California impressionist landscape “Oaks Guarding Oranges” backroad oil painting

“Oaks Guarding Oranges”
9 x 12 oil painting
California Central Coast, near Cayucos
Available

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Through the years, some of our most enjoyable travels have been along the many backroads that criss cross California. This small road goes inland from Cayucos, just a little north of Morro Bay. Closer to the water, the marine layer softens all the edges. The fog is soft and gray. As we drive inland, the fog burns off and takes on other colors. There are many orange and avocado groves along these country roads, which proves that the area does not often get frost. But it is hot as blazes in the summer. We will commonly see eucalyptus trees used as windbreaks to protect orange groves, but along this road the California live oak trees were doing the job.

Eaton Canyon Stream – California landscape painting

SOLD

“Eaton Canyon Stream”
9 x 12 oil painting

In the years when we have heavy rain, the stream coming out of Eaton Canyon is full and fast-flowing. Other years, not so much. At the headwaters there are several waterfalls, some of which are quite risky to get to.

This view of the stream is looking south, from the east side of the canyon.

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Peaceful Valley California landscape oil painting

Peaceful Valley
11 x 14 inches
California Sierra foothill landscape oil painting

This is one of California’s magnificent oak-strewn valleys, in the Sierra foothills near Springville. Distant oaks are lost in the mist that settles in low places, while up in the craggy places, wildflowers flourish.

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Oak Tree Meadow – Paso Robles California impressionist landscape painting

Oak Tree Meadow
12 x 16 inches
Oil on canvas
SOLD

Although this painting is sold, see more of my California Central Coast paintings here

The area around Paso Robles is one of my favorite California locations – from the vineyards to the ranches to the oak covered hills. This new painting is from the area near Lake Nacimiento/Jolon. I think scenes like this look best in the late afternoon or in the early morning, when colors are their richest.

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California landscape – Summertime Oak tree oil painting

Summertime Oak
(near Willits, CA, along the Redwood Highway, northern California)
8 x 10 oil

The summer fields are fully golden, the perfect complement to the violet distant hills. The leaves of live oaks rustle in the breeze, waiting the coming of fall. It’s been a cool summer in So. Cal, maybe in Northern California, too.

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A Day in the Vineyard – California landscape oil painting

A Day in the Vineyard
California vineyard landscape oil painting
9 x 12 inches, oil on wood panel

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A sunny day and an old oak tree reigns over a peaceful vineyard scene, from California’s rich wine country. This plein air style painting invites the viewer to linger and hear the birdsong as the breeze ruffles the ripening vines.

Vineyard country road – California landscape oil painting

Vineyard Country Road
8 x 10 oil painting

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Fresh from last week’s trip to California’s Central Coast, this oil painting features one of California’s indigenous live oak trees towering over rolling vineyard hills. The vines are all leafed out, now, and look beautiful in the late afternoon light.

Chasing Clouds – Carmel Valley Road landscape oil painting

“Chasing Clouds”
8 x 10 oil
Carmel Valley Road landscape,
Monterey Peninsula
Available


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On our way back from the San Luis Obispo Plein Air Festival this year, we drove up highway 1 through Big Sur, spent a night in Carmel, then returned via Carmel Valley Road. This beautiful “back road” features wonderful hills covered with oaks. The day we passed through, the clouds were spectacular, so I decided to focus on them in this painting.

If you look to the left side of the blog, you’ll see I’ve gotten around to updating my sold painting list. I haven’t put my new sold paintings there since January, and this year’s almost 50 sold works are now featured. I sort of wish that I could see a pattern in what appeals to my wonderful collectors, but it appears that their tastes and interests are as broad as mine. Some paintings are large, some very small. There are seascapes, animals, genre paintings, flowers, fruit, landscapes … and the subject matter is from every part of California.

Paso Robles Pathway – Central Coast California impressionist ranch oil painting


Paso Robles Pathway
8 x 10 oil on plein air panel
Painted for the 2012 San Luis Obispo Plein Air Festival
SOLD

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Not far from Paso Robles, in San Luis Obispo County, rural roads wind through some of the most beautiful countryside I’ve ever seen. This ranch was tucked into the hills and surrounded by big, beautiful oak trees. A few cattle were grazing in the distant pasture.
This painting bears the official stamp of the San Luis Obispo Plein Air Festival, 2012, on the reverse side.

Six of my 2012 SLO paintings have already found new homes. If you’re interested in having one for your own, don’t wait. I’ve updated my website to include these new works, so you don’t have to wait for them to be posted here on my blog.

At the Hacienda – Mission San Antonio de Padua Plein air painting by Karen Winters

“Meanwhile, at the Hacienda”
9 x 12 oil on linen panel
plein air painting – painted at Mission San Antonio de Padua
California Central Coast area

During the California Art Club paint out at the mission, I came upon this small guest house which intrigued me as a painting subject. In the late afternoon light, I could imagine it as an old California adobe, cool inside in spite of the surrounding heat. Some early model chickens miraculously appeared where a late model car had been.