California Gold

I have been wanting to do some California Oaks with golden grasses. This was inspired from s trip to Yosemite over the weekend. This is an 8" x 8" painting on canvasboard.
I decided to do a whimsical interpretation of a sunflower in my garden. This is a 10" x 8" oil on canvasboard painting.

FInishing Studio Work

I finished this studio piece that is 16" x 18" on canvas. I began this last week.

September Trek

Today I finished the 18" x 24" version of Along Roberts Road that I am calling September Trek.

Finishing Work

Today I finished this painting that I will enter in the 2009 Bay Area Annual. I have to decide on its name. Tomorrow I plan to finish the other painting I have in progress - the large version of Along Roberts Road.

Studio Work In Progress

I am currently working on these two studio pieces and love working larger on this 18 x 24 size. Working large presents different challenges in mixing large quantities of paint and taking more care in planning the dark and light areas of the composition to keep my colors clean while working over a longer time period with wet on wet paint. I see I need to get better lighting so I have a full spectrum of color that does not alter true color perception. This light is very yellow, and does not show the art properly.

Along Robert's Road

This painting is a 8" x 10" oil on canvasboard piece inspired by the amazingly hot weather and fabulous clouds we are having. Who would believe Pacifica could reach 90 something?

Colors for Judy

This painting is 8' x 10", oil on canvasboard. It is inspired by life on the coast and my dear friend, Judy.

after completing this painting, After completing this painting, I went out for a photo session inspired by an incredible sky we are enjoying today.

Studio Work

I just completed this painting. It is called North of Half Moon Bay and is in oil on canvasboard. It measures 10" x 20".


Prior to this I have been experimenting with small 8" x 10" paintings based on a peculiar and interesting relic – a bunker along Devil's Slide on Hwy. 1. I am seeing where these painted sketches lead me....

Here is a photo and my first version.














I turned the uninhabitable bunker into a glowing refuge,


then deconstructed a version (unfinished image) at the right.

More to come... Keep posted!

Surf Jumpers

Mixed Media on canvas - studio piece 28" x 28"

Calera Creek Valley Series

This is another nice afternoon at the Calera Creek Quarry Valley.

Calera Creek Valley

I returned to paint the colorful flowers and hillside on this beautiful day.  As it got late, the fog blew in to engulf the coastline.  I went home chilled to the bone.

Back at it!

SOLD: Spring Flowers in the Quarry Valley at Calera Creek painted on Sunday May 17th. Although this land is for sale, I'm hoping in continues to be a pristine open space for the enjoyment of wild things. I look forward to painting here often, as it is one of my favorite sites.

In my absence from painting, I have been busy with photography.

Another diversion from painting has been making jewelry, and teaching beading techniques.

studio work in progress

Calera Creek Trail

Today I reworked my last plein air piece and created this painting on my deck outside my studio. I decided to take advantage of the weather before the next rain arrives.

Studio Work

During the rainy weather, I've been working in the studio.  Meanwhile, I've decided to show "Leaves" at the Sanchez Art Center Buddy Show, partnered with Alan Hopkins showing a large photograph not to be missed. "Leaves", subtitled "The Last Straw", an 18 X 24" Acrylic painting done in 2007, was the springboard for my leap to plein air oil painting.

Up the creek again . . .

I returned to the mouth of Calera Creek to paint the soft orange willows. It was another beautiful, warm day, with lots of interruptions from passers by. Painting started well, then deteriorated as the light waned and I worked the painting too long. Maybe the third time will be the charm. I plan to rework this version to capture the soft greens and oranges of spring in January(?), and redefine shapes that became too uniform and repetitive.

Up the Creek

I finally got back out to Calera Creek with my paints on Wednesday the 14th, after a break for Open Studio and the holidays. A month is far too long to go without painting, and I'm rusty! It was a beautiful day, with constant interruptions from passers by. I lost my focus and scraped off this unsatisfactory attempt. I'll try this again another day in the near future. The colors of the willows are spectacular right now.

