Mt Diablo Northern View, plein air

Pure Joy to paint a completely different angle of my favorite subject matter, this is Mount Diablo as painted from Deer Hill Road in Lafayette. I love the swirling movement. The mountain is so gorgeous from this angle that I feel like a mere editor! Burn out was so early this year, that it looks like summer in April. 14 x 14 watercolor on 300 lb arches. Plein Air.

New Camera Test

Old Camera

New Camera

What a difference! I manipulated the top one a lot to get any color in the top of the painting , but the lower part is really too bright. The bottom one is more in balance, but overall paler than the actual piece. It was taken outside in the shade.I need to figure out how to take pictures of my paintings with my new digital camera. It is an Olympus 850, shock proof and waterproof. My old 35 mm had been dropped so many times but kept working until last month. Any suggestions for a complete novice would be helpful. For instance I did not plug my camera into the computer ,I took it to Wolf Camera and had them make prints ( which are great) and a CD.......is this how you do it?

Upcoming Art Events

Green Day, 14 x 21, Watercolor on Arches, Private Collection

Why I have not been posting! Busy prepping for these events. I also broke my ancient 35mm camera and am learning the world of digital photography!

I have an exciting set of events and exhibits coming up this spring and summer.

Carmel Art Festival, May 17 and 18

I am preparing for the 15th Annual Carmel Art Festival and Plein Air Painting Competition. This year artists have a chance to display up to four paintings instead of the usual two, so the selection for collectors will be increased greatly. The festival is May 17 and 18 in Carmel -by- the- Sea and more information is available at carmelartfestival.org. This my 3rd consectutive year of being invited to this event . I will also have work at the Nancy Dodds Gallery during the festival. http://nancydoddsgallery.com/

National Watercolor Society

The National Watercolor Society selected "October Canyon" for it's annual All Members Show at the Viva Gallery in Moorpark Ca.

Statewide Landscape Exhibit "Poems without Words"

Santa Cruz will be a frequent destination this summer as three of my paintings have been juried into "Poems without Words" the SCAL 78th Annual Statewide Exhibit of Contemporary Landscape Painters of California. It was juried by Executive Director of the Irvine Museum and noted Art Historian Jean Stern. On exhibit May 31 to June 29, with a reception on June 7, 3 to 5. More information at SCAL.org

Plein Air Affaire, Santa Cruz MAH

It will be my privilege to take part in a new event, The Second "Plein Air Affaire" with the Museum of Art and History at the McPherson Center, Santa Cruz. After a week of painting in June, plein air paintings will be on exhibt for the weekend of July 12 and 13. A complete schedule of events is at santacruzmah.org.


Studio 7 Gallery and the Garden Gallery

There are ongoing displays of my works at Studio 7 Fine Arts, Pleasanton and The Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay. I am delighted to be represented by these two outstanding galleries. Information about them is at studio7finearts.com and artonmain.com.


Splash 10, National Publication

My painting "Green Day" will be published in North Light Books Biennial Collection of the Best in Watercolor. The publication date of "Splash 10, Passionate Brushstrokes" is set for May 21 and the book is available at Amazon.com now for preordering.

After all of this, I will be grateful for a lull during the dog days of summer. I hope you can join me for one or more of these events.

Acceptance into "Poems without Words Contemporary Landscape Painters of California", Juror, Jean Stern

I am happy to announce I received my acceptance into "Poems Without Words", Contemporary Landscape Painters of California" The 78th Annual Statewide juried exhibit of SCAL. The juror, Jean Stern is Executive Director of the Irvine Museum, which owns the best collection of California Landscape Paintings that I know of. The exhibit runs May 30 to June 29, with a reception on June 7 from 3 to 5. For more information, including a lecture on 100 years of California Landscape Art by Jean Stern on May 29 go to http://www.scal.org/

Two Plein Air California Hill Paintings

Poppy Hill,14 x 14, watercolor en plein air

Spring Hill 14 x 14, watercolor en plein air

We have had a lot of wind and the driest April in years, so these may be the only green ones for this month. The Poppy Hill was painted near Morgan Territory. Spring Hill on Mount Diablo on SouthGate Rd less than 1 mile up. It is now that stage where half the hills are brown and half are gold. And of course ,the poppies are gone.

The Hills are Alive, Plein Air Watercolor

This ridge seemed to swirl with movement from the geology and the new growth of spring time. And yes, the colors were just this bright! Painted during two morning sessions near Morgan Territory and some horses and a very responsible sheep dog who supervised my work both days! 14 x 21.