"Yellow Clouds" ©

Is there anything more beautiful then puffy yellow clouds on a cerulean blue sky? This is the painting that I worked on Wednesday at the Carriage House Gallery. The highlight of my day was a visit from my high school art teacher. It's not often that you are able to let a teacher see how they personally effected your path. All teachers are treasures, for sure and mine is a spectacular diamond, still sparkling brighter then ever.

Oil on panel, 8" X 10'

"Mountains Of Blue" ©

Today, in my painting area of gallery 2 at Descanso Gardens I was considering what to paint. On my way to La Canada Flintridge, the mountains kept my attention with gorgeous shades of blue. And so this little landscape was born from memories of color in my mind.

A quick note, I shot the photo by laying the painting in the sun on the drive at the gallery. The sunlight sparkles on the brush strokes but I think the main idea is present.

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

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"Cotton Candy Sky" ©

I painted this piece in the second room of the Descanso Gallery sitting in the dark corner. Making up for the lack of light I pushed the colors until this painting was singing, along with me.

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

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"Tuscan Gold" ©

Friday September 28, the Canyon Theatre Guild is hosting their annual gala "Under The Tuscan Moon". That evening will also be the debut of the "Canyon Theatre Guild Gala Fine Art Invitational", which I am fortunate to be one of the ten artists exhibiting. Part of the festivities will be an auction and I happily agreed to paint an auction painting. In keeping with the theme of the night, I painted a Tuscan scene which is only partially shown because of the format 20" X 20". This gala is going to be pure entertainment, great people, good food and flowing wine!

"Hart Park" ©

Monday I played hooky from the Carriage House Gallery in Descanso Gardens to paint out. Six of us met in Hart Park to paint under the umbrella of the Santa Clarita Artist Association. We had a very nice day and six lovely little paintings were born that morning.

Oil on Panel, 8" X 10"

"California Colors" ©

Yesterday while captive within the Carriage House Gallery at Descanso Gardens I attempted to paint. It was a very different process then painting plein air or in the studio. You have the brush ready to make a move, not unlike a chess player, and the movement is put on hold to assist a gallery guest. Upon returning to the easel that move that seemed so emanate, evaporates and you begin again, only to repeat the process. Here is the surprise, the guests are so engaging and interested in the paintings that you are just pulled from the joy of painting to the joy of meeting new people. It's a wonderful life!

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

"Descanso Dreaming" ©

Yesterday, four artists installed (mostly) landscape paintings at the "Carriage House Gallery" within the Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge, California. I was lucky to be one of the four. Part of the agreement with the gardens is that the artists will be at the gallery as much as humanly possible. Today, I hauled my painting gear up the hill with the intent to paint while talking with visitors. The small painting you are viewing is the product of a day of Descanso dreaming, in between customers.

I'll be there tomorrow too, from 10am - 4pm, come on over....

Oil on Raymar linen panel, 6" X 8"

"Days End" ©

The grasses, brush and Oak trees are so dry they look soft to the touch. Of course if you happen to have a "soft" looking bit of grass brush against your bare leg, you know right away it's anything but soft. Luckily as a painter, if I am careful where I stand, I can just absorb the hazy gentleness of nature off in the distance.

Oil on linen, 11" X 14"

"Fields Of Poppies" ©

Without rain our California Poppy fields were barren this year. Today I was considering this and decided just to paint my own. I started with a mountain, threw in Oak trees and laced Poppies, Lupine and a few bushes on the ground. Possibly next spring this scene will become reality. Meanwhile, I can dream.

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

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"Rabbit Canyon" ©

I wonder how many rabbits live in our valley. The number would be staggering, I am sure. Our humble front yard is home to 3 - 5, it's hard to tell since they all are wearing the same outfit.

Oil on panel, 8" X 10'

"Valley Morning" ©

Just another beautiful day in Southern California. Finally our heat wave broke, everyone seems to be smiling more and moving a bit faster again.

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

"Canyon Trail" ©

After my close call with the Mountain Lion a couple of weeks ago, I am not walking up these deserted trails anymore, at least not alone. But that doesn't mean that I can't PAINT them!

