Devil in the Details

Here is a repeat of "Morada" along with a series of digital details so that you can get a better idea of the painting than was possible with a single smaller image. "Morada" is the term used for a meeting place of the Penetentes. The Penetentes (Brothers of the Light) is a religious organization of of lay Hispanic Catholics. They were formed to protest and politically work to preserve ancient New Mexican land grants after becoming a U.S. Territory. Its a very secret organization and membership is both secret and almost impossible to join. Penetentes meet secretly at various times of the year in their own Moradas, or chapels. Their rites and rituals, or what we think we know of them, are strongly influenced by Mexican cultural values. Penetentes go in for scourging themselves, and realistically re-inacting actual crucifixions. Interesting stuff ... to me anyway.

Here is the repainted cavalry hill. As you can see I didn't crop it correctly, so you see more than just the picture intended.








The chapel is modeled after a Pentente building just south of Santa Fe. It's adobe walls meld seamlessly with the native rock of its hill-top site. Inside the alter is just behind the bell tower, and the whole nave is filled with Catholic and Mexican folk art. Mr. Skeleton is very much in evidence. Originally the chapel was drawen in a more "boxy" manner. I think this better.

Here are two more poorly cropped details of the foreground of the painting. I'm very pleased with the brush/pigment effects in this painting. The underpainting was done mostly in reds and oranges, which makes quite a difference in the final layers of paint.

We had a magnificent thunder and lightening display last evening. Ah, I wish I could catch the process of a Southwestern lighting storm as day fades into darkness. Oh well, that isn't really my style anyway, but I'm still envious of the painter's aesthetic skills.

I picked up some more frames (all paid for by the sale of a painting a while back. I got two good frames for drawings for a total of $10. Framing and mattingt raises the price of a drawing by better than a factor of ten. Now all I need is a customer. A lot of people stop by, but very few like the paintings enough to get their best friend, Bill Fold, into action.

No change in our health or means this last week. We've been doing a bit of furniture rearrangement and are pleased with the results.