Windsurfing Paintings Series & Fall Update

September 2020

I painted two fun new water paintings this month. They are available as prints and gifts here. Click on images to order prints or gifts*. Thank you!

Please note that Fine Art America DOES NOT ever tell me who ordered a print from me. It is an anonymous system, so if you do order something and want to let me know you purchased my art, I'd love to hear from you! You can always contact me directly, here.

"Windsurfing into the Wave"

"Windsurfing with Pelicans"

Both images are inspired by my love of windsurfing, which I shared with my only husband. When we separated, I wrote to him to windsurf. "Follow your bliss", basically. I knew he always wanted to surf on the ocean waves. We had windsurfed on a lake for years, and made it onto the San Francisco Bay once together. It was on the route where the ferry boats would pass back and forth into Larkspur, California. We windsurfed across the channel from shore to marsh grasses and back again, sometimes, right infront of the ferry. That was pretty exciting, but far from actually surfing into and over waves.

I have since surfed, SUP'd and sailed, but I have not windsurfed in a while. I definitely miss it! There's really nothing like the feeling of sailing fast while standing up. Someday... but for now, I am enjoying painting scenes of waves and surf in this series as a tribute to my best friend, who acheived his dream of windsurfing on big waves. The color and light in the waves, and the motion of the sport are captured here. I really like how these two images turned out and I plan to continue this series.

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Personal updates... (not all fun, so don't read this if you don't want to hear the bad stuff. Buy a print or piece of art instead, which will definitely support me during this time).

I'm alive. I'm physically not better yet, and there is more on that, below if you care to read that far. I really don't like to talk about it, so I put it all down here in case anyone is wondering. It's not my joy to share my unhappy stuff, but getting it out here at least forces me to be honest and present.

I heard that my sons are each taking two online classes this Fall, and they are all music classes. I'm glad for them, but like all parents with college-aged children, I wish they were able to attend a full-time college and enjoy a truly immersive learning experience and continue to play in live bands rather than have to do all their learning online. 

In just 8 months, there have been 1 million deaths worldwide from Covid. It is a absolute tragedy, and we are still in the midst of this. I created an infographic this week to mark the sad milestone.  Click the image below to learn more about this project. I had been keeping a Google Sheet with some of the worst wars and pandemics to see how Covid compares. I knew we were going to pass 1 million deaths soon, as the rate of deaths in the world is fairly steady, averaging about 5 to 8,000 deaths worldwide per day. Until we have a vaccine, this will not stop. It may lessen due to what we have learned. More people survive because we have some treatments now, but a vaccine is still needed to end the pandemic.

Today, I have been wishing deeply that this year didn't happen. Covid, fires in California, missing my sons very much and having to have major surgery and live in a place I don't want to be. I don't feel great yet. My hip still hurts, even 3 months since the surgery. I'm sitting in a bed, which is soft, and my rear on the side where my hip surgery was hurts. It's a dull ache, that sometimes twinges enough to be a throb. Sitting in the car to drive hurts too. I can't lie on my right side to sleep at all. I can still only lie on my left side, back or stomach. I can't walk properly, with ease or great balance. People who see me walking might not be able to tell how I feel. I feel unstable, like I could fall or slip if suddenly bumped or caught off-guard. I can't run. I can't lift things that are heavy. I feel rather useless compared to my former, physical self. Being an athletic person my entire life, this last year has been absolutely horrific to go through.

I do believe I will acquire more strength eventually and be able to do most of the things I used to be able to do. I wish I had someone in my life to give me a massage when I am aching instead of feeling like I need to take another Advil and ignore it. None of this has been fun, but a few things have really helped me survive this time, and this post is dedicated to those saviors.

1. Technology

My iPhone, my iPad(for painting) and my MacBook. Online tools, like Adobe Creative Suite and other Apps for my iPhone.

All Essential tools that have allowed me to:

• communicate by email and social media
• create and record music (I wrote 11-13 songs during the pandemic so far... but I'm not a professional mixer so I need someone to help me master my ideas. Can't wait to work with others again!)
• tune my guitar, see and view music to play and practice
• paint and edit photos
• share photos with others
• write
• learn new tech skills, like Github and Salesforce
• be entertained and learn via podcasts, online news, film and video: YouTube, Apple TV movies, and livestream concerts like "Farm Aid" (Farmaid.org) , Monterey Jazz Festival, and others have carried me through each day. Sometimes, knowing that a concert event is coming up, even if it is only online, still helps give me something to look forward to. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is coming up too.

