Painting with Thomas Moran

In our Western States plein air painting trip, direction was not always apparent.  This was the case with leaving Durango, Colorado.  We headed southwest and found ourselves at the Grand Canyon. This was not my choice as I had been there a few times and couldn't see myself painting there, but Anne Schreivogl had never been.

I found myself thinking about artist Thomas Moran.  I knew who he was and was familiar with his work but I knew little about his process or even what years he painted.  I presumed it was in the mid 1800s since that is when the lead tube was invented. In my mind, the single most contributing factor to the Impressionist and Plein Air movement was the lead tube. This helped make artists portable.

Now driving through the Grand Canyon National Park, I see a sign that says Moran Point.  ...hmmm? How long was he here?  Did he have a horse and pack mule?  How many point of views did he consider before choosing this one?  Wow!  Just the logistics of it all.

I'm driving my Toyoto Sienna pulling my T@B teardrop trailer and I see a sign that says "Moran Point".  You might as well say: "Paint here on the red X, dumbo."    ....okay, okay, it's 6pm and the sun sets at 8pm.  We've got time for a quick study of the GRAND CANYON... :-0

The result was we got to paint right next to Thomas Moran, Edgar Payne, and many others who stood right in this spot. It was exhilarating!

Now, enough red rock. Off to Yosemite!

Email: alfredcurrier (at) yahoo (dot) com

Plein Air painting in Durango

In this series of blog posts, based on painting through the Western States, I rarely knew what was next, but, Durango has always been on my 'bucket list' of places to go...but, art was not the reason. 

My interest has been the infamous Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Steam Engine Train journey.  To my surprise, upon arrival, I found that the "Iron Horse" Cycling race was to take place tomorrow- wow!!  This is a 50-mile race between the steam train and the bicyclist that takes you from Durango (6000') to Silverton, Colorado (9500').  The winner was the cyclist, a 2 1/2 hour sprint to the top.
Showing her age, the steam engine was no match for the lightweight carbon fiber cyclist.  The train finished in 3 1/2 hours.

What does all of this have to do with art?  Not much except that my mug made it on the front page of the Durango Herald for painting the train yard. 

Al Currier of Washington State creates an oil painting of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and railyard on Monday.  "I've been traveling around the western part of the county for the past month doing a series of plein air paintings," said Currier,who has been in Durango for the last three days painting.

The next day Anne and I painted downtown Durango and now plan to head south or southwest.

p.s. Not only did we see a great professional bike race, we also rode the train to Silverton and back, now out of the bucket. -Al 

The Durango-Silverton Train- worth the ride if you are in the area.

"Durango to Silverton Train", 10" x 12", plein air oil,
Durango, Colorado, Currier, $950 

"Pedestrian Zone", 12" x 9" plein air oil
Durango, Colorado, Currier, $950

"Discovery", 9" x 12", plein air oil
by Anne Schreivogl in Durango, Colorado, $450

Painting With Kim English

On our "Grass is Always Greener" Western States Plein Air Trip, we joined Kim English and a group of other artists who were taking a plein air workshop from him in southern Colorado.  I've always admired Kim's work since I first ran across it some 25 years ago.  In my opinion, Kim English is a master artist and it was a delight to get to paint with him.

Kim English, master artist

Like with previous posts, my paintings below are for sale, framed, wet, and ready to ship.

If interested while I'm on the road, no sales tax or shipping costs will be incurred.

alfredcurrier (at) yahoo (dot) com. 

Time to turn our wheels and head this trip back west!

"Old Jimmy", 9" x 12", plein air oil
Westcliffe, Colorado, Currier, $950

"Wood Pile", 10" x 12", plein air oil,
Westcliffe, Colorado, Currier, $1050

"Retired Mover", 9" x 12", plein air oil
Westcliffe, Colorado, Currier, $950

www.alfredcurrier.com

Painting in Colorado with Joshua Been

The Grass Is Always Greener, a plein air painting trip through the western states is on the move again. After leaving Ketchum, Idaho, my next stop was to pick up artist Anne Schreivogl in Denver. We headed west and set up camp in Buena Vista, Colorado, halfway between Leadville 10,000' and Salida 7,000'. We painted a little in the historic Leadville and next in Buena Vista, both with unbelievable charm. Thinking about these small Colorado towns, the whole painting trip could have been just in this area.

