"Eucalyptus Trees" ©

This painting is another San Clemente plein air piece. I chose not to enter this piece in the competition because I felt that there wasn't a clear light source and focal point. The sun went behind the hill over my shoulder and that was that. I went back a couple of days later to see if I could spend more time with the view but a wonderful gray mass of clouds floated in off of the ocean creating a lovely moody scene, a totally different view. In truth that is the excitement of plein air painting, you are not in control of the elements and just along for the ride.

Oil on Linen, 12" X 16"

"Sand Dancer" ©

One day last week in San Clemente I was sitting on the beach with my small Guerrilla Box easel on my lap, ready to paint little studies of people enjoying the sun and sand. This was one of the many luxuries of the week, being able to just paint without any regard about time. I learned a very neat trick. The sand makes a great brush holder. As you are painting you can stick your brush handle down into the sand, while using another brush or squeezing out more paint. This little girl was flying on air down to the water and back up onto dry sand. Her hands were splayed out and her feet performed a ballet, then one moment she actually paused to gaze at the waves and I captured the "Sand Dancer".

Oil on Panel, 5" X 7", $100.

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"Evening Light, San Mateo" ©

Perched on a tiny ledge of gravel, over looking the road that follows the San Mateo Creek to the ocean I was entranced by the "Evening Light" filtered through the Eucalyptus trees.

Oil on Linen, 16" X 20"

Lesson learned: Bug spray has no effect on gnats.

"Bluffs" ©

Calafia beach is laced with beautiful bluffs that offer up sandy surfaces to the sun. It's hard to know whether to gaze at the Pacific, or be dazzled by the "Bluffs".

Oil on Linen, 11" X 14"

"Sunlight On Trestles Trail" ©

I was headed to a location called Trestles, one of the most famous surfing beaches in the world. One thing I always remind myself when looking for a painting in nature is to TURN AROUND. More often then not, that is moment of Ahh-Haa, which is exactly what happened here. When I saw the dappled light filtering through the sycamore trees, that was it. I never made it to Trestles that day. As surfers and hikers passed me more often then not they would comment that they come down this dirt path because it's the most beautiful way to Trestles.

Oil on Linen, 8" X 10"

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"Early Morning, San Clemente State Park"

Last week I was painting in San Clemente, as one of 128 painters in the local plein air competition. We were allowed to submit 2 pieces on Saturday to be presented for awards and sale during the evening gala. "Early Morning" was my first painting of the week and one of my submissions. It was a tough decision, having absolutely no experience in this type of venue, to pick 2 paintings out of 9.

During the week I learned several things everyday. From small stuff, sand makes a great brush holder to larger discoveries, how to paint a wave. It was a week of painting and learning. The artists didn't connect during the week, somehow I hadn't expected to be so alone. This gave me time to reflect, think and absorb.

The artist members of the San Clemente Art Association that produce the competition did a great job in organizing the event and gala evening. Actually they wore many hats and worked terribly hard. Pam Hill, Steve Kell and Annemarie Hall were the Paint San Clemente Event Committee, the words "thank you" are not enough for all of their time and effort.

San Clemente is a beautiful seaside village. After spending a week immersed in the area a description would have to include, red tile roofs, white walls, trains, surfers, palm trees and friendly folks.

Oil on Linen, 11" X 14"

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"Sand Canyon" ©

Another title for this painting could be "Dancing Brush". My brush danced all over the linen, creating little dry grass, light playing in the Oak tree and scrub on the mountain. It felt really good to paint "home". As I am hanging my gone painting shingle out once more. This time I am off to San Clemente Beach to paint till Saturday the 21st in the Paint San Clemente, Plein Air Competition. I'll have a laptop with me for blogging if I can get a connection easily. Painting is my priority.

