November Thanks

Nearly the end of the month - busy with some shows and events including the 'Art about Ag' at the Santa Paula Museum of Art, 'de la Tierra' in Los Olivos at the Global Eye Art Collective and Wendy Foster, 35th Anniversary show at the Waterhouse Gallery and the upcoming '100 Grand' at Sullivan Goss. I am grateful that I have so much work out in these great venues.

With shorter days and those long shadows it's been a challenge to get out to paint, but we've carried on with our Monday painting sessions.
I took the back road from Santa Paula and discovered this great park. I wanted to try out my new lighter weight painting kit so I stopped to look around and the sun hitting this tin shack got my attention. I only had about an hour to paint, so this is very much a quick study. I'm also trying out a new palette of colors so it was an interesting experiment all around.

Tin shed, Steckel Park, 8"x10" oil on panel

Also had the opportunity to paint at Sowle Ranch - Marcia Burtt's beautiful chunk of land just northeast of Santa Maria. The SCAPE group organized a paint-out and it was great to be there with about a dozen or so other painters.

Apricot changing color, 6"x8" oil on panel

Our usual Monday painting took us to Parma Park, which is recovering nicely 11 years after the Tea Fire. The old olive grove (planted in 1895) has sent out new trees from those old roots. It's really lovely to see the regeneration.

Dry grass and olive tress, 8"x10" oil on panel

We also had the invitation to paint at the Sea Crest Palm Nursery - what an amazing place with so many specimen palms and plants. It was pretty overwhelming really, but I saw these Canna blossoms with the sunlight hitting them and that dark mass of green behind it.

cannas and palms, 8"x10" oil on panel

Halloween!

It's really Fall now - leaves that can turn, have; a bit colder weather, shorter days and of course wildfires all over California.
Closed up the Sierra cabin for winter, but made a little painting time as well. These are all small quick studies. 

early morning lake, 5"x7" oil on panel

exposed tree stumps, 5"x7" oil on panel

old tree stump and roots, 5"x7" oil on panel

roadside shack, 5"x7" oil on panel

And after harvesting our beautiful blue Hokkaido squash, I had to do a still-life:

harvest still-life, 10"x10" oil on panel

And one last one, from a friends fig tree - beautiful purple figs with their leaves:

figs, 6"x10" oil on panel

Gouaches

I will be participating in the Santa Paula Art Museum's Annual juried "Art about Agriculture" exhibition. 64 pieces were chosen out of over 200 entries.
My small gouache of a pump house in a Salinas field is the accepted piece:

Salinas Pump House, 4"x4" gouache on WC board

The gouache paintings sometimes start on site and then are finished in the studio with photo and color references. These are small 'table' work pieces, where I sit at my drafting table and paint carefully mixing and layering the paint. I've been working on this series of 'small shacks' for several years now. Whenever I come across an interesting looking little structure, I'm always drawn to it - fascinated by what it's purpose is or was, who made it, why it's there. 

I like the small scale of the paintings, because it suits the subject matter of the small buildings.

Field shack, Los Alamos, 5 1/2"x6"

Dam Keeper's house, Sierras 5 1/2"x6"

Old Cabin Barn, Sierras 5 1/2"x6"

Remember the Virtues, Isla Vista beach, 5 1/2"x6"

It would be fun to show all of these together sometime - they would make a nice grouping.

Falling into October

Monday painting has been a constant, satisfying endeavor. Libby Smith and I -sometimes another painting pal, Karen McGaw - go out as steadfastly as we can to paint plein air somewhere. We've been at the beach a lot, working on cliffs and beach scenes, back to the River area, all around the foothills always looking for something interesting and challenging. Here are the last two outings:

dry creek, Paradise road, oil on panel, 8"x10"

beached sailboat, oil on panel, 8"x10"

The other constant has been my Tuesday night Figure Painting class, with Rick Stich. I haven't posted many (or any!) of those paintings, but it has been as steady as our plein air Mondays. I usually do one painting for the session, even though we have 2 weeks with the same pose. Here's last weeks effort:

