Morro Rock Dunes – Morro Bay Oil Painting – California Central Coast Seascape Impressionist painting by Karen Winters

“Morro Rock Dunes”
9 x 12 oil on canvas

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This is another of the plein air oil paintings which I did last fall at the San Luis Obispo Plein Air Festival. At the end of the day, as the sun headed for the horizon, the mist from the sea blew in, partly obscuring the large rock. Ice plant provided a colorful counterpoint to the grays and browns of this massive geologic feature.

Catalina Harbor Cat Harbor California seascape oil painting by Karen Winters

Catalina Harbor
SOLD
10 x 20 oil on canvas

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The evening sun slips below the mountains of the isthmus of Catalina, separating the Two Harbors, a popular destination for sailing, hiking and other recreation. This painting was purchased by a family member in San Francisco, for another family member in Southern California as a birthday present. It was my pleasure to be in on the surprise, and I delivered the present in person this morning, to their delight.

A gift of art is something that will always be appreciated, and more than that – treasured – for many years to come. The giver doesn’t have to worry about the gift becoming outdated, or fret that Painting 2.0 will be released soon after the present is opened. Nor need they fret that the recipient may have just bought the identical item at Best Buy or Costco. A painting usually carries a message of deep emotion – a celebration of a special time together, a milestone, like an anniversary, or a meaningful shared experience like a wedding proposal or the birth of a child; the purchase of a first home. A gift of art is the making of an heirloom, and though it comes at a price, it is priceless.

When “fire season” comes in Southern California, I’ve heard people in Malibu interviewed about what they grab from their homes. The answers are always the same: First, the living creatures (people and pets); second – family photo and videos; third – original art. What does that tell you about art’s deep meaning and connectedness to our lives?

Moonstone Beach, Cambria, oil painting – California impressionist seascape by Karen Winters

Moonstone Beach
20 x 32 oil on canvas
SOLD (painted on commission)


If you’d like to commission a custom painting of the California central coast or any location, please write.

This painting was finished last April and in all the hustle bustle of getting ready for shows and paint outs, I neglected posting it here. It was a studio painting, based upon smaller studies that I did ‘en plein air’ on location. This is a typical way for me to work – to study a subject from life, and then to produce larger pieces in the studio when I can explore them slowly and thoughtfully. The original study was painted during a paint out with the California Art Club.

Laguna Beach Main Beach Sunset Oil Painting – “Laguna Main Beach Sunset” by California Impressionist Karen Winters

Laguna Main Beach Sunset
8 x 10 oil painting
Linen plein air panel
SOLD

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Beautiful days and glorious sunsets … no wonder Laguna Beach is such a romantic and popular tourist destination. If there are any clouds in the sky at all – even a “marine layer” moving in and out, you can count on a spectacular sunset. One of the things that I really enjoy about painting seascape sunsets is that they often have built in complementary pairs – blues and oranges, yellows and violets, warms and cools. When nature provides you with a palette – go with it.

See more of my Laguna Beach paintings here

Morro Rock Morro Bay Sunset Fishing Boats Oil Painting – “Home for the Day”

“Home For the Day”
Morro Rock, Morro Bay
Fishing Boats painting
9 x 12 oil on plein air panel


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There’s something about the light on California’s Central Coast that always captivates me. This painting was inspired by a sunset at Morro Rock, in Morro Bay, when the fishing vessels had come home for the day. Or perhaps some of them were preparing to go night fishing? The two boats in the foreground are named “Nyusa” (the closest one) and the one right behind it is named “Michael Too”

Below, how it might look in a dark frame. I think the dark frame really makes the sunset glow even more.

Newport Back Bay California Estuary Landscape Painting

“Back Bay Afternoon”
12 x 16 oil painting on canvas
Back Bay, Orange County(Upper Newport Beach Preserve)

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I’ll be bringing this painting with me this weekend to SoCal PAPA’s annual “Paint the Parks” show at the Katie Wheeler Library Gardens, 13042 Old Myford Rd, Irvine, 92602. I’ll have about 19 other paintings as well – featuring Orange County scenes as well as other landscapes and seascapes around California.

Big Sur, Bixby Bridge Wedding Gift Commissioned California Seascape Oil Painting


“Big Sur, Bixby Bridge”
16 x 20 oil on canvas
SOLD – painted on commission


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This painting was commissioned as a surprise wedding gift for a very lovely bride to give to her bridegroom to commemorate the exact place where he proposed to her. She and I worked closely together to identify the exact spot where he popped the question. Then, after the painting was finished, approved and drying, the unexpected happened. The bridegroom, who also knew of my work, contacted me separately looking to buy a painting of the same location to give to the bride. Suddenly I had an O’Henry “Gift of the Magi”-type situation on my hands! I couldn’t tell him I wouldn’t sell him this painting he saw on my site– he’d think that odd. And if I told him it was sold, but he might buy somewhere else, so immediate was his need. Honesty and open communication always being the best policy, I contacted the bride and let her know about his urgent inquiry and she handled the situation gracefully with her betrothed. So he knew that there was a painting by me in their future but would have to wait to see what it was.

The painting was shipped last week and they opened their gift to each other last night —with champagne, strawberries and candlelight, I hope. Today there are two very happy nearlyweds, with a painting created with love, just for them, so they can always remember that very special day. And everyone lived happily ever after.

Divers Cove Laguna Heisler Park Seascape Oil Painting

“Divers Cove, Laguna Beach
8 x 10 oil on Belgian linen plein air panel
California seascape oil painting”

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The surf gently rolls into Diver’s Cove in Laguna, near Heisler Park. Only a few walkers are enjoying the moment. I think the building to the right is the Seacliff Apartments, but I couldn’t be sure. I love Laguna – such a gorgeous spot.

Malibu Seascape Oil Painting – Malibu Memories by Karen Winteres

“Malibu Memories”
6 x 6 inches
oil on plein air panel

The end of a beautiful day in Malibu, as the marine layer rolls in, the sun tints the clouds a warm shade of pink. The tide is coming in, gently touching the shore. What a wonderful spot for a wedding or a proposal!

This miniature painting would look wonderful in a gold plein air frame.

Back Bay Sunset – Newport Beach impressionist oil painting on plein air panel – by Karen Winters


SOLD “Golden Moments – Back Bay Sunset”
6 x 6 inches
Oil on linen plein air panel

At the end of the day, the sun glistens on the water in Newport’s Back Bay. This miniature painting captures the feeling of the radiant light, shining on the wetlands.

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