Oil on Linen, 12" X 16"

"Inland Trail" ©

The lighting system over my easel has taken a break and I have to stop here for the day. My hero husband will wing in, cape flying and fix the lights later this evening. The painting is of a trail that leads from the ocean heading inland along the Big Sur coastline. It's very quiet and cool, with the scent of Eucalyptus trees hanging heavy in the damp sea air. I will work on this painting more and develop every area one more time but it's enough of a statement now to give you the idea of the "Inland Trail".

Oil on Canvas, 24" X 20"

"Light In The Riverbed" ©

Big thanks to everyone that came to the art show this weekend at the Hyatt. Several paintings found new homes and I was able to meet many new collectors which is always a pleasure. I took a break from unpacking show gear to paint the little dry creek that runs in front of my house. The light today is a bit fuzzy but I did find a nice view of "Light In The Riverbed".

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"Sycamores In December" ©

Tomorrow is the show at the Valencia Hyatt Hotel. Nancy Eckels, Belinda Delpesco, Lorelle Miller and I are pleased and excited to be able to exhibit/show in our "home" town. All of us show all over but it's not often to have the chance here in the Santa Clarita Valley. We have hundreds of paintings. I am bringing 48, 5" X 7" blog paintings, plus another 40 framed pieces. If you would care to come and meet us, we'll be ready for you by 10am. At 6pm the day will come to an end. The Hyatt is at 24500 Town Center Drive. The show is called "By The Artists' Hand". We would enjoy meeting you and hope that everyone will appreciate seeing our work in person rather then on a computer screen or at a far away gallery. My painting on our invitation card is "Sycamores In December".

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"Oaks In The Afternoon" ©

This Sunday is a show called "By The Artists' Hand". Nancy Eckels, Lorelle Miller and Belinda Delpesco, along with myself are showing our work at the Valencia Hyatt Hotel. Until Sunday most hours of the day are spent preparing for the show but I sneak easel time on a lovely Big Sur Path (20" X 24") and of course a little painting here and there.

Oil on Canvas Board, 5" x 7"

"Ocean Cliffs" ©

Today while preparing for Sunday's show, I slipped in this little painting. Probably because the thought of painting at the beach is surfacing in my mind, while framing finished pieces.

Oil on canvas, 6" X 8"

"Eaton Afternoon" ©

This past weekend was packed with demonstrating, showing and talking about art in Sierra Madre. It was the 2nd annual Artist's Studio Tour. Since my Mom is a Sierra Madre local she allowed me to play along. Saturday night the artists traveled on a shuttle bus for a speedy preview of the studios, dinner, dancing, laughing and connecting. Sunday morning balloons and signs marked our studio and guests hiked up the hill to "Cedarhawke" (Mom and Dad's home) to see what her studio looked like. I was down three flights greeting folks, painting and explaining to those interested how I paint before they ascended the stairs to her tree top studio.

This evening at Gale's Restaurant in Pasadena a small band of Santa Clarita artists joined in donating original artwork to benefit the Pasadena Aids Service Center. As usual Gale was serving delicious bites, free flowing wine and dessert cups. When we left red dots, signaling sold where sprinkled on every wall.

Today just for fun I painted "Eaton Afternoon", not that the weekend wasn't full of fun but painting alone in the quiet is a pleasure all it's own.

Oil on Canvas, 6" X 8"

"Deep Within The Trees" ©

Along the Pacific coast in the Big Sur area it doesn't take many steps to be "Deep Within The Trees". This small study is the seed for a 20" X 24" studio piece that hopefully will mature into a beautiful painting.

