Fall equinox

Yes, Fall is in the air, even though today it's in the high 70's. Doing some studio time catch up and getting outside a bit. Re-visiting the Arroyo Burro open space and a Monday trip to Dos Pueblos Ranch.

This weekend (almost over) is the ArtWalk at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. I have 3 oil paintings in the show, which features the Oak Group as the main attraction.
Also did a fun workshop with Meredith Abbott, painting still-life. 
Here's work from the field:

honey locust, 9"x12" oil on panel

locust tree, arroyo burro 9"x12"

black cows, DP ranch, 8"x10" oil on panel

september smoke

spending a couple of weeks in the Sierras - fires burning in Sequoia and Yosemite, thunderstorms, lots of chainsaw noise followed by enormous thumps of falling logs as crews clear dead trees from the last many years of drought.
it's unnerving, but managing the forest is important for the health of the forest.



There's been time to catch up on The River's Journey project as well - I'll post more on the Rose-compass.com site.
Can't resist the small buildings:

'women'
santa rosa park
gouache
4"x6"

bees and flowers, lompoc, gouache, 4"x4"

SYR, from santa rosa road
gouache 
3"x5"

farm horse, gouache, 2"x4"

where did august go?

thought the dog days of summer were behind us now, but we are suffering through a late summer heat wave. August was busy with seemingly endless home projects and thankfully, some painting time. Finally got up to the mountains - hot, smokey weather, but a chance to catch up on unfinished work for the Rose Compass group. The Whittier fire was a big event and affected the watershed in a big way, especially around Cachuma lake.

burn to the lake, gouache, 3"x5"

dry river bed, alisal, gouache, 3"x10 3/4"

I currently have two paintings at Palm Loft Gallery - open until September 17th.