed creating it.

Belgians Mowing Hay Ruth Soller - Blog

Identity:How we become unique

2010-08-27T19:13:00.000-06:00

Ruth Soller Artist Interview at Whopple.com

2010-08-21T13:50:00.001-06:00

http://www.whopple.com/artist-interview-with-ruth-soller.html

Plein Aire Painting | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-08-03T11:18:00.008-06:00

Eldorado Springs Trail study, oil, 8x10, $200

Have you noticed that summer is a season of rapid growth? Have you awakened to discover your lush green grass, flower beds, and shrubs have become a jungle overnight? Do you find the summer clothes and shoes you just bought for your children suddenly too tight and short for back-to-school? Summer is a perfect time for personal or career growth as well. Last summer my project was a return to water aerobics to get fit for my winter travels in Italy. Results included better muscle tone, balance, endurance and stamina as well as warm, supportive new friends. This summer I am going outside (literally) my comfort zone to try plein aire painting.

Boy, did I have plenty of excuses why this would never work! Weather, wind, rain, sunburn, bugs, snakes, mountain lions, coyotes, inquisitive bystanders … It all boiled down to fear—of failure or appearing foolish. My summer reading helped me overcome fear and excuses. Starving to Successful by J. Jason Horejs showed me that if I want to be in more galleries, I must increase my productivity and confidence in painting. Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity by Bill O’Reilly helped me focus on one dream I had yet to pursue and find courage to just do it. Even a video Encounters with John Wesley strengthened my resolve to begin painting in the field. Wesley spoke of the prayer meeting where he “felt his heart strangely warmed” and knew that Jesus Christ was his Savior and that Wesley was called to go outside the church and begin preaching in the field. Wesley ultimately traveled 200,000 miles on horseback to spread the Gospel of Christ to the masses.

Growing up Irish Catholic in Brooklyn, Bill O’Reilly learned values of self-reliance, getting educated, developing a skill, and forcing yourself to work hard. He built a support system of lifelong friends who are honest with him. O’Reilly encourages us to: Design your own life. Never give up trying to make it on your own. O’Reilly states that “true courage is not about being fearless; it’s about overcoming fear, going ahead with something worthwhile even though you’re terrified. Overcoming fear is an essential key to living a useful and honorable life.”

Planning ahead, I simplified my set-up to a bare minimum necessary to paint outdoors. In my small wooden paint box I carried a wooden palette covered in aluminum foil, a palette knife for mixing colors, small roll of paper towels, small bottle of odorless mineral spirits for cleaning brushes, hog-bristle filbert brushes #2, #4, liner or rigger brush for details, small plastic bag for trash, 8x10 canvasboard attached with poster putty to 9x12 canvasboard (because this is the size of my box/easel.) Paints included Permalba White, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow Light, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Red Light, Alizaron Crimson, Transparent Red Oxide, Dioxazine Purple, Pthalo Blue, Sap Green. A limited palette of white, yellow, red, and blue would be sufficient to achieve all color mixtures needed. I put on sunscreen and wore a hat and brought drinking water and my digital camera for reference photos. A useful addition would be a small sketchbook and pencil for thumbnails or value sketches. I added a shoulder strap for hands-free carrying of my paint box; or you could carry all in a backpack. Notice I did not invest in a French easel, by was able to sit on a flat rock or bench, holding my paint box/easel in my lap to paint. After the painting session I gently rolled up the aluminum foil covering my palette to save remaining paint.

I found a 2-hour outdoor session long enough to cover my canvas with wet paint. I chose to bring these works home to finish after the initial coat of paint was dry. This allowed me to view my work in studio light and to realize that the colors I had mixed in the field were somewhat dull compared to my usual intensified colors. Above you may see Eldorado Springs Trail Study after some adjustments and highlights. If you have ever avoided outdoor painting as I had, I hope these suggestions will give you confidence to give it a try. Happy Painting!

English Tea Rooms, Rome, Italy | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-07-27T10:24:00.000-06:00

English Tea Rooms, Rome, Italy, oil on linen, 14x11, $600

This is my oil painting of the English Tea Rooms in Rome, Italy as seen from the Spanish Steps. At the base of the Spanish Steps is a boat-shaped fountain by Bernini. The beautiful terra cotta English Tea Rooms building glowed in the morning sun. Ferns, palms, olive and persimmon trees grew on balconies and courtyards surrounding the Tea Rooms. What are your favorite sites in Rome?

Villa de Medici, Rome, Italy | Ruth Soller - Blog

2010-07-02T11:58:00.018-06:00

Villa de Medici, oil on linen, 16x20, $1200

http://www.SollerOriginals.com/blog/21009/villa-de-medici-rome-italy

On our last morning in Rome we walked along the Pincio above Piazza del Popolo where we came across Villa de Medici, a summer retreat for members of the Medici family of Florence. The beautiful building had also served as Academie Nationale de France and was stunningly framed with cascading fushia bouganvilia.

Fed Up with FedEx? An Artist’s Continuing Saga

2010-06-24T18:09:00.000-06:00

FedEx came highly recommended to me by well known artists and art magazines as the best vendor for shipping artwork. My experience with FedEx began with great expectations and reasonable results in 2002 when I began shipping artwork to New York City, Washington, DC, and less populated locales in the U.S. My work arrived safely and was returned safely from exhibitions in which it did not sell. My husband built me two wooden crates of different sizes and we packed the works ourselves with foam rubber or bubble wrap, as no galleries or museums appreciate or accept pesky packing peanuts.

After the first few years FedEx decided that I needed to have a business account in order to have them prepare in advance a return shipping label to be included with the shipment for the return of my work after the shows. I willingly complied as I was promised discounts on all services by using my FedEx business account number which was attached to my credit card. I was careful to drive about 25 miles from my home to the FedEx Distribution Center, because I was told that I would receive better rates. This arrangement worked OK except that I could not be sure of the exact charges until after the services were actually performed and I received my credit card bill. There was some confusion as the statement listed only numbers rather than any written itemization for the charges by FedEx.

