Crystal History

 

Crystal History   oil 12x16 inches

Purchase info here.

I used one of my photo references for this piece.  A few years ago my husband dropped me off on the side of Pacific Coast Highway to paint this view.  I was just uphill from the Shake Shack safely behind a guard rail.  (If you aren't familiar with the history behind Crystal Cove's cottages, it's worth a Google.)

I painted for about three hours, and in just a few days the painting sold.  This one is for sale unfamed, but I have a beautiful custom white with silver lip frame available for purchase if you like. A very "beachy" look!  

Laguna View -a plein air painting from Laguna Beach SOLD

 

LAGUNA VIEW    original plein air oil painting 16x20 inches   

Painted from Heisler Park, this is a favorite viewpoint of many painters.  It was February, so the beach was fairly quiet, and as is typical, the sun was trying to burn through the marine layer.  My aim was able to capture the diffused light and subtle warmth from the sun.  Can you feel it? 

This is a fairly large painting for me at 16x20.  It is in a dark wood frame with antique gold lip.  It is currently displayed and available at Mission Fine Art Gallery in San Juan Capistrano.  Located directly across from Mission San Juan Capistrano.  So go see it in person!  The gallery is now open every day 11-5.  

Also available directly from me.  Email to inquire: karenwernerart@gmail.com

Sand & Sun

oil 9x12 inches Purchase info here. Temperatures are dropping, three days of rain are coming along with snow in our local mountains. Boy, does this scene look inviting!!! Here's what happens when painting figures in plein air: The chosen subject was two adults in chairs and their little girl standing with a BIG bow in her hair. I took a pic of the figures, because I knew thay'd move. The girl went down to the water of course. I drew the two chairs. The third adult arrived! Drew in the third chair. Took more pics. Drew the two women. They ALL got up and left for about an hour. Drew the man from my pic. Started painting the chairs, then figures from memory. They came back and put up the umbrella. Added the umbrella, changed the skin tones under the umbrella to tones in shade. Painted the umbrella, shadows under the chairs, sunlit sand and water. Whew! It was a lot of fun to paint such a fluid situation and I was really lucky that the subject kept getting better!

Laguna Palms

oil 9x12 inches Purchase info here. Painted on location, this is another piece I painted during the Jim McVicker workshop in June. The sun came out for us that afternoon, giving stark contrast between the lit background and trees in deep shadow.

Trestles

oil 8x16 inches Purchase info here. Painted from my photo reference taken while on a camping trip in San Clemente. We went on a nice long bike ride that gave us great views (and photos) of our beautiful Southern California Coast, and a little peek at the surfer lifestyle. Here's a detail shot:

Moonstone Beach (SOLD) & Some News

oil 11x14 Purchase info here. I painted this piece on location near Cambria, CA. A friend and I spent a few peaceful days in April camping at Hurst San Simeon campground. IN OTHER NEWS: I'm happpy to announce that my painting, Spring Things, pictured below has been juried into The American Impressisonist Society's 20th Annual Exhibition to be held September 19- October 2 at the Salmagundi Club, NYC. Thank you, AIS!

Quiet Beach, Emma Wood -SOLD

oil 9x12 inches Purchase info here. In September we camped in Ventura and I had the opportunity for some plein air painting. I tried to capture the feeling of the overcast morning and the sun trying to burn through.

Don't Look Up Here - a plein air painting of The Crab Cooker, Newport Beach -SOLD

oil 12x12 inches. Purchase info here. I'm back! July was a rough month full of one malady after another. Glad that's over!!! It's time to catch up. The Crab Cooker is an iconic restaurant in Newport Beach that holds memories for an untold number of Southern California families and visitors as well. Great food and fun decor, like the signs that say; "Don't look up here!" and my favorite; "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing." New heavy construction right next door damaged the old foundation, so this year it's due to be torn down and rebuilt. People are scrambling to eat there and artists are scrambling to paint it before the tear down. My chance came in June. I stood on a narrow meridian in the street and painted until I felt a bit blinded, then treated myself to their Manhattan Clam Chowder and a shrimp cocktail. Yum! I added the figures the next day in my studio.