Oil on Raymar Panel, 8" X 6"

"Dawn" ©

5AM, cold, quiet, completely empty the sun just barely grazed the distant off shore cloud bank. Observing the sea I noticed that the wave was almost black due to the lack of back light that you normally see once that large orange globe rises. Sea birds pierced the sand in search of their morning meal. Sea shells that would find their way into plastic pink buckets by small chubby fingers delighted with each find, dotted the wet sand. Even I couldn't resist the most unusual shaped shells. As the light increased and the clouds rallied in pink, a few walkers appeared. And slowly over the next couple of hours the sleepy seaside community arrived, fishing poles in hand, dogs running with abandon, coffee cups and bicycle handle bars being maneuvered expertly. Another day in paradise at "Dawn".Oil on Linen, 11" X 14"

"A Patch Of Sun" ©

This morning rain pattered on the roof as I lay under the covers hiding from the morning chill. My first thought was of the scheduled paint out and that the rain was sure to detour artists from coming. Three of us were strong willed and didn't let the weather keep us home. As we painted the sun played peek a boo all morning long. We were able to chose between painting the cloud dimmed landscape or "A Patch Of Sun".
Oil on Canvas, 8" X 10"

"Passing Storm" ©

Southern California has been hit by a myriad of weather patterns over the last couple of days. From hail to tornadoes, mud slides to snow we seem to be experiencing a potpourri of Mother Natures best. This little painting is of the storm clouds passing near where the 126 Highway and 5 freeway meet. My valley has really been spared from too much damage, for which we are all thankful. Tomorrow morning I am playing ring leader of a small band of plein air painters, everyone of us hoping for dry skies.

Oil on canvas, 8" X 10"

"Riverbed Trail" ©

After climbing through fallen tree trunks and over rocks I came to this view. Looking out from within all the wild brush, rocks and sticks, out across the small field to the distant trees that boarder a valley out of view and I thought "aah haa", here is the painting. Viewing the painting in person you see all of the wild brush that has piled up against the group of trees on the left. The debate of whether to blog these photos that are so lacking in telling the truth about the paintings or to pass and just exhibit them to live viewers continues in my mind. For now I continue and share with you my view from the "Riverbed Trail".

Oil on Linen, 16" X 12"

"Along The Snake River" ©

We floated down the Snake River in Yellowstone two summers ago. Last summer I stayed at the Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast in Rigby Idaho, which is placed on the bank of the Snake River. It seems fitting that with summer temperatures heating up the land my mind would drift back into dreams of the lovely cool Snake River.

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

46th Annual Sierra Madre Art Fair

Last weekend is a blur of meeting old friends and discovering new ones, surrounded by a hundred booths of fine art. I shared a booth with my Mom, Carolyn Gravatte. She really is the "Sierra Madre" painter, as she paints local scenes capturing the personality of the village. This show is a pleasure to participate in because it's so well organized and everyone is there to enjoy the art, food and music. The boy scouts guard the art Friday and Saturday night so the artists can leave their set up and sleep well knowing that all will be well in the morning. Each day I set up my easel to paint but never had the time to paint. We had a terrific show and I would like to thank each and every visitor for coming by despite the 100 plus temps. See you all next year....

"In Morning Light" ©

"In Morning Light" was just juried into the upcoming California Art Club exhibit "Natural Beauty". It's a long show, 6 months at the Women's City Club of Pasadena, within walking distance of the Pasadena Museum of California Art, nice duo to hit in a day. Meanwhile this weekend I am showing with my Mom at the Sierra Madre 46th Annual Art Show. Sierra Madre is my parents home town and it's a great weekend to meet her art buyers and very good friends. *This photo is a scan of the submitted slide to the jury, which is the reason for the black boarder.

"Lone Home" ©

Once in a while the original concept for a painting fails to find it's way onto the canvas. This painting while seemingly finished missed the mark. I had the joy of taking my palette knife and scraping away the brush strokes down to the linen. Now the excitement of attacking once again will fill my dreams, until tomorrow.

Oil on Linen, 11" X 14" unavailable, never to be seen again......

"One Wet Dog" ©

His best friend is a Lab named Tibbs. Hank was retrieving a tennis ball as many times as it was thrown on Limekiln Beach. Painting wet fur and a hint of wet sand as background was a new challenge for me.

