California Oil Painting – Sycamore Meadow – Karen Winters
Sycamore Meadow
(Placerita Canyon Nature Center)
9 x 12 oil on canvas on board
The brilliant colors of fall give way to the softer colors of winter. In the last transitional days, some color remains on the trees, but the landscape takes on soft and refined hues.
Today the rainstorms are subsiding, and I’m optimistic that the next few days will show snow-decked mountains. I can hardly wait to see what the storm has left. Every season brings its unique gifts. As a California painter it’s always a thrill to see the seasonal changes of this beautiful and varied state.
Ana Tirolese
February 10, 2009
Your work is absolutely beautiful. Wow!
Timaree
February 10, 2009
Beautiful. Love the blue skies and yellow trees (my favorite colors). It looks like the perfect spot to have a walk and picnic.
Pete,Theartbrush
February 10, 2009
Hi Karen,
I’d like to know if you ever painted something you didn’t care for.[I’d like to see it]
This is another painting that one can sit back and enjoy !!!.
Happy brushing.
Pete,Theartbrush
Marian Fortunati
February 10, 2009
I love the subtle greys adjacent to the colorful sycamore branches!! I’m going to have to study how you do grasses.
Wonderful as always.
Karen
February 10, 2009
Thanks everyone …
Good question, Pete, I don’t think I’ve painted anything I didn’t care for because I probably wouldn’t have chosen it as a subject. When the view is less than inspiring, I do something sneaky … I change it. As Milford Zornes, watercolorist, said “Paint it how you want it to be.”
In this painting, in reality, there’s a big round hill in the back that looks like a derby hat sitting there dominating the scene. And there are asphalt paved paths threading through the meadow. They added nothing to the scene … so I removed them.
Marian, if you have not been to the Masters show at the Autry yet, I highly recommend it. Now THERE are painters who really know how do do grasses, from the highly detailed work of Francois Koch and Dennis Doheny to the more impressionistic rendering of Bill Anton.
Leslie Saeta
February 10, 2009
Another lovely painting my dear! I love the color! And I am also very glad that the rain has stopped! Welcome back sunshine.
Diana Moses Botkin
February 10, 2009
Beautiful job, Karen. I esp. like the contrast of the blue and orange in that sweet spot.
wendy
February 10, 2009
The contrast between the warm and cool colours makes this a lovely painting. You are so prolific – one painting a day, that is remarkable.
w.
Karen Phipps
February 11, 2009
There is a sparkle and a glow and a great distance in this painting. The light is really beautiful in it!