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15th Annual Signature Watermedia International Exhibit Fallbrook Art Center

The 15th Annual Signature Watermedia International Exhibition opens this weekend (Mar 16-Apr.14) at THE Fallbrook Art Center. This prestigio...

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

A Quieter side of California: "Cypress Hush"

Cypress Hush 9 x 14

This was painted during a quick trip last weekend to Santa Cruz, at Lighthouse State Beach in the fog, then rain. On trips like these, I like to push myself to try new subjects,  and new ways of seeing and painting. The challenge here was to be very careful of the values and the quietness of the colors without being dreary. I am happy with the mood  in this one, a far cry from the colorful brocade of Mount Diablo's slopes

Monday, November 28, 2016

Headlands' Shadow in Holiday Treasures at the Debra Huse Gallery, Balboa Island


Headlands' Shadow 6 x 6 watercolor on paper

This exhibit is  both an invitational and national juried exhibit in Southern California in one of the most beautiful galleries. I am excited to be included with these Master Artists!

The invited artists are:


Zufar Bikbov, Kevin Courter, Gil Dellinger, Karl Dempwolf, Kathleen Dunphy, Aimee Erickson, Debra Huse,
Peggi Kroll-Roberts, Michael Obermeyer, Colin Page,
Camille Przewodek, 
Lori Putnam & Randall Sexton


The exhibit opens Friday, December 2.
For more information, please visit
 http://www.debrahusegallery.com/

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Headlands' Haze in Randy Higbee Gallery 6" Squared Exhibition and Sale December 3 to 23 2016



Headlands Haze 6 x 6 Watercolor on paper

Randy Higbee Gallery Presents
6" SQUARED EXHIBITION AND SALE 

GALA ARTISTS RECEPTION 


SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3RD, 2016
6:00 PM TO 9:00 PM 


102 Kalmus Dr 
Costa Mesa CA

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

"Looking North" and "Summit from Curry Point " in Exhibition Curated by Jean Stern for the LPAPA Signature Members.



Looking North 16 x 20


Summit from Curry Point 18 x 24

Signature Membership in the Laguna Plein air Painters Association is a challenge to achieve and I am happy to be a part of this organization with strong ties to the plein air tradition in California.

This is a curated exhibit of paintings from within the ranks of the Signature Members.
By my count 44 of the 60 + artists were chosen to exhibit.

Worth mentioning, this organization has close ties to the Irvine Museum Executive Director, Mr Jean Stern and he selected these works. There are 16 Women Artists included, a higher proportion than usual.

Cindy Baron, Brenda Bolyan, Cynthia Briain,
Hiu Lai Chong,Debra Joy Groesser, Carolyn Hesse Low,
Jane Hunt, Debra Huse, Lisa McDill, Rita Pacheco,
Camille Prezwodek, Robin Purcell,Lori Putnam,
 April Raber, Elizabeth Tolley, Kim Vander Hoek

Exhibit Information

Signature Impressions
Huntington Beach Art Center
538 Main Street

Opening Reception Sat November 19
6 to 9 pm

Exhibit runs until December 17.
The exhibit can be viewed online here

https://onlinejuriedshows.com/ClosedShowThumbs.aspx?OJSID=8700



Monday, October 31, 2016

Small Paintings of the California Coast

Headlands Haze 6 x 6


Headlands Shadow 6 x 6

Some practice with Coastal Haze and brilliant light.

October Gold 6 x 6

Pacific Idyll 6 x 6

Some tree practice.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

"Ojai View" and "Hollister Peak" in California Art Club's The Plein Air Perspective at Millard Sheets Art Center, Pomona


Ojai View 9 x 12



Hollister Peak August 14 x 14




Through January 28th



I entered this exhibit because Millard Sheets was a powerful force in all that is watercolor in California.
 I did a little research on him and found out  he started exhibiting with the California Watercolor Society at 15! Usually I think that artists starting this young have artists for parents, but that's not the case. He was raised on a horse ranch by grandparents who gave him his first art lesson at 7 and he had two aunts who encouraged his artistic talents. I wonder if either one of them was an artist?Millard seems to have been one of the focused ones who chose a path early in life and stuck with it.

Exhibit information

California Art Club "The Plein Air Perspective"
Millard Sheets Art Center
Pomona CA

November 5 to January 28
Reception November 5 , 5 to 7 pm


Update;

I thought you would like  to see the different frame I used on this one

It is Randy Higbee's Taos grey frame, I have seen it at the Sonoma Plein Air and thought I would give it a try.



Tuesday, September 27, 2016

"Just Below Junction" on Exhibit with American Women Artists National Juried Exhibition at the Bennington Center for the Arts



Just Below Junction 21 x 21 Watercolor on paper.

Honored to be a part of this exhibition at the Bennington Center for the Arts through November 13th.


Monday, September 26, 2016

Mendocino Open Paint Out, final 3 paintings

Morning Visitor's 9 x 12

Redwood Tapestry 12 x 12

Zacha View 7 x 8

What a great event, wonderful artists, caring volunteers, unbelievable scenery and the dedication of John Hewitt, who has built this into a not to be missed event in 4 short years, so glad I got to go!

