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.
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.
California Mountain – Impressionist landscape oil painting by Karen Winters
“California Mountain”
12 x 16 oil on canvas
This is another in my series of spring landscapes, capturing the beauty of California in an impressionist mood. When I’m out painting and taking pictures for reference I don’t always know the name of the landmarks, especially if they are out of my home territory. But this strong summit is around California’s central coast area.
This painting was such a pleasure for me to paint – especially mixing all the different colors of greens that represent grass covered hillsides, trees, meadows and wildflowers. Can’t you just imagine this in a gold plein air frame? Eternal springtime!
Dreamy Drifting at Malibu Creek – new painting art by Karen Winters
“Dreamy Drifting at Malibu Creek” – 11 x 14 – pastel on board
SOLD
Today I had the pleasure of taking a workshop with master pastellist Bruce Trentham, and this was the result. I had missed a demo by him several months ago, so this was a good opportunity to see him at work.
It was surprisingly similar to working in oil – much more than watercolor. The pigment is formed into sticks rather than being applied with a brush, but the manner of working – from dark to light and using opaque layers in a series of refinements and corrections – felt very familiar.
I think that I will be exploring pastel more – not to the exclusion of oil and watercolor, of course – but as a way to treat a subject quickly and in a painterly way.
When it comes right down to it, most of painting is about composition, value, shape, color and so forth. Whether one uses a brush or a pastel stick is not the main thing – and the principles of painting are the same for all color media that I’ve experienced so far.
For this painting I used a variety of different brands of pastel – from hard square ones to extremely soft and buttery ones. Pastel pencils helped with ome of the fine line work of the branches.
And yes, a pastel work is generally called a painting, not a drawing!
Laguna Reflections – Crescent Cove – Karen Winters original oil painting
“Laguna Beach Reflections (at Crescent Cove)”
14 x 18 oil on canvas
If you would like to find out if this painting is still available for sale…..
please write
(I have more Laguna paintings, please see My seascapes page
For all of your folks who visited me over the weekend at Sierra Madre, here’s how the painting turned out that I was working on when you stopped by.
I had a great time painting there and the cool scene seemed to help me tolerate the stifling heat.
This scene was inspired by my visit to Laguna Beach a month or so ago. What attracted me the most were the reflections in the sand, revealed for just moments as each wave receded. I’ve considered adding a few sea birds to this, either a sandpiper on the shore or a few gulls. What do you think?
I can hardly wait to go back there and paint with those cool ocean breezes.
Golden Hour – California Art Club show -Pasadena Women’s City Club
“Golden Hour”
14 x 18 oil on canvas
SOLD to a collector from Claremont
So here’s the other painting that was accepted into the California Art Club show at the Women’s City Club in Pasadena.
It represents a few moments just before sunset in California’s Central Coast, not far from Paso Robles. I am just thrilled to be in the show for the second consecutive time, on this occasion with two entries, one watercolor, and one oil. (See day before yesterday for my watercolor portrait, “Strength is Beautiful.”
My objective here was to show a more traditional view of Natural Beauty, that of California’s scenic splendor. I thought about choosing one of the frequently selected wonders, like Yosemite or the Sierras, but this commonplace scene of oak woodlands seemed to represent beauty just as well. Perhaps beauty truly is all around us, if we just have eyes to see.
The painting will be displayed for sale at the Women’s City Club in Pasadena until late November.
Strength is Beautiful – California Art Club Show at Pasadena Women’s City Club
“Strength is Beautiful” 15 x 22 watercolor
Yesterday I got the very good news that this painting (and an oil painting landscape, which I will post soon) has been accepted into the next California Art Club show at the Women’s City Club in Pasadena. The show will run for six months beginning Saturday, June 23 with an artists’ reception on July 12.
I am absolutely thrilled to have this portrait included. The theme of the show is Natural Beauty and I love the look of beauty and strength in her face, which I attempted to capture in transparent watercolor. I found it challenging to paint African-American skin tones because there is such a wide range of values. The light-struck side of her face is quite pale, but the deep shadowed side is rich with color. Making the transition work was the objective, without resorting to using many small brushstrokes and ‘overworking’ it. Her beautiful wavy hair was the most fun to paint as I used negative painting to separate the tendrils. I chose a blue background for this lovely woman because I thought the blue would be a good complement to the rich warm browns of her complexion. Her garment was left understated as all the attention is really on her face.
Well, that’s about all I can think to say about it, but if you have any questions about it, please feel free to ask.
And don’t forget – this weekend … The Sierra Madre Art Fair in Sierra Madre’s Memorial Park 9:30 -6 Sat and 9:30-5 Sunday.
Arroyo Seco Eucalyptus – Pasadena – Daily Oil Painting by Karen Winters
“Arroyo Seco Eucalyptus” 9 x 12 oil on canvas
SOLD
Not too long ago I did a plein air watercolor sketch of this beautiful eucalyptus which stands along one of the pathways in Pasadena’s Arroyo Seco. The morning light was bouncing off of the ground and causing some of the ragged hanging bark to glow with rich warm tones. A smaller shrub was struck by the sunlight and shimmered in pale chartreuse. Although my objective had been to paint the bridge, I couldn’t resist this combination, which I have now turned into an oil painting.
Tomorrow (Sunday, May 11) I will be painting en plein air at the Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena (formerly the Ritz Carlton Huntington.) Look for me on the balcony near the Tea Room, enjoying the fresh air and beauty of the grounds. I’m hoping for blue sunny skies – and if they don’t happen, I’ll invent some!
