Onion and Peppers – Still life by Karen Winters
“Onion and Peppers” 5 x 7 oil on canvas
After months of watching virtually nothing but election news on TV and radio, I decided that I am finding the whole thing too stress producing and have switched some of my viewing habits to Food Network. Yeah, I still keep tabs on what’s going on, but I no longer choose to have political speak as the soundtrack for my life. With that influence, I’ve probably seen more closeups of peppers and onions and garlic cloves in the past week than I have in years. And they’re really fun to paint, too!
So here’s a closeup view of some ingredients headed for the chopping block. Get em while they’re hot … the pepper, that is.
State Street Chicago – Impressionist Urban Oil Painting Cityscape – Karen Winters
“… I think it was the fourth of July”
8 x 10 oil on canvas
Or we could just call it “State Street”. If you are old enough to name that tune, name it and the band that made it famous.
I was trying to get this painting finished for yesterday, the fourth, but just ran out of time. So here it is, a day late. It was inspired by a recent trip to the Windy City, where the flags were already on display – and had probably been up since Memorial Day.
I loved this big clock on Macy’s (formerly Marshall Field’s) department store – there’s one on every corner of the building which covers a large city block.
Wisconsin Sunset – Impressionist American Landscape Oil Painting – Karen Winters
“Wisconsin Sunset”
12 x 16 oil on canvas
This is another in the series of paintings inspired by the beauty of Wisconsin which we saw on a recent trip.
After visiting the Art Institute of Chicago, I was impressed by the works of George Inness, an American “Hudson River School” painter who was greatly influenced by the French Barbizon painters (who were impressionist forerunners.) Although I had not seen an Inness in person, before, I remember seeing a Theodore Rousseau painting (Barbizon school) at the Norton Simon Museum near us in Pasadena – and my response to it was the same: I found it breathtaking and deeply moving. These painters’ choice of dramatic landscape subject matter and the use of powerful darks is something that I’ve included in my paintings from time to time and it may be one area I’ll be exploring in the future. They also were fond of spectacular skies, and I am, too.
This location was near a farm in the southeast part of the state where there were numerous outbuildings. The water feature is probably a seasonal pond, left as a result of the spring floods in that area.
When I look at this painting, it takes me right back to that time and place. I’m satisfied with it. What do you think?
California Impressionist Oil Painting -La Canada Memories – San Gabriel Mountains – Karen Winters
12 x 16 oil on canvas
“La Canada Memories – Oak Grove Park”
This one is not for sale but was a last Christmas gift to my daughter. But it wasn’t really practical for her to schlep it back on the plane to Northwestern U. so we agreed I’d get it framed up for her to take to her new place in the SF Bay area. So, it’s all finished up and here it is.
This is a scene of Hahamongna Park looking northward to the San Gabriel Mountains. (Formerly Oak Grove Park.) It is right across the street from the high school where Kelly and her brother went to school, as well as right next door to their preschool. So this truly is a hometown painting. Hahamongna Park is also known as the northern part of the Arroyo Seco, an area I’ve painted often and will again in the very near future!
Wisconsin Breeze – American Impressionist Farmland Oil Painting – Karen Winters
“Wisconsin Breeze”
5 x 7 oil on canvas on board
On our recent trip to Illinois for our daughter’s graduation, we took some time to cross the border to the north and enjoy some of the farmland of one of my husband’s favorite states.
This small study reflects the serene beauty of the southeast part of the state. The day we were there the sky was filled with cumulus clouds which occasionally sprinkled a little, then drifted on.
Pacific Palisades Hillside – Will Rogers State Park by Karen Winters, California Impressionist
“California Summer Hillside – at Pacific Palisades, Will Rogers State Park”
Plein air painting 11 x 14 oil on stretched canvas.
Yesterday I enjoyed the company of the Allied Artists of the Santa Monica Mountains for a paint out at Will Rogers State Park in Pacific Palisades.
I saw many faces I knew from the California Art Club, Artists of the Canyon, and other paint-out groups, and we all had a wonderful day enjoying the mild good weather and range of painting subjects.
It was a little breezy and I struggled getting my umbrella to shade my work but finally gave up and positioned my medium sized Yarka easel so that the sun wouldn’t strike it directly. Note to self: bring a sandbag next time for the umbrella and stand. It had been left in the other car.
Because I positioned myself at a trailhead I had the pleasure of talking with many hikers on that beautiful Saturday morning, including some who were quite knowledgeable about impressionism and the growing popularity of plein air painting. It really is undergoing a revival!
After the paintout we enjoyed a potluck lunch and shared stories about galleries, shows, teachers, art products and more. I always have a good time getting together with artists – for all our solitary pursuits we can also be gregarious.
Laguna Sunset – Crescent Cove – Oil Painting – Karen Winters
“Laguna Sunset (at Crescent Cove)” – 16 x 20 oil on canvas
SOLD
Although this painting is sold, I have others. Click this link to write me.
This is another of the paintings I’ve taken to the Huntington for the Art Matters event this Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. The inspiration was the small beach called Crescent Cove or perhaps Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach. I’ve seen people refer to it by both names. We were there in late March and stayed until the sun went down, enjoying every last bit of the beautiful sunset.
Desert Sunrise – Palm Springs – Karen Winters Daily Painting
“Desert Sunrise” oil on canvas 14 x 18
SOLD
But you can find more of my desert paintings and other landscapes at Karen Winters Gallery Site
This Friday, December 8, I will be exhibiting some paintings again at Descanso Gardens in La Canada, and this painting may be among them. (I’m still deciding which four I’ll bring for the group exhibition, and my final selection will probably be made that morning.) This painting was inspired by the warm beauty of the sunrise in Palm Springs.
On another topic, last Friday night we attended a lecture at the Norton Simon museum in Pasadena on the landscapes of Renoir. His painting continued to evolve through the years, and there were some startling examples of contemporaneous paintings executed in very different styles, depending upon the subject matter. This came as a surprise to me because I think we are used to seeing a great deal of consistency in the bodies of work of the masters. It’s refreshing to see how they experimented and explored new techniques with a variety of interesting results.
Sunny Afternoon French Chateau European Original Oil Painting – by Karen Winters
8 x 10 oil on canvas panel
Here’s one from the archives as I’m getting ready for a client project tomorrow and running late. We have another client who manages castles and estates in Europe and often shows us pictures of the surrounding area. This little painting is a little bit of fantasizing about that beautiful part of the world. What a treat it would be to do some plein air painting around the Mediterranean.
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Cottage – Central Coast California Watercolor painting by Karen Winters
Thanks to EBSQ for picking my painting, “Santa Barbara Cottage” for Art of the Day this past Saturday
This 11 x 15″ painting, when matted, will fit perfectly into a 16 x 20 frame.
