"Pismo Beach Dunes" ©

Very early in the morning the plant life on the dunes take on a violet hue to match the cold breeze off the ocean.  It is so very quiet, even the waves seem like a hundred miles away.  Standing there painting, I felt like the only person on the earth with a strong sense of timelessness.  

14" X 18", Oil

"High Sierra Trail", ©

A few weeks ago a small group, known as PAC6 Painters, packed into Lake Ediza to paint for a week.  All of the words that John Muir wrote came to life visually on that trip.  We saw scenes that took your breath away, stunned you to silence and made you want to sing and cry at the same time.  This painting is the trail to Iceberg Lake and we actually did sing, hiking down the trail.  

Oil on Canvas, 20" X 24"

This painting is available for sale at the Traveling The West Art Show & Sale, Southwest Gallery & Featherstone Arts, 4500 Sigma Road, Dallas, Texas or online

"Approaching Winter Storm", © #SantaClarita #laurawambsgans

For the next couple of months this painting, along with 4 others are hanging in the College of the Canyons Art Gallery.  The exhibit is called Plein Air, California Landscape painting and has some very good pieces.  Mike Hernandez, Alan Garber and Karl Dempwolf have paintings that are worth studying for a long time.  Karl loaned two original William Wendt paintings and there is a nice collection from Steve and Doris Marie Zimmer.  A good painting buddy and friend Lorelle Miller has several paintings in the show too and it's always a bonus to hang with a friend.  

Oil on canvas, 24X30

Ventura Plein Air Competition 2015

Ventura View, 12X16, oil

The city of Ventura has held an Artwalk for decades and this year added a plein air competition to the event.  Artists were invited to paint for a week and then display their paintings, along with some studio paintings for sale during the Artwalk at the Bell Arts Factory.  I was one of 17 lucky artists to be invited to paint and enjoyed exploring Ventura.  

The painting above was my first effort.  I set up on the side of the CVS building on Olive Street looking up the off ramp of the road to Ojai.  I left the off ramp out of the painting and just focused on all the elements that felt like Ventura to me.  

Surfers Point Wave, 8X10, oil

This little painting was a quick sketch, watching wave after wave roll in.  I think it was successful to some extent because of a comment by a surfer.  He told me, hey you got our "concrete" water perfectly.  I would like to spend more time painting these little waves, soon.  

Maricopa Hwy to Ojai ~ PINK! 16X12, oil

Pure luck, catching this view.  I was going to head home after painting all day and looking at the clouds I thought something good might happen soon.  I headed up to Grant Park, hoping I would have the best view of the sunset and pow! This huge cloud, turned cotton candy pink and it lasted a long time for a sunset.  The little valley below, looking towards Ojai, started to twinkle as lights came on.  Of course I was unable to get all the little buildings and lights, but put in enough to get the idea across to the viewer.  

Painting in the Adirondacks

 Lower Saint Regis Lake, 18X24, Oil

Last week I traveled with Marian Fortunati to upper state New York, deep in the Adirondack's to paint in the 2015 Publishers Invitational.   The variety of the color green, from the trees to the fields was endless.  Around every bend in the road you didn't know if you would find a pond, waterfall or stream.  Eric Rhoads put the event together and I can't think of a thing that could have been done better.  We were very well taken care of from check in to the final goodbye party.

 At the same time there is a very serious man hunt for the 2 escaped convicts and it's still going on.  Most of the painters stuck together for safety and only a few saw wanted posters tacked up in the forest.  

It was a great week full of painting everyday, singing songs at night to Rick Wilson's guitar and making new friends.  The world of plein air painting is small enough that I am sure my path will cross with some of the wonderful people I met.    The photo below is the whole tribe of painters, about 120 in all.  

If you would like to see more photos from the week, I have an album on my Facebook page you are welcome to view.  

