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