2. My Guitar (plus music books, music and musicians)

I never would have made it through the last few years with out my guitar. I have played my guitar every evening for over 3 years. It's kind of like saying bedtime prayers, but singing them or serenading myself into calm. The same feeling of disappearing into something beautiful I had when painting can be replicated when I play guitar. It's magical and the best form of escape from a mad world and cruel people. I can not handle the amount of negativity and cruelty online or in politics. I would rather make music or art and sing, ride my bike, be in nature. The intense sadness and amount of change in the world from this pandemic has really been too much to handle for so many. I know I wouldn't have survived so many days with out my guitar and the hope and peace that music brings. Seeing musicians online, sharing their music and how they feel right now has helped me very much. I want to be a better guitar player and keep learning, so every time I see others playing, it inspires me and makes me want to get better.

3. My Bikes

About a week ago, I finally walked on the beach here. It was fairly empty during the morning, mid-week and I walked with out my hiking pole. It was awkward and painful. I had to stop about every 30 to 50 feet or so and stretch my hip joint. This made me pretty depressed. When I finally got back on my bike, I went for a long ride and felt a lot better. When I bike, my hip does not hurt. When I try to walk, it does. I have been trying to do a combination of walking and cycling, but I wouldn't be as strong or positive as I have been able to be at this time if not for my bikes. The cruiser and my road bike have been an integral part of my physical recovery from hip replacement surgery and my mental health. The cruiser helped me stay upright in an 90 degree angle with out breaking precautions set by the doctor and PT for the first 3 months. I have transitioned back to my road bike now, and am using those different muscles once again. It definitely has been a lot of physical and mental work to rehabilitate my body, even to the point I am at now. Definitely would not be here with out my bikes. When I say this, I mean that I wouldn't want to exist with out these things. I would feel more anxious, angry and unable to exist as a sane human with out these tools to heal my body, soothe and uplift my mind.

4. Books

I have been reading mostly music memoirs and nature memoirs during the pandemic. They are uplifting and educational and also a great escape from the news and stress of healing and living where I don't want to be.

That's about it for now. I hope you all are doing well and stay safe until we have a vaccine, new President, and life returns to better, safer times. I truly believe we will get there because I believe in science and I know today's kids will demand change and create the change they wish to see in the world. We must work with them to get there. Peace, love, music! -Colleen : )

In the Studio Today... New Bike Painting, available

July 22, 2010

"Bike in the Butterfly Garden" 24" x 36", oil on canvas.  Tod's Point, Old Greenwich, Connecticut

My painting of the vintage Columbia bicycle in the Butterfly Garden at Tod's Point (Greenwich Point) in Old Greenwich, Connecticut is now available to purchase and as prints at Fine Art Amercia.  To read more about the location of this image, read my previous post, here.

Please click here to contact me to purchase the painting,

or click here to purchase a print at Fine Art America.

In the Studio Today... Grafitti & Dog Photography

Wonder Dog II, originally uploaded by cproppe.

I spent a warm, January Friday today in Bolinas, CA photographing an old friend and her beautiful dogs. It was a great day, and the dogs had so much fun. Bolinas has very unique and special beaches to visit with your dogs, and kids. Agate Beach boasts the most abundant tidepools, while the surfing beach is full of cool rock formations, mossy rocks, walls with fantastic and colorful grafitti, and surfers you can watch, gently coasting in on the long, low waves. I always stop at Gospel Flat Farmstand on the way out of town. They have amazing produce. Their fresh celery is the tastiest celery I have ever eaten. You can view my set of Bolinas beach photos from today here.

Plein Air Today... Rodeo Beach Paint Out

Sunday, September 7, 2008
I went to meet a new painting friend at Rodeo Beach in Sausalito today. She was painting in the Califoria Art Club SF Bay Area Quarterly Paint Out. I showed up with family in tow around 3pm and painted for a little over an hour. As I was leaving, I saw artist, Christin Coy and several others taking shelter from the wind, painting in the parking lot near the headlands. Here is what I started today. I was hiding behind this pile of wood that doubled as a kid's fort.

In the Studio Today...Inverness Sky; Day #2

Monday, October 1, 2007
"Inverness Sky" 24"x 36" o/c
Day two on this large painting of Inverness and the old Pt. Reyes boat.

In the Studio Today... Inverness Sky #1

Friday, September 28, 2007
"Inverness Sky" 24" x 36" o/c
I started blocking out the colors and shapes in this painting today. I did another painting of this boat this spring for my show at the Two Bird Cafe, but that painting was a close up of the boat. This one is much more of a landscape that happens to have the boat as one of it's elements.

In the Studio Today... Todd's Point; Session #3

Thursday, May 31, 2007
"Sunset at Todd's Point" Old Greenwich, CT
16" x 20" w/natural wood, canvas floater frame
Created for a 2 year installation of Greenwich High School, alumni art students over the past 50 years. Will be on display in downtown Greenwich, CT.