Oil on Canvas, 8" X 10"

"Limekiln Creek" ©

A flock of small children stood all around my easel asking just what you would expect. "What are you doing?", "How do you mix paint", "What color is that?", and then adding to the conversation tales of their painting experience and trials, which I came to hear are very great for 5 year olds. I had set up on the outskirts of the campground just above the creek, deep in the redwoods to paint "Limekiln Creek". We all had a great time. The children came and went, patience drifting away, then finally when the painting was almost finished the oldest said "who are you going to give it to"? I knew her mind was pleading for it, but thought better of sending a wet oil painting to some unsuspecting parents tent.

Oil on Linen, 8" X 10"

"Canyon Glow" ©

Finally a painting that has the "feel" that I have been searching for with every attempt painting Eaton Canyon lately. It was almost sunset, I had parked in the dirt lot next to the holding arena for horses. Hiking into the canyon from that point I was able to see views that I hadn't experienced before. A small rabbit froze on the trail, I wondered if he were desensitized to humans or wondering where my other two legs were. The last of the sunlight was picking it's way through the rocks as I strove to do the same. I felt alive with the visual delight enveloping my eyes no matter which way my head swiveled. If you look back though the blogs I have made several tries at putting the visual and sensory input of that hike onto canvas, without much success. "Canyon Glow" has issues, they all do, but this one is the closest at capturing that spring day. A good piece to hang my "Gone Painting" shingle on, as I am headed to Big Sur on the California coast till Monday. Of course the painting gear will be stuffed into the car first before the tent. My goal is for a decent Big Sur painting to post on Monday, along with family fun.

Oil on Linen, 16" X 20"

"Rancho Morning" ©

This painting is another view of the Rancho Camulos, in Piru. The large building, graced by the Bougainvillea was in it's day a place to grind corn and make wine. I have never had the chance to peek in, it's time long past.

Oil on Canvas, 8" X 10"

"Mount Wilson Trail" ©

A few weeks before the devastating Sierra Madre Fire I hiked the Mount Wilson Trail. Today it hit me that the trail was probably caught in the middle of the fire and now just a path through a charred mountainside. This lovely tree is one that anyone hiking the trail has to pass. While I painted her I was hoping that just maybe she was spared. I'll have to go back and see.

Oil on Linen, 12" X 16"
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"Bookends" ©

Great success at the "Art Matters" exhibit was followed by disaster at the Rancho Camulos Spring Fiesta. I was painting on this small piece while visiting with folks when a sudden gust of wind picked up my pop top and sent it sailing up into the sky, one big white kite. Next all of my panels went crashing to the ground in a heap with paintings splashed about, some in the lawn, some still tethered to their panels. After what seemed like minutes I looked back at my plein air easel, lying face down in the grass along with my unfinished painting. It was as if a giant was playing pick up sticks with my whole set up. He took his trunk like fingers and swirled everything into a heap. The damage to my bars was so extensive, putting the show back up was impossible. And so I slowly picked through the rubble, finding pieces and organizing my work. Today I pulled out the painting I had started and just picked off the grass, filled in the scrap marks and painted fresh. These trees really do look like "bookends". As an artist I know I am suppose to avoid bookends, but with Saturday still reeling around in my mind I went with the true scene.

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

"San Gabriels In Spring III" ©

If you are in Southern California, this weekend is full of art shows. I am lucky to be included in two, plus my paintings hanging at Gales Restaurant in Pasadena have been held over for a while. The two shows are polar opposites, "Art Matters" at the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in San Marino and the "Rancho Camulos Fiesta" at the Rancho on Highway 126 near Piru. The artwork I was able to see being delivered to "Art Matters" was stunning (really gorgeous) and the event promises to be very elegant kicking off with a cocktail reception and dinner tomorrow evening. On Saturday the "Rancho Camulos Fiesta" will be very relaxed, with an antique tractor show, all kinds of art and jewelry vender's and costumed docents giving tours of the Rancho. The artists that painted out at the Rancho last month were all invited to bring paintings for sale during the Fiesta. If that isn't enough art for you, Margot Lennartz is opening at the Descanso Garden Gallery on Sunday and Linda Brown is opening at Segil Fine Art Source in Monrovia on Saturday evening. Just thinking of the days to come is exciting!

Oil on Canvas, 16" X 20"

"San Gabriels Spring II" ©

Between yesterday's post and today this baby was the one that I choose to use as a basic template for the larger painting. The shade in the foreground seems to always appeal to me, as if the viewer is standing in the shadows looking out into the sunlit world. And what a beautiful world it is!

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"San Gabriels In Spring" ©

A very big title for a very small painting, "San Gabriels In Spring". Today I worked out a couple of small studies of this view, this is one, and laid out a larger 16" X 20", using the best color harmony and composition from the smaller pieces. We'll see if the finished painting will be better with all of this thought and practice.

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"Sea Sparkles" ©

Practice, practice, practice. In June I will be painting the sea for a week long competition. Under pressure the only way I'll be painting with any confidence is to practice the colors of the sea, sand and rocks. Over the next several weeks I am committed to practicing. When not actually painting the sea, I'll be studying how waves move, sea birds, shoreline plant life and so on. "Sea Sparkles" is a study of color, hopefully the first of many.

Oil on linen, 9" X 12" sold

"Sharing Sheets" ©

Eight O'clock, Lucky went to bed, regardless of the activity in the household. He preferred not to be disturbed and in his own subtle way let you know. But as my time to hit the sheets arrived I would stand by the bedside, look at him snoozing and with regret say "OK buddy, my turn". Lucky would slowly lift up and off the bed with a thud, tail down, head down and mosey off to his second choice spot. He never asked and I didn't mind "Sharing Sheets". Still missing you, buddy.....

Oil on Canvas, 6" X 8"

My apologies for the sparkly (white dots) photo, I shot this outside in the sunlight.

"Sunlit Cliff" ©

Looking at this painting with a fresh eye this morning I can see the "Sunlit Cliff" should have more to say about the cliff. Blogging is such a great tool for painters, almost as though you have a good friend willing to critique in an honest, positive way. I'll keep playing with the sunlight.....

Oil on Canvas, 9" X 12"

"Desert Trail" ©

The daily colors of the desert are soft to the eye, unlike the coastline that blasts vibrant blazes of blue. And yet the desert is just as able to hypnotize the viewer with it's enchanting subtle pastels. Late in the day the desert floor and encircling mountains put on a brilliant show of color, for a brief moment. That moment is what I was attempting to capture in "Desert Trail".

Oil on Canvas, 9" X 12"

"A Real Beauty" ©

This lovely floating jewel gave me the chance for a break from pure landscape painting. She was simply "A Real Beauty".

Oil on Canvas, 9" X 12"

"Canyon View" ©

We need a bit more rain to hold off the golden hues of summertime. I can see the change creeping into the canyon more and more everyday. It's inevitable, I know, but the greens of spring could hang around a month or two more.

Oil on Linen, 16" X 20"

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"Spring, Eaton Canyon" ©

Allowing a painting to ferment in the studio lets me see details that need addressing one at a time, over time, rushing is impossible. I have been painting on this piece for several days. Stopping to paint a "daily painting" has been distracting and I am rethinking the process. The desire to paint better, paint well, paint consistently is overpowering. This painting is a step in that direction. Now it will ferment and I will respond. Eaton Canyon looked just like this 2 weeks ago, when I sketched the view. I couldn't wait to bring it to life on canvas.

Oil on Canvas, 20" X 30"

"Guarding The Sea" ©

Small life guard stations dot the Pacific Coast, flags waving in the breeze, signaling to parents that their children will be safe while swimming. I have always been tempted to climb up the steps of one of these structures (unmanned of course), just for the view but the signs warning of such behavior have prevented my accent. One day I'll brave the wrath!

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"Two Flats, Blocks In The Back" ©

Not a straight inch on her. Tucked in the back of Rancho Camulos, this old timer is spending her final days, keeping cool under the Pepper Trees.

Oil on canvas, 6" X 8"