California Oil Painting – Sycamore Meadow – Karen Winters
February 9th, 2009
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.
Your work is absolutely beautiful. Wow!
Beautiful. Love the blue skies and yellow trees (my favorite colors). It looks like the perfect spot to have a walk and picnic.
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
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.
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.
Another lovely painting my dear! I love the color! And I am also very glad that the rain has stopped! Welcome back sunshine.
Beautiful job, Karen. I esp. like the contrast of the blue and orange in that sweet spot.
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.
There is a sparkle and a glow and a great distance in this painting. The light is really beautiful in it!