Wildflower Sunset – San Luis Obispo Pastel Painting near Santa Margarita

Wildflower Sunset
12 x 16
soft pastel on archival paper

SOLD

See more of my wildflower paintings here

I just found out that this painting, Wildflower Sunset, will be exhibited with the Segil Fine Art Source First Annual Works on Paper show, with opening reception Saturday July 10, 2010. This landscape is from my recent trip to San Luis Obispo County, on the road to Lake Santa Margarita, just before sunset. The lupine and yellow flowers were mixing in the warm sunset light – incredible color. Nature has a way of bedazzling us with the most wonderful complements.

My posting of paintings has been less lately because it’s difficult to post while on the road. But I’ve been doing a lot of work which will all be shared in due time.

This Sunday, if you’re in town for Memorial Day, come see me at La Canada’s Memorial Park (Foothill Blvd. at La Canada Blvd.) where I’ll be showing my work, and most likely painting, from 11-6. I’ll have original paintings, cards, prints, and so on.
The following weekend, June 5-6 I’ll be exhibiting work at Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden in Claremont. If you think you might be able to attend, please email me for a special invitation that gives you a break on the admission price.

California Poppies – Pasadena’s Arlington Garden Landscape Oil Painting

In a Poppy Garden
8 x 6″ plein air painting
oil on panel

SOLD

Late yesterday afternoon, after painting at Descanso, we went for a walk in Pasadena and I took a pre-sunset hour or so to paint this small study of a beautiful Mediterranean garden in Pasadena on Arlington St, just off Orange Grove.

Along with poppies we saw blooming ceanothus, apricot mallows, climbing roses, penstemons, irises, bulbines and many other drought-tolerant Mediterranean and California plants. All inspiring as we convert one of our yards into a drought tolerant garden. While we were there we had the chance to meet Betty and Charles McKenney, the founders of this wonderful city refuge, and to learn about some of the plants and the history of the project. I’ve been a visitor to the garden many times in the past three years, but getting to meet the folks behind it was a special treat. The garden is continuing work in progress and it’s delightful to see its evolution.

Azalea Garden Plein Air Painting – Descanso Gardens

Descanso Gardens Azaleas
9 x 12 oil on linen panel

Along with the bountiful spring bulbs at Descanso, the azaleas are in full bloom, a temptation for the plein air painter. This scene prompted me to paint mostly with red-green complements.

Wishing everyone a beautiful Easter!

Descanso Gardens Tulips Plein Air Oil Painting by Karen Winters

The tulips are up at Descanso, and blooming merrily. When I was painting there a few days ago, I heard that although they planted tens of thousands, that raccoons dug up some of the bulbs, so the display is not as robust as they had hoped. The good news is there was no sign of deer grazing, so they must have shooed them out of the gardens or the blooms would be nipped off.

This is a good time to see the spring bulb show if you’ve never been to the gardens. In addition to the tulip display there are also foxgloves, azaleas, clivia, lilacs (both California native – ceanothus – and the traditional syringas) and some camellias still blooming. The wildflower meadow on the south side of the garden is beautiful now, too, as is the Japanese garden.

No wonder Descanso Gardens are becoming such a popular wedding location – it really is magical and romantic looking in the spring.

Pomegranate Study – Still Life by Karen Winters

Pomegranate Study
8 x 10 oil on linen panel (commission)
SOLD

This pomegranate painting, a larger version of an earlier small study, was painted for a client who was looking for something bright and juicy for her dining room. I was happy to paint this larger one. Maybe one day I’ll paint it even larger still.

All of the rain clouds have left, now, revealing greening grasses and wondrous blue skies. The 10 day forecast doesn’t show precipitation, although our Sierra range could certainly use some more to fatten up the snow pack. I don’t mind rain, but I do like a few days of sunshine to break up the gray.

Maybe I’ll fit some plein air days in this weekend.

Pansy blossoms – botanical study

Pansy Study
5 x 7 oil on canvas on panel

In the winter, not a lot of flowers are blooming in Southern California. Cool season bloomers include snapdragons, iceland poppies and pansies, which are predominately purple, violet and shades of yellow, cream and white. I enjoyed painting this loose collection of forms as a study to get familiar with the shapes using palette knife and brush.

