"Fresh Greens" on Exhibit at the 14th Annual National Juried Exhibition of the American Impressionists Society until Oct 30th

"Fresh Greens" 18 x 24

And in the plein air style frame, with museum glass.

2013 American Impressionist Society’s

14th Annual National Juried Exhibition

M Gallery of Fine Art

Charleston, South Carolina

September 28–October 30, 2013

I will be at the receptions in Charleston on October 3rd and 4th.

The American Impressionists Society has published the entire catalog of 200 paintings online here:

http://americanimpressionistsociety.org/s2013.html 

 I am thrilled to be a part of the exhibition.

Sonoma Plein Air 2013: Paintings

Quick Draw "Hillside" 5 x 7 sold

Faun Colored Hill, Chileno Valley 12 x16

Late Light12 x 16

Windbreak, Chileno Valley 12 x 12 sold

Bennett Valley Morning 12 x 12 sold

A Gathering of Oaks 12 x 12

Schlocken Hill 9 x 12

Sonoma Plein Air Art Sale, Saturday Sept 21st 10-4

I am packing up, preparing frames ,paper and palette for the Sonoma Plein Art Art Festival starting next Monday. There is a gala dinner  and auction on Friday night and an all day art sale in the plaza on Saturday.
This is one of the best run plein air events around and it attracts very talented artists. I am thrilled to be painting in this festival .

Here's a link to the artists

http://sonomapleinair.com/artists.html

and one of my favorite  recent Sonoma  Plein Air Paintings

Sonoma Morning Haze 12 x 12
and in the frame

Some thoughts on framing plein air watercolors

Lately I have been framing about  half my works without a mat, in Plein Air Style frames, with museum glass or plexi for glazing.
I think this works because my paintings are fairly saturated in value and don't have a lot of white paper.
 I do this frequently when I am exhibiting with mostly oil painters in exhibits or galleries. I don't know if this will be acceptable to watercolor societies as well,  I  will let you know what I find out!
The photographs are not as good as they could be, I originally took them for my own records and not for publication.
 Here are a few of my recently framed paintings:

Mission San Jose Morning 11 1/2 x 13 1/2. At the California Art Club "Along El Camino Real " Exhibit.
The photo dosen't show it but the frame is dark  red that shows off the painting well.

"Windswept" 14 x 14 At the Fairmont Gallery, Sonoma

Hill and VInes 12 x 12, At the Fairmont Gallery ,Sonoma (Sorry about the glare)

"On a Clear Day" 12 x 12 At my wonderful framers: FastFrame of Lafayette

Fresh Greens 18 x 24 , on it's way to the American Impressionist Society Exhibit

Summer Hill, Upper Valley 18 x 24

Summer Hill Upper Valley 18 x 24

Some paintings take a LOONG time, I 've had this one on the easel for months.
 I did not want to stop painting it.
 I saw a painting of this hill by Arthur Hill Gilbert about three years ago and I have been hunting for this hill  ever since.
I am in love with this hill. The rounded slopes of the grassland remind me of sculpture and the oaks and chaparral are full of strong  exciting colors and textures.
Here is a detail of the chaparral:

Coastal Quiet demonstration

 

 

 Coastal Quiet 11 x 14 Plein Air Watercolor

The fog seems to muffle the sound of the waves, thus the title"Coastal Quiet".  There is plenty of time to take pictures as I wait for paint to dry in foggy conditions.