Taos, NM – September 23rd-29th, 2012

This photo was taken at La Hacienda de Los Martinez. La Hacienda de Los Martinez is a ranch museum of yesteryear. It is one of our subjects. We will paint there.

Dear Artists,

I am pleased to announce that my Come Paint Along with Albert Handell Mentoring Program has taken a giant step forward. It’s a program so many of you have requested. This is an exciting week geared to be a step beyond a workshop, a follow-up to a workshop, where we will all paint together during the day both morning and afternoon. In the evening, we will have our critique of the day’s painting and all instruction will be saved until the evening. In this program enrolled artists are limited to 14 participating artists or less, and this program is never cancelled.

Career Building – Discussed and explained in detail in the evenings:
In this Program, Albert will explain how he has built his career and will give you important insights and information on how to build your career, i.e.: how to find and get into a gallery and what to expect from your gallery; what describes a good gallery; what is your obligation to your good gallery, etc. Also covered: what regional and/or national shows should one enter; the importance of “Being-in-Print”; how to go about getting into print; what makes up an impressive portfolio, plus much more – all presented to you in the evenings after the day’s painting.

These rock faces and variations of them are in abundance. These formations lead to and are part of the Rio Grande Gorge.

Will Albert actually Paint with us?

Yes, this program is designed to be a very productive and enjoyable week. While residing in close proximity, the participating artists will experience Albert as he paints along with you – allowing one to watch, and understand the process. Painting near him or next to him you will realize and learn in a unique way how to begin, develop and finish a plein air painting, taking in the whole process of living and painting full time. Intense painting and relaxing gatherings day and evening will give each artist a special view into the working world of a successful Master Artist. It will allow you to glean subtleties that are not usually dealt with in a workshop, such as how to evaluate a painting while in progress – how to choose the subject matter and lighting-conditions that are most important to you in your paintings, how to complete your work, and much, much more.

To ensure that this week is the most beneficial for each participant, this Mentoring Program is limited in size, fourteen artists or less, making the ratio of artists to Albert rare and attractive. This is not the normal art workshop. It is open to all artists who have taken at least one workshop with Albert or are experienced artists who have taken other workshops and wish to join him in this next step and unique painting adventure.

This detail photo of an old ranch is one of the morning’s subject matter.
Turn around from this old ranch and you have a beautiful view of the Taos Valley leading into the distant mountains.

Are spouses welcome?

Participating artists are welcome to bring along their spouses and/or significant others. We encourage their attendance.

The dynamics of this intimate group and ultimate setting will surely be appreciated by the spouse. There is plenty to do while the artists paint and they are welcome to join us in the field and in the studio. It is the perfect opportunity to relax, see the sites, play golf, play tennis, swim, hike, shop or simply enjoy the quiet beauty of the area. Partners are welcome to join us at the evening critiques as well, and the final weekend in Santa Fe will be enjoyed by all.

Afternoon light.

Remember the enrollment is limited to 14 artists.

The tuition for an average Albert Handell on-location workshop with twenty to twenty four registered artists for five days is $650.00. The Mentoring Program is an extended 6 day adventure andwill have no more than 14 artists! It is like having a two week workshop, because there is double the painting time and evening sessions, and so much more can be accomplished. Consecutive painting days create an opportunity to experience a breakthrough and insightful growth.

Tuition for the PAINT-A-LONG Mentorship Program is $ 975.00

A WEEK AT A GLANCE:

Check in time is 3 PM Sunday, September 23, at the Best Western Kachina Lodge De Taos, with a check out time of noon on Saturday, September 29, 2012. The week starts Sunday afternoon from 4 PM to 6 PM– we will meet in the Sundance Conference Room, for our first session and discussion. At 4:30 PM, location maps will be given out, followed with important information for painting en plein air with pastels and oils, this first meeting is followed by a dinner at 6 PM in a local restaurant (individual checks). Painting begins Monday morning and continues for five full days, with an in depth farewell critique of the weeks work. Friday evening, Saturday morning is free time. Saturday afternoon, September 29, we will visit Santa Fe to meet in Albert’s Studio, at 3 PM. Directions to the studio will be given at the workshop. Followed by a farewell dinner together (individual checks), Saturday evening at a local Santa Fe restaurant, caps the week.

Santa Fe is a beautiful city, and is also the 2nd or 3rd largest art market in the country and realistic painting is represented strongly. Albert will give you the names and locations of galleries to visit. Also, we shouldn’t forget that there is the Georgia O’Keefe Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, all centrally located. Possibly a little extra time to visit Santa Fe could be very worthwhile.