"A New Day" © #WhidbeyIsland #oilpainting #Wambsgans

This studio painting was created using the plein air painting as the reference.  This weekend Saga Gallery in Monrovia is opening an exhibit of the gallery artists work, plein air to studio paintings.  I will have 6 paintings in the show and look forward to seeing how everyone else approached the project.  The reception is this Saturday evening from 5pm - 7pm and all are welcome.  

Oil on Canvas, 20" X 24"

"Elsmere Canyon" #santaclarita #oilpainting #laurawambsgans

Elsmere Canyon is just down the road from my home and offers nature at her best for small hikes.  You see prints in the dusty trail of animals, large and small and the trees vary from coastal oaks to pine trees at the top of the canyon.  This scene is painted at the beginning of the lower trail with creek bed bushes and sycamores hanging on to some winter leaves.  It's hard to fathom that this canyon was destine to be a dump before a furious fight.  

oil on canvas, 20" X 24"

"Crystal Cove Evening" © #crystalcovepainting #seascape #laurawambsgans

Keeping cool, painting the ocean as the sun sinks.   A big thank you to Esther Williams for the inspiration to this view.  

Oil, 16" X 20"

"Refuge Under the Eucalyptus", #cowpainting #Eucalyptustrees #landscape #laurawambsgans

A bucolic setting of cows tucked in and around a stand of Eucalyptus trees was my goal with this little painting.  I was going for a peaceful, timeless feel to the painting, using loose references I had shot in Carmel California and one plein air painting.  

Oil on linen,  14" X 18"

"Canyon de Chelly, Early in the Morning" © #canyondechelly #landscapepainting #laurawambsgans

This spot is one of the south rim overlooks at Canyon de Chelly.  I painted there with the PAC6 painters, setting up in the dark and watching the dawn light hit the canyon walls, announcing a new day.  

Oil on canvas, 16" X 20"

"Pink Mountain Moment" © #BorregoSprings #desertpainting #pleinair

For a brief time each morning the mountain in the west that hovers over Borrego Springs turns every color of orange and pink.  It is a free light show the sun offers the desert residents, until the evening show at sunset.  

I have been on the road painting Canyon de Chelly, Arizona and will start posting that adventure when I get all the paintings and cameras unpacked and unloaded.  It's funny when I am out painting far from home it's easy to forget what I have painted until I start opening the wet panel boxes.  I enjoy the surprises and reliving the painting experience.  

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

#smoketree #Borregosprings #oilpainting , "Desert Beauty", Borrego Springs CA

Last week I had the opportunity to paint in Borrego Springs California, during the annual plein air event hosted by the Borrego Springs Art Institute.  This image is my favorite painting, out of the 10 that I painted, shown as it hangs on the gallery wall.  Painting in the desert it was so quiet you could almost hear the silence.  I was smitten with the subtle colors and constantly changing light.  The main mountain that Borrego Springs is nestled up against, Indian Head, starts out a brilliant pink with each sunrise and ends the day in shades of blue.  

Oil on Linen,  11" X 14"

#pleinair #oilpainting #Towsleycanyon #Keltyredwing44 "Towsley Canyon Plein Air" ©

Saturday I am driving down to the Anza Borrego State Park area to participate in the "Borrego Springs Invitational".   As a necessary treat (is there such a thing?) I bought a new plein air backpack to replace my little Ross Store backpack that only holds paint and paper towels and is ripping apart.  The new one is a  Kelty Redwing 44 .  I wanted to take it out on it's maiden painting trip, so we headed out for a quickie at Towsley Canyon.  The pack will hold an EasyL 11" X 14" easel and everything else needed to paint.  I have graduated from carrying 3 items (backpack, easel and tri-pod) to just 1 item on my back, leaving me hands free.  This is a great feature if you start to fall while hiking or just need to grasp rocks/trees for balance.  So far I give the Kelty a 5 star rating....

Oil on panel,  8" X 10"

"Lake Los Carneros Park Trail" ©

This little painting is in the same area as the last one, near Santa Barbara in the small town of Gaviota.  The lake is just to the left, surrounded by paths meandering around the lake and across the golden fields.   The houses that boarder the park are invisible once you start walking and it feels as though you are in the middle of no where, all alone with just bird songs breaking the silence.