I think this little picture would look nice in a small plein air frame, something like this:

Sierra Madre Wistaria painting – California mountain landscape painting

Sierra Madre Wistaria
5 x 7 inches, acrylic


Interested in this painting? Please write.

Sierra Madre is home of the world’s largest wistaria vine. I’ve visited the phenomenon several times when it’s in bloom in the spring, and the color and scent are breathtakng.

This painting is one of 30 San Gabriel Valley paintings that I’ll be showing today at Royal Oaks Manor in BradburyFor show details, visit my events page
There will be music, refreshments, a very nice reception – and I’ll be working on a new painting.

Reminder for tomorrow:

This weekend, Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th, I’ll be showing a large number of California impressionist landscape and seascape paintings at the Eagle Rock Plein Air Art Sale at 2222 Laverna Ave. in Eagle Rock.

Here’s a google map to the location

Show hours are 9 to 3 daily, and I will be there most of the time and probably painting. A significant percentage of the proceeds go to support the Collaborative Eagle Rock Beautiful and its projects. Come learn about drought tolerant landscaping, buy some art, support a great cause and have a good time.

It’s on the grounds of the GLAD center – Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness. Plenty of free parking!

Descanso Gardens Lily Pond – California Plein Air Landscape Oil Painting

Descanso Lily Pond
9 x 12
oil on canvas – plein air painting, Sept. 2009

I can’t believe that in all the time I’ve been painting Descanso Gardens that I haven’t painted this lily pond which is near the front gate. There used to be two sculptural fishes that formed a fountain, but I have been told that they are no longer in service due to drought issues. I hope that they will return some time in the future, although they may not have been too visible at this angle.

What I loved about this view was the crepe myrtle (pink flowering) tree which was in full bloom and casting its reflection in the pond. The bench awaits a person to come for a moment of meditation.


My thanks to Ed F. for taking this picture and sending it to me. I appreciate it! Note to self, after taking off straw hat, remember to use hairbrush before photo op. [grin].

This Sunday, I’ll be showing my work at the Redondo Beach Art by the Sea Artwalk, specific details to come. Artists will be setting up along the boardwalk/bike path at the parking lot level. I’ll try to get some better instructions. It’s in the general area of the pier, but not on the pier.

Descanso Gardens Train Station – Plein air California landscape oil painting

“All Aboard” – Descanso Gardens train station at sunset
9 x 12 oil on canvas panel
Plein air landscape oil painting

SOLD

Late Thursday afternoons at Descanso Gardens always bring opportunities for things to paint. Yesterday I enjoyed the view of the little train station where the engine and engineer wait to take people on a magical trip through the camellia forest. Maybe one of these days I’ll actually take the train ride, camera in hand, and see the garden from a different (low angle) point of view. An alizarin crimson underpainting (done very rapidly) imparts a warm glow to the scene.

I thought I left my big roll of brushes at home and consequently painted most of this with a medium sized filbert. Some of the fine detail on the engine and engineer was done later when I had the appropriate tools. Last week’s Descanso painting has been purchased by a lovely new collector from So. Pasadena, but this one is still available.

Reminder: the photos I post are low resolution so that they load quickly for those on slow connections. If you are interested in purchasing a painting, please ask and I will send a higher quality image.

Rancho Santa Ana Garden Path – California Plein Air Landscape Oil Painting



Garden Path
(Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden)
11 x 14
oil on canvas

We had a great weekend at the Art in the Garden sale at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, in spite of the ever-present threat of rain. In spite of the light turnout, some of my paintings found new homes and I had a chance to set up my easel and paint a nearby path in the beautiful California native plant gardens.

This scene features a blooming California buckeye (in the background, a spreading pine, several clumps of sages and a variety of oak trees. Most of the day was gray, but occasionally the sun would break through.

Now I have a break until the San Clemente paintout and sale, ending on June 27-28 (details to come.) If you live in the coastal OC, I hope you can come.