LPAPA "Best of Plein Air" entries

 I  entered one as a tribute to LPAPA founder Ken Auster, whose recognition of it with an award meant a great deal to me, since he was one of the artists I admire most.

"Poppies Above the Bay", new plein air watercolor of Mount Diablo

Poppies Above the Bay 21.5 x 21.5

We had so much rain this year and the Wild Flowers did so well, it was like painting in a giant garden. Along with "Blue Ridge" and the other two Mount Diablo paintings I recently posted below, it's a series of large square paintings giving me an excuse to paint in the same place for multiple days in a row. These each represent two or three times on Diablo. And because the poppies open later I get to paint later in the day.
The green is virtually gone now, but I really appreciated it, having had several winters where there was only a trace.

California Art Club Exhibit "Reflections in Water"at Saint Mary's College Museum of Art "Looking North, Malibu" and "Santa Cruz Swirls" On Exhibit through August 28

Looking North, Malibu 16 x 20

Santa Cruz Swirls 14 x 11

I am honored that two of my paintings were selected to be a part of this prestigious exhibition mounted by two outstanding organizations, the California Art Club and Saint Mary's College Museum of Art here in Northern California.
Saint Mary's featured my painting on the web site here: http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/california-art-club-summer-2016

The California Art Club is a century plus old club that was revived in the 1980's and presents a yearly Gold Medal Exhibition at a Southern Art Museum, usually the Autry or the USC Fischer Museum of Art.
The Saint Mary's College Museum of Art has an annual landscape exhibit that has been an inspiration for many years.

Exhibit Information

Reception:
Sunday, June 5 2 to 5 pm
June 5 to August 28

(Pickup 8/29,9 -3)

Two new Mount Diablo Paintings

Just Below Junction 21 x 21

Summit From Curry Point November 21 x 21

I've had these in the studio for months.
Started them both last fall trying to paint the beauty of the dusty colors of the drought.
 The reds of the California holly were fun to see in the chaparral. In fact the native plants didn't look that different from the usual fall colors, but the grasses were very dried out.
These were both painted on Southgate Road at Curry Point and just below the long straight hill near Junction.
 I can tell you there were a lot of hikers on the Summit trail which was good to see, but far too many cyclists speeding down that hill.

Curry Point Spring and Curry Point Calm, what a difference a season of rain makes

Curry Point Spring 12 x 22

Curry Point Calm 12 x 22

Same location, six month's apart. Both times I wanted to see the snow on the Sierras, both times there was too much moisture in the air, but it was still very satisfying to paint the changes as this winter's rains brought an end to the drought scenes on  Mount Diablo.

Kern County Plein Air Invitational and Exhibit

The Kern County Plein Air Invitational was last week but the paintings are still on site for viewing at the Access Center Gallery, 1330 Truxton Avenue , Bakersfield.

The paintings will be on display from April 18 to May 27.

Here are a few of mine and the installation at the Bakersfield Museum of Art from last weekend.

Tejon Ranch Spring 14 x 17

Hill at Tejon Ranch 12 x 12

Wednesday at Wind Wolves 12 x 16

Atmosphere 11 x 14

Bakersfield Museum of Art Exhibit