This year, however, FedEx is undergoing exponential problems. From my point of view as a “business client” I am not aware of the internal turmoil which most certainly manifests itself in horrendous customer service. My and my husband’s attempts to find information and answers online at www.FedEx.com were futile. The website is completely unintelligible. In my effort to sign in to the website I was led through steps to open another business account. My next step of a phone call to the toll free number led to a friendly female robot asking me irrelevant questions and not understanding my responses. After some time of this I was passed on to a friendly female human who kindly assured me that my local FedEx store could package my large painting and ship it.

My husband took off on his lunch hour to help me heft the unwieldy box to our local store, only to be refused adamantly by the “service” employee who claimed that:
•FedEx does not handle original artwork, unless it is something that can be readily replaced by purchasing another at Wal-Mart. (His words, not mine.)
•FedEx does not handle insurance. You must buy that from another vendor.
•FedEx will not do the packaging. You must do all the packaging yourself.
•FedEx will not reimburse for loss over $500 for artwork, no matter what your declared value.
(FedEx will gladly charge you more for a higher declared value.)
•Anything valued over $500 must be shipped FedEx Express.
•My package is too large for FedEx Express, so it must be shipped FedEx Freight.
•FedEx Freight will not reimburse for damage or loss over $100, no matter what your declared value. (FedEx will gladly charge you more for a higher declared value.)
•This office does not handle FedEx Freight. (FedEx Freight is a separate company.)

At this point I developed a sudden and keen understanding and affinity for “going postal”! Lucky for me, my husband quickly herded me out, into my vehicle, and back home where he perused the internet and found another FedEx shipper even closer to our home. By phone this friendly local store assured us that they would do the packaging and ship by FedEx using my business account. We went directly to this store and the managers were so very helpful and courteous. As far as I can tell they have done an exemplary job of communicating with various and vastly divergent FedEx offices and personnel who have given them numerous rules, roadblocks, and hurdles. After two days I am still receiving calls from this vendor as he attempts to coordinate and compromise with FedEx in order to make my shipment happen. He is optimistic that he has worked out all the bugs.

I am glad that I am a woman of faith, because I believe that it will take all the power of prayer to see this experience through to a glorious conclusion. I am extremely grateful for the honor of being accepted into such a prestigious exhibition; because it is quite possibly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, thanks to FedEx. In the meantime I am open to any leads for an affordable and reliable company which will package and transport original artwork. By the way, have you heard that, “Shipping is a hassle!”?

Denver Botanic Garden Path

2010-06-16T10:02:00.002-06:00

Denver Botanic Garden Path, Oil on linen, 11x14, $600

This is a scene in the southwest desert habitat plants at the Denver Botanic Gardens. I enjoy the patterns of light and shadow, warm and cool colors, and the vibrancy of complementary colors such as red and green or yellow and purple placed next to one another. What do you think or feel as you view this painting?
Denver Botanic Garden Path | Ruth Soller - Blog

Beside Still Waters

2010-06-09T14:12:00.001-06:00

My newest project is a challenge for me as I am conceptualizing a composition made up of many separate components. Before putting any marks on paper or canvas I have done much research including a photography weekend to Taos and Taos Pueblo. I have already completed two well received Taos Pueblo oil paintings and several Santa Fe scenes. My challenge is to include a Native American with her paint horse in the real setting of Taos Pueblo. I studied Pueblo Indians and their costumes online and in an encyclopedia. I next studied my collection of horse photos and paintings. My goal was to find a horse similar to the handsome Arabian Pinto whom I used to rent for riding lessons. Next, I searched my sketchbooks for figure drawings which would present a natural and believable pose. I selected the figure sketch shown above for the woman’s pose. After collecting these resources I began sketching rough ideas for a pleasing composition.

Since my goal was a finished oil painting 30x24 inches in dimensions, I wanted to increase my odds of success. I completed the 10x8 inch oil study shown above to help me decide on color harmony and to be certain that I could create consistent lighting throughout the composition. I prepared my canvas by toning it with a thin wash of Transparent Red Oxide, allowing it to dry and gridding it into thirds and fifths. These grids establish the most visually pleasing points for placement of the focal points. The Native American woman’s face is my primary focal point with the horse’s face a secondary focal point. I like the way the woman’s right leg runs on a diagonal leading the eye into the scene and her head is tilted towards the horse’s head, drawing the eye in a spiral motion within the painting. Notice that the stream leads the eye from the lower left corner up to the faces of the woman and the horse. Pleased with the study, I began sketching the composition onto my toned canvas with watercolor pencils.

My usual process is working from background to foreground and from dark to light. I painted the blues of the water while I had the sky and mountain blues mixed. After painting the sky, mountains, pueblo, and middle ground it was necessary to revise my drawing of both the woman’s face and the horse’s face. I continued working on the horse, grasses and water. Next, I painted the woman’s skin, dress, and moccasins, saving the detail of the beaded rose designs on her belt and moccasins for last. Although this one of my most challenging works, I am happy with the composition and the action of the woman’s pose. This work has a symbolic meaning to me of the scripture Psalm 23: 1-3a “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.”

Broomfield artist Ruth Soller exhibits at Salmagundi Club New York

2010-05-19T19:24:00.000-06:00

Broomfield, CO artist Ruth Soller is thrilled that her oil painting “Black Canyon of Gunnison, CO” is accepted in the Salmagundi Club New York Non-Member Painting and Sculpture Exhibition. The Exhibition will be in the Main Gallery and is open to the public seven days a week, 1-5 pm, July 12th through July 23rd, 2010. The Awards Reception will be Friday, July 23rd, from 6-8 pm. Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003, 212.255.7740, http://www.salmagundi.org

The Salmagundi Club originated in 1871 as a sketch class in Johnathan Scott Hartley's studio and purchased this mid-nineteenth century brownstone house in 1917 as its second home. It was cited in 1957 for its architectural distinction by the Society of Architectural Historians and the Municipal Art Society. The Club adopted its present name a hundred years ago after Washington Irving published his potpourri of wit and wisdom called "The Salmagundi Papers". The name also serves as the club dining room's famous "Salmagundi Stew".

