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Elaine Holien
River Boulders

2010

About the Item

River Boulders 22 x 30" image size watercolor, 32 x 40" framed in a whitewash profile red magenta blue gray I document the essence of the landscape everyday. I am interested in those untouched views of our landscape - the best parts of why we all come to New Mexico: the light, the color, the clouds, and the beauty of the high desert landscape. The Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch areas of Northern New Mexico give me such peace and joy. The landscape of the region and its beauty flows with inspiration. These are places where the land has been patterned by the plow and the fields and orchards form geometric shapes. Blossoms, leaves and fruit add special brilliant colors to the already bright landscape. These cultivated valleys contrast with the wild serendipitous look of the surrounding pinon-studded hills. The winding river is the thread that ties the towns together. I began painting the New Mexico landscape 38 years ago while spending a semester at the D. H. Lawrence Field School in Taos as a young archeology student from Queens College. I always take my paintbrush and watercolors wherever I go, documenting my travels through brushstrokes. While working on the “Riverland” series with its large brightly colored shapes, I noticed that an intimate view of the land is made of patterns and textures. This insight lead to the formation of the “Nature Study Series.” This series is about the dots and dashes that come together in special ways for everything in Nature: trees, birds, grasses, rocks, stars... I study everything as if it were composed of a series of dots and dashes. The formula I arrive at is presented in the image as a personal view of a small piece of nature.
  • Creator:
    Elaine Holien (1956, American)
  • Creation Year:
    2010
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 40 in (101.6 cm)Width: 32 in (81.28 cm)Depth: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Santa Fe, NM
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU51332411333
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