"Morning Walk" ©

The way the light dances around in the trees carries my feet forward on my "Morning Walk".

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"Another Sunset" ©

Just to be sure the new panels were as great as I first thought, I pulled out another one and had a go at it today. Yes, they truly are super! *For artists: They are "Primed Art Panel" from Mister Art online. I had previously purchased the Houston Art Panels but they are no longer available from the company to artists directly since Speedball purchased company.

Oil on Panel, 5" X 7"

"Heading Home II" ©

This morning I still thought the little "Heading Home" had promise, so I walked back to the spot and looked again with my "artist" eye. Using that memory and the little study from yesterday I painted a larger version of the view. Tomorrow I'll fix edges, soften and harden where needed and add thick paint with color all over the canvas.

Oil on Canvas, 18" X 24"

"Heading Home" ©

This small painting was an experiment, working on a new surface for me. It's a gessoed panel that is ultra smooth, like glass. Wow, this panel will be added to my inventory of blank canvases and panels. Having a lot of blank materials to paint on may be a continuation of what I learned carving stone. If you have several stones in your inventory, you can work fast without fear of not having another stone to carve and it frees you up to try an idea, knowing there is always another stone waiting in the wings. The same seems to be true for having a nice selection of blank canvases and panels.

This painting is the view of my walk home from Sierra Highway. It's being cleaned up and trees seem to be disappearing, so construction is on it's way but for now it's raw and wild.

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"Seaside Play" ©

Last evening I visited the reception for "On Location In Malibu" at the Frederic R. Weisman Museum of Art on the Pepperdine University campus. The paintings truly capture the colors and light of Malibu. Well worth the time and effort to visit, whether your an artist or collector. Thinking about that exhibit and wanting a few more "ocean" themed paintings for my San Clemente show I painted "Seaside Play".

Oil on linen panel, 12" X 9"

"In The Harbor" ©

Working on a large commission today, I took a break and played in the reflections of a tiny harbor near Fort Bragg.

Oil on Linen, 12" X 16"

"Rancho Morning" ©

Rancho Camulos near Filmore opened their property to artists today. We painted barns, an old truck, gardens and the distant mountains. Spending the day amongst the orange groves and Spanish buildings it was easy to imagine the Rancho in it's prime. My painting found a home with one of the lovely docents, so I photographed it quickly still on my easel. Of course it's an odd angle and the wall to the right is reflecting on the canvas but you can see the general idea. All round it was a wonderful May day.

Oil on Linen panel, 11" X 14"

sold

"Valley Below" ©

After a weekend of showing work in Sierra Madre it felt really good to be back at my easel, almost like it had been weeks rather then 4 days. I have a commission canvas to be painted next but thought I should get my brushes tuned up by painting something smaller and chose a familiar view in Sand Canyon where the San Gabriel mountain range ends. Tomorrow I'll be painting at Rancho Camulos near Piru and can't wait for the morning to come.

Oil on Linen, 14" X 18"

"Ocean Cliffs" ©

Last year I painted a small plein air piece of this view. Anticipating my return I pulled that little piece out of a pile and explored the road along the cliffs once again. I believe that is a huge benefit to painting out, you have wonderful references that bring back everything as real as if you were at that very spot once again, from the sound of the sea to the cool ocean air.

Oil on linen, 14" X 18"

"Hopland Pasture" ©

If you look back at 1/9/09, the original "Hopland" was posted. I took that painting and looked at it with a critical eye and attacked the canvas. I took out the vineyard as the color fought with the rest of the painting, I added to the sky, changed the mountains, added color to the trees and softened the cows. Actually I practically painted the piece top to bottom again. I like this much better.

Oil on canvas, 16" X 20"

Golden Time" ©

Thinking about the upcoming San Clemente Plein Air event "Golden Time" came to mind.

Oil on Linen, 14" X 18"

"Hoppers Creek, Sunset" ©

Exploring for the next "big" canvas. This area off the 126 Hwy is a favorite.

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"Sierra Spring" ©

Today while waiting to hear if I am a Grandmother, I took out "Sierra Spring" and pulled the painting together. It was blogged recently, knowing that it had issues. Here are the changes I made: brightened/deepened the blue in the sky, gave the clouds volume, pushed darks into the base of the distant trees, widened the river, lowered the bushes along the rocks, finished the rocks by adding a range of value and colors to give them form and variety, made sense of the water and painted the brush in the shade on the left. It's much better now, almost ready to be signed.

Oil on canvas, 20" X 24"

"Palms At Sunset" ©

Coming up with titles for paintings can be really tough, especially at the end of the day when your spent in every way. Today at the Pasadena Museum of California Art, Jean Stern gave a lecture on the history of the club. He mentioned that artist William Wendt used epic poetry and the Bible to inspire his titles. "Palms At Sunset" will have a better title, I'll just read with titles in mind.

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

sold

"Spring Evening" ©

I waited to post this little sunset study until it was dry enough to lay on the scanning bed and be scanned. I am looking for a more accurate way of producing images, rather then the digital camera that depending on the light, time of day, if I am standing on one foot singing, whatever, they never look true to the original. Maybe this is better, the image on my computer screen shows the foreground and trees much darker then the painting and wipes out all of the work. Still searching.....

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"