Silvery Streams – Newport Back Bay Oil Painting
“Silvery Streams”
8 x 10 oil on canvas panel
Juried into SoCal PAPA’s Newport Back Bay Show – July 23-25, Muth Interpretive Center, Newport Beach
This was painted in Rigel Park in Newport, about a month or so ago, for the SoCal Plein Air Painters Assn. biennial show and sale which will be taking place this weekend. The artists reception is 6-9 pm Friday evening. If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll attend.
This small painting was challenging to do not only because of the changing light at sunset but also because the tide was coming in and the patterns of water among the estuary sand bars didn’t stay the same for long.
Kayaking on Back Bay – Newport Back Bay Oil Painting
Kayaking on Back Bay
acrylic
11 x 14
When I was painting this, I liked the scene, but I liked it even better when some kayakers glided through the bay. There was a good place for them so I put them in.
This is one of two paintings that I painted for the upcoming SoCal Plein Air Painters Association Juried Show at the Muth Center, in the Upper Newport Bay next Saturday and Sunday, July 24 and 25. In addition I will be exhibiting about 18 other paintings of Southern California in this 50 artist outdoor group exhibition and sale.
I’ve decided that in addition to getting around the state and exploring different areas, I should also explore some places closer to home. Orange County, and the areas around Laguna, Newport Beach, San Clemente and Dana Point are among the locations that I’ve been painting at, and will continue to appreciate in paint.
Through the Bowers Museum show and various California Art Club events, as well as through the San Clemente Plein Air paint out and studio painting opportunities at Randy Higbee’s store and gallery… I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a number of SoCal PAPA artists. It was the right time to join the group and have fun participating in some of their shows, too.
Here’s one thing that’s tricky about classifying a painting like this. It’s an estuary, so technically it’s a marine painting. But is it a seascape? A landscape? A sea-landscape? I’m going to list it in both categories, just to be contrary.
California Landscape Painting – Arroyo Meadow – Impressionist Sunset
“Arroyo Meadow”
9 x 12
California impressionist oil painting on canvas panel
SOLD
The San Gabriel Mountains constantly change their colors through the late afternoon and early evening. Starting out as browns and greens, they become blue violet as shadows fall, and eventually reflect the warm colors of sunset.
This scene captures a moment in that transition, from the vantage point of Hahamongna Park (formerly Oak Grove Park) in the upper Arroyo Seco between La Canada Flintridge and Altadena/Pasadena.
Wildflowers billow and catch the warm light of the late afternoon sun.
Yesterday I received some more good news about one of the many shows I’ve been entering. One of my plein air paintings, “Days End at Fallbrook” was accepted into the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA) 6th annual “Best of Plein Air” show. The exhibit will be at the Esther Wells Collection in Laguna Beach from July 17-25.
“Days End in Fallbrook”
11 x 14
oil on canvas
California Impressionist Landscape Painting – Eucalyptus scene – One Summer Morming
“One Summer Morning”
California landscape oil painting
11 x 14 oil on linen panel
SOLD
Please join me this Saturday for the 2nd Montrose Artwalk of the year. I’ll have new paintings like this 11 x 14 oil, “One Summer Morning” as well as prints, cards and original oils and watercolors.
I’ll be at the same location as last year, in front of the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf at 3701 Honolulu Avenue at the corner of Ocean View. Park nearby on Honolulu or Ocean View or in one of the several free public lots.
If you see something here on the blog or on my website that you’d like to have a closer look at, drop me a note and let me know before Friday night and I’ll try to bring it along for your review (assuming it’s not on exhibit somewhere.)
After the Montrose show closes at 4, I’ll be off to the reception at Segil Fine Art in Monrovia, for their first annual works on paper show reception, 5-7 pm.
I recently joined the Southern California Plein Air Painters Association (SoCal PAPA) in time to participate in their biannual Newport Back Bay Show and Sale. Painting for SoCal Plein Air Painting Association’s Biannual Back Bay Show. I have two paintings juried into the competitive component of the show, and will be exhibiting about 20 Southern California landscape and seascape paintings at the show and sale July 24-25 at the Muth Center. I’ll be posting those paintings on the blog in a few days.
Even though a large part of the US has been cooking with high temperatures, in Southern California we’ve had unseasonably cool weather. Often early June is gray and cool (June gloom) but to have early spring type weather in early July is very strange. I’m not complaining, though – it makes it easier to paint outdoors and cuts down on the water and electric bills and makes it easier to do yard work, too.
