Mount Diablo Summer Evening

Diablo Summer Evening 14 X14

Painted from the westside of Danville at the top of Love Lane. The light is fun to play with at this time of day, with lots of opportunities to push the darks and emphasize and simplify the lovely irregular shapes . Diablo always reminds me of calligraphy and supplies plenty of light/dark contrast and movement. I used a lot of alizarin crimson and pthalo blue on the dark green areas.

Plein Air Painters of America Paintout in Stockton

I was lucky enough to attend part of the opening weekend at the PAPA exhibit at the Haggin Museum Exhibit in Stockton. My daughter actually had a sporting event just down the road. I went to the Saturday morning paint out at a winery called Jessie's Grove in Lodi. I didn't even bring my painting gear, so I was able to just be a sponge. The painters showed their skill and experience. It was pretty flat, so most did architectural/ farm machines or close ups of the vineyard and paths around the property. The paintings were dazzling in their technique. I emotionally connected with a pastel by Glenna Hartmann. It was a luminous corner of the vineyard with a deep red rose bush and two morning haze trees in the distance. It makes me feel as if I am on a wonderful vacation in the wine country even now, a week later. Glenna's web site is http://www.glennahartmann.com/

The other painters I remember were the ones who produced lovely paintings while giving a lecture at the same time. Don Demers was practically a stand-up comedian. Gil Dellinger
was very generous with sharing his techniques. Kevin Mc Pherson had a large crowd around him the whole time for the same reason. I finally ordered his landscape painting book when I got home.

I also spoke briefly with Jean Stern, Executive Director of the Irvine Museum. I had "California Impressionism" with me in the car, which, by the way he has an essay in. I also met Ivan Moore, a reporter with the Stockton Record and told him why I loved Glenna's painting.

The only disappointment was that Raleigh Kinney, the only watercolor artist in the exhibit was not at the paintout. He does watercolors that don't need plexiglass in the framing process and I really wanted to see him at work. Raleigh was gracious to respond to my email about this event. He was in Sedona at the 3rd Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival, held at the same time, where he won the Sponsor's Award!...sometimes I think there are way too many plein air events out there!

Sunday, we got to the brunch and sale late. I had on more of a business hat. There were many paintings sold before I got there, but I walked around checking framing, prices and signature styles.

The painters also have a companion exhibit at the Haggin Museum through January 6. I hope to get back to see the exhibit. The museum's web site is http://www.hagginmuseum.org/ The PAPAs are at http://www.p-a-p-a.com/ The Sedona site is http://www.sedonapleinairfestival.com/

Sonoma plein air, last paintings

Sonoma Evening 11X 14
Petaluma Drizzle 11 X 14

I had two paintings I started but did not finish at the Sonoma Plein Air event in September. Both are better than they were, but not anything special. I usually wouldn't paint in a drizzle, but I was trying to do what was suggested and paint in Petaluma on a gray day. I may go back and darken the middle ridge so that the farthest ridge feels more distant. Sonoma Evening is more successful, it has more sparkle, but I usually don't paint in the evenings , so some of the values look off. I am glad I tried different things and am glad I had a better painting day on thursday, these are both from the wednesday when I felt stressed because the weather was bad.

Watercolor Magic Magazine, "Ones to Watch" Feature

October Canyon, 21 X 14 For purchase inquiries, contact the Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay at http://artonmain.com

Below is the entry from Watercolor Magics Blog about the article they just published highlighting 10 emerging artists nationally. It is the December Issue and should be available now.

Announcing the 2007 Ones to WatchPosted by jessica

Having just received a phone call from one of the artists featured in our December issue—a “One to Watch,” no less—I’m reminded that we haven’t yet announced the artists here. As in the past, we asked the country’s most popular watercolor instructors and competition jurors (back in March) to nominate those artists whose work was turning heads. We then contacted the nominees, asking them to submit images for consideration in the piece, and a month or so later we spent an entire day poring over the submissions. The WCM staff picked our 10 favorites, and voilà: the Ones to Watch.

Congratulations to the 2007 artists:Sally H. LambrechtPeggy Morgan StenmarkSuzann MarchinJoyce “Kate” Stratton Nancy Crawford Jaimie Cordero Robin Purcell (her painting, October Canyon (watercolor on paper, 21x14), is pictured)Zhong-Sheng Hao Al Albrektson Carol Frye

Learn what caught the nominating instructors and competition jurors’ eye by clicking here. (The December issue is now on its way out to subscribers, and will be on newsstands in mid-October; non-subscribers can order by clicking here.)

I copied the entry, so I don't know if the links work. A link is at http://www.watercolormagic.com/blog/

Here are the comments by the Artist who nominated me.

Carolyn Lord is one of my favorite artists. Her paintings have wonderful design and they inspire me, so I am thrilled she likes my work.

Robin Purcell (Danville, California) “What impresses me about Robin’s work is that within the narrow scope of her chosen subject she develops the full range of compositional possibilities. She’s able to express the quality of light and the colors of the seasonal landscape into her seemingly casual puddles of color.” —Carolyn Lord