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

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Bishop Creek Oil Painting Miniature Sierra Nevada Fall Color Art by Karen Winters

Bishop Creek Reflections (near Lake Sabrina)
6 x 6 inch oil painting
Sierra Nevada fall color art
SOLD

More Sierra Nevada paintings here

More miniature oil paintings here

When the aspens turn, they are never lovelier than when their color is reflected in a mountain stream, as it is in this view of Bishop Creek, in the Eastern Sierra.

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Eastern Sierra Bishop Cottonwood Oil Painting Art by California landscape painter Karen Winters

Cottonwood Road, early autumn
9 x 12 inches
Bishop, eastern sierra nevada oil painting
SOLD, but I have more Sierra and cottonwood paintings, see link below

More Sierra Nevada paintings here

Interested in this painting?
Click this link to write me.
See more of my paintings on my website

September is just around the corner, and soon the cottonwoods of the Owens Valley, in the shadow of the Sierra, will be starting to turn from green to gold. This transitional period provides an interesting color palette as the warm colors overtake the cool leafy shades.

Descanso Gardens Rosarium Wedding Painting – Live event wedding painter

Descanso Gardens Rose Garden (Rosarium) Wedding
16 x 20 oil on canvas
Live event painting
SOLD

See more of my wedding paintings here.


Interested in having me paint at your wedding? Please write

I had the honor of painting this live event at Descanso Gardens for some dear friends who are also collectors of my work. The occasion was the marriage of their daughter to a fine young man. The party was going to be in the evening which presented certain strategic challenges – namely, painting at the time of day that the light was changing the most rapidly. The bride and groom couldn’t be dancing in the dark under the pavilion while the sun was still shining brightly. Nor would it make sense to paint the whole thing in the dark, because then the beautiful garden couldn’t be seen. We decided on a twilight look, and I painted the garden as rapidly as I could right after the ceremony, knowing that I could always paint the sky in later. It was a lovely occasion, and one that I hope they will always remember with romantic notions, whenever they look upon the painting of that day.

Morro Rock Morro Bay Sunset Fishing Boats Oil Painting – “Home for the Day”

“Home For the Day”
Morro Rock, Morro Bay
Fishing Boats painting
9 x 12 oil on plein air panel


Interested in this painting? Click this link to write me.

See more of my California Central Coast paintings here

See more of my Morro Bay paintings here

Click this link to write me. See more of my paintings on my website

There’s something about the light on California’s Central Coast that always captivates me. This painting was inspired by a sunset at Morro Rock, in Morro Bay, when the fishing vessels had come home for the day. Or perhaps some of them were preparing to go night fishing? The two boats in the foreground are named “Nyusa” (the closest one) and the one right behind it is named “Michael Too”

Below, how it might look in a dark frame. I think the dark frame really makes the sunset glow even more.

Sunset On Descanso Pond – Descanso Gardens California impressionist lake oil painting by Karen Winters

“Sunset On Descanso Pond”
Descanso Gardens Art
16 x 20 oil painting
SOLD

I took this new painting “Sunset on Descanso Pond” to the Colony Theatre in Burbank today for a solo show in conjunction with their presentation of “On Golden Pond,” running from July 27 – August 28, starring Hal Linden. There is a cozy gallery area inside the theater with plenty of room for the seventeen paintings I brought. Not all the paintings are of ponds or lakes, of course. There are eastern Sierra scenes, vineyards, seascapes and more.

Sunset on Descanso Pond features the bird sanctuary area, where waterfowl, turtles and other types of wildlife abound. We used to enjoy visiting that spot often when the children were young and feeding or stale bread to the ducks and geese was permitted.

Below is the Central California landscape that I painted expressly for this show as a theme piece.

The title is “Return to Golden Pond” and it is 14 x 18, oil on canvas.

Return to Golden Pond (On Golden Pond) California Tonalist Landscape Oil painting by Karen Winters

“Return to Golden Pond”
14 x 18 inches
Oil on canvas
SOLD

Central California – Western Sierra Foothills painting

This painting was done for an upcoming exhibition at the Colony Theater Gallery in Burbank, in conjunction with the performance of “On Golden Pond.” In addition to a dozen or more other paintings which will be exhibited, I painted this one to tie in very specifically with the theme of the play. Although the play is set in the eastern United States, I decided to do my own take on it, as a California landscape painter. The location is a pond bordering the western foothills of the Sierras. I don’t usually paint in a tonalist/monochromatic style, but it seemed perfect for this project.

More details on the show will follow as the opening approaches.

Mt. Boney (Boney Mountain) – Conejo Valley Painting by California Impressionist Karen Winters

Mt. Boney (from Satwiwa Park viewpoint, Conejo Valley)
16 x 20
Oil on canvas

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My latest painting, finished just in time for the Artwalk in Thousand Oaks next weekend in the Conejo Valley.

Mt. Boney is part of the Santa Monica Mountain range, and is an imposing formation with sheer faces. I think it looks especially nice in afternoon light when the late sun reflects off the faceted planes of the rocks.

Big Sur, Bixby Bridge Wedding Gift Commissioned California Seascape Oil Painting


“Big Sur, Bixby Bridge”
16 x 20 oil on canvas
SOLD – painted on commission


Interested in commissioning a painting? Please write.

This painting was commissioned as a surprise wedding gift for a very lovely bride to give to her bridegroom to commemorate the exact place where he proposed to her. She and I worked closely together to identify the exact spot where he popped the question. Then, after the painting was finished, approved and drying, the unexpected happened. The bridegroom, who also knew of my work, contacted me separately looking to buy a painting of the same location to give to the bride. Suddenly I had an O’Henry “Gift of the Magi”-type situation on my hands! I couldn’t tell him I wouldn’t sell him this painting he saw on my site– he’d think that odd. And if I told him it was sold, but he might buy somewhere else, so immediate was his need. Honesty and open communication always being the best policy, I contacted the bride and let her know about his urgent inquiry and she handled the situation gracefully with her betrothed. So he knew that there was a painting by me in their future but would have to wait to see what it was.

The painting was shipped last week and they opened their gift to each other last night —with champagne, strawberries and candlelight, I hope. Today there are two very happy nearlyweds, with a painting created with love, just for them, so they can always remember that very special day. And everyone lived happily ever after.

When California Hills Turn Gold – California Impressionist Landscape Oil Painting by Karen Winters


SOLD
“When California Hills Turn Gold”
9 x 12 oil painting on plein air panel

See more of my landscapes here

See more of my paintings on my website

The winter season has almost departed and the bright fresh green of springtime is starting to leave some of our hills. Soon they will all be shades of brown and tan, creamy white with wild grasses with hints of violet and sienna. This transition is as predictable as the fall return of Santa Ana winds and the carpet of poppies that covers the foothills of the western Sierra.