Chasing the Light on the Sandias: Plein Air Paintings

Chasing the Light on the Sandias demonstrates the Plein Air Landscapers (PALs) shared love for the Sandias, and how their individual approaches to portraying the peaks from season to season can be as complimentary as they are disparate. The paintings also present the challenges of defining (or chasing) the changing light that makes the Sandias appear different every hour of the day.

Members of the PALs paint together on a weekly basis, supporting each other as they interpret the local landscape in their own personal styles. Hailing from Placitas and the greater Albuquerque area, they represent a variety of artistic backgrounds and approaches to painting. However, their appreciation for painting plein air together shares a common thread:

The magical moment of seeing the beauty that surrounds us; capturing the ever-changing light; embracing all the simple, complex, natural and man-made shapes that make up the landscape; applying color in a way that makes people happy; sharing adventures with good friends, and experiencing pure joy.

PALs artists represented in this exhibit include Lisa Avila, Ann Blankenship, Christine Brunet Lecompte, Cheryl Dietz, Anna Escamilla, Connie Falk, Colleen Z Gregoire, Carol Ordogne, Ann Schultz and Alice Webb. The exhibition was coordinated by PALs member and gallery artist Colleen Z. Gregoire.

The reception will be celebrated with fellowship and refreshments on Saturday, August 12 from 1-4 p.m.

Wild Hearts Gallery is an artists’ collective, supported by 16 local artists. Located at 221-B State Highway 165, the gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. You can also take a visual tour of the gallery by visiting wildheartsgallery.com.