Oil on Canvas, 16" X 20"

"Evening Glass", Snake River ©

Underneath the glassy surface a current flows to the Pacific Ocean. Idaho has gorgeous clouds at the end of the day, as if nature is putting on a final show of color after a day of blanketing brilliant blue over the hills.

Oil on Canvas, 24" X 20"

"California Palm Trees" ©

After having lunch today with Lynne Fearman (great plein air painter, check her paintings out at Segilfineart.com), I was noticing that most of the trees and bushes were dull and thirsty, surviving the 100 plus degree day. Except, the Palm Trees! They danced in the breeze, singing to the sun. And so smiling, I painted them.

Oil on Panel, 12" X 16"

"Natures Highlights" ©

Never ending beauty, that is what nature gives to the viewer. In this case the sun was providing top lighting to the Oaks and brush. The valley is dry, very dry, yet the lavender, rust and wheat colors that engulf every living plant are deliciously rich.

Oil on Canvas, 11" X 14"

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"Summer Evening" ©

As a painters we can move mountains, we can add trees and we can spend the day anywhere in the world, at least on the canvas. Today, I was remembering the Snake River last June and how beautiful the evening skies were. What a life!

Oil on Canvas, 16" X 20"

"Farmland" ©

Near Filmore the land is quickly changing. This little painting will be a memory of a beautiful valley.

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"Pico Canyon" ©

I saw the mountain lion on my way out of the canyon this morning. She/he was huge and stunning, crossing this dirt road 100 yards from where we all painted. Pico Canyon was the location that I had selected for the Santa Clarita Artists Associations monthly paint out. Who knows how long the lion watched us paint but being last out of the canyon I was privileged to see this amazing animal.

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

"Orchard Evening" ©

This is one of thousands of orchard roads that lace the valley. Some are gated, some seem abandoned, all are potential paintings.

Oil on Canvas, 11" X 14"

"Desert Morning" ©

The Mojave Desert is the location for this scene. The light grazing the brush is what caught my attention as I whizzed down the highway. That lovely light was what I was chasing all day today.

Oil on canvas, 18" X 24"

"Out The 126 Hwy" ©

The landscape between Santa Clarita and Santa Paula will be transformed from rural farmland to vast vistas of homes. Painting the area now, as it is may provide an artistic history of what it once was.

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"Canyon Afternoon" ©

Our valley has had some very unusual lighting lately. Possibly it's a bit of smoke from the Santa Barbara fire drifting in our direction. The location of this little landscape is Bouquet Canyon, late in the day, under very strange skies.

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

"Sunflower Fields" ©

A romantic gentleman explained a story to me about his future bride. A sunflower field was the setting. His request was that I paint a sunflower field as his gift to this lucky lady. I spent the past couple of days working out a design concept and today with my heart in my hand, thinking all the while about the story, I painted "Sunflower Fields".

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

"Touch Of Gold" ©

Driving in the San Fernando Valley yesterday I saw these big gold trees right near a freeway on ramp. It was all so fast, spotting the trees and trying to drive that this painting is all that I can remember of the scene. They were stunning.

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"California Hills" ©

Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting the Pasadena Museum of History's presentation of "Contemporary Masters, Artistic Eden" exhibit. Being alone I was allowed, long luxurious viewing. The paintings by artists Michael Obermeyer, Jennifer McChristian, Keewon Hong and John Cosby are still vibrating in my mind. The whole exhibit was inspiring and reminded me how important it is to leave the easel and view masterpieces now and then.

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

"Mendocino" ©

The day was gray and flat, the sea completely calm. In the village of Mendocino a sculptor was working on a 2 thousand pound block of Texas limestone, a direct carve. It was a foreign sound, the hammer hitting the chisel with perfect rhythm, in the heart of the village that drew me in. It reminded me of walking the streets of Pietrasanta, Italy.

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

"Summer Clouds" ©

After visiting the Oregon Caves National Monument these clouds followed us to Grants Pass. Small ranches lined the road, here and there a vineyard blanketed the foothills, meanwhile the sunlight turned to gold making everything in view seem magical.