This mountain stream is one of Albert’s favorites. It starts at the Ski Basin and eventually empties into the Rio Grande Gorge. This stream runs along the road, and is easily accessible and quite varied – it is one of our painting locations.

Accommodations at the Kachina Lodge:

Albert will be staying at the Best Western Kachina Lodge, located in Taos at 413 Paseo del Pueblo Norte; the telephone number is 575-758-2275.

Albert’s Office has already made reservations for a standard room at the workshop group rate of $69.99/per night + tax (includes a hot full breakfast at half-price). $69.99 is the special workshop rate for both a standard single or double occupancy.

Please do contact the Kachina Lodge, to receive this rate you must mention that you are part of the “Albert Handell Painting Group”, and the group rate should be given to you automatically.

The warm adobe colors of the buildings stand out beautifully from the surrounding desert colors.

GUEST ROOM BLOCK

Staying at the same inn reminds Albert of the wonderful experience he had in France, when everyone stayed in the luxurious surroundings of the Chateau Du Soudin near the medieval town of St. Savin in France. We had a small group of artists, we painted every day, wined and dined and talked art in the evenings. It would be equally special if we all could stay at the Best Western Kachina Lodge, however, there are wonderful accommodations all over Taos and Taos is such a small town that one is not obligated to stay at the Kachina Lodge. For other accommodations contact the Taos Chamber of Commerce at their telephone number; 575.758.3873 or www.taoschamber.com. There is also Taos Central Reservations, who offer a great variety of lodging from a cozy apartment, to a large house or even a B & B. They can be reached at telephone number 1.800.821.2437 or visit their website: www.taoscentralreservations.com.

‘High Plains Stable’. Pastel 10 x 12”. Private Collection. Painted on location.

Yes, I want to enroll in the Taos Autumn Pain-A-Long Mentoring Program! How do I go about this?

Enrollment is strictly limited and spaces for our mentoring program will fill up quickly. So don’t hesitate to reserve your space today. This program will be closed after the 14th. Sign up, and a waiting list will be started. To signup, please call the Albert Handell Studio at 505.983-8373, or email your deposit with credit card number and expiration date (MC/Visa/American Express card) to albert@alberthandell.com . The tuition for this Paint-A-Long Mentoring Program is $975.00. A non-refundable deposit of $175.00 is required to register. If you prefer to pay by check, please call first to make sure that there is an opening before you mail your check. Then make your check payable to Albert Handell and mail it to:

Albert Handell
P. O. Box 9070,
Santa Fe, NM 87504-9070

A map to the workshop studio will be sent to you with your receipt. We will appreciate receiving the $800.00 balance due on your tuition by July 23, 2012, two months before the first day of the workshop. Receipt of the full tuition prior to the workshop will help us from overbooking.

REFUND POLICY:

A full refund minus the $175.00 nonrefundable deposit is offered to you for any reason until July 23, 2012, two months prior to the first day of the workshop. Due to the very rare and low artist/student ratio, no cash or credit card refunds can be offered after this date. If on one of those rare occasions you find you must withdraw from the program after July 23, there will be no cash or credit card refunds. But you will be given an $800 tuition credit for the following year.

Old ranch and farm subject matter abounds in Taos.

Will there be Art Supplies that I can purchase at the Workshop?

There will be no art supplies available at the workshop studio. The Artisans Art Supply Store of Taos recently closed.

For Plein Air painting:

Some general supplies are your portable easel, a hat with a wide brim, sunscreen, etc. Unfortunately umbrellas, which could be useful, are difficult to take onto airplanes.

What Art Supplies should the Pastel Artist Bring?

If you are painting in pastel, bring all the pastels that you have and the pastel papers that you like to paint on – plus a few light weight drawing boards i.e., made of foam core or gator board or any light weight material. Albert likes to paint on U-ART sanded papers Grits 500 or 600 and/or the Kitty Wallis Sanded Paper in both white and their Belgium Mist grey tone, and they come in 12×18” pads of eight sheets, but if you wish to work on a smaller size, these pads are also available in 9×12” sheets. These are very handy pads for pasteling on location, and can be purchased from Dakota Art Supplies (they only sell pastel supplies) at 888.345.0067.

What Art Supplies Should the Oil Painter Bring?