Following a tradition of 137 years, the Salmagundi Club continues to serve as a center for fine artists from New York and around the country-providing exhibitions of paintings, sculpture and photography, conducting art classes and painting demonstrations and art auctions throughout the year. Through the years the Club has been the singular gathering place for such great artists as Childe Hassam, William Merrit Chase, Howard Pyle, N.C. Wyeth, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Ogden Pleisner and many others. Honorary members have included such luminaries as Sir Winston Churchill, Buckminister Fuller, Paul Cadmus, Al Hirschfeld, Thomas
Hoving and Schuyler Chapin.

Black Canyon of Gunnison, oil on canvas, 30x24

Siena, Italy

2010-04-12T17:36:00.000-06:00

Siena Window, oil on linen, 9x12, $500, Gallery East

We arrived in Sienna, a charming picturesque medieval town. The main street is lined with shops of jewelry, linens, leather, glassware along with bakeries, pastries, gelatos, wine, olive and olive oil vendors. A local specialty is a dense cake, Panforte di Siena, made with candied fruit, nuts, cinnamon, and cloves. The most exciting annual events occur on July 2 and August 16. The Palio is a horserace around the Campo, a cobblestone paved central city court shaped like a scallop seashell. Each of the 17 districts sponsors a horse who must be blessed by a priest in the main chapel or church of that district. The horse must win by any means, with or without its hired jockey, foreigners and mercenaries looked down upon by locals. Crammed into the piazza and surrounding shops and caffes are 50,000 spectators.

The Piazzo del Campo is seashell shaped, slanting downward toward Palazzo Publico. Buildings around the Piazzo are convex on one side and concave on the other. The Duomo or cathedral is built of striking black and white striped marble with lavish pink and white marble façade and an ornate interior. Side streets offer charming arches, steeply pitched bricked and cobble stone streets, siena and ocher colored buildings with green or siena shutters as shown in my painting above. Definitely an artist’s paradise!

Anne of Florence, Italy

2010-03-20T16:41:00.001-06:00

May I share with you how I painted a portrait of Anne, our Guide to Tuscany, Italy? Anne is a tall and elegant woman from Florence with classic Italian features and olive skin tones. She has lovely dark hair and eyes with a long, sculpted face similar to Sarah Jessica Parker. Her bone structure is quite evident. She was fashionably dressed in a black wool beret, flowing cream crocheted scarf, olive quilted down filled coat, black leggings with exquisite to-die-for black leather riding boots with fold-over rim at the knee. In addition to all the information about the enchanting region of Tuscany, I focused on memorizing Anne’s appearance. Above is the pencil sketch I did mostly from memory.

To Paint Anne I first sketched my drawing onto an Ocher toned canvas board using watercolor pencil for easy correction. I pre-mixed the portrait color palette which I learned from Daniel E. Greene of North Salem, New York. To learn about this you may purchase Daniel Greene’s oil portrait instruction video from http://DanielGreeneArtist.com. Next, I began painting the darkest values progressively moving to middle tones and finally light values and highlights. I decided to try a neutral grey middle value background, because I had such a strong pattern of light and dark in the figure. I am so glad I made that choice as I love the timeless feeling it gave the painting. Another new experiment for me was to paint the crocheted scarf with a palette knife, another happy result. I’m quite pleased with this portrait and hope that you enjoy it as well. As always I love to receive your comments.

Identity: How we become unique individuals

2010-02-11T18:38:00.004-07:00

You’re cordially invited to a unique worship and arts opportunity.

Broomfield United Methodist Church pastors have decided to incorporate visual art into some worship experiences to coincide with a series of messages about Identity: How we become unique. Ruth Soller, Broomfield oil painter of fine art portraits and architecture has agreed to have a three to five minute video filmed in her studio showing how she begins a self portrait and then showing how she finishes the painting. She will address the question of how we see the image of God. This video will become part of the worship experience and will tie in with the message on Sunday, February 21, 2010. Soller’s original oil portrait paintings including her Portrait of Rosa Parks will be on display during this event. Three worship services on February 21st will include the video and paintings, 8:30 am and 9:45 am are contemporary services with guitar, piano, and drums accompanying contemporary songs and 11:05 am is a traditional service with organ and hymns. Location is Broomfield United Methodist Church, 545 West 10th Avenue, Broomfield, CO 80020. 303-466-1719

The public is invited to attend. Refreshments are available before and between services; and dress is casual. Please feel free to call Ruth at 303-469-2072 with questions or for more information.

I would love to see you there.

Identity: How we become unique
Broomfield United Methodist Church 303-466-1719
545 West 10th Avene, Broomfield, CO 80020
Sunday, February 21st, 2010
8:30 am, 9:45 am Contemporary, 11:05 am Traditional

Create an oil painting from your travel photos in three steps

2010-01-23T09:32:00.009-07:00

1. I selected this candid photo which I took in a cafe. I found this scene compelling because of the warm colors surrounding the girl contrasted with the light and cool colors surrounding the man. I have desired to paint a cafe scene for quite some time.

2. Next I drew a rectangle in my sketchbook in the same proportions as my canvas and gridded the rectangle into thirds vertically and horizontally. This helps in placement of the figures and making sure that the focal point is in a visually appealing location. I sketched the scene in pen and ink in order to eliminate any unnecessary details and to translate the image into three main values--dark, middle tones, and light. You may use pencil or charcoal for the sketch and you need not include as much detail as I used.

Tavola per la colazione, oil on linen, 9x12, $450, Available 303-469-2072

3. You may notice that I moved the teapot and sugar bowl in order to create a small still life in the foreground and to add ambiance to the scene. I moved the figures closer together for more implied intimacy. I decided to include more of the paintings on the wall behind the girl and in the mirror because I thought the images were interesting and the colors related well in my composition. Notice how the diagonals of the tables lead the eye into the scene. I used the same gridding technique with watercolor pencils on my canvas to help with the transfer of the drawing onto the canvas. With all major decisions made before I picked up my paintbrush, the painting proceeded smoothly. Here is the final oil painting.

I encourage you to begin to turn your favorite memories into attractive paintings by following these three steps.