Getting Ready for Open Studio

I spent Saturday hanging my paintings for Open Studio 2008 at the Sanchez Art Center in Pacifica, CA. Today I labeled my work & met other artists. I'm pleased with my work and location in the EAST WING. I'm hoping for a good turnout with people ready to buy artwork.

I HOPE TO SEE ALL MY FRIENDS THERE!

Near Shamrock Ranch

This afternoon I found this pasture with dramatic shadows, and a bit of light left late in the day. I had to hurry to capture what was left of the sun in this shaded canyon.

SOLD

In the Fog at Rockaway Beach

I painted alone in the fog for some time. Finally a couple Peninsula Outdoor Painters (POPs) joined me at the scheduled paintout. There were about 10 people painting from the north parking area where it was more protected.

I had just enough body heat left to do a second painting after a kind painting colleague gave me a cup of coffee. By the time I looked for the group to have lunch, everyone was finished, had packed up, and was driving away! I never got to see the other work.

Pedro Point Field

This painting was done in two sittings. On the first day, the fog rolled in and stayed for a week. Finally another clear day made it possible to complete this project.

Indian Summer at Pedro Point with POPS

Today 4 POPs painters worked at Pedro Point in the heat. We were so involved in our work that we didn't break for lunch until 1:30!

Indian Summer Harvest Moon Evening

Yesterday hauled my supplies quite a ways down the trail toward Rockaway beach and began painting around 4:30. I painted until it got dark, and quickly packed up my cart as I was getting devoured by mosquitoes. I finished re-working this painting today since what I had painted in the dark wasn't what I had in mind!

Pedro Point on a Wintery Day

This Saturday the wind calmed down so I headed to the beach to see what appealed to me for painting. I decided to painting at Rockaway beach. Today the ocean is full of energy and force, and the wet sand pocked from activity.

Thursday at Pedro Point

Today I returned to Pedro Point to finish my painting started on Tuesday. It's a cool, clear, windy autumn day. Edwin Bertolet of POPS was the only other painter, and we painted together, and discussed our work.

Painting at Pedro Pt. with Peninsula Outdoor Painters (POPS)

This morning was completely fogged in then cleared around 9:30. I began painting at 10, and by noon the fog completely swallowed the view, ending all possibility of continuing. I'll return to finish on another sunny morning.

Painting at Sharp Park Golf Course

Late in the afternoon I headed to Sharp Park to paint outside the golf course. I was joined by a friend, Morning Nichols. We painted until dark.

Painting at this new location brought new challenges of dramatic trees, unnatural golf turf, and dramatic hills, tules, and skies. I learned how difficult it is to successfully compose angular Cypress trees.

Western Rockaway Beach

October 1st, a calm day, had a nice surfing swell and changing skies as a front moved in.

SOLD

Rockaway Beach

This sunny and windy day at Rockaway Beach provided interesting clouds and fog, as well as beautiful colors in the water.

Pedro Point Vistas

This Thursday the weather was a beautiful, constantly moving cycle of changing skies and lighting. This was my first time painting at this site. The beautiful focal points of land, and sky, combined with the everchanging light conditions left me confused, painting without a committed plan. I look forward to working here again, and capturing the magnificent vistas more dramatically

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Villa Maria, Steven's Creek Park

Buckeye trees are a favorite of mine. I love the sweet, fragrant blooms and the foliage which changes into fabulous colors before any other tree in the area. This composition was started at Villa Maria in Steven's Creek Park where I was attacked yellow jackets at the beginning of a promising piece. I urgently fled the park and finished the painting weeks later as a studio project.

Painting at Rockaway Beach

Today the sun decided to come out, and I headed to a new Pacifica locale. I've been reading Duma Key by Stephen King and was more than inspired to see what evolved.

Large Painting for Office

This painting was designed by request for this Pacifica office setting. It's four panels that are 3' x 3' . . . so it spans a full 12' across this long room. It was done in acrylic on canvas.

Another couple days painting

Above: I returned to the Calera Creek location to work on some other ideas I sketched out on site last week.

SOLD

Above is the reworked painting shown below of Lake Lagunitas done Saturday to capture the colors I wanted to get previously. I am much happier with this result of today