Verdant Morning

 

Verdant Morning 9 x 12 watercolor on paper .

I still love to paint the  greenest California Hills in Spring.

Surfing Madonna Save the Oceans 2024

 

Pleased to have “Neap Tide” in the Surfing Madonna exhibit at the Front Porch Gallery in Carlsbad.

Neap Tide was painted at San Onofre state park. The Ocean is very shallow there and the waves are small and have a linear quality to them that fit the 8 x 16 format well.

I love love the color they painted the wall at the gallery.

The Surfing Madonna organization is one I admire because of the commitment to the Ocean Environment, Providing support to artists and poets and holding Surf camps for surfers with special needs.

Opening reception Sunday Jan 21 12 to 2 

3rd Annual LPAPA Signature Showcase

 

Here are my two painting on exhibit:

Top of the Ridge 

Pleated Ridge 

Top of the Ridge is a  tribute to the green landscapes of William Wendt. Pleated Ridge is a favorite because the palette of colors in afternoon light on the desert ridge is so distinctive. No green at all in this painting!

Exhibit info 

3rd Annual LPAPA Signature Showcase

Jan 4 to March 4

LPAPA gallery 414 N Coast Hwy Laguna beach 

Open Thurs to Monday 11 to 5

949 376 3635

Top nine paintings for 2023

 Thought I would share the top Nine from Instagram here.

Most are rectangular but this crops them all into squares  

Some work better than others as squares

Torrey Pines Greens

 Torrey Pines Greens 9 x 12 Plein air watercolor

Here’s the earlier stage:

I simplified the shapes on the slope because I thought they were too similar in size and shape.

Whispering Palms

 Whispering Palms 5x7 . Watercolor is perfect for capturing a misty sunset.

"Topiary Twirl" Juried into 11th Annual Signature American Watermedia International Exhibit at the Fallbrook Art Center

"Topiary Twirl" 16 x 21 watercolor on paper

From the acceptance letter:

Dear Robin: 

Congratulations!   

Mark Mehaffey, AWS(DF), NWS, WHS, TWSA, WW, RMWS, LWS, ISEA, ISAP, juror for the 11^th Annual International Signature American Watermedia Exhibition, has selected your painting:  ‘Topiary Twirl’ for the 2020 show.

Exhibit Information:

 Opening and Awards Sat Feb 8 2020 5 to 7 pm
Feb 9 to April 19
Fallbrook Art Center
103 South Main
Fallbrook Ca 92028
760 728 1414

"Laguna Inlet" Juried into "The Golden State" California Art Club Exhibit at the Old Mill

"Laguna Inlet" 12 x 16

Painted  en Plein Air in Heisler Park on a misty morning in Laguna Beach

Exhibit Information:

EXHIBITION DATES:

January 14 – May 17, 2020

LOCATION:

CAC Gallery at The Old Mill

1120 Old Mill Road

San Marino, CA 91108

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

Study from Santa Cruz, Winter Sky over Santa Cruz

Winter Sky over Santa Cruz
I did this the same trip as Cypress Hush, intending it to be a learning experience, winter light and clouds are not my forte. I like it as a plein air piece trying to get the light right with careful attention to value and color.

"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.

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.

"Bay Light", plein air watercolor 11 x 14

Bay Light 11 x 14. Plein Air Watercolor

This was painted on South Gate Rd on Mount Diablo, just down from junction. As I' ve been looking inland as I paint the After the Fire Series, when I turn to go home at about 4 pm and see this wonderful view of the late afternoon light reflecting off San Francisco Bay. It is interesting painting the late afternoon light as it changes quickly. Painted in about an hour.

Final Paintings and Sale Sonoma Plein Air Art Event 2014

Clouds Over Cabernet 6 x 6 Sold

George Ranch Oaks 6 x 6

After the Mount Diablo Fire Series, "After the Fire III" and " After the Fire IV"

 After the Fire III  Plein Air watercolor 16 x 20

After the Fire IV Plein Air Watercolor 16 x20

Here are two more paintings showing the changes on Mount Diablo  in the first year after the 2013 fire. Despite the drought  there is green vegetation returning in the bald areas left after the fire. As the season prgoesses I am trveling further up into the burn zone to see the plants against the bare earth.

"Summer Hill, Upper Valley" and "Luminous Meadow" in 103rd California Art Club Gold Medal Annual Juried Exhibition and Sale

 

 Summer Hill,Upper Valley 18 x 24

 

 Lumimous Meadow 14 x 21

 

103rd Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition
March 30 – April 20, 2014

 Here the paintings are framed:

Autry National Center website
4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027

ARTISTS’ GALA RECEPTION: Saturday, March 29, 6-9 p.m.
Art enthusiasts can meet the exhibiting artists at this preview reception to be held the evening before the exhibition opens to the public. A highlight of the evening is the awards ceremony, at which “Best of Show” honors will be announced.
For more information: http://www.californiaartclub.org/exhibitions/annual-gold-medal-juried-exhibition/

I entered these because they represented what I think are my best paintings from the last year.
Summer Hill,Upper Valley is a monumental hill whose panormic view needed to be big, I've been painting 18" x 24" recently.
"Luminous Meadow" is from my coastal  atmosphere series of paintings from last summer  and represents a much softer range of values. As this was being painted the fog lifted and the warm colors made this a successful painting.

Moon Dancer 12 x 14 California Landscape Painting in Watercolor

Moon Dancer 12 x 14 watercolor

Somehow the subtle taupe-y purples of the dry hills this winter look better at twilight. This enormous eucalyptus is on a ranch just east of Danville California where I live. Started Plein Air and finished in the studio.