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…..
Write Me
Peters Canyon Plein Air Painting – Orange County Landscape oil painting
Peters Canyon
9 x 12 oil on linen panel
Plein air painting
Last week I had the pleasure of painting at Peters Canyon, in Orange County, near the home of some of our friends. The broad meadow was blooming with yellow flowers – perhaps mustard, but I’m not sure. I’m told that it was even more vivid a few weeks earlier, but it was still pretty bright. The trees in the background included evergreen eucalyptuses, favorites of mine, and some deciduous ones, perhaps willows, that had not yet gotten their spring foliage. I’m guessing that there is a stream in there where the trees follow a low point. I liked that little spot of pinkish gray in the otherwise yellow green scene
Below you can see a little of the work in progress.
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.
Malibu Surf Sunset Painting – California Seascape Oil Painting
Malibu Surf Sunset
6 x 8 oil
This little study of the surf at Malibu gives you some idea of the subtle range of colors that emerge on even a somewhat hazy day. The water can appear silvery and opalescent under the right conditions. And those conditions change from moment to moment. California impressionist and Laguna painter Frank Cuprien was especially adept at capturing those fleeting tones in his oil paintings. There’s a lot to be learned from studying the masters, first-hand. I’ve enjoyed seeing his works at both the Laguna Museum of Art as well as the Irvine Museum.
See more of my marine paintings here
For more information about this painting, please write.
Sycamore Trail – California Plein Air Oil Painting – Landscape by Karen Winters
Sycamore Trail
9 x 12 oil
SOLD
This plein air painting was actually painted last fall, as the leaves of the sycamores were starting to turn – but somehow it escaped my scanner until now. It’s one of the paintings I’ll be bringing to the Casita Del Arroyo show and sale – presented by the California Art Club on Sunday, March 14
Here’s a google map to the sale location
It looks like the rains are tapering off this week, and the weather is warming a bit, so I’m looking forward to even more plein air painting when I’m not working on commissions. The other day I saw a rainbow over our local San Gabriel mountains – what a sight, although it didn’t last very long.
Sierra Joy – June Lake Loop – California Sierra oil painting
“Sierra Joy”
June Lake Loop area, near Rush Creek, featuring Carson Peak
20 x 24 inches oil on canvas
SOLD to a collector from Walnut Creek, CA
This one is sold, but you can see more Sierra Nevada paintings here
This is the next in my continuing series of paintings of the eastern Sierra, a studio painting based on plein air reference of a beautiful spot on the June Lake Loop, off of Highway 395. Aspens and rabbitbrush provided the warm color notes against the blue violet of Carson Peak. This location is not far from Grant Lake and Silver Lake if that helps in defining the locale.
I have spent so much time recently painting smaller paintings for shows, it feels good to stretch out and paint larger. For those of you who have been asking when I’m going to paint more large works, yes, they’re on the way.
Sierra Peak Study – Sierra Nevada Oil Painting
Sierra Peak Study
6″ x 6″
oil on canvas
This small painting is a study preparatory to a larger commissioned painting I am working on. I thought I would take one of the peaks in the range and explore some possibilities of color and brushwork before diving into the larger wide panorama. This is a mountain outside of Bishop, California, touched by the morning sun in early November. Painting loosely, my objective was to work with the inherent complementary scheme in order to learn how I would need to make adjustments on the larger piece.
Big Sur Oil Painting – California Garrapata Beach seascape
Garrapata Beach, Big Sur
16 x 20 oil on canvas
The state park on a beautiful clear day with just a little mist hovering over the distant headlands. A look so typical of the area. I’ll bet that this location has been the scene of many marriage proposals, it’s so beautiful.
Last weekend, I attended the artists’ reception for the Pasadena Society of Artists ACE Exhibition, and was delighted to learn that my painting of the LA County Fair, “Fun Zone,” had won an Award of Merit. This has been a really exciting week for me – first learning that I am a new Artist Member of the California Art Club, and now this honor from PSA. I can hardly wait to find out what surprises this new week will bring.
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.