If you are painting in Oils, bring the colors that you are accustomed to painting with, plus at least 12 or more canvas or canvas panels to paint on. Albert likes to paint on the Source Tek Panels, telephone them at 800.587.5462 or visit their website: www.canvaspanels.com. They have Claussen Linen glued to light weight Birch plywood – in different sizes. They are strong, lightweight and archival. The recommended sizes are 9×12”, 11×14”, 12×16”, or 14×18” or bigger if your are accustomed to painting larger on location. Choose the sizes that you are most comfortable painting on.

A Suggested List of Oil Colors:

Mr. Handell paints in oil during the winter months in the studio. He uses Turpenoid as his paint medium, especially at the beginning, since these works are larger and call for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th painting sessions. He will then use Winsor Newton Liquin, very sparingly as his paint medium. He applies paint combing both brush and knife applications of color. His Oil Palette is listed below:

Titanium White W/N (Winsor Newton)
Naples Yellow W/N
Cadmium Lemon W/N
Cadmium Yellow W/N
Cadmium Orange W/N
Cadmium Red Light W/N
Permanent Alizarin Crimson W/N
Yellow Ocher Light W/N
Burnt Sienna W/N
Terra Rosa W/N
Viridian (Green) W/N
Cobalt Blue W/N
Ultra-Marine Blue W/N
Ivory Black W/N

You are welcome to use the colors you are used to painting with.

Can I Ship My Art Supplies to the Workshop?

Yes, you can ship your art supplies to The Best Western Kachina Lodge. For this you will need to contact the office at the hotel, or if you are staying at a different location, please contact them directly for this need.

A broad review of the week’s activities:

• Our first meeting is from 4 PM to 6 PM at the Sundance Conference Room (our studio for the week) of the Kachina Lodge.
• We will then have a delicious dinner at the Hopi/Tewa Restaurant at the Hotel (separate checks).
• Monday through Friday we will paint daily, morning and afternoon, everyday, and we will have a daily critique. In the evenings we will meet for still more information.
• Friday evening starting 7 PM we will have our in depth farewell critique.
• Saturday until 3 PM when we meet at Albert’s Studio for our last session on career building is free time.
• Saturday evening we will meet at 6 PM for our Farewell Diner at the Guadalupe Café, 422 Old Santa Fe Trail (separate checks), tel: 505-982-9762, another of Albert’s favorite eateries.
• The beautiful city of Santa Fe ranks as the 2nd or 3rd largest art market in the country with a strong emphasis on Realism. There is also The Georgia O’Keefe Museum, and The Museum of Fine Arts.
• Albert will give you a listing of his favorite galleries for you to visit.

• You may need overnight accommodations in Santa Fe for Saturday night and possibly Sunday night, and if you have never seen Santa Fe, believe me, it is well worth a visit.
• Accommodations are plentiful – with the less expensive accommodations located along Cerrillos Road. One old charming inn along this route is the El Rey Inn, 1862 Cerrillos Road, tele: 505.982.1931

For a complete listing of hotels, motels, B&B’s and casitas, please phone the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce at 505.983.7317, or visit them at www.santafechamber.com or www.santafe.org.
• We look forward to a wonderful week together.

Directions from the South to the Kachina Lodge:

The Albuquerque Sunport in Albuquerque, NM, is the nearest major airport. If you are flying into the Albuquerque Sunport, rent your car at the airport. The drive to Taos is a delightful 2 ½ hour drive North from Albuquerque.
• Go North on Hwy # I-25 to Santa Fe
• As you enter Santa Fe, take the first exit – The Relief Route Hwy # 599 N (it bypasses the traffic in Santa Fe and will shorten your trip a bit)
• Stay on Highway # 599 N until it dead-ends at Hwy. 285 North – turn left.
• Continue North on Hwy. 285.
• Go straight through Espanola – Rt. 68 joins Hwy 285 there (do not turn left on 285) – go straight, follow Rt. 68 out of Espanola Route 68 is sometimes known as the ‘Low Road’ or ‘River Road’ to Taos
• Continue North on 68 enjoying the scenery along the Rio Grande River
• Rt 68 takes you straight into Taos
• Once in Taos, the name changes from 68 North to Paseo del Pueblo South
• Continue a short distance straight into Taos
• The Best Western Kachina Lodge is located at the North end of Taos and is on the right, 413 Paseo del Pueblo Norte

Directions from the North:

• Take 68 South straight into Taos
• The Best Western Kachina Lodge is on the left.