Monica, oil on panel, 8"x10"

de la Tierra

Really excited about today's event:

This show will feature both gouaches and oil paintings. All work is framed and available through Global Eye Art and Wendy Foster, Los Olivos, CA.

river shack, gouache 6"x4"

Nojoqui falls, gouache 4"x6"

Jameson lake, oil on panel, 6"x12"

River Park, Lompoc, gouache 3"x6"

Tamarisk, oil on panel, 24"x30"

september catch up

Now that it's October 1st, it's time to go through September paintings. We've been steady with our Monday painting schedule and have spent the time painting the local coastline and cliffs. 

coal oil point, 8"x8" oil on panel

late summer beach day, 8"x10" oil on panel

Saturday paint-out day with CAC

hendry's beach, 8"x10" oil on panel

goleta beach, gouache on WC panel, 6"x8"

Sierra time

Not as much time at the cabin this year - too many other things going on. We're heading up this week though so it will be good to have that mountain air and blue sky.
Last trip I did a few wildflower studies:

sierra wallflower, 6x8" oil on panel

coneflower, 5x7" oil on panel

pinedrops, 6x8" oil on panel

Dog Days of Summer

Typically cool overcast mornings and hot muggy afternoons - no fun going out in the morning to paint, so trying the late afternoon has been more interesting.
The beach is always cooler and the cliffs and rocks are always a challenge to paint. Did try Paradise road one day earlier in the summer - hot and lots of flies, but nice to see water still flowing in the river.

overcast afternoon, 1000 steps  8"x10" oil on panel

sunny afternoon, mesa lane steps, 8"x8" oil on panel

sunny afternoon, hendrys beach, 9"x12" oil on panel

afternoon, shoreline steps, 8"x10" oil on panel

early morning Goleta bach, 8"x10" oil on panel

hot day at white rock, 8"x10" oil on panel

Still Life

When the fog is too much and not enough decent light to work with outside, Still-life is a good option. I did a workshop with Aimee Erickson - who is a fantastic painter - and she imparted a lot of great insight and enthusiasm on this ages-old genre. She made it look modern and fresh.
Here are my attempts:

oil on panel, 8"x10"

oil on panel, 8"x10"

The following one is from a couple of years ago, from a workshop with Meredith Abbott:

oil on panel, 9"x12"

good year for flowers

This entire summer has seen lots of blooms - since the 'super bloom' in spring, everything else that flowers has been responding to the winter of rain.

I started working on some studies of Epiphyllums that have been blooming in their pots in the yard:

oil on panel, 8"x10"

oil on panel, 8"x10"

oil on panel, 8"x10"

Busy July

Tonight is the opening of the SCAPE show at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. Reception is from 5-8 pm and the exhibit is up only through tomorrow, 10am - 5 pm. It is a fundraiser for the Museum.
I've already posted 3 of the pieces I'll have in the show, so here are the other 3:

backside, Rincon, oil on panel, 6"x12"

foggy day cat, oil on panel 8"x10"

leadbetter cliffs, oil on panel, 11"x14"

June - the usual

June has come and gone - usual gray, overcast that has lasted since April. We've tried to get out to paint, even in the fog.
Now that it is July, SCAPE is preparing for a 2-day exhibit at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.
I'll be submitting six paintings for this ocean and beach themed show, including these:

After Spring Rain, Ellwood Cliffs, 11"x14" oil on panel

Outrigger Summer, 8"x10" oil on panel

Harbor Hot Dogs, 8"x10" oil on panel

rainy May

This month's weather has been unpredictable at best - it's rained 2 1/2 inches or so just in the past few days. We are more than making up for lack of water after a 7 year drought.
Studio time: working on some paintings from around home - blooming epiphyllum, irises, Montecito peak in different conditions... there is always some project one can challenge themselves with.

This painting was accepted into the California State Fair Art Competition. I shipped it up there and sadly won't be able to attend the opening in Sacramento. It will be showing in July for the duration of the Fair.

Late Afternoon, Haskell's Beach

SOLD