Best of Florence, Italy

2010-01-01T16:09:00.009-07:00

1. Piazzale Michelangelo. From this hillside you have splendid views overlooking the Arno, the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, and all the beautiful golden toned, red tile roofed architecture of Renaissance Florence. You may also view the expansive villas built by the nobles of Florence.

2. Galleria dell’ Accademia: Michelangelo’s David. This is the most beautiful and moving statue I have ever experienced. Michelangelo chose to carve David poised in expectation, focus and concentration immediately before David felled the giant Goliath with only a strap and five smooth stones. David fully trusted that God was on his side and that He would prevail.

3. Duomo. Each city’s largest church is called its Duomo or Cathedral. Florence architect Filippo Brunelleschi made it his life’s work to build the world’s largest dome to cover the cathedral. The work was completed after 16 years of construction in 1436. The Battistero or baptistery has three sets of bronze doors designed by Andrea Pisano and Ghiberti.

4. Galleria degli Uffizi. This museum contains superb Renaissance sculptures and paintings from the 15th Century to 17th and 18th century European artists including Rubens, Canaletto, Van Dyke, Caravaggio and Rembrandt. I was particularly amazed by the rich, pure colors of Doni Tondo (c1505) by Michelangelo, a circular portrayal of the Holy Family.

5. Piazza della Signoria. Florence’s most famous square contains the Neptune statue with bronze water nymphs adorning the fountain.

6. Ponte Vecchio. This 1593 bridge crowded with forty silver and gold jewelry shops is one of Florence’s most famous landmarks.

7. Piazza Santa Croce. The Franciscan Gothic church of Santa Croce contains the tombs of Michelangelo, philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli, composer Gioacchino Antonio Rossini, and scolar and humanist Leonardo Bruni. You may visit the monastery leatherworking school which provides students training to produce the fine leather goods renowned in Florence.

8. Santa Maria Novella. This church was established by Dominican friars in 1221 as a small chapel Santa Maria delle Vigne. Architect Leon Battista Alberti blended existing Gothic elements with new Renaissance features when he completed the intricate marble façade in 1458.

9. Museo Nazionale de Bargello. This fortress-like structure was built in 1255 as the government headquarters and later in 1865 became a National Museum of Italy.

10. Il Porcellino. The city emblem is a bronze statue of a wild boar. It is believed that if you rub the nose of the boar it will bring you good luck and ensure a return visit to Florence.

Florence Biennial International Contemporary Art

2010-01-01T15:46:00.005-07:00

It was a wonderful gift and blessing to be able to travel to Italy and participate in the 2009 Florence Biennial, where my works were very well received. The USA Biennial artists met the afternoon after the Opening Ceremony, introduced ourselves to the group and talked about our experiences. Of the seventy USA artists exhibiting at the Florence Biennial, over fifty traveled to Italy to attend. We agreed that we would like to keep in touch with one another and to plan group shows in the USA in the near future. I truly enjoyed meeting artists from around the USA and the world. Some results of these conversations include being invited to exhibit in an international show in Fiji in June 2010 and discussing a potential portrait commission. One USA artist was invited to have a solo exhibition of more than twenty of her large photographs in a gallery in Florence. I returned home with more than 600 photos which will serve as the inspiration for a new series of paintings. I am very thankful for the opportunity to represent Colorado USA in this exciting venue.

Top Ten Holiday Stress Busters

2009-11-28T09:48:00.007-07:00

1. Select foods purposefully. You can improve health and energy by planning food choices in advance. Rather than trying to drastically change your eating patterns or going on a restricted diet, try replacing the least nutritious food you normally eat with healthier choices. Being a visual artist I was thrilled to learn that fresh fruits and vegetables with the most intense natural colors—reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, and purples-- also contain the most vitamins and nutrients. They are also great subjects for still life paintings. I am also gratified that recent studies find numerous health benefits from coffee, dark chocolate, and red wine ( in moderation). Nuts including almonds, walnuts, and pistachios contain protein and healthier fats. Whole grain cereals and breads are great sources of fiber and B vitamins. Salmon and tuna are rich in Omega-3 which can also be taken in fish oil capsules.

2. Restful sleep is restorative. If you find it difficult to get restful sleep, it is definitely worth a doctor’s visit and some detective work to discover why and to correct the problem. If your schedule or your boss allows, a twenty to thirty minute power nap in the afternoon will improve focus, concentration, and mood. Productivity will improve with your alertness.

3. Add activity to your daily life. An exercise program may sound intimidating and may fall by the wayside. Adding one active pursuit that you will enjoy in place of one sedentary habit can make a huge difference over time. Do you truly enjoy watching the evening news? Would you enjoy a brisk walk outdoors more? If you have arthritis or joint issues water aerobics is a low impact way to build strength, flexibility, and endurance. Yoga, stability ball exercises, swimming, bicycling or horseback riding will each improve core strength while reducing anxiety or depression. Select any activity that fits your schedule, current fitness level, and budget and you will reap abundant benefits.

4. Nutritional supplements. You may find vitamins and supplements in endless variety and price ranges. My experience is that less expensive off-the-shelf vitamins are helpful. Currently, I take a one-a-day multiple vitamin, calcium + vitamin D supplement, vitamin C, and Omega-3 fish oil soft-gel capsule daily. I seldom get colds or flu since taking these supplements. I have been experimenting with rose hip tea which is said to build resistance to the flu as well as provide numerous vitamins.

5. Meet with your creator. Prayer has been an important daily part of my life for many years. One of my only attempts at multi-tasking is prayer walking each morning. I spend time in praise, thanksgiving, confession, and supplication during these walks. This practice results in centering my mind for the new day and getting me started on a positive note. I also communicate with God during the day and evening. Meditation would have the same benefits as well as listening to inspirational or praise music.

6. Build relationships. I confess to being an introvert; so I must make extra effort to achieve friendships. I think that although I am quiet and reserved, I am a faithful and loyal friend. Building a wide support network of family, friends, and acquaintances in a variety of settings is a key to managing anxiety and depression. Choose positive activities in which you have mutual interests such as church small groups, sports teams, hobby or professional clubs, continuing education classes or civic organizations. Set a goal to meet and converse with one new person each meeting.

