Spring 2009: Dog Canyon

This week we have ventured to Dog Canyon. Its mountains display twisted and overlapping rock formations, diverse desert plants, and shadows that shift from deep indigos to red by the hour. All in all, Dog Canyon presents an overwhelming amount of artistic inspiration and painterly challenges.

Sprouting Spring

Artists from the 2009 spring session arrived to find the Mano y Mente property on the verge of spring. There still is a slight chill in the air but it's slowly disappearing to give way to leafy foliage and t-shirts. Above, Mano y Mente artist Ember Soberman focuses on cactus pears against a deep red rock wall.

Below, you see Soberman's stunning "Hey there Prickly Pear" in all its cheerful glory. It was the result of devout investigation over the course of several weeks spent alongside the prickly pear cactus shown above. Soberman employs multiple layers of see through washes to create a weathered, atmospheric aura throughout her pieces. "Hey there Prickly Pear" is one of four cactus paintings she has created during her stay at Mano y Mente. Soberman, armed with bravery and watercolor pencils, also cozied up to the mammoth, spiky Mano y Mente agave.

Overview talk: Ice Cream!

Two times per session (about once every three weeks) each artist gives fellow participants a 10-30 min. in-studio talk about something related to art or creativity that they’re interested in and think the other artists in residence would benefit from. Artists have complete freedom and creative license in designing their overview talks....

This week an overview talk was given on the culinary art of old fashioned ice cream. In the photo you see a 60 - 100 year old ice cream hand cranker. A metal container filled with cream, sugar, and flavoring is surrounded by ice. The container and its internal wheel slowly mix the ice cream at the same time the mixture is slowly frozen from the ice.

Photos of the finished, tasty ice cream are to follow!