Elspeth Bobbs' Gardens

Thanks to David (owner of Blue Lake Ranch, and the Don Gaspar Compound) Alford's online introduction to garden photographer Charles Mann, my group of painters had the rare privilege of painting for a day in Mrs. Elspeth Bobbs' gardens, La Querencia, just a bit away from Canyon Road in Santa Fe.

The individual gardens, each with its own theme, are visually, intellectually and perhaps botanically challenging. The Funky Shui garden, for example, pokes fun at most of the world's major religions. Under development is a labyrinth demonstrating the theory of evolution. Another garden has at its center King Arthur's sword. Hiding in one of my photos above is a dragon. It's difficult to give a sense of the whole.

Here is a selection from the 400 photos I took during a sun drenched day last week.

Photos From My Santa Fe Workshop

Lynn Diamond paints in the shade of a small porch at the Don Gaspar Compound.







After shoulder surgery a few weeks before the workshop, right handed Kathy Knaus successfully painting with her left hand.







Marsha Feuer and Kathy Knaus paint adobe buildings.










Suzanne Kramer, Lynn Diamond, and Patti Spranger having lunch in the garden of the Don Gaspar Compound.

Suzanne Maxwell and Judi Weiss painting in Rick and Wendy's private desert garden.

Group photo from the left: Suzanne Kramer, Lynn Diamond, Judy Weiss, Terry Buswell,Kathy Knaus, Sheila Carter, Marsha Feuer, Patti Spranger, Mrs. Bobbs - the creator of this spectacular and intellectually inspired garden,

Me, and Suzanne Maxwell.

Sandra speaking with Mrs. Elspeth Bobbs.

Suzanne Kramer and Young Hee Back enjoy the desert landscape.



















Bert Lutgens in a contemplative mood at the Don Gaspar.

Terry Buswell interprets the landscape in her abstraction of Mrs. Bobbs' garden.










Sheila Carter with her sister Wendy Schiller in the Don Gaspar Garden.

"Red Vines"

Yes, I've been busy. And I hope to catch up with reporting my recent art activities in the coming week. This is another new painting, "Red Vines", continuing my exploration of hidden, or obscured images.

"Forbidden Bridge"

My newest painting - "Forbidden Bridge", a 40" X 30" acrylic on canvas, © 2009 Sandra Kaplan.