7. Nature heals. Discover ways to spend time enjoying nature and the outdoors. Gardening is a productive and healing activity. I love to visit Denver Botanic Gardens to photograph the variety of flowers during various seasons. Colorado is a spectacular state for so many outdoor pursuits such as camping, fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, rock climbing, swimming, rafting, spelunking, hang gliding… Oops, I am getting carried away!

8. Be kind to animals. Did you know that people who own pets have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol? Adopting a pet from an animal shelter is a great way to save an animal’s life and to improve your quality of life. I promise that a dog will be a faithful companion and a constant motivator on your daily walks. I find grooming and riding a horse to be both calming and exhilarating. Here is my little stress buster Mindy whom we adopted over ten years ago.

9. Learn a new skill. You are never too old to learn new tricks, as long as you are willing to practice regularly in order to retain what you are learning. I have taken workshops or classes in figure drawing, watercolor techniques, oil portraiture, ballroom dancing, and even horseback riding. No matter what your interest, there is likely to be a class or at least a DVD to teach you more. Vocal or instrumental music works wonders for relaxation and stress reduction. I find that listening to classical music while driving keeps me calm in traffic and in a more positive frame of mind.

10. Read actual books. What better way to escape from your worries or problems than immersing yourself in a novel or mystery? Surely I would like to learn and understand more about plenty of subjects. Lately, I find myself spending far too much screen time. I think I can become a more interesting person by exchanging TV and internet time for book reading time. How about you? Let me know how you beat stress in you daily life.

Florence Biennial Contemporary Art Exhibition 2009

2009-11-16T18:04:00.001-07:00

I am very excited and honored to be representing Colorado, USA, in the Seventh edition of the Florence Biennial International Contemporary Art Exhibition in Florence, Italy this December 5th to 13th. The Biennial is organized under the high patronage of the President of the Italian Republic with the official endorsement of the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Tuscany, the Province and the City of Florence. In 2001 the United Nations recognized the Florence Biennial as an official partner in their program “Dialogue Among Civilizations.” The Florence Biennial is the most comprehensive exhibition of Contemporary artists. Artists are chosen by the International Scientific Committee and by the Internal Committee. The philosophy of the Biennial is not to limit the artistic expressions of the artists in terms of style or techniques.

Over 800 artists from 74 countries around the world will be exhibiting 2500 artworks with many of the artists attending the event. Each artist will have nine feet of wall space in which to display three paintings or corresponding floor space for sculpture or three-dimensional work. My three paintings from my Santa Fe architecture series are shown above. The Festival kicks off with a fanfare extravaganza including trumpeters in medieval costume and a renaissance parade into the fortress. During the days of the fair, guided visits in museums and excursions outside of Florence are available for the artists. Panel discussions and networking opportunities are a highlight of the event. A dinner concert and awards presentation will close the Festival. My plan is to keep a small sketchbook for pen and ink and watercolor sketches along with photographs from which to create studio paintings after my return.

The exhibition takes place in the prestigious galleries of Fortezza da Basso, located in the heart of the city of Florence. Fortezza de Basso was designed by Antonio da Sangallo il Giovane with the help of Pier Francesco da Viterbo and is built on the idea of a medieval city. The monumental structure, with a pentagonal layout, is a splendid example of Renaissance architecture characterized by imposing towers, narrow tunnels and hidden passages. It was built in just one year, between 1533 and 1534 on behalf of the Medici family.

Florence, Italy became famous as the birthplace of the Renaissance. Florence was once the capital city of Italy and is now the capital of the province of Florence and the region of Tuscany. During the years 1300 to 1600, some of the greatest painters, sculptors and writers in history lived and worked in Florence. Leonardo da Vinci, Fra Angelico Giotto, and Michelangelo produced magnificent paintings and sculptures in Florence. Dante was one of the great writers who lived in Florence. The architect Filippo Brunelleschi and the political analyst Niccolo Machiavelli were born in Florence, and the astronomer Galileo worked there. Florence was the center of one of the greatest periods of cultural achievement in history for a period of 300 years. The wealthy Medici family controlled Florence from the early 1400’s until the 1700’s. Lorenzo the Magnificent ruled from 1469 to 1492 and led Florence to achieve its greatest splendor. During this time literature, opera, and theater thrived in Florence and were imitated throughout Europe.

Outstanding art museums and galleries are on the right bank or north side of the Arno River which divides Florence. The famous Uffizi Palace houses one of the world’s finest collections of paintings and statues. The Galleria dell’ Accademia displays Michelangelo’s David along with medieval and Renaissance sculpture. Ponte Vecchio, one of the six bridges over the Arno, was built in 1345 and is lined with goldsmith and jewelry shops. Fine handicrafts made by Florentines include leather goods, mosaics, and pottery. The left bank or south side or the Arno is home to Pitti Palace and the surrounding Boboli Gardens, one of the most beautiful gardens in Italy.

Art and Fear

2009-10-02T19:45:00.003-06:00

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the mind of an artist? Truths are spoken in the book Art & Fear which may be universal to artists. These are the statements that resonate most with me. Please feel free to respond with your own thoughts and ideas to Ruth@SollerOriginals.com. Excerpts from the book Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles & Ted Orland copyright 1993.