Anne Schreivogl painting in Salida, Colorado

Salida, Colorado is an arts town with a variety of art from abstract expressionism to classical realism. This is where we met the plein air artist Joshua Been, an up and coming artist who can really paint mountains and streams. "Joshua, would you like to go plein air painting?" I asked. "Sure!" he said with a grin on his face.  Joshua Been, an artist to watch, for sure.

Joshua Been, right (Anne in background)

One morning the three of us were painting at Cascade Falls, a fast-moving rapid river. The wind blew so hard that Anne Schreivogl's velcroed palette went airborne some fifty feet into the flowing stream below, never to be seen again. The weather here can test even the most seasoned plein air painter but, it was all worth it. Anne had mentioned earlier that she just wanted to sit on a rock and meditate on the serenity of it all. Well, she got her chance, sans palette.

Here I am painting Cascade Falls in Colorado (with palette)

We awoke to 40 degrees in the mornings but, soon the temperatures rose to the mid-seventies. Oh, I almost forgot, the coffee roasters here are awesome and that comes from a Northwesterner who loves coffee. Next stop will be somewhere between here and Durango, CO.

As mentioned in the last post, the paintings shown below are available for purchase minus shipping and sales tax while I'm on this Western States Painting Trip. They will be shipped directly to you from the road.

"Leadville (Leadville, Colorado)", 9" x 12", plein air oil, Currier, $950

"Palace Hotel- Salida,Colorado", 10" x 12", plein air oil, Currier, $1050

"Victoria Bar", 12" x 9", plein air oil, Currier, $950

"Cascade Falls- Bueno Vista, Colorado",
12" x 10", plein air oil, Currier, $1050

Contact me by email : alfredcurrier (at) yahoo (dot) com

Painting in Sun Valley with Lori McNee

As I drove away from my home in Anacortes, Washington, the thought of "the grass is always greener" came to mind.  How many times have I walked outside and a painting was to be found everywhere.  Other times I would burn up a tank of gas and never find anything that inspired me. This is why each year I "get out of Dodge", to get refreshed. 

This year it's a six-week plein air painting trip through the Western states, first stop: Ketchum, Idaho.  Ketchum/Sun Valley, Idaho is a special place and not because it just happens to be the oldest ski resort in the country.  The terrain is visually inspiring and it's also the home of my friend and fellow artist, Lori McNee.

Lori McNee

We painted and talked art for three days, fun.

My paintings included in this blog are from this visual paradise tucked away in the moutains and they are available for purchase. Buy any of these framed oil paintings while I'm on the road and I will cover sales tax and ship to you for free.  Email me at: alfredcurrier (at) yahoo.com

"Homage to Hemmingway", Sun Valley, ID
12" x 9", oil, $950, Currier

"Murdock Creek", Sawtooth, ID
12" x 9", $950, Currier

"Cottonwoods in Sawtooth", Sawtooth, ID
9" x 12", $950, Currier

Email: alfredcurrier (at) yahoo.com

The Grass is Greener

My home in the Pacific Northwest is incredibly beautiful but, this past winter wore on me. Each year I will get out of the studio and spend at least a month plein air painting. These travels have taken me to some of the most inspiring places around the world as well as the United States. I feel very fortunate. This year, I am extending my time to six to eight weeks and I have decided to share a little of this with you. So, if you can bare with me, I am going to increase me blogging for this trip. When possible, I will try to meet up with local artists. My hope is to spend four to six days in each location. My plan is to head first to Ketchum Idaho and meet up with famed artist, Lori McNee. Then off to Denver Colorado to join Anne Schreivogl, Southeastern Utah, and into the central coast of California where I will join other artists from the California Art Club. Yosemite is on my list in between somewhere before heading back to Washington. The trip will be fun. The ambitious part will be the writing. So, please join me in this adventure of painting. Alfredo www.alfredcurrier.com

Cinco de Mayo at Simon Mace Gallery

You are invited to my new show "Glow"

May 5, 2012 at 5:30 is my opening reception at Simon Mace Gallery in Port Townsend Washington.
http://www.simonmacegallery.com/index.html