spring

Sunny, cloudy, sprinkly, rainy, windy, warm, cold... Spring is here.
With some luck we had a rain-free trip to Humboldt County. It was just beautiful the whole way up and back - green as though e haven't had 8 years of drought and several years of fires.

Not a painting trip - but visiting kinfolk. It was great just the same, plus the added bonus of seeing the deYoung Museum exhibition of Gauguin and an extraordinary exhibit of late Monet paintings. It was truly awe-inspiring.

A couple of efforts before the trip - a day out painting at Parma Park and a studio painting of Ledbetter point.

Parma park, oil on panel, 8"x10"

Ledbetter Point, oil on panel, 11"x14"

Saving Daylight

After many days of rain, fantastic lightening and thunder, rainbows and the beautiful clouds, green hills and sunshine, it's nice to have longer day length edging back in. Turning the clock to "spring forward" is always an adjustment.

Last Monday we painted at San Marcos preserve again with great clouds moving over the mountains. Clouds have to be one of the most difficult things to capture in paint, so whenever I see someone who has mastered those constantly changing, ephemeral masses and wisps, I take notice.

cloudy sky, oil on panel, 8x10"

Back in the studio I am working on quick studies from photographs I've taken, taking to heart the approach that Matt Smith showed us. Trying to keep it simple and use color and light to make the painting.

Ellwood bluffs, oil on panel, 9x12"

Toland Park, oil on panel, 8 1/2x11

February came and went

Last month flew by - there was a lot going on and I didn't make time to post February's work. The month started out with an opening reception for the California Art Club's "Magnificent Migrations" in Pacific Grove. My painting of "Pinnacles Path" was chosen for this juried exhibition. We drove up for the opening, visited with family and friends and had a good trip, missing the worst of the latest round of storms.
On the way home we stopped at the Wildling Museum for the opening of a beautiful exhibit of Ray Strong's paintings. Truly inspiring, especially after driving through some of the very landscape he painted.
I did a 3 day workshop with nationally known landscape master, Matt Smith.
This was organized through SCAPE, so it was local. He is a great teacher and an amazing painter. We worked from photographs (!) for the entire workshop, even though he is a dedicated plein air painter. I learned a lot about studio painting, how to use - or abuse - photographs as a painting source and came away excited about trying some new techniques and re-learning some basics about painting.

rocky beach, oil on panel 6x8"

The lesson here was big shapes of shadow and light, simplify forms and use warm/cool contrasts

pool at Live Oak, oil on panel, 6x8"

Lessons: reflected light in the shadows, contrast of light and dark, simplify forms and colors.

someplace in Arizona, oil on panel, 6x8"

I worked on this one at home - I can see how I need to simplify some areas and get more contrast.

There was a lot to absorb and to keep trying out. The point isn't to paint like someone else, but incorporate ideas and ways of seeing things in a new way into my own work.

The following weekend we had a local California Art Club paint-out. It was a good way to start using some new ideas.

Ellwood bluff, oil on panel, 8x10"

With so much rain, Monday painting days were a stroke of luck and sunshine.

We went to San Marcos Preserve to paint the green.

San Marcos preserve, oil on panel, 8x10"

We went to Refugio Beach one day - very challenging, with the tide moving out quickly.

Refugio Point, oil on panel, 8x10"

We also got lucky on a Monday trip to Santa Paula, painting at Toland Park.

This is very close to where the Thomas Fire started over a year ago.

new growth after fire, Toland Park, oil on panel, 8x10"

Lastly, I've been trying to paint Montecito Peak during different times of day to get the light and color effects. These are small, quick studies. 6x8" oil on panel.

That's mostly it for February - a lot of experiments and work going on in the studio right now. March should be interesting as things progress.