In the Studio Today... Limantour Kite; Session #2

Thursday, May 3, 2007
"The Dragon Kite" Limantour Beach, Pt. Reyes 6" x 6"
This is the second session on this little canvas, adding the subject to the beach scene.

In the Studio Today... Heart's Desire; Session #3

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

I added details today on this little 6" x 6" painting. This is the natural wood frame I have purchased for all my 6" x 6" paintings. It adds some depth and width to the tiny canvas and goes well with the yellows in both the beach scenes. Now I will move on to work on the waves and the man flying his kite on Limantour beach, below...

In the Studio Today... Heart's Desire Beach; Session #2

Tuesday, May 1, 2007
I added some of the figures into this little painting that I started this morning.

In the Studio Today... Session #1

Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Two, tiny, 6" x 6" canvases... You can see I am just starting to rough out the background colors today. These will be beach scenes from Pt. Reyes: One is a close up of two mothers and their single children at Heart's Desire beach, with a seagull flying in the foreground, and sailboats in the background...the second painting will be of Limantour Beach; the ocean with a man flying his dragon kite before a breaking wave...

In the Studio Today.. Heart's Desire Beach; Session #3

Tuesday, April 24, 2007
About 2 hours outside today, working on the beach foreground, sand, and a mother and child, walking hand in hand. I love how painting sand and water, you can continually change the look by layering more colors and strokes and it never looks "wrong", it just keeps changing as you progress. One thing I try to remember when I am painting is to never be afraid to add more paint, more colors, a new texture. This was drilled into me by a drawing teacher in college who kept telling me that sketches were never something to save, but practice work. So, it forced you to go for movement, and try to capture things quickly and with out perseverating on details. When I paint sand and water, I often think of Harriet Matthews, telling me not to feel any one spot of my painting is sacred. Things can always be changed and made to feel loose and fresh if you keep the attitude of a quick sketch in mind. Detailed views of "Heart's Desire Beach" below (Click to enlarge):

In the Studio Today.. Heart's Desire Beach; Session #2

Thursday, April 19, 2007
I had just an hour today to block out where the boats are, and add detail to the cliffs. This painting will become a collage of 3 or more photos I took at Heart's Desire Beach, Pt. Reyes National Seashore, in the summer of 2005. The people on the beach will be from separate photos, and I may add a bird flying into the forground from a third image.

In the Studio Today... Heart's Desire Beach; Session #1

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Today I started a new painting of Heart's Desire Beach. The canvas is 24" x 30". The scene involves several sailboats beached on the shore before the trees, some people walking on the beach, and the buckets and seagull in the foreground. It should be a fairly detailed painting that focuses on the boats and characters in the scene when it is finished.

In the Studio Today... Inverness Boat; Session #4

Friday, March 30, 2007

Final session on the "Inverness Grocery Boat". I have decided to leave out the writing on the boat that says, "Pt. Reyes". I think most people who see this will know where it is from. The biggest additions today have been the left side of the painting: I worked on the "right" side of the boat's bow, which was a previous swatch of yellow paint, and the grasses below this section of the boat are more detailed today.

In the Studio... Inverness Boat; Session #3

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

This is actually a session from last Friday. Today, I spent my painting time doing yard work, so I am going to have to wait until Thursday to paint again. Although this painting is not quite finished, I am going to start a new painting on Thursday and Friday, and take a break from adding details to the boat. I have been wanting to paint a large landscape of Heart's Desire Beach, and I will start that one this week.

In the Studio Today... Inverness Boat; Session #2

Monday, March 19, 2007

Another hour or so of detail today, especially focusing on the sand. A couple areas of the sky I see I do not like, but will work on.

In the Studio Today... Inverness Boat; Session #1

Friday, March 16, 2007

"The Old Boat at Inverness Grocery I"
An icon as you enter West Marin towards Pt. Reyes
30" x 30"
I love this boat. I'm sure I will paint it a hundred times or more and enjoy it every time. There are so many colors in the shadows, and reflections in the water surrounding the scene. This is after the first hour of painting, blocking in the colors.

In the Studio Today... Black Mt. Black Dog; Session #4

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

"Black Mountain, Black Dog, Sunset" Inverness, CA
18" x 24"
I added the dog today, and played on the sand and in the water... Mountains grew pinker in the sunset. Water took on the light of the sunset. I enjoy painting water, and I look forward to working on more bayscapes soon. I was looking at a painting of boats on the water today by American Impressionist painter, Frank Weston Benson (1862-1951). His painting, "Calm Morning"
is at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. I would someday like to be able to capture the light on the water and on the subjects upon the water as he has in "Calm Morning". The figures and boats in his painting are truly glowing against the blue sea.

In the Studio Today... Black Mt. Black Dog; Session #3

Monday, February 26, 2007

Another very short session today- about 1 hour. I added the sailboat, and more details in the shadows of the mountains.