I think today is going to be a doing errands and catching up sort of day
Arroyo Ducks – Colorado Street Bridge Painting
Arroyo Ducks
(by Pasadena’s Colorado Street Bridge)
12 x 16
oil on linen panel
SOLD
The previous painting in this series sold very quickly at Gale’s Restaurant during the Art for the Animals show, so I decided to paint another version of it, this time horizontal. There are always ducks paddling around down there, as we’ve discovered from our frequent walks, so this may not be the last exploration of the theme.
This past weekend we enjoyed some time closer to home and our own natural habitat, which we had been sorely neglecting as I’ve been painting all up and down the coast. So we cleared off the porches, gave the Boston ferns a good haircut and deep watering, trimmed back the geraniums and took cuttings to propagate new plants. I’m hopeful that all of these projects will provide abundant plant material for future still life paintings, or, at the very least, for our enjoyment.
This Saturday from 9-4 you’ll find me at the Montrose Artwalk in Montrose, at the corner of Honolulu and Ocean View – see map below. I’m on the sidewalk next to the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, where they have great iced coffees! You might even find me doing some painting.
View Larger Map
Saturday evening from 5-7, I’m delighted to be at the artist’s reception of Segil Fine Art’s First Annual Works on Paper show. Address is 110 West Lime in Monrovia. I’m honored to have my pastel painting “Wildflower Sunset” included in this inaugural show.
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.
Sunset Surf – California seascape oil painting
SOLD
“Sunset Surf”
8 x 10 oil
This painting is sold, however I have more seascape paintings at Karen Winters Seascapes
California seascape … dramatic clouds make colorful accents to this Southern California marine seascape. Whenever there is a marine layer with breaks for the sun, the sunsets are spectacular. I’m getting ready to do some plein air painting one day this week at the San Clemente Plein Air Festival, as I did last year. If we don’t have days of June gloom it should be fun!
If you have a question or or would like to find out if a painting is still available for sale…..
Write Me
Roses and Hollyhocks Floral Painting
Roses and Hollyhocks
6″ x 8″ acrylic on canvas
Floral botanical painting
A miniature painting, 6 x 8″ – of some hollyhocks which are currently blooming near where I live. Ruffles and flourishes in a summer mood. I’ve been experimenting with acrylic and doing some plein air painting with it, too. Although it handles much differently from oil, there are similarities with both oil and watercolor, two media that I feel comfortable with. I especially like the brilliant color which doesn’t seem to muddy as much as oil does.
Peters Canyon Meadow – California Landscape Oil Painting – Orange County impressionist painting
Peters Canyon Meadow
14 x 18 oil on canvas
commissioned work
SOLD
This painting was based upon a plein air study which I did earlier this spring
posted on my blog awhile ago.
When I scaled it up for my client, I added more detail and refined certain shapes that were only roughly suggested in the plein air work. What works in 9 x 12 doesn’t necessarily work in 14 x 18 (or larger) sizes.
I’m looking forward to painting the scene in a larger size, and perhaps a more panoramic horizontal format, too. Now, the park grass has turned a soft yellow gold color – the scene looks very different. I’m thinking about going back for some new plein air studies.
This Saturday and Sunday, please join me for more plein air painting at Descanso Gardens. If you are a member of Descanso, the LA Arboretum in Arcadia, South Bay Botanical Gardens, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens, or one of many other American Horticultural Association affiliated gardens, your admission is free. We have enjoyed our Descanso membership for many many years … as well as gardens as far away as Santa Barbara and Phoenix. These reciprocating memberships are a great benefit of supporting our horticultural institutions.
La Canada Landscape Oil Painting – Memorial Day Concert – California impressionist genre painting
Memorial Day Concert, 2010
(La Canada Flintridge, featuring Captain Cardiac and the Coronaries)
8 x 10
plein air oil painting
This painting is now SOLD but I have many others for sale…..
Write Me
Ah, the beginning of summer, and the summer Music in the Park series in my hometown, La Canada Flintridge. I enjoyed painting this scene while visiting with picnickers and others who were out savoring the warm day. The first act, Misplaced Priorities, energized the audience and set the stage for the second act, Captain Cardiac and the Coronaries. Both 50s-60s rock bands were enthusiastically received. In front of the gazebo/bandshell, dancers of all ages found their groove.
When I was growing up, I couldn’t imagine having fun dancing to the same music my grandparents liked. But old time rock and roll was appreciated that day by 70-somethings and 5 year olds alike.
It was good to see so many friends and neighbors out relaxing. Thanks to the LCF Chamber of Commerce for making Fiesta Days a wonderful event once again.