Umbrellas On The Beach -SOLD

oil 9x12 inches Purchase info here. I painted this one quickly one afternoon during paint San Clemente. Artists can only submit two paintings, and this one didn't make the cut. The couple sitting in the chair packed up to leave and then discovered I'd put them in my painting. That was a fun moment! I have this one priced low since it's just a quick sketch.

Casita -a plein air painting from San Clemente. SOLD

oil 8x10 inches For a closer look and purchase info click here. I love this little house which is a Nature and History Museum at San Clemente State Beach. Emily and I got to paint in the shade and visit the Museum too. She painted beach rocks she had carried up the hill the day before.

Beach Houses

oil 9x12 For a closer look and purchase info click here. Last month we camped for a few days at San Clemente State Beach. It was a "paintcation" and our granddaughter, Emily joined us. First morning we had a heavy mist, so we painted under our awning. Emily painted her cat, Daisy in acrylic.

Seashore & Tulips

oil 12x9 inches For a closer look and purchase info, click here. A pretty warm day even for the beach, I hid under our awning for this one. Mother's Day tulips from my grandkids...is this a still life or a seascape? Hummm.

Beach Stroll

oil 9x12 inches For a closer look and purchase info click here. In May we camped for a few days at Moro Campground in Crystal Cove State Beach. I squeezed in a couple of paintings, this being the first. That wet sand color can be very illusive, but I'm happy with my color here. We'll have a high of 104 degrees here today. This beach scene looks pretty good!

California Streamin' -painting of an Airstream Travel Trailer

oil 8x8 inches For a closer look and purchase info click here. I took the photo reference for this painting in May while camping at Crystal Cove State Beach. I hope you're having a great summer!

Beach Cottage, Crystal Cove

oil 12x9 inches magnify/purchase info On that day in Crystal Cove, I had driven for 2 1/2 hours to get there, so to make it worth the drive I painted again after lunch. Often times I end up wiping off my second painting which I attribute to lack of stamina. Plein air work does require stamina, and I'm wondering if others of you have found this to be true. I hope to build stamina with more practice. However, I'm happy with how this one turned out. I remember something crawled up my pant leg and started biting me on the buttocks. There I am grabbing frantically at my butt trying to kill whatever it was. I turned around to see a few people staring at me with dropped jaws. Ahh, the perils of painting outdoors in public!

A Little Bit Dinghy -plein air paintings from Balboa Island -sold

Here are some shots of the last two paintings I did as part of Just Plein Fun on Balboa Island.

A Little Bit Dinghy 8x8 inches was my quick draw. About thirty artists participated along South Bay Front, having two hours to complete a painting. It was fun and festive, with an awards ceremony complete with Olympic music and gold medals. This painting sold off the easel which was a great ending to a great week. Is my head really that big, or is the painting really that tiny? Ha!

This 12x9 was my thank you gift to my hostess, Joanne. It was so kind of her to open her lovely home to me and let me come and go as I please. This is an island cottage that I thought would make a cheerful painting with its sunflowers. The quick draw was the grand finale of the week. There you have it, finally!!! Here's a shot of the participants on Gala Night. I really enjoyed getting to know a few of these fellow painters. I hope to be invited again next year.

Stop by this great little gallery when you're on the island. Some of the work from the event is still on display. 229 Marine Ave, Suite E, Balboa Island, CA. 949-723-6171

One Way -a plein air painting from Balboa Island, CA -sold

oil 12x9 inches magnify I painted this on the first afternoon of the Just Plein Fun Invitational. The surfboard in the corner is not immediately noticed, but I intended to make it the focal point along with the umbrella. When I finished the gallery was closed, so I left it framed and in my car overnight. Then I had an idea. In the morning at the back of my car I gave the surfboard a red stripe down the center. It brought a spark to the focal area and a nice foil to the blues, tans and greens throughout the painting. And...I was so excited I forgot to shoot a pic of it! Well you can see it in the gallery and on the website. This painting is available at The Debra Huse Gallery 949-723-6171.

Pacific Coast Highway at Moro Beach -a plein air oil painting of Crystal Cove SOLD

oil 9x12 inches magnify/purchase info Last week we camped a bit at the beach. As far as painting goes, I was disappointed in the cloudy weather. I decided I could sit around disgruntled and not paint, or just paint the existing conditions. So here you have a cloudy day overlooking PCH. This piece will be framed and for sale at the Balboa Art Walk on May 17.