When I moved from North Carolina to New Mexico in 1986, I had my house plants in the front of my VW and my dog, Babe, in the back seat. One of the plants was a prickly pear cactus, which we eventually planted outside, where it thrived in the New Mexico sun. It has been a model for several of my cactus sketches and paintings.

This is an acrylic painting on gallery wrap canvas with painted edges, so it does not need a frame. It is varnished and ready to hang.

Free UPS Ground shipping to the 48 contiguous United States. Please contact me at gayle@gaylefaucettewisbon.com for shipping rates to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, APO/FPO and international destinations.

Fine art prints will be made available very soon!

 

I'm ready for spring, so I think it's time for a new contest drawing!  My email subscribers can enter to win a small signed portfolio size poster on basic card stock from my Zazzle shop!  Subscribers need only to visit my shop and click on the "Prints & Posters" icon, select a favorite and let me know by email.  The drawing will be on March 20, the first day of spring.  This will be a random drawing and the winner will be notified by email.  I will also announce it here in my blog and in my newsletter, but only the first name and the state of the winner.

Joining my email list is easy and new subscribers can also receive a free postcard of either "The Tulip Garden" or "Cactus Fiesta".  I send out a couple of emails each month to announce new work, promotions and other art news.  I do not share my subscribers email addresses with anyone ever!   Join my email list here!

Well, I have found my inspiration for the rest of this year!  I've been thinking about painting a series of landscapes entitled "Along the Rio Grande".  I live about five minutes from the river and each weekday, twice a day, I drive over it along Alameda. 

It was such a nice day today, so I decided to go for a walk there with my camera and start gathering some material for paintings.  On the north side of the highway is a bridge just for walkers, bikers and horseback riders.  It was so beautiful - the river, the cottonwoods, the wildlife and the Sandia mountains in the distance.  Lots of people out walking, biking, picnicing, fishing and even saw a couple of horses.  I took a few pictures and am very excited to get started.  I'm not a "plein air" painter, but it's so nice out there, I may just have to do a few of those!  I have a few other paintings to complete first, but some Rio Grande landscapes will be coming soon!

"Enchanted Hearts" is my most recent painting and will be my submission to the Albuquerque Arts Alliance exhibit and silent auction. The theme for the exhibit is "For the Love of Art: Valentines!" and is a benefit for the arts alliance. The exhibit is from January 16 - 29, 2010, with a closing reception on January 29 from 5-8pm.

The Arts Alliance is located at 1100 San Mateo NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

. . . that what you do on New Year's Day is what you'll be doing all year!  So, I guess I should have started by getting up earlier than I did today.  I have lots of things I want to do this year, so if this is true, I have a very busy day ahead.

First of all, I have to admit that I have neglected reading the Bible and I have never read the Bible from beginning to end.  I've started it, but never got very far before drifting away from it.  My son gave me an NLT Study Bible for Christmas and starting today, I will begin the 365-Day Reading Plan.  This plan does not include every chapter, but does cover Genesis through Revelations.  Maybe for 2011, I will attempt to read it from beginning to end, every page.  I also plan to attend service more regularly at Calvary Chapel this year.  I'm very excited about that!

Another plan for today and for the year is to get outside more for exercise and fresh air!  Today I will be out either for a walk or a bike ride.  With me, will be my camera and sketch book.  I don't sketch as much as I used to and it's something I need to work on.  This is something I would like to do 2-3 times a week all this year.

I have already made a work schedule for myself and it includes painting six days a week for a total of 20 hours a week.  So, I will be spending time painting today.  I already have three canvases that I'm working on, but I'll be focusing on just one of those today.

Another thing, which I don't have any problems doing anyway, is spending quality time on the internet.  Networking, blogging and updating my website are always fun to do.  However, this year, I want to spend more time doing and less time browsing.

There will be time spent today doing those things I don't like to do, but I like having them done.  Those would be cleaning, organizing and balancing my checkbook.  I plan to incorporate some Feng Shui in my everday life, in the hopes that things will run more smoothly and finances will improve.

I will also be hugging my children more often.  I once heard someone say that a person needs at least eight hugs a day to be healthy.  I used to tell my kids that and hugged them all the time.  Now that they are both in college, they don't get as many hugs.  We are all so busy and I just assume they don't need their mom hugging them all the time.  But there will definitely be more hugs coming their way.

And finally, I plan to smile everyday!  Even today, when I feel a bit nostalgic, a bit sad that some things in life didn't work out like I wanted, I will smile in spite of it!  It might make me look younger, too!

Happy New Year!

The Southwest has such unique and beautiful plant life. The yucca is one of my favorites and the yucca bloom is New Mexico's state flower.

Fine art prints are available on The Untapped Source in the following sizes:

Last week, I held a contest for my email subscribers.  I had a drawing yesterday and the winner was Gaby in Maine.  She will receive a 12" x 16" print of "A Spring to Remember". 

Stay tuned to more contests in the future by joining my email list.  My email subscribers also receive a free post card of "The Tulip Garden" or "Cactus Fiesta".

Five volcanic cones lie along the West Mesa of Albuquerque. They are part of the Petroglyph National Monument. The area surrounding the volcanoes is a favorite place of mine, because it has such a sense of spirituality and solitude.

Fine art prints are available on The Untapped Source in the following sizes:

This painting is the view I saw walking through the portico of a building adjoining the San Felipe de Neri church. This is located in Old Town, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Fine art prints are available on The Untapped Source in the following sizes:

12" x 16"

18" x 24"

This can be printed on unstretched canvas, watercolor, matte, glossy or luster papers.

The iris is one of my favorite flowers and the soft scent is synonymous with spring.

This is an original acrylic painting on standard depth stretched canvas. The original painting is slightly more lavender than what appears in the photo.

Free UPS Ground shipping to the 48 contiguous United States. Please contact me at gayle@gaylefaucettewisbon.com for shipping rates to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, APO/FPO and international destinations.

Fine art prints are available on The Untapped Source in the following sizes: