Hoffman Studio

Bosque Gold

2009-11-01T13:15:00.006-07:00

BOSQUE GOLD 12 x 18" Pastel on UArt Sanded Paper Unframed $400 + s/h (c) 2009 D. Hoffman A week or so ago I went down to the Rio Grande Nature Preserve State Park to take some photos of the bosque (cottonwood forest) turning into brilliant fall colors. The weather was perfect: blue skies, light breeze, 70º. There are two ponds at the park. One is rather small, and the other is larger with the...

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Jemez East Fork

2009-08-23T10:55:00.005-07:00

JEMEZ EAST FORK #2 8 x 10 Pastel on Ersta Sanded Paper A while back we drove to Jemez Springs, a charming little town in the mountains. On the way we passed through the Jemez Pueblo and stopped at their visitors' center. They not only have information available about the Pueblo, but also a lot of pottery, especially the "storyteller" figures. As is the law on most pueblos, they do not permit...

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Some of Ken's Pottery

2009-08-15T10:42:00.005-07:00

We have received several requests to display some of Ken's pottery on this blog, so here are some examples. He's been busy throwing pots and making decorative plates, but so often his work is stored in the shed before I get a chance to take the photos. All of these were thrown here in New Mexico within the past few months. A friend has a Raku kiln in his backyard and they get together on calm...

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Been Busy Painting

2009-08-06T15:09:00.005-07:00

Misty Morning at Ghost Lake 6 x 8 pastel on UArt sanded paper We've been keeping busy lately, Ken with his pottery and me with my painting. I'm preparing for an upcoming show of small pastel works, less than 48 square inches, that will take place in November here in Albuquerque. The rules for entering shows are that the work must be original, not taken from photos taken by others, or copies of...

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Palo Duro Canyon

2009-07-10T16:02:00.003-07:00

PALO DURO CANYON, TEXAS approximately 5 x 8.5 Pastel on Sanded Paper When driving west on I-40 from Oklahoma City to Amarillo, the first rest stop in Texas is at Palo Duro Canyon. It's worth a stop because the scenery is awesome and you can see for miles. They have a wonderful display inside with the history of the area and information on the canyon which is second in size to the Grand Canyon....

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Sandia Foothills

2009-07-05T13:42:00.010-07:00

After the International Society of Pastel Societies biennial convention the end of May, I attended a two-day workshop taught by well known artist Deborah Secor. One of the paintings I did was this view of the Sandia Foothills, not far from where we live. I did an "underpainting" in colors that were complementary to the final product. If you look closely, you can see the underpainting colors...

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EVENING MONSOON

2009-06-15T08:39:00.006-07:00

The monsoons are starting. Amazing storms blow in, usually in the late afternoon, and for a little while drop rain here and there. It's nice and cooling, and not at all scary like Midwest storms that are sometimes so fierce that they literally destroy parts of cities and towns. Here in Albuquerque, warm rain falls for a little while, kids play in puddles, adults wait wherever they are for it to...

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Settling In..........

2009-06-13T09:49:00.006-07:00

It seems like forever since I've posted here. I'd like to say I've been busy painting, but in fact we've been busy settling in, and getting the yard in shape. That meant getting bids for an irrigation system in back, and some updating in front; removal of old remnants of grass; xeriscaping the back yard after preparing a plan for submission to the water authority; redoing the front yard. Well, it...

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FINALLY.....we are moved in

2008-09-30T15:08:00.007-07:00

This move has been such a long process, sometimes we thought it would never end. Finally, though, we are unpacked and I'm able to get back to painting. Here are a couple of quick sketches -- the top one of desert rocks is a pastel about 6-1/2 x 7-1/2 inches on LaCarte card, and it took about 53 minutes to complete. The bottom one is a study of clouds, floating past my studio window, big puffy...

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We've Moved

2008-06-03T09:26:00.002-07:00

It's been way too long since posting here last time....but there is a reason. We decided to make a move from the St. Louis area, where the summers are oh, so hot and humid that it feels like 6 months of a steam bath (sorry, Tourism Bureau, but it's true) to the high and dry country of Albuquerque NM. That meant fixing, cleaning, staging, clearing, selling, donating, for a couple of months in...

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Going Small

2008-02-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

Springtime Meadow5 x 7" acrylic on canvasboard (work in progress) I've been working on a series of small paintings which is something I haven't done for a long time. It's an entirely different experience to work small. In some ways it's easier, and you might think it would go faster, but it really doesn't happen that way. It's easier because I can manipulate or turn the canvas, which helps when...

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Winter Lane

2008-01-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

Winter Lane Acrylic on Canvasboard 5x7 It's been too long since I've updated this blog. With the holidays, it seems time just got away from us. We visited my grandson's family, including great-granddaughter Julia for Christmas. She is such a joy! Eleven months old, jabbering a mile a minute, and WALKING already! We had an opportunity to talk to my grandson who is in the Army in Iraq, and that...

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Sometimes I Feel Overwhelmed....

2007-12-08T12:55:00.001-07:00

Back in October I posted this small 6 x 7.5" painting in pastel on this blog. Originally it was a study for a larger painting. Then I heard about a competitive art show at a local gallery and my art instructor literally insisted I submit some of my work. So, last Saturday I took in three of my pieces, and last evening was the reception. Now, mind you, I've never even taken any of my work to a...

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Storm's Blowing In

2007-12-04T08:47:00.001-07:00

STORM'S BLOWING IN9 x 12 Pastel on Sanded Paper$325 unframed We made a trip to Minnesota and northern Wisconsin over the Labor Day week, and storms were predicted for our drive home. We prefer driving under cloud cover, but don't like to drive long distances in rain. We got lucky and had only a short stretch of rain on the highway. The storms stayed around us, and somehow we managed to avoid most...

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Who's to Say What is Good Art?

2007-11-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Summer AfternoonPastel 9 x 12Framed and matted $325 I entered three pieces into another show last week, and on Sunday won a 3rd place award for a new painting, Summer Afternoon. What's funny is that of the three pieces I entered, this would have been my last choice to win an award. But as is always the case when entering shows, the judge has his or her own ideas of what is good art, and what is...

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Wild Grasses

2007-11-14T14:25:00.000-07:00

Ken's been working hard at the studio, throwing vases. Here's a new one, with delicate wild grasses and seed heads in earth tones. The one on the top is a close up while the one below shows the entire vase. This item is not for sale.

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It's a Winner !!

2007-11-12T07:41:00.001-07:00

After doing a little bit of touching up on my painting of SassyCat under the Christmas tree, waiting for Santa, I entered it into a juried show. For those who don't know, to be able to hang work in a juried show means that the work has to meet certain criteria; in this case the criteria was subject matter and quality of the work. If the work fails to meet the specified criteria, you are asked to...

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Waiting for Santa

2007-11-01T14:29:00.001-07:00

Waiting for SantaPastel on Sanded Paper8 x 10 (matted and framed) The holiday shows are coming up, and I puzzled over what to paint to enter in to at least one of them. Last year, I caught our SassyCat under the tree, and used that photo as the reference for this painting. I'm a bit unhappy, though, with the white specks showing through where the paper did not hold the pastel; it's a brand I...

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FIERY CLOUDS

2007-10-31T07:01:00.000-07:00

I finished this pastel painting about a week ago and took it to the framer's for matting and framing. The painting measures approximately 12 x 18 1/2" and is being matted in dark blue to complement the blue in the painting, with a gold fillet between the mat and the painting. The frame will complement the whole. I'm really happy with this painting. Clouds fascinate me, and painting them is a...

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Pottery and Painting in progress

2007-10-18T06:56:00.000-07:00

Seems it's been a hassle trying to keep up with all the things we need to do lately. Ken has completed a couple of large deep plates, the kind that make wonderful fruit bowls. Here's one he just completed. Meantime, I've been putting the final touches on the larger version of "Fiery Clouds" and will be taking it to the framer this week. Look for it here in the next couple of days. If you like...

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Fiery Clouds

2007-10-07T11:48:00.001-07:00

Fiery Clouds a study 6 x 7 1/2 pastel on sanded paper Available for sale This is a small study for a larger pastel painting. A few weeks ago I took a workshop on painting clouds, and this was one of the studies for that workshop. The earlier painting "After the Storm" posted a few days ago was another one. I really enjoy painting clouds, but seldom find a model with so much color. Painting this...

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A Gift for Lois on her 90th Birthday

2007-10-06T11:14:00.001-07:00

After the Storm 6 x 7 pastel on sanded paper My dear friend's mother celebrated her 90th birthday recently, and for her birthday I painted this picture of storm clouds. My sister Sandy took the photo a couple of years ago, and generously shared it with me -- that's the kind of person she is. I plan to paint another version of this in a larger format. Another study of clouds is coming soon!...

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Vacations Remembered

2007-09-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

Misty Morning at Ghost Lake9 x 12 Pastel on Sanded Paper You know how some vacations just stick in your memory?? Years ago we stayed at a resort on Ghost Lake in northern Wisconsin, in a cabin with a screened porch just a few feet from the lake. One morning, we woke early and went out on the porch with a cup of coffee, and saw this wonderful view of the lake with a mist hanging in the distance,...

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Autumn in the Ozarks

2007-09-16T09:40:00.001-07:00

Autumn in the Ozarks9 x 12 pastel on sanded paper In Missouri, the leaves turn magnificent colors in autumn, usually mid- to late-October. This year, leaves are turning a little bit earlier than usual, as they are in many parts of the country. We noticed during our recent trip to northern Wisconsin, that the leaves there are already turning colors because of the stress of the summer's drought....

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Back Home Again

2007-09-13T07:02:00.000-07:00

Autumn at Busch's Wildlife Conservation Area9 x 12 Pastel on Sanded Paper After two weeks away -- it's good to be home again. Today's painting is of a small lake at Busch's Wildlife Conservation Area, near Saint Louis. Years ago, the Busch family (yes, the brewery folks) purchased and donated to the state a tract of land of nearly 1500 acres, land that during World War II was a munitions storage...

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