Art by Robert Yackel

Aspens and Cottonwoods Workshop Opening

Friday – Oct. 1, 2010

The culmination of each Stephen Kilborn workshop is a showing of the students’ paintings on Friday evening. Each participant selects one work from the week’s painting effort. The Kilborn studio mats and frames the selections. The art work is hung in the Kilborn Gallery in Taos with an evening opening reception.

The Aspens and Cottonwoods Opening drew a large crowd this evening, a combination of local artists and residents, friends and Taos tourists. Shedding their painting attire for dressier duds the participants end the week in near giddy gaiety. Paintings were sold and many of us stocked up on Kilborn pottery.

Early in the week the four ladies who had never painted before were dubbed “The Taos Four.” Their spirit and willingness to explore new experiences brought joy for all those involved. Plus, they each proved they could pick up a paint brush with winning results. I guess that makes Stephen the Founding Father. Fun was had by all!

Bob’s entry in the show was “Aspen Lollipops”, an almost whimsical depiction of autumn’s changing colors combined with “Bobism” – a multitude of small squares which add shading and depth.

New friendships were made, creative inspiration and techniques shared, and great food and comradery enjoyed. Before the evening is over several of the students discuss a return for one of the 2011 workshops.

While workshop days can be long and intense Bob and LaVerne Kilborn found time for fun and frivolity.

Stephen Kilborn painting workshops scheduled for 2011.

Hidden Taos – July 17-22  – Little known locations in the Taos Area

Aspens and Cottonwoods – September 25-30 – Maybe the most beautiful time to be in Taos.

View all the participants and their painting.

View Full Album

Workshop Day Five – Friday

Friday is a shortened day. Some, like Bob work hard to finished projects stated during the class. Others use the day to experiment with new ideas and techniques.

A delicious final lunch by LaVerne is applauded and appreciated. Note – several of LaVerne’s popular recipes are available on the Kilborn website.

Painting winds up around 2pm. Holly heads to the Gallery to hang the evening show. During the final critique it’s always interesting to see the evolution of each participant’s style over the five days. Especially so for those who had never painted before such as this session’s  “Taos Four”.

Everyone heads to their lodging with a couple of hours to spruce up for the workshop finale, the evening show.

Workshop Day Three – Wednesday

Because yesterday was short on painting time Wednesday was designated as a paint day. For anyone needing additional ideas the surrounding scenery offers plenty of inspiration. All one has to do is step out the door and start sketching.

With the additional paint time several of the artists completed more than one painting. Between offering assistance and suggestions Stephen worked on an aspen abstraction.

The lunch break was a pleasant respite from the studio and fueled new energy for the afternoon.

Bob finished the picture he started yesterday “Aspen at Taos Ski Valley”. Nancy thought it got too busy and was not up to his norm which earned her the title of his “worse critique”. She responds that she’s also his best critique and supporter.

Aspen at Taos Ski Valley 

Tuesday – Workshop Day Two

Workshop participants gather at the Kilborn Gallery to carpool up to Taos Ski Valley for the morning sketching session. Conditions were perfect  with blue skies and slopes streaked in hues of changing aspen. The alpine scenery is quite a contrast to the high desert landscape of Taos and Pilar.

Instead of sketching Bob spent his time taking hundreds of photos, lots of material for future painting ideas and inspiration.

Because of the drive time from ski valley to studio and a late lunch afternoon painting time was limited but everyone got to work on new pieces.

Monday – Workshop Day One

Armed with painting paraphernalia workshop participants head to the Stephen Kilborn Pottery Studio in Pilar. The morning’s sketching site is along the banks of the nearby Rio Grande River shaded by ancient cottonwoods with thick sturdy trunks and dark twisted limbs. The dense canopy of leaves gleam green with signs of autumn still in the future. The yellow blooms of silvery chamisa adds bright foreground to the landscape of mountain slopes and mesas.

Lunch on the patio brings oohs and aahs of appreciation. Daily LaVerne prepares a delightful repast that’s the envy of friends and spouses when they hear the detailed descriptions each evening. The talented and vivacious chef always adds a dash of fun and frolic. Even the rubber gloves deserve notice.

No afternoon siestas allowed. It’s time to break out the brushes and paints and let the creativity flow. Stephen demonstrates and offers direction and advice as needed.

 Nearing four o’clock everyone begins cleanup. Assistant Holly mixes margaritas to accompany the afternoon critique session. The four “newbies” are quickly named the “Taos Four”, what they lack in experience they make up for with energy, humor and eagerness to learn.

Bob got a good start on adobes sheltered by a giant cottonwood. Using his “Bobism” squares takes lots of time, with paintings rarely complete in one session. More tomorrow!

 Sunday Meet and Greet

Taos painter and potter Stephen Kilborn offers several painting workshops each year. Past “Abstracting the Landscape” themes have included Churches of Taos, Old Adobes and Rio Grande Landscapes. The theme for the week of September 27-October 1, 2010 is Aspens and Cottonwoods, in recognition of New Mexico’s  changing fall colors.

The group gathers at the Kilborn Gallery in Taos on Sunday afternoon. Stephen gives a brief personal history of his evolution from Santa Fe furniture maker to potter to painter. It’s especially interesting to hear of his artistic influences  while surrounded by his vibrant paintings.

The dozen participants introduce themselves and share a few words about their art background. This week’s students come from Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington and the local Taos area. Painting experience ranges from “never before” to those who have painted and taught for decades. Half the class are returning for their second, third or fourth Kilborn workshop.

An outline of the week’s schedule – on-site sketching, lunch by wife LaVerne, afternoon painting in Kilborn’s Pilar studio, daily critique accompanied by margaritas – heightens enthusiasm and anticipation for Monday morning.