leap year 2020

Won't have this date for another 4 years. Days are getting longer, we're down on our rainfall for the year and had 85 degree weather yesterday.
Good for painting, not so good for our environment.

The Carpinteria Bluffs is a beautiful coastal protected area and a great place to walk, look at the ocean, paint and enjoy.

I am really happy with my current set-up. Trying to get lighter and more portable - making it easier to get out and set up quickly. Everything fits in a backpack that doesn't weigh much. I can grab and go. Painting outdoors can be tricky, but with the right gear, right clothes and shoes, it can be pretty easy.

Anything to get you outside is good - there is no substitute for painting plein air.

Everything is changing moment to moment - you see it and feel it. You learn to pay attention and you use all your skills of observation, memory and anticipation. You build on those skills every time you go out to paint.

Mountain view from the Carpinteria Bluffs, 9"x12" oil on panel

monday painting and then some

Monday plein air painting sessions have been an incredibly important part of my art life. We started out nearly 10 years ago - 4 friends dedicating every Monday as a painting day. It became a habit and we tried to never have other appointments or activities lined up on Mondays - keep it free for painting time.
Things change (sadly) and we lost one of our pals, another opted out and 2 of us were left to keep it up. And we did. Libby Smith and I continue to make the effort and unless one of us is sick or off traveling someplace, we meet every Monday and get outside someplace to paint. Another friend often joins us.
We've honed our skills, found some great locations to paint, had some adventures, worked to make our backpacks lighter and our equipment more conducive to setting up practically anywhere.
The discipline of getting out there has made us better painters. Nothing beats standing outside someplace and seeing the light change; the colors, smells and sounds that surround you, the feeling of connection to the bigger world and the richness of Nature. It truly clears your head and feeds your brain.

So the last few weeks have been dedicated to painting the Gaviota coast in preparation for the annual SCAPE exhibition at the Bacara which supports the Gaviota Coastal Conservancy.

Arroyo Hondo Trail, oil on panel, 9"x12"

Arroyo Hondo Canyon, oil on panel, 8"x10"

Trail at Ellwood Bluffs, oil on panel, 6"x8"

Lagoon at Devereux, oil on panel, 6"x12"

Old bridge at Devereux slough, oil on panel, 8"x10"

2020 - it's about time

A couple of months have gone by, filled with travel, holidays and visitors. Still keeping our Monday painting schedule as much as possible, plus doing some studio work.
We had a couple of beautiful days of late Autumn weather, when Southern California actually has some "Fall colors".

santa ynez river bed, oil on panel, 6"x12"

fall color, santa ynez river, oil on panel, 8"x10"

                         New year paintings - things are greening up.

los carneros eucalyptus, oil on panel, 8"x10"

Also getting ready for this years Gaviota Coast show at the Bacara.

old bridge, Devereux Slough, oil on panel, 9"x12"

lagoon at Devereux, oil on panel, 6"x12"

Arroyo Hondo Preserve, oil on panel, 9"x12"

I have been better at posting images on my Instagram account:

nwarner13

please have a look!