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

Pacific Swirls

Pacific Swirls 14 x 11 watercolor

If you are familiar with my work you know I gravitate towards painting panoramas , particularly mountains and canyons. I started this work last summer and probably should have documented it's tortured evolution. For a long time it just looked too blue. I finally got the color green of the water and I like the patterns in the water, but I need to do many more rock paintings before I feel good about them. They are tricky, they need to be solid, but simplified. I think simplifying foregrounds is one of the most difficult things for me to pull off as a painter.

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 .
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.


 the Garden Gallery

There are ongoing displays of my works at  The Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay. I am delighted to be represented by these two outstanding galleries. Information about The Garden Gallery is at 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.

Oxalis At Wilder Ranch,Plein Air Watercolor

A small study,11 x 14 From a trip to the Coast. Spring training continues. I feel like I painted the obvious, the yellow of the oxalis was just too much to ignore. I had fun doing the line of eucaltyptus trees. The foreground was very wet, and I hope it looks the colors on the coast at Santa Cruz.