Descanso Grape Arbor
October 10th, 2006
11 x 14″ watercolor on 140# paper
This week I was not able to enjoy the company of our paintout group due to work conflicts, so when things settled down in the evening, I finished a painting that I began last week, plein air. It is a view of a pathway at my beloved Descanso Gardens – a path that goes by the native plant area where there is a small arbor covered with grapevines. As I was telling my art friend Belinda last week, I feel especially drawn to paths, roads, bridges and other sorts of landscape features that lead to somewhere else – perhaps somewhere mysterious and wonderful. And the color green – oh how I love green, which has always been my favorite color, and probably always will be.
One of your absolute loveliest! Amazing colors and brushwork, Mizz K!
Beautiful! Makes me want to take a walk there …
YOU HAVE SUCH A GREAT WAY WITH GREENS!!! AWESOME!
That is just beautiful! I, too, have an affinity for paths and dirt roads leading off into the trees. I am often taking photos of them while
on hikes. I wonder what that is about?
This is just beautiful and perfectly captures Descanso Gardens! I also love paths, roads, streams– especially when they have a bend and you don’t know exactly where they are going but would sure like to explore. Those scenes spark my imagination more than any other!
Your work just amazes me. I’d so love to be there, walking down that lovely road…
I’ve been without my computer so only today have I come to your site – lovely drawings.
I love the one you have done with pastel.
Karen, I also love thisngs that lead the mind and imagination to other places, in paintings, pictures and real life! This has such an air of calling to come and walk, see what is on up the road.
Beautiful work.
There is a place bright on the tip of the corridor of the tree.
I can enjoy detailing by wandering in the picture.
Karen,
I love this painting and think that the variation in values from much lighter to much darker – and the sharp vs soft edges works beautifully. Shirley
Awesome shadows and the depth that it feels it has.
This is awesome! I love, love love the play with light and shadow in this, and how you managed to create a little space of it´s own under the lower greens to the right… Wonderful, such depth and light, and the path leading to something that makes me curious…
This is really lovely. Wish I could be there.
Out of all your paintings, I think I love this one most.
Have to agree with Laura…this is my favorite of your wc…marvelous work Karen!
I just love this painting! It is so graceful and so beautiful! I wish it was hanging on my wall.
I love all the different shades (hues? never was good at terminology) of green in this painting! And the liquid quality of the watercolour captures that cool moist feeling of being under a canopy of trees.
I am drawn to the same symbols in my collage work as you are in your drawing and painting, Karen.
Oh my gosh, Karen, this really works so well. I squint and see all the luscious levels of value and the sharpness of the tree trunks against the softness of the foliage. Incredible!
This is one of your most beautiful landscapes IMHO. Absolutely love what you have done with the foliage here. Really lovely!
sigh….
What a wonderful painting, I would love to be there now (it is so hot here) I love your darks and lights and it looks so calm and peaceful.
Oh yes! You’re right, this is so very successful–like a breath of fresh air and so buoyant. It makes feel happy just to see it.
I can feel myself standing and looking down the road towards the light. It’s beautiful.
Depth is wonderful! Very subtle and skilled at leading us down the path!
Karen, you’ve done excellent work as long as I’ve been acquainted with you, but you’re just getting better and better…….what a testimonial for what daily drawing and painting can do. Throw in a hefty dose of talent and WOW! This definitely is a candidate for the notecard idea that I hope will come to fruition one of these days. Your work beats what I’ve seen in the giftshop by local artists. And there’d be a readymade audience. Do it!
This is so beautiful. Is it not going to ebay too? Cheers, Julie
Thank you Julie, and everyone for all your very kind and supportive comments. No, this one is going to be framed and entered into a competition, with hopes of getting into a juried show. Keeping fingers crossed …
Jane, thank you for the great suggestions, yes I plan to do it. I need to figure out the logistics but I think it’s getting close to time to give it a try.
Karen
Many congratulations – as I understand this painting was very well received by the judges – thoroughly justified. You have been painting and drawing up a storm over the past couple of months, with marvellous results.
Oh, Karen, Congratulations! This is glorious and to have it win a prize in your first juried show, priceless!!!
Blessings!
Malinda
Karen, congratulations. This is a beautiful picture and you are a well deserved winner.
I can see why you won a prize at the juried art show. It’s a lovely work.
Yes! How beautifully captured is the feel of the gardens there at Descanso in this water color. One of my favorite places. I worked many years for the architect of the tea house (Smith & Williams) – Whitney R. Smith, and always enjoy my visits. I’ve lived in Arizona for ten years but have just moved back to California (beaumont) and will be able to visit more often now.
Pat Cummings, Beaumont, California