Huntington Beach Seascape Impressionist Oil Painting by Karen Winters
Peaceful Planet – 8 x 10 oil on canvas on board
Huntington Beach Sunset
The sea has always been a source of strength and serenity for me, and it remains one of my favorite subjects for photography and painting. The colors change with the moment, reflecting the beauty of our natural world.
Today I had the delightful experience of meeting a charming woman who is the newest collector of my work. I have not said it often on my blog, but I truly feel that the creative experience is most fulfilling when I have a chance to meet the person who will be giving my art a new home. So I have seen the place where she will be hanging Flint Canyon Trail, and I agree she has found the perfect setting for it.
And speaking of meeting other art lovers, I will be painting publicly in two places this weekend, August 9 and 10. So if you happen to be in the area(s), please come by and say hello.
Saturday afternoon, arranged by Segil Fine Art in Monrovia, I will be the “artist in residence” from 2-4 pm at the Langham Huntington Hotel in San Marino, California (near Pasadena.) This is the same beautiful hotel where I painted on Mothers’ Day this year. I will be in the lobby of the tearoom, most likely painting a still life which they have thoughfully set up. I will also bring some smaller works with me.
On Sunday from 9am to 1 pm, I will be painting at the new Americana mall in Glendale, on Brand Avenue. It is a group paintout and I don’t know where I’ll be positioned yet, but I’ll be there! If you have met me at Descanso Gardens or one of the other places where I attempt to talk and paint at the same time, you know i enjoy meeting people, so don’t be shy. It turns out the plein air paintings have become so “hot” that you can practically find a paintout somewhere every weekend day. Good thing we have a lot of beautiful locations here!
I am counting down the days until our Descanso show opens – only about 2 weeks to go and I’m painting like crazy, here.
Tender Sea – Carpenteria – California Impressionist Seascape Oil Painting – Karen Winters
The Tender Sea – Carpinteria at dusk
6″ x 8″ oil
• SOLD
The subtle colors after sunset were the inspiration for this seascape study of Carpinteria. The delicate hues invoke a quiet contemplative mood. No crashing surf here, just the waves delicately touching the shore. California’s ever-present eucalyptuses frame the shoreline. Even tossed by salty wilds, they prevail.
Pasadena afternoon – Cityscape urban oil impressionist oil painting – Karen Winters
El Molino Afternoon
11 x 14 oil on board
SOLD to a collector from Pasadena
Strong sunlight streamed through the alley just south of the Pasadena Playhouse in the Playhouse District.
I enjoy the feeling of painting on board. Although it lacks the “spring” of stretched canvas, the paint glides on smoothly and can be pushed around in different ways.
Thanks for all the comments left here in support of my 5 years in blogging. Connecting with others through Facebook is another new and interesting direction that promises to bring other opportunities to be creative and connect with other creative people. I’m really enjoying it a lot. It’s not just for college kids, anymore! There are groups based around common interests (like art) as well as other relaxing activities like playing Scrabble and organizing get togethers. So much fun!
Flint Canyon Trail, Autumn – Five Years of Blogging
Flint Canyon Trail – Autumn – La Canada Flintridge
16 x 20 oil on canvas
Celebrating five years of blogging
SOLD
Today marks 5 years of blogging from when I first opened an account on Live Journal. It’s been a lot of fun and I’ve enjoyed all the learning and friendships that have come out of it. Back in the day, there was no artwork on my blog. I didn’t feel like sharing my sketchbooks and journals, but eventually took the plunge.
In five years, I’ve seen the power of social networking to help people make connections, discover new techniques, teach each other and experience each others’ triumphs and tragedies, artistic and otherwise. I know that my life has been enriched by not only the daily discipline of making art and blogging but the encouragement I’ve received from so many of my readers. I hope that I’ve been able to pay that good will forward when I can.
One of the great things about blogging, as opposed to just building a static website, like mine, is the daily interactivity it allows. I know that if I ran into a dead end trying to answer a question or track down an art supply, that I could post a question and some kind soul would know the answer and help me out. So even though we may work alone, we are still part of a vital, supportive and interactive community.
Recently, I’ve taken another step – to get involved in the Facebook community. So if you’ve got an account look me up
http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=684809912
River Run – California Impressionist Oil painting by Karen Winters
River Run (study)
5 x 7 oil
Click the image to see it actual size.
I did this study today to practice painting with a very limited palette and to make a plan for a larger painting . Want to guess what three colors I used? (Not including white.)
Santa Barbara Meadow – Karen Winters California Impressionist Oil Painting
Santa Barbara Meadow (at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden)
12 x 16 oil on canvas
Whenever we visit Santa Barbara, I try to make some time to visit their beautiful botanic garden which features native plants in natural settings. Last week my husband went to a seminar up in Santa Barbara and I tagged along to take pictures, visit the museum and the mission and of course, the botanic garden. It was late afternoon when I arrived there, but close to the solstice the days are long. Although the poppies were gone many other summer perennials were blooming, surrounded by sages and plants of every texture and description. The experience has persuaded me to turn part of our yard into a natives habitat – and then not worry so much about watering!
Granted, Santa Barbara’s coastal climate is most likely moister and more even in temperature than our inland valley, but I saw plants that I think would be at home with us.
This is one of the paintings I’ll likely be bringing to our show at Descanso starting August 23, unless it finds a home before then.
Foothill Pines – California Impressionist Oil Painting – Karen Winters
Foothill Pines
6 x 8 oil on canvas
• SOLD
A gentle road winds through California’s Gold Rush Country, where the oaky foothills give way to the first pines of the Sierras. The morning fog lifts in a slight breeze to reveal the radiant hills of mid summer. A moment of pure tranquility!
Email me for price information
Sunset Magic – California Impressionist Painting by Karen Winters
Sunset Magic
12 x 16 oil on canvas – California impressionist landscape
My latest larger sized landscape draws inspiration from the works of George Inness – a Hudson Valley painter who gradually evolved into an impressionistic style (even though he always rejected the term “impressionist” when it was applied to him.) I have been studying his work for the past few weeks, having seen some of his paintings at the Art Institute of Chicago, and then seeing Sun Shower, at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Inness had a unique way of combining realism and impressionism that I admire. And no doubt it was because of the era in which he worked – in the transitional period between the two movements.
Here’s how it looks a dark frame. I wouldn’t put a bright gold frame on a painting like this – the brightness would compete with the sunset.
Tuscan Vineyard Sunset – Karen Winters Impressionist Oil Painting
Tuscan Vineyard Sunset 6 x 8 oil on canvas
SOLD
Although this painting is sold, you can see more of my vineyard paintings here
I am happy to paint on commission if you are interested in a vineyard sunset painting in any size.
Click this link to write me. See more of my paintings on my website
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.
