Monarch of Carmel Valley in California Art Club "Golden State Splendor" exhibit at the Santa Paula Art Museum July 15 to Nov 5

Monarch of Carmel Valley, 16 x 20  plein air
This was just painted this past May during the Carmel Art Festival.  I love this hill in upper Carmel Valley.  It is about 20 minutes beyond Carmel Valley Village and the drive to it is through some exquisite Oaklands, stands of Sycamores and horse ranches. I feel the tension leave my neck and back as I pull out here along Carmel Valley Rd. Often painting in absolute silence.

The title is cribbed from Hanson Puthuff who titled a painting "Monarch of Malibu".  If I can paint the hills of California half as well as he did I will be happy.
 I chose the title for this piece because this hill feels so majestic.
It is truly my vision of splendor!

California Art Club
Golden State Splendor
Santa Paula Art Museum
July 15 to Nov 5

Reception Sat July 15 4 to 6 pm.

Yellowstone, Lower Falls in LPAPA "Salute our National Parks" Exhibit, July 3 to 31st.

Yellowstone, Lower Falls 16 x 21 Studio Watercolor
This painting has been juried into the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association " Salute Our National Parks" exhibit, July 3 to July 31, 2017 at the Forest and Ocean Gallery 480 Ocean Ave, Laguna Beach CA.
I need to thank my parents for being intrepid travelers and my Dad who has an artist's eye for the source material. I don't recall ever painting a waterfall and it was a great one to paint.

Nice mention in Plein Air Magazine July 2017 Barns Portfolio

Plein Air Magazine recently featured a portfolio of barn paintings and included my painting "Sunny Day Petaluma", one of only a handful of barn paintings I have painted. In this one the adorable tractor caught my eye.

Here is a larger photo so you can see it.

Going Softly to Gold Plein Air Watercolor painted on Mount Diablo

Going Softly to Gold 14 x 14

I took advantage of an afternoon with no wind and continued my exploration of the scenery on Northgate Road on Mount Diablo. This meadow had the barest tone of green under the grasses going to gold that made interesting patterns..

Seven Layers of Spring, painted on Mount Diablo

Seven Layers of Spring

The dark pine-covered ridge was the perfect foil for the early spring oaks and poppies.
This was painted on Mount Diablo on Northgate Road looking down from the poppy meadow and across to the western ridges of the peninsula. there's not enough elevation to see it , but the San Francisco Bay is in between the last two ridges.

Diablo Ranch

Diablo Ranch 12 x 16

Painted east of Mount Diablo during the spring burnout when the bare hills are interesting to paint.
Plein Air Watercolor