Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Fogust Heat Wave

 August has been a month of extremes as far as weather goes - starting with fog everyday, hanging thick and wet - to a recording breaking heat-wave and massive fires due to lightening strikes. All this on the back of an ongoing pandemic.

As an artist I can divert my worry, anxiety and fear onto a different path. This allows me to see the beauty of nature, and the beauty in the ordinary and creatively develop myself.

Besides our usual Monday Painting sessions, and getting into the studio - I've also started meeting (socially distanced with masks) with 3 other friends for painting flowers on Fridays. This has been great on many levels: social contact, challenge of painting flowers (again!) and time outside in a different environment. It's been lovely.

I've also watched several online demos by artists I admire, taken a zoom figure painting class, participated in online shows and attended lectures and talks online. Different world.

Catching up with painting - landscape. After working at Devereux Open Space for several sessions, we painted at the beach when it warmed up in the afternoons. 



Devereux, oil on panel 8"x10"



Devereux, the other side. oil on panel 6"x8"



Haskells, oil on panel 8"x10"
This is my set-up looking at the creek that flows into the beach.



Goleta beach slough, oil on panel, 6"x8" 

We started Monday painting at a new location: The Music Academy of the West. Beautiful grounds and many shady spots. It makes you feel like you are someplace in Europe, with formal gardens and fountains.

  


Lily Pond, oil on panel, 8"x10"


Morning begonias, oil on panel, 8"x10"


 Geranium Urn, oil on panel, 8"x6"
the backlit urn really shined



Working on flowers and experimenting with different surfaces and techniques. The cactus blooms are outside and the picked flowers done in the studio or outside.


Epiphyllum bloom, oil on Yupo, 9"x12"



Queen of the Night, oil on Yupo, 9"x12"



Flame rose, oil on Yupo, 9"x12"



Daylily, oil on Yupo, 9"x12"



Naked Lady Lilies, oil on Cartón paper, 8"x10"



Livia's roses, oil on Cartón paper, 8"x10"



So that catches me up to now, end of August. More of the same in September, I'm sure. Painting keeps me hopeful and sane.











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