From The Studio - March
Dear friends and collectors,
A little change of venue for this newsletter, as I am writing this month’s issue from Little Cayman in the British West Indies. More about my adventure in the new essay/musings section below. They say that life is a study of contrast…so, here I am more than a stone's throw from my desert home in Santa Fe, where I've swapped my boots for bare feet! I’m very excited about this newsletter as I have much to report. Upcoming shows, paintings, painting workshop, and more. For more information, scroll down and click through the images and links. And as always, thank you for joining me from the studio.
Warmly,
Kathryn Stedham
Me in my remote studio far from the snow and enjoying a few rays!
The Master’s of Drawing
Medicine Man Gallery has been extended! The show will be up through March 31st.
I am happy to report that I attended the opening and ceremony with my esteemed colleagues. It was a remarkable event marked by genuine camaraderie and sharing among the artists in attendance. Many thanks to my Tucson gallerist, Mark, Kathleen, and Charles Sublette and Medicine Man Gallery staff for this memorable occasion. Please be sure to visit the show if you get a chance, and/or click on the link for the online catalog.
Upcoming Workshop
Mountains, Clouds, and Critters
Adding figurative elements into the Landscape at Artisans Santa Fe
Registration is open and space is limited! This one-day workshop will focus on strategies for adding various forms into landscape paintings. Students may focus on any desired subject, including painting a landscape or cloudscape, while also considering how adding forms may enliven the composition. Students will learn the art of using painting tools to create exciting marks, colors, and textures that will easily translate to any painting subject. Please click the picture or the link below for more information and to register!
Musings
Just some thoughts from my remote studio here on Little Cayman, where life is a contrast from my desert home in Santa Fe. Though there are a few commonalities, such as sun, sand, lizards, as well as a few cactus; those that know me well, can attest to the difficult time I have leaving my studio and particularly during show season when I ‘should’ be painting. Perhaps I feel a bit lost without my usual mesas, hills, mountain rivers and scenes from my everyday life?
I’ve read recently that new experiences actually feed the brain by creating new neural passageways from experiencing new stimuli. Okay, maybe leaving the studio isn't such a bad thing after all! During these past two seasons here in Little Cayman, I've really leaned into exploring the local plants, animals, both land and sea. I have noticed my consistent fondness for the sea birds, and I love seeing them soaring high above and riding the stiff breezes coming from miles off shore. Little Cayman is home to a wide variety of birds, including Frigate birds, Red-footed Boobies, Snowy Egrets and a great many seabirds. I was lucky enough to arrive just in time to observe Red Footed Booby chicks nested in clustered treetops. I have kept a watchful eye on them as they prepare to fledge and they are quite a sight, looking like large blobs of cotton with their pure white, downy fluff and inquisitive eyes.
I am finding that leaving the comfort of my studio occasionally does add to my inspiration bank account and can be darn right fun! I am continuing to enjoy my time and will try my hand at Tarpon fishing this week, so stay tuned, I gotta work on my cast! Thank you for joining me this month at my remote studio, as always.
Fluffy Red Footed Booby chick with their mom.
Off The Easel
Monument to the Sun (study), 16 x 12 in., oil on canvas
I wanted to feature this gem of a painting, which was a study for a much larger piece 48 x 60 in. It holds a special place in my heart as a record of an incredible view of what we locals refer to as the "Monastery Road" which is heading southwest from Ghost Ranch along the Chama River. I was out painting on the river when I turned and found myself caught off guard by this gleaming rock face. I knew I had to capture it, just as it had me - during the last moments as the light fell and day went into night.
Monument to the Sun (study) | 16 x 12 in. | oil on canvas
available, Blue Rain Gallery
Thank you for being part of his journey! Please feel free to also follow me on my social media and forward my newsletter to others who may enjoy my paintings and musings. As we step into the changing rhythms of March, may this season of renewal inspire fresh creativity and new perspectives. Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, keep creating, exploring, and embracing the beauty around you.
