May Visual Artists
Visual Artists Reception, 2 p.m., May 21, 2023
Concerts and Art Exhibits at
Las Placitas Presbyterian Church
Highway 165, Placitas NM
Directions
2 pm - Visual Artists Reception
3 pm - Concert
Please check individual concert details
as dates and times may be subject to
change
PLEIN AIR ARTISTS
Click on images to enlarge
CAROL ALLEN - JEWELRY ARTS
Carol Allen - Jewelry
No Online Presence
Carol wire wraps an eclectic assortment of organic
and gemstone pendants with Argentium Sterling
Silver and compliments each piece with a beaded
necklace.
Carol Says: “Using an eclectic assortment of beach
finds, micellaneous items and gemstones, I wire-
wrap the pendant using Argentium Sterling Silver
and bead a necklace to compliment the pendant
creating a one-of-a-kind decorative piece.”
Catherine began her painting journey in high school, tak-
ing Independent Study of Art after-school with a friend.
They spent hours talking and expressing themselves with
paint. For Catherine, this was an early glimpse into the idea
that art is a connection.
Catherine says: “When I’m painting outdoors, there is a
serenity and joy that envelops me and I am lost in the
sights, sounds, and feel of nature. I paint my vibrant, con-
temporary works in acrylic, the medium of my youth. With
bright colors and defined brushwork, I strive to evoke a
strong sense of place, as well as a touch of whimsy. My
hope is to capture these feelings and pass them on to you.”
After a 30-year career in the Texas horse industry, Lisa
found her way back to her roots as an art major and
began painting again 12 years ago. Placitas, New Mexico
provided the retirement Lisa and her husband were look-
ing for and they relocated here in July of 2020. Her love of
horses is apparent in her art and the local landscapes
provide a constant source of inspiration.
Lisa says: “I paint primarily in acrylics and dabble with
non-representational abstracts. However, I would call my
primary focus “representational”. My "world" provides
inspiration - events, moods, and nature all inspire me to
turn life into art.”
Ann Blankenship was born and raised in South Dakota.
She taught high school art for thirty years. Upon retire-
ment, she was introduced to plein air painting and feel in
love with the fusion of being outside and the landscapes of
New Mexico, and the fellowship with other painters.
When not painting she is in her studio weaving.
Ann Says: “The creative process keeps me in the now.
Painting in New Mexico has given me an opportunity to
slow down and really see. Landscapes, color, and canvas
while being outside is pure joy.”
Using pastel or oil paint, Bohlin's work depicts the local land-
scape and flora. For most of her life she resided in the Chicago
area and painted views where nature had been allowed to
flourish in addition to cultivated gardens. Since relocating to
New Mexico, she enjoys painting the vast, expansive land-
scape that has inspired so many artists. She teaches pastel
drawing workshops in the Wisconsin, Chicago and Albu-
querque areas.
Laverne says: "Living in suburbia caused me to focus on the
last remnants of natural areas that were close to home and to
realize the importance of land stewardship. I am inspired to
make art that shares my love of nature and heightens others’
awareness of the environment."
Connie Falk has been painting since 2004 when she took
her first art class at New Mexico State University while
still employed there as a professor of agricultural eco-
nomics. She retired from academia in 2013, and moved to
Placitas in 2016. She began working part-time in 2021 as a
consultant for Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, based in
Colorado.
Connie says: “I paint primarily landscapes in plein air
with a weekly group and also in the studio. Southwest Art
Magazine featured my work in the Aug-Sept 2021 issue,
along with nine other NM artists of note. I love painting
scenes from my frequent local hikes.”
Colleen was introduced to plein air painting during her undergrad-
uate days at Kansas University, when Professor Bob Sudlow would
load his students into a big van and take them out to some remote
field and paint alongside them. He gave very little instruction, but
taught by example. One of the things Colleen remembers him say-
ing was “Look towards the sun, and you’ll see some crazy things
happening in the shadows!” She loved the sense of freedom this
approach to painting offered.
Colleen says: “I have enjoyed painting in New Mexico for 2 years
now, and continue to be amazed by the variety of terrain and skies
this area has to offer. The New Mexico palette certainly differs
from the Midwest, but I have learned to embrace the local colors,
the brilliant sunshine and the structure of the mountains and their
supporting foothills.”
Carol grew up in Southern California and moved to Hawaii
where she earned an art degree. She later moved to Louisiana
for a short stop at graduate school. She ended up staying in
Louisiana for 30 years working as a licensed landscape archi-
tect. She was very happy to move West and settle in the village
of Placitas when she and husband Paul retired. She now makes
frequent visits to the charming town of Jemez Springs which
inspires her artwork.
Carol says: “My painting goal is to reflect the beauty of light
and color as it plays across an animal or landscape. My current
technique to begin a painting is to cover the entire canvas with
black gesso. The black often shows through as outlines similar
to my linocut prints or to the look of stained glass.”
