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Welcome to Barb's Blog. Posting some of my opinions, insights, ideas, and adventures about art, travel, plein aire, pastel, and whatever's happening. Join me, feel free to add comments, follow along as I paint and write and explore Summer in the Mountains of Colorado
I don't consider myself a photographer, but I am a sorter, collector and procurer of images. I don't paint many flowers but I love to get down in the grasses and photograph them. Bees and all. These are some of my favorites. They are labeled in my Recent Work Folder (soon to be Wildflower Photos folder)
http://wildflowersofcolorado.com/html/pg__9_yellow.html This is the site I go to for yellow Colorado flowers, otherwise known to me as another damn yellow wildflower.
Harebells have been all over Land's End on the Grand Mesa this year. Actually the wildflowers have been the best ever. Enjoy more of the wildflowers in the Wildflower Photo folder.
The Next Three Months
We will be there until the end of October. The members showing this year are: Barbara Allen, Teressa Carlton, Amy Daniels, Pat de l' Etoile, Cathy Folkerth, Laurae Fortner Welch, MaryEllen Miller, Linda Palmer, Carol Ann Rasmussen, Karen Sinclair, and Barbara Torke. These amazing artists are teachers, professionals, and students. Come see their remarkable work. The paintings are from right to left: The Bravest Dog by Barbara Torke-pastel Indian Paintbrush with boots, by Laurae Fortner Welch-pastel After the Storm, by Karen Sinclair-pastel Glorious Sunflowers, by Carol Ann Rasmussen-alcohol ink second row: Red Boat, by Barbara Allen-pastel Chihuili Glass at Denver Botanic Gardens, by Amy Daniels-pastel Orbs, by MaryEllen Miller-acrylic third row: Stream, by Pat de l' Etoile - pastel Running in green water, by Linda Palmer-watercolor TLC, by Teressa Carlton-stained glass I actually am not sure of the titles. I hope the tribe will forgive me. I want viewers to be able to identify them. Humbly Barb Torke
The Apple Shed
The Apple Shed is a destination stop whenever you are on the western side of Colorado.
I have had my paintings at the Apple Shed since 1996, as a member of the Cedars Edge Gallery co-op, and then in 2005, as a commissioned artist. Connie and Dan Williams are truly supportive to us in the art field. Being an artist herself, showing her work included, she has an eye for everything creative. It has been an honor to participate in the Apple Shed. Coming up, in the months of August, September, and October, The Apple Shed is hosting me (Barb Torke) and the Eighth Tribe in the Heritage Room. We are honored and very busy getting ready. We hope to make the Apple She proud. And we appreciate the opportunity.
Barbara Torke and plein aire in Gunnison
I am showing my pastels this month (June-2016) in the Gunnison Gallery, Gunnison, Colorado. I've been planning and arranging this show for some time. Luckily Anne Michel is a gracious and very competent hostess. When I arrived with a lot of paintings, she found room for almost, if not all of them. The gallery wall looks great. Dale and I camped at the KOA, which was very nice, and were joined with another Eighth Tribe member and her husband. Thursday , Karen and I met three other Tribe members to plein aire paint.
We went to Neversink trail-head and picnic area. We had talked about plein aire a lot. Although it was not the first time painting outside for Barbara Allen and Amy, the others had gathered pieces and parts of equipment to set up. Carolann got equipment that made plein aire a lot more fun. A good easel, sturdy pastel paper, and a small or medium sized pastel box were easily acquired. A small table or chair worked well to sit or store pastels on while working. This was Karen's first time. She enthusiastically dug into the experience. Amy set up and went to work immediately and competently. Barbara was trying a new technique with a complementary underpainting. Great job.
The artists worked for three hours in the morning and another three in the afternoon. The artwork was exciting and the whole day exhilarating. They are amazing. I want to share their work but will let them finish up. Those finishing touches are a way of bringing the outside in.
Rifle Creek at Rifle Falls plein Aire by Barbara Torke Plein aire is good for the soul. It makes us work out problems, (the weather may be one, but that day was splendid) composition, perspective, proportion, placement (how much and how little of the total landscape, color, and value). The artist takes control of the environment on the sheet of paper. It was a lot of fun, and everyone learned a lot. You can't help but learn.
A little more plein aire is our choice. Who knows where you'll find us next - on Grand Mesa - in someone's back yard, Confluence Park, or on the highway to the orchards. Maybe in a wheat field somewhere, watching crows land, or Monet's garden.
Survivor at Jumbo Lake Grand Mesa plein aire by Barbara Torke Coming up
June 1,2016, my show 'Whimsy, Nature and 1900s family Characters' will be at the Gunnison Gallery in Gunnison, Colorado for the month of June. I'm showing all pastels, plus some prints of watercolors and some cards. A big thank you to Anne MIchel for having me as guest. I'm very excited to be there. The opening is June 3rd from 5-8 pm. I will be painting outside for the first hour, and I hear the weather will be great.
On Thursday I'm doing a workshop plein aire, pastel all day, from 9-12, and 1-3. or there-abouts. If anyone else wants to join us give me a call at 970-210-4422 for more information. we will meet outside of town to paint and come into town for lunch.
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