Oil on canvas, 14" X 18"

"Hansen Dam Fall Colors"

Hansen Dam recreational area is about 14 minutes from my front door and offers incredible views that seem like you are thousands of miles in the wilderness.  There are many waterfowl in the reeds and weeds along the banks, especially beautiful white Egrets that might really add a nice detail to this painting.  I can add them and welcome any feedback as to whether or not to include the fine feathered beauties.  A rain storm moved in today and may have wiped out a lot of the gold leaves but if not it is a glorious place to paint in between the holiday festivities.  

oil on canvas, 14" X 18"

"China Cove" study

China Cove in the Point Lobos State Reserve is a tough spot to paint.  It's hard to find a place along the trail that won't interfere with hikers and at the same time offers a good view of the cove.  The trail sweeps around the cove and out onto the land mass so you are looking back at where I am standing for this painting.  The pristine water and pure white sandy beach, untouched by humans lets you dream of what this hidden cove would have been like to discover 100 years ago.   This painting is the "first draft" of an idea.  Lately there has been a lot of discussion online of the value of plein air paintings versus studio work.  Every artist works differently but I need a balance of both painting outside, observing nature first hand and studio work.  Without the direct study paintings I think my studio pieces would suffer.  

Oil on canvas, 12" X 16"

"LA River, Atwater River Walk" ©

Joe Linton has written a great guide to the Los Angeles River with access points, history and maps for bike rides and walks.  This painting was painted where Sunnynook ends at the river.  Hard to believe such a peaceful spot exists just yards from the 5 freeway.  While painting I listened to the distant freeway noises, as families of ducks floated down river, fishermen passed by poles in hand and several people walking dogs and pushing strollers pounded down the trail.  If you are interested in the Los Angeles River check out the group, FoLAR, Friends of the Los Angeles River. FoLAR Website

Oil on linen,  11" X 14"

*On another note, I will be showing a booth full of paintings at the 10th Thousand Oaks Arts Festival this weekend, 10am - 5pm Sat. & Sun.,  2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., My booth number is 39.  The event and parking are free.  Come on by and say Hi..... 

"Estuary of Carmel" ©

Twice I have stood on the sandy beach beside the spot where the Carmel River greets the ocean painting as the sun sank behind me into the Pacific Ocean capturing this view.  It's a tough scene with all the rocks and shifts and yet so very inviting I can't help but try to get it down on canvas.  I used the little plein air pieces to work out this larger canvas.  Those little babies are worth their weight in gold.  One time I was told to never sell the plein air pieces because of all the information they contain and I understand the thinking better now then ever.  Meanwhile I am preparing for a trip to Lake Arrowhead to paint in the event "Paint the Lakes" starting Thursday morning.  I can't wait to meet the other artists and explore the 3 lakes we are allowed to paint.  

Oil on Linen,  18" X 24"

"Navajo Land" ©

Headed from Durango Colorado to Canyon de Chelly Arizona we crossed into the Navajo reservation.  These rocks were a common sight along the highway.  I loved watching the light change, the weird shaped rocks and distant mesas.  This little 9" X 12" painting will never be a studio piece but I had good time figuring out how to create the illusion of separation between the formations.  The Navajo land is open range, so we had to keep an eye out for cattle on the road.  Here is a little photo so you get the idea....looks like she is trying to hide behind the sign.

"Kelp and Cliffs, Whalers Cove" ©

I never knew how LOUD otters could be until I painted this painting.  Three otters were floating, slithering over and around each other and eating for the couple of hours I spent painting this one.  Floating and slithering they were pretty quiet, eating on the other hand is a very noisy activity.  One little guy was slapping his catch on another object with relentless patience.   While another little guy was eating what looked like kelp but sounded like raw carrots, for hours.  You can't help but watch their antics and smile.  They moved with such grace and ease though the water no wonder everyone enjoyed the otter show at Whalers Cove.

Oil on Linen, plein air, 9" X 12"