"Lone Lemon Tree by the Big Rock",
Easel out on the hill just before the sun went behind the hills. Plein air for 2 hours during an Art on the Farm painting group session. I will add more details to pop out the lemon tree and the rock with lichen in the forground.
"Before the Spring Plow", Yellow Mustard fields at Paradise Produce, Bolinas, CA 11" x 14" o/c.
Photo of me painting today, by Deni Wetsel. Deni is one of the organizers of this year's Art on the Farm show, in which 25 plein air artists will visit several Marin Organic farms to paint, with a portion of the proceeds of a Fall show going to Marin Organic.
"Nicasio Fence Post with Orange Lichen"... or the longer title would be:
Tiburon from Angel Island 16" x 20" Second day working on this painting, which I started plein air on Angel Island this Sunday.
Tiburon and Mt. Tam from Angel Island 16" x 20" o/c
"Cyclist at Old St. Hilary's" 16" x 20" Started yesterday as a plein air painting in Tiburon, CA. Added final details in the studio today, especially around the church windows.
"Cyclist at Old St. Hilary's" Tiburon, CA o/c 16" x 20"
Old St. Hilary's Church, Tiburon, CA 16" x 20" Day 1 of plein air work, blocking in the colors. The fog started to roll in at about 1pm, and it was warm and sunny with no wind. Great views of San Francisco and sailboats coming about from this special spot.
"Nicasio Fence" 5 feet x 3 feet, o/c.
5 feet x 3 feet canvas, "Nicasio Fence". This is the start of a huge painting for my show at the Tiburon Library in March. The Founder's Room is large, with vaulted ceiling, and great light. It is rare to have the opportunity to show a huge painting, almost mural size, and I really wanted to force myself to do this for the challenge. So, here we go... I started blocking out the colors and shapes in this today. The fence itself is weathered and covered with colored lichen and rusted, barbed wire. It will be a great foreground subject in front of the rolling hills.
and, for future reference, a plein air checklist...
My show is officially up and running at the San Anselmo Inn. I want to thank Karlyn Good for her assistance in hanging my show, and Julie and Peter McNair for hosting the show at their lovely establishment in the Tea Room. Julie has offered to serve a cup of tea and a pastry to those who drop in to see the paintings. Please call ahead at 455-5366, if you are dropping in for tea. You may also make a reservation for their Sunday Afternoon Tea, which includes sandwiches, scones, and live music. Finally, we are planning an evening reception, the second weekend in February; Friday, February 8th, 6-8pm. Please save the date if you would like to join me for the artist's reception at the Inn for wine and hors d'oeuvres. 
I'm preparing to hang this month's show at the San Anselmo Inn, a week from tomorrow, Friday, January 11th. Please stop by in January or February to see my paintings. No need to be staying at the Inn to view the paintings... You can visit their French Wine Bar, Wednesday through Saturdays, from 4-9pm, or drop in for Sunday afernoon tea, sandwiches, scones and live music,3-5:30pm. Click here for tea reservations.
Happy Holidays, Everyone! I am taking a break from painting to be with my family for a couple weeks, and wanted to share some snowflake Kirigami we made at a tree toast this month, and some "how to" information, so you too can have fun making some snowflakes this winter! Here is a page from a booklet I have from a kirigami kit (great holiday gift for all ages, btw... the kit is called, "Unfold the Secrets of Kirigami, by AITOH). Order kit online at Dick Blick Art Store...
And... for some even more advanced patterns, here are a few additional links for inspiration:
Still working on this commission... I decided to paint the sides "black", although, no black was used in the painting of this painting. I still mix my own "blacks" from phalo blue, alizarin crimson, burnt umber and other combinations... Still not perfectly happy with the band member faces, but I hope they are close enough to be acceptable. Scroll down to see the work in progress... Once again, it's the back side of the cd/album insert for the Black Crows, "A Southern Harmony & Musical Companion" done in oil on a 24" x 24" canvas.
Okay, I am frustrated on this painting...I am having a horrible time doing the faces/portrait part of this. I have reworked many of the faces way to many times, and I feel that they will never quite look like the actual people. I realize now why I love landscapes so much... they are more forgiving to paint- if an angle is a bit off, no one really knows.
