Figures

 I’ve been going to a weekly Figure Drawing class for many, many years. Drawing a live model (even on ‘Zoom’) is one of the most challenging and engaging activities an artist can do. It sharpens your observational skills and your hand/eye coordination. These are some drawings from the last several months - charcoal on 18”x24” sheets of brown craft paper. I rub out each drawing a work on the same sheet of paper for most of the session. I photograph them before rubbing out if I think it’s an image I’ll want to keep.

Marching onward

 A few more paintings from the last several weeks including Monday sessions and Friday flowers. 

Monday plein-air sessions are about 3 hours long max due to the changing light conditions. Most are posted 'as-is' with little change unless there is something that isn't working or needs adjusting, that I will do in the studio while the image is still fresh in my mind, along with a reference photo.

Coal Oil Point from Isla Vista, 8"x10" oil on panel

Standing in the field looking towards the point on a beautiful early spring day

Trail to Naples, 8"x10" oil on panel

This is the second painting from this particular site - I was intrigued with the palm trees and the contrast of the shadows and light. Everything was still bright green from the last, now long ago, rain.

View from Farren Road, 8"x10" oil on panel

A great spot with views of the canyons as well as the ocean.

San Marcos Preserve, 8"x10" oil on panel

This is one of our favorite places to paint - great views and interesting landscape with open space, oak trees, pepper trees, boulders and trails.

Church in Petrolia, 8"x10" oil on panel

I spent a week in Humboldt County visiting my daughter and had the chance to get out and paint a bit while she was working. The morning light on this little church was really lovely.

These next paintings are from my Friday flower painting sessions with 3 other artist friends. We started this during the pandemic as a way to connect and paint together. We sit outdoors, one in each corner of the patio (first with masks on, at least 6' away from each other until we all got vaccinated), and paint the roses from the garden, until it was pruning time - then switched to whatever any of us had blooming at home. We look at each others work and paint from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.

Total paint time is about 2 hours, so these are generally small. It has turned into a great practice for painting - observation, design, color mixing, structure - all the considerations of making a good painting of anything.

Red Camellia 2, 8"x8" oil on panel

These are like little flamenco dresses - frilly and bright.

Freesias, 6"x8" oil on panel

A very tough form to paint but the challenge id color and value

Red Camellias 3, 8"x6" oil on panel

The challenge of mixing reds!

time change and changing times

March has turned into a wild ride - changes in the world including Covid mandates and the Ukrainian invasion have put other things to mind. Making art is still a place of solace and positive energy. 

I continue my weekly plein-air sessions, weekly figure drawing class, weekly flower painting session as well as working in the studio. I have also come to the end of a year-long mentoring program with the Australian artist, Colley Whisson. This is part of Tucson Art Academy Online, that offers mentoring programs with several nationally and internationally recognized artists including Matt Smith, Randy Sexton and Mitch Baird.

I've learned a great deal from Colley through his coursework and critiques. I thought I'd post a few of the paintings that I have worked on with Colley.

highway market, central valley 9"x12" oil on panel

leadbetter cliffs, 8"x10" oil on panel

old barn, carmel valley, 8"x10" oil on panel

patio succulent, 10"x10" oil on panel

Erika's ducks, 9"x12" oil on panel

I am planning to continue on with Colley as an 'alumna' on a month to month basis.

It's been invaluable to have the kind of feedback I get from him.

February Early Spring

 The one good rain we had well over a month ago had the effect of turning everything green, making trees blossom early and clearing the air. No rain since, but the green has held on so far. It's been great to get out and paint in the warm, early spring. Here's what I've been working on this past month:

horse pasture, 8"x10" oil on panel

trail to Naples, 8"x10" oil on panel

Naples beach day, 8"x10" oil on panel

barn in Humboldt county, 6"x12" oil on panel

This was a re-do of an earlier painting, done in the summer.