•Making art now means working in the face of uncertainty; it means living with doubt and contradiction, doing something no one much cares whether you do, and for which there may be neither audience nor reward. P 2
•In large measure becoming an artist consists of learning to accept yourself, which makes your work personal, and in following your own voice, which makes your work distinctive. P 3
•And artists quit when they lose the destination for their work—for the place their work belongs. P 10
•Lesson for the day: vision is always ahead of execution—and it should be.P 15
•Uncertainty is the essential, inevitable and all-pervasive companion to your desire to make art. And tolerance for uncertainty is the prerequisite to succeeding. P 21
•When you act out of fear, your fears come true. Fears about artmaking fall into two families: fears about yourself, and fears about your reception by others. In a general way, fears about yourself prevent you from doing your best work, while fears about your reception by others prevent you from doing you own work. P 23
•The fear that you’re only pretending to do art is the (readily predictable) consequence of doubting your own artistic credentials. P 24
•By definition, whatever you have is exactly what you need to produce your best work.
P 26 (I truly love this idea!)
•Yet this humanity is the ultimate source of your work; your perfectionism denies you the very thing you need to get your work done. P 31
•We abdicate artistic decision-making to others when we fear that the work itself will not bring us the understanding, acceptance, and approval we seek. P38
•In following the path of your heart, the chances are that your work will not be understandable to others. At least not immediately, and not to a wide audience. P 39
•In time, as an artist’s gestures become more assured, the chosen tools become almost an extension of the artist’s own spirit. In time, exploration gives way to expression. P 59
• To the artist, all problems of art appear uniquely personal. Well, that’s understandable enough, given that not many other activities routinely call one’s basic self-worth into question. P 65
•Nature places a simple constraint on those who leave the flock to go their own way: they get eaten. P 68
•And surely one of the more astonishing rewards of artmaking comes when people make time to visit the world you have created. P 69
•Fear that you’re not getting your fair share of recognition leads to anger and bitterness. Fear that you’re not as good as a fellow artist leads to depression. P 72
•--art has the dubious distinction of being one profession in which you routinely make more my teaching it than by doing it. P 81
•Learning is the natural reward of meetings with remarkable ideas, and remarkable people. P 84
•Once developed, art habits are deep-seated, reliable, helpful, and convenient. Moreover, habits are stylistically important. In a sense, habits are style. P 103
•And while a hundred civilizations have prospered (sometimes for centuries) without computers or windmills or even the wheel, none have survived even a few generations without art. P 104
•Over the long run, the people with the interesting answers are those who ask the interesting questions. P 113
•To make art is to sing with the human voice. To do this you must first learn that the only voice you need is the voice you already have. P 117 (Amen)

Discover the Road to Taos

2009-09-07T08:56:00.004-06:00

Early Saturday morning the traffic on I-25 south through Denver and Colorado Springs was sparse; and by noon we approached Taos. As If stepping back into an ancient European village, the pace slowed and the adobe architecture shown in the sun. Lunch at a local favorite Michael’s Bakery definitely hit the spot as freshly baked cinnamon rolls and apple fritters tempted our senses. Across Paseo del Pueblo Norte the Taos Museum (www.taosartmuseum.com, 575.758.2690) in the Nicolai Fechin home introduced us to the multiply talented artist born in 1881 in Kagan, Russia. Fechin excelled as a draftsman, painter, architect, and wood carver who built his adobe home and studio by hand from 1927 to 1933, while carving the beautiful and unique tables, chairs, beds, doors, columns, stair railings, built in cabinets and cedar lined closets which filled his home. Fechin carved and molded the adobe buildings into a marriage of Russian, Native American, and Spanish symbology. Fechin’s portrait paintings brought to mind John Singer Sargent’s assured bravado brushstrokes combined with Gustav Klimpt’s German Expressionist style. Taos Museum owns a permanent collection of 300 works by fifty artists of the original Taos Society of Artists and modern Taos painters. Plans are underway to construct a 12,000 square foot additional building to house this collection with a major fund-raising black-tie event scheduled in August 2009. Strolling through fragrant gardens of cherry and apple trees, lilies, roses, bachelor buttons and lavender we visited Fechin’s studio which contains a gift shop of art books, hand-made jewelry, pottery, and woven scarves.

Taos Plaza contains several historic Spanish Colonial buildings including the La Fonda Hotel Taos, rebuilt in 1710 and filled with original period artworks by local and regional artisans. A short walk from the Plaza takes you to numerous art galleries. Walden Fine Art was gearing up for a reception for Colorado painter Marie Massey. Next door Michael McCormick Gallery (www.mccormickgallery.com, 575.758.1372) planned a buffet dinner for the Angus McDonald “Summer of Love in Taos” show. On Kit Carson Road, Wilder Nightingale Gallery (www.wnightingale.com, 575.758.3255) featured oversized portraits by Rory Wagner, glowing landscapes by Stephen Day, abstracted landscapes by Kit Lynch, and architectural paintings by Greg Moon. Diane Grimshaw’s Gallery featured architecture paintings by Walker Moore and expressive figures and still lifes by Scott Freeman. Total Arts Gallery (www.totalartsgallery.com, 575.758.4667) celebrated its 40th Anniversary with a courtyard buffet reception for Kim English, John David Phillips, and Spike Ress. Works by renowned painters David Leffel, Sherrie McGraw, and Burton Silverman were also displayed at Total Arts Gallery.

Sunday morning we set out to explore the High Road from Taos to Santa Fe. State Road 518 climbs the scenic route through Carson National Forest with many side roads to hiking and fishing sites. Passing through Talpa take a right on state road 75 through Valida and Penasco, where a right turn takes you to Picuris Pueblo. Take a left on state road 76 through Chamisal to Las Trampas where the old Santo Tomas Church was begun in 1751 in Spanish Colonial alpine construction and dedicated in 1760. Still in use today, the church was rededicated in 1881 as San Jose de Gracia. Continue on through Ojo Sarco to Truchas Mission and Cordova. Take state road 98 toward Chimayo to see the Santuario de Chimayo referred to as “Lourdes of the Southwest” because of the alleged healing powers of the miraculous dirt in the corner of the 19th century chapel. Here we cut across the loop to the more modern city of Espanola, stopping for a fresh Southwestern taco salad for lunch. We completed our loop along the Low Road, Highway 68 North, back toward Taos. Passing Velarde and the historic railroad stop at Embudo we saw lush farms of fruits, corn, chiles, vineyards and wineries. Along the Rio Grande River we spotted rafters braving the rapids resulting from a rainy summer. The area between Ohkay Owingeh and Pilar was known in 1598 as San Juan Pueblo. Reaching the southern border of Taos we visited the adobe buttressed San Francisco de Asis Church built in 1710 in Rancho de Taos and a favorite painting subject of Georgia O’Keeffe and modern artists.

