California Plein Air Vineyard Painting – Vineyard Dawn Temecula
Vineyard Dawn, Temecula
Wine Country Oil Painting
8 x 10 inches
oil on linen plein air painting
See more of my vineyard paintings here
This is another in the group of paintings that I did recently at the Falkner Vineyard in Temecula, in San Diego County’s wine country. We arose early so that I could be in the vineyard as the sun came up over the distant hills. The light cloud cover kept the sun from shining quite so sharply in my eyes, which was a real benefit.
This painting was shot under warm incandescent light. Under outdoor light or window light, it will probably look a little bit different. It’s amazing how different things look under different lighting conditions – for example, outdoors while I am painting something, and indoors in a gallery or living room setting, depending upon the color temperature of the lighting instruments.
Some time in the next month, I hope to get up into central and northern California wine country to paint in some of those vineyards. If you know of some particularly beautiful ones, I’d love to hear your recommendations.
High Sierra landscape miniature oil painting – This Side of Paradise – by Karen Winters
SOLD
“This Side of Paradise”
Bishop, California
Eastern Sierra oil painting
6 x 8″ miniature
Oil on linen panel
More Sierra Nevada paintings here
This little study features an area along highway 395 near the Sherwin grade, as the road climbs out of Bishop and leads up to June Lake and Mammoth Lakes.
In October the aspens are starting their transition from green to gold, and the first dusting of snow can be seen on the high peaks. The grazing meadows have turned golden and fairly glow in the afternoon sun.
This painting is for sale. It was photographed under bright incandescent light, indoors. It may look warmer or cooler on your monitor.
Interested in this painting?
Click this link to write me. See more of my paintings on my website
Yosemite Half Dome Oil Painting – California Sierra Landscape – Karen Winters KWinters
Half Dome, Yosemite
Oil painting on canvas
8 x 10 inches
SOLD
See more of my Yosemite paintings here
In the summer, Half Dome, the iconic representation of Yosemite (it’s even their park logo) rises about a meadow filled with marshy grasses and strewn with wildflowers. When we were there in mid summer, I noticed something moving not far from me in the meadow. Suddenly, a large mule deer stood up. He had four prongs on each antler so I guess that would make him an 8-point buck. After looking around and seeing us, he casually walked a few yards, then settled down again. I got a decent photo of him. Maybe I’ll paint that some day.
Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco painting – Baker Beach Oil Painting
“Golden Grandeur”
San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge oil painting
18 x 24 oil on canvas
The Golden Gate bridge stretches gracefully across the bay as sailboats return from a day’s excursion. The viewpoint is from Baker Beach, the romantic site of countless wedding proposals and weddings.
I’m so accustomed to doing Colorado Street Bridge paintings (Pasadena, California) that I thought it was about time that I painted one of the most famous bridges of all. To be sure, it won’t be the last time.
The day we were out there it was cool and breezy and the fog and clouds were swirling around the bridge in beautiful patterns. When we viewed the bridge later, the sky was crystal clear. The following morning, from our hotel room, all we could see of the bridge was the tops of the tallest towers. It was quite a view.
Avalon Harbor Catalina Island Oil Painting – Avalon Dreams
“Avalon Dreams”
Avalon Harbor Oil Painting
8 x 10 inches
This is the last of my 5 paintings that will be exhibited at Segil Fine Art Source Gallery in Monrovia – reception is Saturday, September 11 from 5 – 7 pm
This viewpoint of Avalon Harbor is from Mt. Ada, which receives the first light on the island in the morning, and the last rays of light at sunset. Mt. Ada was named for Ada Wrigley, wife of William Wrigley, who purchased 99% of the island of Catalina in the 1919.
This Saturday and Sunday from 10 – 4 I’ll be showing work at the Bowers Museum Invitational Show and Sale. The Bowers is on Main Street in Santa Ana, just off the 5 freeway. I hope you can come.
Mooonstone Beach Sunset Oil Painting, Cambria, California
Moonstone Beach, Cambria
Oil Painting
“The Wind from the Sea”
10 x 20 inches
More Cambria, California Paintings
More California Central Coast paintings
This panoramic painting of Moonstone Beach, in Cambria is a larger piece based on the field study I did several months ago. Moonstone Beach is one of our favorite places to go when we’re in the Central Coast area. The Hamlet Restaurant has wonderful jazz performances, and walks along the beach are so romantic. I would imagine it’s been the site of countless weddings and marriage proposals.
If you enjoy visiting the Cambria area, you should discover the Milford Haven books of my friend Mara Purl who writes wonderfully about a fictional Central California town with a strong resemblance to Cambria.
California Wildflower Landscape Cambria Lupine Flowers Plein Air Field Study
Cambria Lupine Flowers
8 x 6″ oil
Last spring, when we were in Central California with the California Art Club, we wandered through the countryside in search of wildflowers to paint. We came upon this beautiful hillside just covered with lupine and small orange flowers. The scent of the lupine was heady and I think the bees must have been drunk with it. As I painted this small study there was a constant buzzing sound around me. This study will provide information for a larger painting.
-Interested in this painting?
Click this link to write me. See more of my paintings on my website
Sespe Creek – Ventura County California Sespe River 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.
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.
Defiance of Brunhilde – Female Portrait – Wagner Ring Cycle Festival
“Defiance of Brunhilde”
12 x 16 oil on linen panel
This portrait was painted in conjunction with the performance of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, which is in its final week in Los Angeles. The model for this painting was a high school student in Orange County, who may have been about the same age as the noted Valkyrie.
Unfortunately the lighting on the model in my position was flat front-lit, and I was unable to move nor make changes to the lighting. Still, it was a good exercise and I”m satisfied with the outcome of the project. My portrait of Wotan (below) is currently hanging at the Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels until July 16.