Oil on panel, 6" X 8"

"Point Reyes Path" ©

To find the Point Reyes Lighthouse, you must be very determined. Driving for 30 minutes off the main road, walking down the path (in the painting), you arrive at the top of a 300 step staircase that leads you down to the lighthouse. The docent described 90 mile an hour winds, knocking the staircase railing clean off it's anchor into the sea during a storm. It's difficult to imagine the life of the keeper at this desolate, windswept point, or how many lives this beacon saved. Yes, I am back.....

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"Cottonwoods and Clouds" ©

I am hanging my "Gone Painting" shingle, once again. Heading north on the California coast, all the way to Oregon. This is the final trip for this summer with my family, exploring beaches, galleries, museums and of course painting. In two weeks I'll be back, blogging again.

This painting, "Cottonwoods and Clouds" is a larger studio version of the last two postings. I altered the composition and used a nice big brush, still pushing the colors as far as I dare.

Oil on canvas, 16" X 20"

"Cottonwood Trees II" ©

Just fun. I continued with the Cottonwood trees, creating a "sister" to yesterdays painting. They are sitting together and make a nice couple. Truly I just had fun in the paint today.

Oil on Canvas, 8" X 10"

"Cottonwoods" ©

Today I painted out with friends. The sky was flat, with low clouds blocking any of the suns rays. We were painting under an arbor, expecting dappled sunlight on the dirt path with warm reflected light on the columns. The painting ended up a "scraper", so when I got back to the studio, I painted some of the Cottonwood trees that were in the field next to the Blue Heron Inn up in Idaho. I feel much better about this one.

Oil on Canvas, 8" X 10"

"Pasadena City Hall" ©

I am still tweaking the lines on the tower but wanted to photograph the painting in daylight, so here it is almost finished. This painting along with the past couple of the Pasadena area will be part of the California Art Club show on Sunday, celebrating the re-opening of the building. It isn't until I painted this tower and the Colorado Street bridge that I really grew to appreciate the beauty of these structures.

Oil on canvas, 11" X 14"

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"Arroyo Seco Casting Pond" ©

Sunset at the Casting Pond in the Pasadena Arroyo. This was a very quick study and may be worthy of a larger studio painting.

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"Colorado Street Bridge" ©

The Colorado Street Bridge is probably the most famous bridge in Pasadena. She is long, lean and elegant. The history of the bridge is colorful and most Pasadena residents couldn't imagine the city without her.

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

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"Under The Bridge", Pasadena Arroyo ©

There is just a bit of water left under the Colorado Bridge in Pasadena. With this painting I was trying to capture the feeling of being deep in the woodland.

Oil on Canvas, 16" X 20"

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"Another Foggy Morning" ©

At an Artwalk a couple of weeks ago I met a lovely couple that were interested in a painting. They ended up looking at this blog and "Foggy Morning" was their favorite. So with some adjustment in composition (5 X 7" Horizontal), inspired by the original, I painted "Another Foggy Morning" for their collection.

Oil on Panel, 5" x 7"

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"Summer Blues" ©

Just playing with the colors of the day.....

Oil on Panel, 5" X 7"

"Desert Morning" ©

Driving to Idaho, sipping coffee, listening to Steely Dan I glanced to my right and squealing to myself "look at that!", I slammed on the brakes. These are the times you wish another artist was in the passenger seat so you could share in the delight of the colors and gorgeous light. "Desert Morning" is the view that caused a slight delay in my travels.

Oil on Canvas, 18" X 24"

"Holly House, Catalina" ©

The Holly House stands overlooking the Avalon Harbor on Catalina Island. You can spot the red and green striped roof from almost anywhere in Avalon. If a house can be "adorable", this one certainly is.

Oil on Canvas, 24" X 20"

"Summer Greens" ©

As a painter, when you see a view that is GREEN, from the foreground to the distant trees your mind has to push the paint and brush just a bit harder. You are trying to give the finished painting depth and tell the tale without the advantage of a multitude of colors. Up in Idaho everything is green near the Snake River and since it is the beginning of summer, I titled this little painting "Summer Greens".

Oil on Panel, 8" X 10"