Hacienda de los Martinez (www.taoshistoricmuseums.org, 575.758.4741) is one of the few remaining late Spanish Colonial period “Great Houses” built in 1804 by Don Antonio Severino Martin, later pluralized to Martinez. The carefully preserved fortress-like double courtyard hacienda provides the visitor a glimpse of life in the early 1800’s, when the family made a living through agriculture and commerce on the Camino Real and the Santa Fe Trail. By 1827 the Hacienda had expanded to include 21 rooms enclosing two placitas. Occupied by the Martinez family until the mid 1930’s the rooms included a sala or living room, bedrooms, family chapel, granero, trade room, la cocina, la dispensa, gran sala or meeting room, weaving room, santos display room, blacksmith’s shop, servant’s quarters, tack room, and servant’s chapel. Animal stalls and adobe baking ovens were located outside the main structure.

Sunday evening we dined at Doc Martin’s Restaurant in the Historic Taos Inn built in 1880. The menu included such delicacies as rattlesnake, calamari, buffalo burgers, and a house favorite recipe for chile rellenos. The colorful, fluid stylized landscapes of Kit Lynch decorated the walls of the former home of the first doctor in Taos. As the evening cooled we joined the fire circle at La Kachina Best Western to experience Taos Pueblo Indian dancers and drummers. A Native American narrator described the costumes and the meanings of the dances which he assured us were not spiritual but meant for entertainment.

Monday morning we drove two miles north of Taos to a civilization dating back over a thousand years at Taos Pueblo (www.taospueblo.com), “The Place of the Red Willows”. A Native American cemetery of 1619 held graves of those killed in the revolt of 1680. Drying racks were used to dry grains and meats in the hot summer sun. Outdoor adobe ovens called horno were used to bake bread and pastries over a cedar fire. The native language Tiwa is unwritten and unrecorded even today. Red Willow Creek flows with clear, icy water from Blue Lake high in the nearby Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The North House, Hlaauma, is built of adobe in multiple stories which were originally accessed only by ladders which could be pulled up to prevent entry by enemies. The South House, Hlaukkwima, is smaller and also does not include running water or electricity. Doorways and windows have been added and the pueblo is still inhabited by Native Americans today. The San Geronimo Church built in 1850 has been faithfully tended and continues to provide services.

A short drive west on US 64 will take you to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge spanning the dramatic 650 feet deep chasm to the river. One wonders at the thoughts of early settlers in covered wagons upon encountering such an obstacle on a westward trek. Heading back towards Taos the Millicent Rogers Museum (www.millicentrogers.org, 575.758.2464) must not be missed. Millicent Rogers was an art patron, stunning beauty, and talented designer who settled in Taos in 1947. In five short years until her early death at age 50 she amassed an awe inspiring museum quality collection of Native American turquoise and silver jewelry, hand-woven baskets and textiles, authentic pueblo pottery including the Maria Martinez Family Collection, Hispanic textiles, metalwork, sculptures, and contemporary Anglo-European Southwestern Art. Before heading back home we enjoyed an al fresco lunch at the Dragonfly Café, a charmingly decorated 1911 adobe residence with its own European bakery. Savoring a curried chicken salad croissant, my mind’s eye composed images for painting series yet to come and noted sites to see on my next journey on the road to Taos.

Top Ten Framing Tips

2009-07-22T16:51:00.004-06:00

Cindy Cambridge, Account Executive with Larson Juhl, an international framing company, spoke to our artists' seminar at Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum about trends in framing and how quality framing impacts the sale of art. Here are some tips she shared:
There are no rules...only guidelines.

Frame to enhance the art, not to match the room.
In a completed frame design, the art should be the first thing you see.
Moulding width should be determined by the following: size of the art, scale of shapes within the image, visual weight, scale of the room and furniture in the room.
Mat width should be: at least slightly wider than the moulding or at least slightly narrower than the moulding width.
Neutral mat colors (white, gray, tan and black) allow the artwork to be the focal point, and allow the completed piece to be more versatile if it moves to a different location.
Paper as well as textile art should be framed behind glass. In each case, there should be space between the art and the glass, provided by a mat or sspacer.
Double matting, fabric mats, a fillet or stacking frames are all ways to increase the perceived value of a piece.
Conservation grade materials (including mats, mounting items, glass and acrylic) should be used on everything. the value of protecting the piece far outweighs the minimal difference in cost.
Acrylic is the better choice in a child's room, or if the finished piece needs to be shipped.
Art doesn't go out of style, but framing trends come and go. Replacing a single element of a framed item, or all of them, can update the look of any piece.

Trust your custom framer to help guide you in finding the best solution for each item you are having framed. When done correctly, custom framing should enhance a single piece of art along with the room in which it will be displayed.

Broomfield artist Ruth Soller exhibits in New York City

2009-05-29T14:34:00.001-06:00

Ruth Soller, Broomfield artist will exhibit her oil paintings in the Something Different Exhibition at APW Arts Gallery in New York City from July 17th through August 23rd, 2009. Opening Reception will be July 17th from 7 pm to 9 pm. Soller will be sending the most recent pieces in her Painted Pueblos of Santa Fe series, Canyon Road Corner and Presbyterian Profile, as well as Catalina Fountain and Catalina Planter. Soller previously exhibited in Limner Gallery on Avenue of the Americas, New York City in 2001 and 2002. This year she is participating in a worldwide Sketchbook Project touring exhibition sponsored by Art House Gallery of Atlanta, Georgia, with a stop at Third Ward Gallery in Brooklyn, New York. The Something Different Exhibition will feature 200 artists from around the world. One artist from this exhibition will be selected to present a solo exhibition at APW Arts Gallery. Ten artists will be selected to present a group exhibition. Works in the Something Different Exhibition will be featured on our website www.APWarts.com and for purchase online. General inquiry: info@apwarts.com
Hours: Friday - Sunday 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Phone: (718)-383-0671 48-18 Van Dam St - Long Island City - NYC 11101

