Carpinteria Estero Landscape Oil Painting by Karen Winters
“Carpinteria Estero”
(Central California Coast Salt Marsh)
12 x 16 landscape oil painting
SOLD
See more of my Carpinteria and Santa Barbara area paintings here
There’s a beautiful salt marsh we’ve enjoyed watching for years, whenever we go to Carpinteria (and that’s been a long time.) It’s enjoyable to see the herons stilt-walking through the tall grasses in search of small fishes and wiggly eels. You never know if the tide will be in or out, because our comings and goings are not determined by tide tables, but where we happen to be on our way to … or from.
California Landscape Plein Air Painting San Luis Obispo County – Nipomo
SOLD
Golden Hillside
(near Nipomo San Luis Obispo County)
9 x 12 plein air oil painting on linen panel
See more of my California Central Coast paintings here
This is a plein air painting that I did last springtime with the California Art Club in San Luis Obispo. We were at a historical location, the Dana Adobe, in Nipomo, and the weather was perfect. I got three paintings done that day. The next day a rainstorm moved in from the north. The fields of mustard liked it, but it wasn’t hospitable to painters. The day after this was painted we went to Moonstone Beach in Cambria (see earlier posts for those paintings.)
Paso Robles Vineyard Oak California Landscape Oil Painting
SOLD
“Paso Robles Vineyard Oak”
8 x 10 oil painting on canvas on hardboard
See more of my vineyard paintings here
See more of my California Central Coast paintings here
See more of my landscapes here
The Paso Robles wine growing area has developed so much over the past few years. Every time we take a trip through there we see new vineyards and new plantings. Oaks seem to be iconic in these vineyards. Although it appears that most of the barrels are actually made in France rather than from domestic oaks, I like that some are preserved to add their beauty to the landscape.
Cambria Ranch – California Central Coast Plein Air Oil Painting by Karen Winters
“Cambria Ranch”
12 x 16″ oil painting
Oil on linen panel
See more of my California Central Coast paintings here
Eucalyptuses, how I love them, with their multicolored patchy bark like a coat of many colors. When I saw this stately old tree I knew I wanted to take some time with it, to appreciate the many grays along its flanks. The transparent underlayers of burnt sienna and red peek through here and there, just as underlayers of color are visible as outer bark layers peel off. I think that I will never tire of painting these majestic trees that seem to glow when side lit. We have a lot of them around LA but they are at their best when given a setting like a spring field, bathed in light. I want to paint another really large one, soon. My to-do-list grows daily …
Some of my other favorite eucs:
Lone Pine Plein Air Study – Sierra Landscape painting
Lone Pine (study)
6 x 8 oil on linen panel
More Sierra Nevada paintings here
I had hoped for a sunny day when we visited Lone Pine on one of our many Sierra trips last fall. But that time a storm was on its way in, wrapping the majestic peaks in shades of gray. But I was there and I wasn’t about to be discouraged. The muted tones actually added some interesting color that I wouldn’t have had any other way, and provided a soft contrast to the vivid yellow rabbitbrush which blooms that time of year.
I’m working on Sierra studio paintings based on this and other fall studies, and they’ll be posted over the next month or so.
By far the most annoying part of that day’s paint out was the swarm of flies that appeared as soon as I set up. I’m guessing there must have been free range cattle out there at some time – or where did they come from?
Cambria Sunset Oil Painting – Central Coast California landscape painting by Karen Winters
Cambria Sunset
9 x 12
oil on linen panel
See more of my Cambria paintings here
One of my newest paintings, “Cambria Sunset,” has been selected for inclusion into the Segil gallery Holiday Small Works show.
The painting features a rural scene along Santa Rosa Creek Road in Cambria (near San Simeon) and includes one of the dramatic eucalyptus trees so typical of that region.
The festive reception for the artists will be December 4, from 5-7 pm. The Segil gallery is at 110 West Lime Avenue
Old Town Monrovia CA 91016
(626) 358-5563
High Sierra landscape miniature oil painting – This Side of Paradise – by Karen Winters
SOLD
“This Side of Paradise”
Bishop, California
Eastern Sierra oil painting
6 x 8″ miniature
Oil on linen panel
More Sierra Nevada paintings here
This little study features an area along highway 395 near the Sherwin grade, as the road climbs out of Bishop and leads up to June Lake and Mammoth Lakes.
In October the aspens are starting their transition from green to gold, and the first dusting of snow can be seen on the high peaks. The grazing meadows have turned golden and fairly glow in the afternoon sun.
This painting is for sale. It was photographed under bright incandescent light, indoors. It may look warmer or cooler on your monitor.
Interested in this painting?
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Sunset Walk – Los Osos Central Coast California Oil Painting by Karen Winters KWinters
Sunset Walk
Los Osos, Central California
Oil Painting
9″ x 12″
oil on canvas on hardboard
See more of my California Central Coast paintings here
When we were in the Central Coast area of California last spring, this scene suddenly caught my eye as we were driving back from Montana de Oro. The towering eucalyptus trees (a favorite of mine) framed a long walkway into the sunset. Although it’s a simple composition, it puts me back in that place with the dusty road, the sweet smell of gum trees, the haze in the air and the sun lowering and glowing through it all.
Last Sunday, we had the rare opportunity to watch a demonstration by noted painter Mian Situ for the California Art Club. It’s one of the many things that I really appreciate about being a member – there are so many occasions to learn something new and to be inspired by the “greats.” In addition to doing a masterful portrait in a very short period of time, Mian’s endearing personality and generous sharing of information made the occasion all the more special.
Carpinteria Bluffs Painting – Central California landscape by Karen Winters – KWinters
Carpinteria Bluffs Sunset
Oil Painting 8 x 10
SOLD
See more of my California Central Coast paintings here
The end of the day at Carpinteria bluffs provides an opportunity to work out with the secondary colors – orange, violet and green. The Santa Ynez mountains glow in the fading light.
Ecologically, this is described as a coastal sage environment. Typically you will find black sage, white sage, California buckwheat (the reddish brown plant, in fall) as well as toyon and brittlebrush.
The Spanish colonists named the area Carpinteria because this was a place where Native American Chumash people once built their sea-going canoes (using tar which oozes naturally from the sea bed.) Carpinteria is spanish for “carpenter shop.”
Yosemite Half Dome Oil Painting – California Sierra Landscape – Karen Winters KWinters
Half Dome, Yosemite
Oil painting on canvas
8 x 10 inches
SOLD
See more of my Yosemite paintings here
In the summer, Half Dome, the iconic representation of Yosemite (it’s even their park logo) rises about a meadow filled with marshy grasses and strewn with wildflowers. When we were there in mid summer, I noticed something moving not far from me in the meadow. Suddenly, a large mule deer stood up. He had four prongs on each antler so I guess that would make him an 8-point buck. After looking around and seeing us, he casually walked a few yards, then settled down again. I got a decent photo of him. Maybe I’ll paint that some day.
