Lundy Creek Cabin
5 x 7 oil study

It was last fall when I started this small study of a cabin, closed for the winter, up Lundy Creek in the Eastern Sierra. But I put it aside for awhile as I thought about some changes I wanted to make with regard to the color temperature and how it affected the shadowed mountains and the brilliant fall leaves. As we arrived at the scene, the sun was close to the horizon and every moment brought color shifts and changing shadow patterns. This cabin, which seemed to be owned by the campground, was boarded up for the winter. The tin roof captured the cool light of the sky, which I liked a lot, seeing it contrasting with the golden colors of the trees. There are two pairs of complements working in this little study: red/green and yellow/violet. It was painted with red yellow and blue primaries and a little white - nice and simple.

When I returned to this study to rework it a bit, I made some decisions about where I wanted the light to fall, and I like it much better now.

This week, starting Wednesday, I will be painting in the Arroyo Seco for the Casita del Arroyo paint out and sale sponsored by the California Art Club and benefitting both the club and the Casita del Arroyo Foundation, with its beautiful display of drought tolerant plants. I may not be there all day, every day, so if you want to know where I’ll be painting, email me (karen@karenwinters.com) and I’ll let you know.

Sycamore Trail
9 x 12 oil

This plein air painting was actually painted last fall, as the leaves of the sycamores were starting to turn - but somehow it escaped my scanner until now. It’s one of the paintings I’ll be bringing to the Casita Del Arroyo show and sale - presented by the California Art Club on Sunday, March 14

Here’s a google map to the sale location

It looks like the rains are tapering off this week, and the weather is warming a bit, so I’m looking forward to even more plein air painting when I’m not working on commissions. The other day I saw a rainbow over our local San Gabriel mountains - what a sight, although it didn’t last very long.

Arroyo Bridge Reflections
9 x 12
oil on linen panel

This is a familiar scene I return to time and time again - a view of one of the arroyo seco bridges from down below. I have walked across that stream at varying depths - after a rain storm and in mid summer when the ground is just barely moist. There are often ducks down there which add to the tranquil scene.

Depending upon the time of day, the scene may appear cooler or more golden, as it does in afternoon light.

Visit this link to see more Pasadena and Arroyo Seco area paintings.

Creekside in Malibu
(Malibu Creek State Park)
11 x 14
oil on linen panel

Malibu Creek, in the Santa Monica Mountains, is swelling with winter rains, and the water is nourishing the surrounding lands. This painting celebrates the return of spring in one of our most beautiful local areas, Malibu Creek State Park.

This is an area that I love to visit and paint over and over again. The creek has many different moods depending upon the season and the weather. To see more of my malibu creek paintings, visit this link.

We’ve had a few days of sunshine here, but the rain is headed back again tomorrow. I don’t mind it too much because I know it means a fantastic springtime full of wildflowers. But I do thrive on the beautiful clear skies the way the weather was yesterday. Studio work is fun but plein air painting is the best.

This weekend I’m looking forward to welcoming some visitors to my studio who are interested in seeing some prints of my work. I think it’s time to put aside the brushes for a moment and rediscover the vacuum cleaner.

“Sierra Joy”
June Lake Loop area, near Rush Creek
20 x 24 inches oil on canvas

This is the next in my continuing series of paintings of the eastern Sierra, a studio painting based on plein air reference of a beautiful spot on the June Lake Loop, off of Highway 395. Aspens and rabbitbrush provided the warm color notes against the blue violet of that majestic peak. I don’t think it’s June Mountain but may be the mountain adjacent to Gem Lake. This location is not far from Grant Lake and Silver Lake if that helps in defining the locale.

I have spent so much time recently painting smaller paintings for shows, it feels good to stretch out and paint larger. For those of you who have been asking when I’m going to paint more large works, yes, they’re on the way.

Victorian Lady
9 x 12
oil

Along with my landscape painting, I’m getting interested in figurative work, and occasionally make time to paint from a live model as I did this last weekend at Randy Higbee’s studio in Costa Mesa. The assembled painters had the opportunity to paint this lovely woman, Toni, wearing one of her many period costumes. This one is reminiscent of a Victorian or Gibson Girl era. Rather than paint her in a contemporary style I chose to interpret her using a style more appropriate to that historical period. Painting out of my comfort zone is a lot of fun. It shakes things up and forces us to think differently about what we are doing.

Where my California landscapes might be right at home in a craftsman home or California bungalow, this one would probably fit in very well in one of those San Francisco “painted lady” Victorian parlors.

Sierra Storm
12 x 16 inches
Oil on linen panel

In the fall, storms begin to gather over the Sierra, offering dramatic lighting effects. This storm was breezing up and brought two days of downpour in its wake. We outran it and came back to paint another day. The sage and rabbit brush looked wonderful rimlit by the sun.

For more sierra paintings, click here

New art daily at Karen’s Blog
Visit my gallery site for an archive of available and purchased paintings

If you have a question or or would like to find out if a painting is still available for sale…..

Write Me

Sierra Peak Study
6″ x 6″
oil on canvas

This small painting is a study preparatory to a larger commissioned painting I am working on. I thought I would take one of the peaks in the range and explore some possibilities of color and brushwork before diving into the larger wide panorama. This is a mountain outside of Bishop, California, touched by the morning sun in early November. Painting loosely, my objective was to work with the inherent complementary scheme in order to learn how I would need to make adjustments on the larger piece.

“Precious”
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Puppy
6 x 6 oil on canvas panel
SOLD (please inquire about other animal paintings)

I saw this little pup last weekend and begged the owner to let me take a picture. I always enjoy doing animal studies and the challenge of fur and dramatic lighting made it a special treat. The long floppy ears look so much like Titian-style hairdos. If a dog can be glamorous, this one is.

This small study is preparatory for a larger work including both the pup and its young master. Wouldn’t this little painting make a wonderful Valentine’s present for a dog lover?

Visit my gallery site for an archive of available and sold paintings

If you have a question or or would like to find out if a painting is still available for sale…..

Write Me

Pomegranate Study
8 x 10 oil on linen panel (commission)
SOLD

This pomegranate painting, a larger version of an earlier small study, was painted for a client who was looking for something bright and juicy for her dining room. I was happy to paint this larger one. Maybe one day I’ll paint it even larger still.

All of the rain clouds have left, now, revealing greening grasses and wondrous blue skies. The 10 day forecast doesn’t show precipitation, although our Sierra range could certainly use some more to fatten up the snow pack. I don’t mind rain, but I do like a few days of sunshine to break up the gray.

Maybe I’ll fit some plein air days in this weekend.