Soller’s oil paintings of the historic architecture and the colorful people of the West, glow from within with southern charm. After twenty years of painting her work has developed a distinct and recognizable stylized realism. She perceives intensified colors, simplified forms and dramatic value contrasts in her compositions. A full-time painter residing in Broomfield, Colorado, she is inspired by the grandeur of the nearby Rocky Mountains. She paints the western landscape in a magical, mystical, surreal style. Her works have been exhibited from New York City to Los Angeles and from Montana to Alabama. She is represented by Solveig Lark of Gallery East in Loveland, Colorado and Rebecca Barrett of The Link Gallery in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
APW Arts Gallery first opened their doors in March of 2008 in New York City's Lower East Side. Since then it has organized and curated a number of exhibitions featuring local and international artists. APW Arts Gallery is innovative in that it showcases works such as custom vinyl toys as well as traditional media from both emerging and established artists. Previous exhibitions included World of Imagination, Custom Toy Contest, Sketch It Out, Art on Record, A Postcard is worth 1000 words, and Deck Deck Deck. Future scheduled shows include New York City Art Book Project, T-Project, and Just Stick It. In March 2009, APW Arts Gallery transitioned into a new 5,000 square foot space in the growing creative community of Long Island City, NYC.

Painted Pueblos of Santa Fe

2009-05-21T19:42:00.001-06:00

NEW PAINTINGS SERIES: SANTA FE SCENES-Our recent trip to Santa Fe inspired my new series of paintings. The public is invited to come and see the debut of these vibrant jewels at an open house at Gallery East, Tenth & Lincoln, Loveland, CO, Tuesday-Saturday, gallery hours 11 am-4 pm.

Santa Fe means "Holy Faith" in Spanish. Santa Fe is the oldest state capital city in the U.S. Built in the early days of Spanish colonization, around 1610, San Miguel Mission is considered by many to be the oldest mission in the U.S. It was burned and then rebuilt in 1710. In Spanish Colonial times, this was the church of the working people in the Barrio de Analco. Today this church contains many fine examples of historic Hispanic religious art.

Canyon Road is today the home of dozens of prestigious art galleries, shops and restaurants. This street was once a dirt track used by people to haul firewood on burros to sell in downtown Santa Fe. In the 1920's, artists moved in because rents were the lowest in town. Farolitos (candles in paper bags), little bonfires traditionally called luminarias and thousands of carolers make this a magical place on Christmas Eve. A chile ristra, a string of bright red chiles, is a perfect inexpensive keepsake. They are traditionally hung in kitchens or by a door.

The most familiar of all Native American dwellings are the monumental pueblos of the Southwest, which are believed to have evolved from simple earth lodges. The earthen roofs are supported by massive horizontal timbers placed on top of the thick adobe walls. Because of the difficulty of cutting the roof timbers to precise lengths with stone tools, the ends were normally allowed to project somewhat beyond the wall surface. This is the principal difference between native buildings and related Spanish Colonial buildings built of adobe. Several of the New Mexico pueblos have been continuously occupied since pre-Columbian times and thus have the distinction of being the most authentic surviving Native American dwellings.

Spanish domestic buildings commonly have long, narrow porches (the corridor or portale) that open onto internal courtyards. Porch roofs were supported by hewn logs, usually capped by distinctive carved brackets. Because they faced internal courtyards, traditional porches are seldom evident on the external facades. With the arrival of Anglo influence, however, front-façade porches became fashionable.
Spanish Colonial buildings are unusually durable when executed in stone. In sharp contrast, adobe walls are unusually susceptible to deterioration; if the roofs are not continually repaired, rainwater literally melts them into a formless mass of mud. Regrettably, many of the most authentic examples were abandoned in favor of frame dwellings.

Sources:
A Field Guide to American Houses, by Virginia and Lee McAlester, Alfred A Knopf, Inc., copyright 1997.
The Collectors Guide Santa Fe, Taos, Albuquerque, Vol. 22, No. 2, 2008-2009
Inside Santa Fe, Vol. 9, No. 2, 2008-2009

A Bolt of White Cloth

2009-04-05T15:59:00.000-06:00

During our visit in Cheyenne, Wyoming for the Western Spirit Exhibition and Sale, I was fortunate to attend the Artist Development Seminar at Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum. Sandra Starr, Senior Researcher at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, spoke on “A Bolt of White Cloth: Exploring the Flexibility and Adaptability of the American Indian Artist”. Here are a few fascinating facts from her talk. The Treaty of Canadaigua between the Iroquois Confederacy and the United States was signed in 1794. Some terms of this treaty continue to touch the lives of the Oneida today. For example, an allotment of treaty cloth or annuity cloth was given to each enrolled Oneida. Since the Oneida word for “gift” did not include the idea of reciprocity, it is unlikely that they understood that the United States was taking control of their land through the treaty.

The allotment of cloth was determined by an amount of money established in 1794 and has not been adjusted for inflation. Today the cloth continues to be delivered by United Parcel Service and distributed on a per capita basis. Originally gifted bolts of calico and muslin were meant to help with the clothing needs of tribal people. Later, tipi liners decorated with illustrations of events and feats of bravery were made of the muslin given as gifts in treaty negotiations. Women also made quilts from the annuity cloth. The treaty cloth has gone from a fine white cotton muslin to an inexpensive unbleached muslin used for sheets and pillowcases. The quantity of treaty cloth allotted per person has diminished from about four yards by two yards in the early days to a strip 4 inches wide by 48 inches long in 1998. Still Oneida oral tradition teaches each new generation the potent symbol of the annuity cloth.

GALLERY NEWS

2009-03-09T17:58:00.000-06:00

I'm excited to announce that Rebecca Barrett of The Link Gallery now represents my work in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Rebecca has owned and operated galleries in Denver and Estes Park, Colorado. Originally born and schooled in Cambridge, England, Rebecca received a degree in photography from the University of the Arts London. She has published work in magazines in the United Kingdom and the United States. Rebecca worked as a house photographer for a jazz club in London, did portfolios for musicians, and designed album covers.

The Link Gallery features fine and applied art from American, British and European artists which encompasses jewelery, paintings, photography, art glass, sculpture, ceramics and prints. As well as quite traditional pieces the gallery carries work that tends to be witty, maybe a little quirky, and definitely different! Rebecca invites you to feel welcome to come in and browse.