Yosemite Falls Merced River Swinging Bridge Oil Painting

Yosemite Falls from the Swinging Bridge
11 x 14 oil painting
SOLD

See more of my Sierra Nevada Paintings
More of my Yosemite Paintings at this link.

The Swinging Bridge across the Merced River in Yosemite connects the two sides of Yosemite valley. From the bridge, or a little south of it, where I was, you can see Yosemite Falls cascading down the granite face. Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America. When we visited, in the summer, it was not at its most intense flow, but it was impressive all the same.

Sespe Creek – Ventura County California Sespe River Oil Painting

Sespe Creek Ventura County - Where the Sespe Flows - Sespe Landscape Oil Painting

Where the Sespe Flows
16 x 20 oil on canvas
Sespe Creek Campground, Ventura County

This beautiful little creek, cut so deeply into the surrounding land, provided an opportunity to work out on trees, water, reflections and eroded land masses, all in the same painting. What a treat to paint. The Sespe, 25 miles long, is not interrupted by dams and is one of the main sources of water of the Santa Clara River. The Sespe originates in the Sierra Madre mountains and is part of a condor sanctuary. According to wikipedia, it’s one of the last wild rivers in California. Long may it be so, for campers and artists alike.

Pasadena Arroyo Seco Oil Painting — Morning Swim in the Arroyo

“Morning Swim in the Arroyo Seco”
16 x 12 inches
oil on canvas
SOLD

Ducks gently paddle in the pond beneath Pasadena’s Colorado Street Bridge … a scene of rural tranquility in the heart of Pasadena’s Arroyo Seco. Readers of this blog will remember the great duck adventure a few years back, as we watched a mother lead her ducklings up the flood control channel to the safety of the pond – including scaling a 45 degree incline covered with moss. But all the ducklings made it eventually, safe from hawks and owls. Perhaps some of these paddlers are those little ducks, all grown up with families of their own.

Sold at the Art for the Animals show at Gale’s Restaurant in Pasadena this past week, benefitting the Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA.

Rhine Falls Oil Painting – Rhine River – Switzerland

Rhine Falls
22 x 28 oil on canvas

The Rhine Falls are the largest waterfall in Europe. They are in Switzerland, near Schaffhausen and near the German border.

Owens River Painting – Landscape with White Mountains, Eastern Sierra Trout fishing spot

“Big Trout near Big Pine”
11 x 14 oil on canvas

This fishing spot on the Owens River, near Big Pine is surrounded by beauty. The White Mountains are seen in the distance, part of the Inyo National Forest. On a crisp fall day, the cottonwoods are just beginning to turn, and the river is abundant with trout. I’ll bet this painting will bring back some fond memories for fishers young and old.

This is one of the many new paintings which I’ll be bringing to my show at the Bowers Museum Tangata Restaurant, opening April 17 in Santa Ana. A portion of the proceeds of the sales will go to support the California Art Council.

If you have a question or or would like to find out if a painting is still available for sale…..

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Pasadena Arroyo Bridge Painting – Arroyo Bridge Reflections

Arroyo Bridge Reflections
9 x 12
oil on linen panel

This is a familiar scene I return to time and time again – a view of one of the arroyo seco bridges from down below. I have walked across that stream at varying depths – after a rain storm and in mid summer when the ground is just barely moist. There are often ducks down there which add to the tranquil scene.

Depending upon the time of day, the scene may appear cooler or more golden, as it does in afternoon light.

Visit this link to see more Pasadena and Arroyo Seco area paintings.

Malibu Landscape Oil Painting – Creekside in Malibu

Creekside in Malibu
(Malibu Creek State Park)
11 x 14
oil on linen panel

Malibu Creek, in the Santa Monica Mountains, is swelling with winter rains, and the water is nourishing the surrounding lands. This painting celebrates the return of spring in one of our most beautiful local areas, Malibu Creek State Park.

This is an area that I love to visit and paint over and over again. The creek has many different moods depending upon the season and the weather. To see more of my malibu creek paintings, visit this link.

We’ve had a few days of sunshine here, but the rain is headed back again tomorrow. I don’t mind it too much because I know it means a fantastic springtime full of wildflowers. But I do thrive on the beautiful clear skies the way the weather was yesterday. Studio work is fun but plein air painting is the best.

This weekend I’m looking forward to welcoming some visitors to my studio who are interested in seeing some prints of my work. I think it’s time to put aside the brushes for a moment and rediscover the vacuum cleaner.

California plein air landscape painting – Eaton Canyon Waters – Karen Winters

Eaton Canyon Waters
9 x 12 in.
oil on archival linen panel
SOLD but I have more Pasadena Paintings

This morning, after days of gray skies and pouring rain, we woke up to bright blue skies and snow in the San Gabriel Mountains above us. I knew the watershed of Eaton Canyon would be filled with flowing streams, and I was determined to go see for myself. My original intention was just to get a few photos (my ankle is still healing and long standing is uncomfortable) but I knew I would kick myself if the scene looked highly paintable and I had left my plein air gear at home. So I packed the car and headed out, and was not disappointed. The mountains were a palette of soft blues, grays and violets and water was coursing among the big boulders. I resisted climbing down the bank – I don’t want to sprain myself again – but set up my easel along one of the trails.

A photographer came by on a hike and kindly took a photo of me with my camera. (Thanks, Miguel!) He shot a batch himself with his Canon – I’m looking forward to seeing them.

Days like this are just made for plein air painting. Although I was plenty weary toward the end of the afternoon painting (#2 painting for the day) I was in my element.


I used a hand-held palette today instead of my usual glass one. I found it easier to match color when I could hold it up parallel to the plane of the canvas.

Sierra Creek -California Landscape Oil Painting – June Lake Loop,High Sierra

Sierra Creek
(Rush Creek, on June Lake Loop), California
Eastern Sierra Nevada

16 x 20
Oil on Canvas

SOLD to a collector from Walnut Creek

More Sierra Nevada paintings here

This painting is from my fall Sierra series (ongoing) depicting the color of the Eastern Sierra in late October. The exact location for this one is a small creek that exits Silver Lake, on the June Lake loop, just west of highway 395. Between the willows and the aspens, it was a symphony in gold. I thought that the blue of the sky played a nice complement to all of those warm hues. This location is no doubt loaded with trout as we saw many anglers along its shores. Just gazing upon this scene puts me back in a reverie.

Today I got some wonderful good news – I was accepted as a juried Artist Member of the California Art Club, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. It means a lot to me to be welcomed into the company of artists who I admire and respect so much. I am looking forward to the new exhibitions I’ll be able to participate in, as well as getting to know other peers who have contributed so much to this esteemed organization with its long and illustrious history.

Fishing on the Kern – California landscape oil painting – Karen Winters

“Fishing the Upper Kern”
14 x 18 oil on canvas
Not for sale – gift

This painting, a gift for our son, was painted from a photo reference he took last summer on a backpack and fishing trip to the Upper Kern River, near Johnsondale, California.

We have rafted on the Kern many times and might again, some day. I’m not crazy about class 4 and 5 rapids any more, but the little ones are just fine. I understand that this part of the river is in the Golden Trout Wilderness. I don’t know how many golden trout they caught, because the wild ones are pretty wily.