Commission from album cover: The Black Crows, "Southern Harmony & Musical Companion". 24" x 24". I added more details in faces and on clothing, in the background as well. I do not draw on my canvas first, nor do I project, so I paint like a sculptor, and just keep carving out changes until I think it looks close enough to the original with out looking too much like a photo. I like to leave brushstrokes loose in the background, so it looks like a painting. See previous 2 sessions below.
I added more details today, including starting in on the faces of the band members. This is a commissioned painting, 24" x 24", of a cd/album booklet photo from the Black Crow's, "A Southern Harmony & Musical Companion".
This is the start of a commissioned painting of the back side of a cd/album; a photo of the band members of the Black Crows. The album is called "The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion". I am reproducing it on a thick canvas, 24" x 24". Yes, I do commissions of all types! Stay tuned to see how this turns out over the next couple weeks.
It was my great pleasure to attend the Wendy Gruber Auction last night at the Mill Valley Community Center. Rick Klein, Wendy's husband, presented me with the first Wendy Gruber Career Development grant. I also met some very renowned Marin artists that I have admired for some time, including Chris Adessa, and Kay Carlson. I look forward to using the funds to frame my work for my next shows in Marin County, at the San Anselmo Inn and the Tiburon Library. I will also purchase a backpacker easel, additional supplies for painting plein air, and promotional postcards to advertise my shows. Thank you, Marin Arts Council and the friends and family of Wendy Gruber.
It is with great pleasure, and humble gratitude that I wish to thank the Marin Arts Council and the Wendy Gruber Foundation for honoring me this year with the Wendy Gruber Award; a grant for career development in the arts. Although I did not know Wendy, she was an award winning, beautiful and young, plein air artist who lost her battle with Leukemia just last year. Wendy wrote, "I want the grasses I paint to keep blowing after the piece is finished". I am honored to be able to keep blowing the grasses with Wendy in spirit.
"Mt. Tam, from Corte Madera Creek" 16" x 20"
"Inverness Sky" 24"x 36" o/c
"Inverness Sky" 24" x 36" o/c
i love to paint landscapes, and if the preservation of a place or time somewhere makes someone happy, this is simple enough of a reason for why i do what i do... but there is a wave in the art and science world, a growth of artists and those concerned about our changing environment, and they are creating art that challenges, questions, reflects and educates on global warming and science. i often wonder if i should be challenging myself more in my painting, and attempting to join this troop of educators and thinkers... but most days, i just enjoy being able to preserve a moment in time on canvas that i know someone will appreciate, and may be a sense of joy, healing or calming in their life... i imagine it is hard to sell art that speaks of things that worry us and concern us, yet this is the great art that ends up in the museum of modern art, that draws crowds; a spectacle of something new and different that challenges your mind.
Now Available... Set of 4 Cycling themed notecards, printed professionally on matte cardstock. $10. per set. I will have some for sale at the Sausalito Artwalk, October 10, 5:30-8:30pm, or order online.
New Postcards Available, announcing my upcoming shows. FREE! Email me if you would like me to mail you some.
Inside of new postcard, with room to write and send...
"Big Red waits patiently for next Sausalito Cruise" 12" x 24" o/c
"Big Red waits patiently for next Sausalito Cruise" 12" x 24" o/c
(2/2007 on Caledonia St.-1st Stage of the Tour of California -C.Proppé)
While Kate viewed a live, watercolor demonstration, I was able to do a quick sketch with some big, chalk pastels on one of the easels left out for anyone to "Have fun!" and sketch. I didn't notice too many people taking advantage of this free easel time, so I jumped right in! My little sketch was very quick, but I had fun.
Watercolor artist, Kate Peper and I were granted a month from the Juried Art selection team at the Belvedere-Tiburon Library. We will be having a show together in March 2008. Our reception will be 5-7pm on March 11, 2008. Stay tuned!
Mt. Tamalpais from the Watershed above Fairfax, CA 11" x 14" o/c
Plein Air from my old stomping grounds up in the Mt. Tam Watershed... Secret Location... if I reveal it, I'll have to kill you... sorry. Visted this evening with my oldest friend from the Bay Area, Christine Johnson, and my dogs. Quest, now 14 years old, was absolutely delighted to be back on these trails. The spot hasn't changed in seven years, once again, nature reminding me to look at "The Big Picture".
