Morning’s First Light – California tonalist landscape oil painting by Karen Winters
Mornings First Light
8 x 10 inches – oil painting on linen panel
SOLD
See more of my landscapes here
This dramatic small painting of eucalyptus trees on Malibu Bluffs will be available through Segil Fine Art for their 9th annual Small Works Show. The artists reception will be Saturday, December 3, from 5-7 pm. The Segil Gallery is in Old Town, Monrovia, CA
Breeze from the Lake – California Central Coast impressionist oil painting by Karen Winters
“Breeze from the Lake”
4 x 8″ oil on wooden panel
SOLD
See more of my California Central Coast paintings here
Late afternoon breezes stir the waters of Laguna Lake in San Luis Obispo County
If you live in Southern California, I invite you to visit my solo exhibition at Descanso Gardens in La Canada. Now through January 2, 2012.
Approximately 30 paintings are on display at all times. As one is sold, it is taken by the buyer and I replace it with a new one from my inventory. I will be at the show weekends unless it’s raining, and some weekday afternoons.
California Vineyard Oil Painting – Lucas and Lewellen Los Alamos – by Karen Winters
“Fruit of the Vine – Los Alamos”
(Lucas and Lewellen Vineyard)
This beautiful little vineyard is in the San Antonio Creek Valley, near the charming town of Los Alamos. I was attracted to the scene because it included three of my favorite subjects: vineyards, oak trees, and rolling oak-studded hills. Can anything be more quintessentially Californian?
Last Tuesday we hung my show at Descanso Gardens – there were 24 paintings and two have already sold, to be replaced with new ones from my inventory. Paintings go home with buyers immediately for instant art gratification – or holiday gift giving. No empty nails on the wall! I’m very pleased with how the show looks. Now if we could just chase the raindrops away we’d be all set.
Catalina Harbor Cat Harbor California seascape oil painting by Karen Winters
Catalina Harbor
SOLD
10 x 20 oil on canvas
See more Catalina Island paintings here
Interested in commissioning a Catalina painting?
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The evening sun slips below the mountains of the isthmus of Catalina, separating the Two Harbors, a popular destination for sailing, hiking and other recreation. This painting was purchased by a family member in San Francisco, for another family member in Southern California as a birthday present. It was my pleasure to be in on the surprise, and I delivered the present in person this morning, to their delight.
A gift of art is something that will always be appreciated, and more than that – treasured – for many years to come. The giver doesn’t have to worry about the gift becoming outdated, or fret that Painting 2.0 will be released soon after the present is opened. Nor need they fret that the recipient may have just bought the identical item at Best Buy or Costco. A painting usually carries a message of deep emotion – a celebration of a special time together, a milestone, like an anniversary, or a meaningful shared experience like a wedding proposal or the birth of a child; the purchase of a first home. A gift of art is the making of an heirloom, and though it comes at a price, it is priceless.
When “fire season” comes in Southern California, I’ve heard people in Malibu interviewed about what they grab from their homes. The answers are always the same: First, the living creatures (people and pets); second – family photo and videos; third – original art. What does that tell you about art’s deep meaning and connectedness to our lives?
Descanso Gardens Rose Garden Summer Oil Painting by California impressionist Karen Winters
“Descanso Gardens Rose Garden”
(with roses and crepe myrtle)
12 x 16 oil on canvas
This is one of the paintings I’ll be bringing to Descanso Gardens for the opening of my solo exhibition on Nov. 2. The show will hang in the Heritage Gallery in the Boddy House mansion and will continue through January 2, 2012.
My reception will be on Sunday, Nov. 13 from 1-4 pm.
The summer light filters through the trees surrounding the rose garden, and gently touches all of the floral beauty, from crepe myrtles to roses to other perennial plants. I love the look of the late slanting light.
Alone in the Sunset – Sunset Tree Portrait – Placerita Canyon, Santa Clarita Plein air painting by Karen Winters
“Alone in the Sunset”
(Placerita Canyon, Santa Clarita Valley, CA)
10 x 8 plein air oil painting
Most of the time when I paint landscapes, the trees are part of a whole scene, rather than dominating it. In this case, the tree is featured as if in a portrait. An individual portrait is to a crowd scene as a tree portrait is to a grove. Some times, it’s fun to just study the branches and structure of a plant and to note its behavior – how it has been bent by the forces of nature. That was my objective in this painting, experimenting with the warms and cools and the way the light plays around the edges of forms at the end of the day.
California Golden Hills Landscape Plein Air Oil Painting by Karen Winters – Walker Basin Overlook –
SOLD
“Walker Basin Overlook”
8 x 10 oil on plein air panel
Plein air painting in Kern County at the Rankin Ranch, September 2011
See more of my landscapes here
This morning view, painted on location north of Caliente, California, is in the very southernmost tip of the Sierra Nevada range. Although the mountains are small in this location, they will likely be much taller some day, as the plate boundaries move and continue to elevate the peaks. The rabbitbrush is in full bloom, a welcome sight every fall in this part of California. This was painted during a paint out with the California Art Club
Sunset Palms in California – Impressionist Landscape Oil Painting
“Sunset Palms”
9 x 12 oil on birch ply panel
In Los Angeles you can look almost anywhere and see rows of palm trees in the distance, lining a street. This group just happens to be adjacent to my house, which comes in handy for painting. The sunset was spectacular a few nights ago – presenting a veritable rainbow of hues from blue violet through pink, yellow and orange. If there ever was a subject that said “California” – this is it.
Interested in this painting?
Click this link to write me. See more of my paintings on my website
Sierra Seasons – Sierra Nevada creek oil painting by California landscape painter Karen Winters
Sierra Seasons
11 x 14 inches – California Sierra landscape oil painting
(Sierra Creek, eastern Sierra Nevada, California)
This painting is now SOLD, but I have many more Sierra paintings – see the link below.
As the summer heat melts away, fall comes to the Sierra, and the cooler nights start to turn the creek-side willows from bright green to gold. The spires of evergreens catch the last light of the day.
More Sierra Nevada paintings here
Click this link to write me.
Mary-Linns Bridal Shop Pasadena – Urban Oil Painting Wedding Dress shopping art
‘When you find ‘The One'”
11 x 14 oil painting on canvas
Wedding gown shoppers at Mary Linn’s Bridal Shop in Pasadena, California
For a long time, I’ve wanted to paint a charming bridal shop in Pasadena named Mary Linns. I’m guessing that it has been there a very long time and no doubt contributed to the joy of thousands and thousands of brides. This young couple was window shopping. I can only imagine what was going through both their minds. I think this has a nice narrative quality to it. It happense to be Pasadena, but it could really be anywhere that young lovers plan their future.