Mendocino Open Paint Out 3 Paintings

Morning Glow 11 x 14

Across 9 x 12

Big River Afternoon 12 x 12

Mendocino Open Paint Out 1st 3 Paintings

Afternoon Arch 9 x 12

Morning on Main 9 x 12

Looking South 10 x 16

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Mendocino Open Paint Out, Featured Artist

Busy packing for this event.

Join us for the 4th Annual
Mendocino Open Paint Out
A Plein Air Festival
on Northern California's
Beautiful Mendocino Coast

September 19–25, 2016All events are free and open to the public

Here are  the details

http://www.mendocinoartcenter.org/pleinair

I am hoping my recent painting trips to Bodega Bay and Morro Bay serve me well!




Sunday, September 11, 2016

Sonoma Plein Air Art Festival 2016 Day 1 Paintings


Mount Tam Morning 11 x 14


Old Lakeville Barn 12 x 12



Petaluma Afternoon 9 x 12

I'll post all the paintings, then do a write up on this event later.

Saturday, September 3, 2016

14th Sonoma Plein Air, September 5 to 10th

I am busy packing up for the 14th Annual Sonoma Plein Air Event.
 This is one of the two high points of my art year (the other being the California Art Club Gold Medal exhibit)
The foundation has donated OVER a million dollars for art education in Sonoma County schools, so it's a great cause in a beautiful location. I am always honored to be included.

The sale is one day, in the Sonoma Plaza, 10 to 4 Saturday September 10th
Here is a link to the web site for more details.
Sonoma Plein Air

Here are a few of my favorites from last year's event:


Burndale Morning, painted during the 13th Sonoma Plein Air
, sold at the 105th CAC Gold Medal Exhibit
I caught the transitory light and colors of fog burning off.


 

Tomales Drizzle ,sold at the 13th Sonoma Plein Air Event

The challenge of painting in the rain! I had to distill the scene down to it's essence, one of those paintings where every stroke contributed to the painting, not one extra thing included.

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Central Coast Paintings from August


Near San Simeon 9 x 12 plein air watercolor


Montana de Oro 9 x 12 plein air watercolor


Hollister Peak August 14 x 14 plein air watercolor


Western Vista, Bayside Cafe 12 x 12

With the goal of learning more about painting at the coast I painted small so I could try different subjects. Where I live there is sunshine 300 days a year, so ways of working, seeing and thinking have to be adjusted.

I learned there has to be some break in the fog for me to see enough of the scene to paint it. If it's too dark I can't see the shapes and color patches I need.
I learned to paint the ocean first, since it is new to me and constantly changing. I stared at the changing shapes, memorized the ones I thought would work and painted from short term visual memory. In Near San Simeon, the contrast between the value of the ocean's surface and the dark rocks caught my attention. I paid careful attention to how light the ocean was, a silver, not a blue.

In Montana De Oro the composing challenge was how far I could push the cliff to the left so it was a supporting player to the Pacific. I almost treated the ocean like a sky in this one.

Inland,  I  had to stop and paint  Hollister Peak, I wanted to paint it in the morning light but the top stayed covered by fog in the mornings so this is the afternoon shadow side.

Just south of Moro Bay is the estuary, with a great restaurant, the Bayside Cafe, I painted there, then treated myself to their California Clam Chowder, clam chowder plus green chile soup Highly recommend!

Four studies in three days and I still had time to walk the beach, wade in the waves, see the elephant seals, zebras, otters and the night herons.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Winter's Light, La Jolla Shores is in "A Walk in the Park" Exhibit opening reception today

"Winter's Light La Jolla Shores" as it appears in the gallery. I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek today. I hope to see you tonight.
The reception is 5 to 7 pm today at the Town of Danville Village Theater Art Gallery.

Friday, July 22, 2016

"Ojai Study"

"Ojai Study" was painted in the parking lot of a stable with a manure truck next to me!
Fortunately the wind was in my favor.
Watercolor, 9 x 12 one hour. Plein Air

The heat let me work very quickly as the paint dried almost immediately.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Poppy Paintings

Poppy Meadow 14 x 14
















Windy Day Poppies 24 x 18

These were painted a while ago, just getting around to posting. Available The Fairmont Gallery, Sonoma CA

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Save Mt Diablo's Moonlight on the Mountain, donations


Save Mount Diablo's fundraiser isn't for months, but I just got these two framed and ready to donate to the auction. Both are 8 x 8 framed prints of two of my recent paintings of Mount Diablo.

Left is "Just below Junction
, right is "Summit from Curry Point."

Here's a link to the event. http://www.savemountdiablo.org/activities_events_moonlt.html

And here are the paintings not behind the glare of glass:



Thursday, June 9, 2016

Stormy Asilomar, plein air watercolor


Stormy Asilomar. Plein Air watercolor

A different subject for me, painted this spring at Asilomar.

It was interesting and challenging to paint rocks and waves .

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

"Reflections in Water " Reception California Art Club Exhibit at St Mary's College Museum of Art

 Looking North, Malibu
 Joan Young and Marian Fortunati  paintings
 Watercolor Painters are well represented, left to right Carolyn Lord, Barbara Tapp, Robin Purcell and Michael Reardon
 Santa Cruz Swirls and Mark Fehlman's painting

Paul Kratter, Katherine Fasciato, Robin Purcell paintings

'A small selection of the sixty paintings on exhibit until August 28th. I plan on going back, so let me know if you'd like to go to Moraga!