Christmas 2012

Silent Night
40x30", acrylic
Performance Painting

This turned out to be a creatively busy Christmas season for me. When I am not painting in my studio I often have the privilege of receiving invitations to do event painting. It is also called performance painting. On December 7th, I painted during a Chuck Limbrick Christmas concert at the Stargazers Theater. Sharing the stage with the musically gifted "Mystro" and his friends was energizing and incredibly fun. Add an enthusiastic audience and I am in painting heaven!

I was given a lot of freedom to paint whatever I wanted. A Colorado winter scene came to mind...snow...the stillness of the night as the wind lay still...heavily blanketed trees... the light of a shining star...the faint signs of a path...thoughts of Christmas.

Visiting Northern England: "Guise Cliff" - Painting Nidderdale

Stage 4: Painting the valley.



 

As I paint this scene of Nidderdale, I am amazed, once again, at the colors of  northern England in late winter. The countryside reminds me of a giant patchwork quilt sprinkled with farms and houses, accented by the market town, Pateley Bridge, in the midst of it all. It truly is a beautiful place to wander and explore.

Stage 5: Completing the valley.

At last, I am ready to paint the drama of the foreground.

Visiting Northern England: Guise Cliff/ Painting the Horizon

Detail portion of the horizon: Painting Guise Cliff

Stage 3: Painting the horizon. Since this is a 48 x 36" canvas that I'm working on, I decided to divide the painting into sections and complete as much of each section as possible before moving on to the next.

Transitioning from the sky to the horizon I tried to keep the feel of the palette knife strokes consistent as one flowed into the other.

Visiting Northern England: Guise Cliff

Detail Portion of the Sky
"Guise Cliff"
Rita Salazar Dickerson

I painted the sky today. After taking a necessary painting break to help my husband, Robert, recover from surgery, it felt good to get back to my easel.

I am reminded of what a privilege it is to be an artist.

 

 



Stage 1: Brushing in the composition of the landscape with a wash of Burnt Sienna.



Stage 2: Painting the sky with a palette knife.






 

 

Colorado Color

Colorado Color
9 x 6". Acrylic
Rita Salazar Dickerson

Autumn in Colorado. Two weeks ago the colors by the Arkansas River near Salida were golden with accents of red and deep green. It was a warm, breezy day - no coats required.  As my husband, Robert, fished, I painted.

 

Visiting Tuscany, Italy

Tuscany Color Study
9 x 6", acrylic on panel
Rita Salazar Dickerson

It almost seems like a dream to me now. It was a warm, fall day. I sat in the shade underneath a fruit tree and looked out upon this scene of rich greens and sienna colored roof tops. 

Visiting Siena, Italy

Often times, it is the surprises in life that are the most memorable. Take my visit to Italy, for an example. I was surprised to find myself there. It was not a trip I had spent months pondering on, but when the opportunity presented itself, I didn't hesitate to accept.

After the late arrival in Tuscany the night before, the plan was to spend a good part of the following day visiting Siena. Walking through her narrow cobblestone streets, our first destination was the Duomo, a cathedral so beautifully unique that I still find myself thinking about it today. 

 

Lupa At The Duomo
3 1/2 x 5 1/2", (sketch book) Ink Pen
Rita Salazar Dickerson 

It was a mild October afternoon. Before entering the cathedral, I sat outside enjoying the view of the main entrance. Breathtaking. This column of the female wolf (lupa), the symbol of Siena, with the two small figures underneath her, captured my attention.