Reflections, lake Los Carneros, 8"x10"

Still working on still-life and flowers:

patio succulent, 9"x9" oil on panel

Roses have been our theme on Friday flower painting sessions until pruning time:

Pink and white Rose, 8"x8" oil on panel

Pink and white Rose, 8"x6" oil on panel

Pinky Red Rose, 8"x6" oil on panel

Pink Rose, 8"x6" oil on panel

Then we switched to whatever was blooming:

pink (with white) camellias, 8"x8" oil on panel

red camellia, 8"x8" oil on panel

maroon cymbidiums, 6"x12" oil on panel

Keep up weekly on Instagram @ nwarner13 

Auld Lang Syne

 As usual, December gets taken up with holiday energy, celebrations and time spent navigating family and friends through a Covid 19 scrim.

Painting - focused working time in either the field or the studio - continues to be an island of refuge despite the stressful holiday activities.

These are paintings done from Monday plein air days, Friday flower days and everything in between. 

I'll start with the Annual New Years Day painting. This is a self-tradition I have done for many years now - going out and spending a few hours alone painting. It sets a goal for me and reinforces my continuing dedication to keep on working.

The rest are grouped basically by subject matter - starting with the Ocean:

View of Summerland, New Years Day, 6"x12" oil on panel

Goleta Slough, 6"x6" oil on panel

Low tide at Lorraines, 8"x10" oil on panel

Cliffs of Leadbetter, 8"x10" oil on panel

Gaviota coast beach,6"x12" oil on panel

Moving on to inland areas where there are always lovely things to paint:

Pool at White Rock, 8"x10" oil on panel

Old oak, San Marcos, 8"x10" oil on panel

Buildings are always a challenge -

old beach house, Avila Bay, 12"x12" cradled panel

Lighthouse buildings, 8"x10" oil on panel

And animals have been a particularly difficult challenge - 

Winston, UCSB stables 8"x10" oil on panel

Manny, Moe and Jack, 9"x12" oil on panel

The usual Friday flower sessions have been a great practice and challenge for color mixing, form, value and composition. I was given a lovely small poinsettia for Christmas so naturally I thought I should paint it. These remind me of my childhood growing up in Los Angeles. They always 'bloomed' around the winter holidays.

Poinsettia, 8"x8" oil on panel

Terry's Flowers, 10"x10" oil on panel

red/orange rose, 6"x8" oil on panel

apricot rose, 6"x8" oil on panel

pinky red rose, 6"x8" oil on panel

pink rose, 6"x8" oil on panel

Japanese magnolias, 6"x8" oil on panel

Japanese magnolias and violet rose , 6"x8" oil on panel

Japanese magnolias, 6"x8" oil on panel

I try to keep up posting on Instagram: nwarner13 and keep this blog up to date.

If interested in purchasing any art work please contact me through either DM on Instagram or by email: warner@sbcc.edu

Falling into Autumn

Season change, time change, weather change - I love the long shadows but not the shorter day length.

Good news: Sold three paintings in the last couple of weeks - 2 small oils from the Waterhouse Gallery (things are picking up finally) and 1 from the SCAPE Climate Change show in which I also won the First Place Award for my small gouache of an abandoned oil derrick on Santa Cruz island.

I also was awarded the 3rd place prize for the 11th Annual National Juried show at the SAGE Gallery in Sheridan, Wyoming, which was juried by T. Allen Lawson. There were about 40 pieces chosen out of over 350 entries. I feel honored to be there and Tim Lawson had some very kind words to say about why he chose my oil painting "Lagoon" for the show and the award.

In the meantime, I'm working away. Finished up a painting from the Sierras of the full moon over the lake.

Moonrise on the lake, oil on panel, 8"x10"

Our usual Monday plein-air painting session was a beautiful afternoon on the Santa Ynez River (pretty much dried up except for a few stagnant ponds) where the river Willows and Sycamores are turning color. Hope to get up there again next week.

Fall color in Paradise, oil on panel, 8"x10"