Entry

oil 9x12 inches For a closer look and purchase info click here. This is a plein air piece from the Claremont Colleges.

Cinnamon Stop -a plein air painting from Balboa Island -SOLD

oil 8x8 inches magnify Blue Chair Bakery on Marine Ave. has the most delicious cinnamon rolls! I started painting during the morning overcast and added the light near the end of my painting session. Cars and people came and went. I snapped shots of people on the bench as I painted and added them in last. No time to eat a cinnamon roll, but I treated myself the next morning. This painting is framed and available at Huse Gallery, 229 Marine Ave., Suite E, Balboa Island, CA. 949-723-6171

The Busy Bee

oil 12x9 inches magnify/purchase info After a delicious breakfast at Pete's Breakfast House in Ventura, I set up to paint the Busy Bee Diner. The sun came out just long enough to get my shadow shapes in. The rest of my painting session was cool and overcast. Perfect. As I drew in, this classic Corvette pulled up. I snapped some pics before it was gone. It only stayed a few minutes. I finished the painting then used my phone pics to add the car. What a great morning, and I'm very happy with the result. Thank you to my husband who strolled the streets while I painted, checked on me and brought me water.

Got Candy? -a plein air painting from Balboa Island, CA -SOLD

oil 9x12 inches This painting is available at the Debra Huse Gallery. Last chance to purchase one of the many great paintings for Just Plein Fun Invitational! Just visit the website to see them all. 949-723-6171 While I was MIA, my husband and I enjoyed a two week once-in-a-lifetime trip to Paris. I hope you enjoy the pictures below. Now we are packing up the house. In the next few weeks we'll move about 10 miles north to Upland. I'm very excited because I'll have a much larger studio for painting and teaching. Don't know if I can keep painting while preparing to move, but I'm going to try.

Montmarte was my favorite place in Paris. It was thrilling to walk the cobblestones the impressionists walked and eat lunch while surrounded by artists selling their work. Sacre Couer, at the top of the hill was my favorite cathedral of the many we visited.

Mission Reflection

The mission architecture reflected in the window here caught my eye. The column closest to me was in cool shadow and the wall was hit with warm light. A puzzle in pulling off depth, shallow though it may be. Several of us were talking about the mission's illusive wall color. At times warm white, or salmon, or pink, or yellow depending on the light direction and time of day.

Mission Afternoon

oil 8x6 inches I arrived at the mission at about 3pm on Friday. I was excited to see so many artists already set up and painting. Some had been there since morning. I could tell this was a motivated bunch! Yay, I thought, 'cause I just want to paint too!!! I dropped my stuff in my room and squeezed in this little study before dinner at six. The pepper trees had been damaged by frost and turned that bright red-orange. My intention for this weekend was to practice and have fun, and not sweat over the results. So while these little studies may not be my very best work, they are part of the journey. All of them are in my car right now screaming at me to fiddle with them! I'm leaving the little buggers in there till I get home tomorrow.

Light & Shadow San Francisco

oil 12x9 inches Click to Purchase Bicycling is a great way to get good photos. You don't have to figure out where to pull over and park the car. We found these beautiful buildings just off the bike path on the way to Golden Gate Bridge. The shadows caught my eye and painting the large shapes really appealed to me.

Winery Shadows

oil 8x8 inches Click to Purchase This is the Galleano Winery building, painted on location this morning. I should have peeked inside, but I got wrapped up in my painting. Next time. Olive trees have an interesting silvery blue-green color that I like. I can't get over the friendliness of everyone at Galleano. What a great place to paint. They have shade, a little park with a restroom, tons of historical stuff and the wine is delicious. Click here for more info on Galleano.

Sunny Day Shed-sold

oil 8x6 inches click here to bid A friend and I visited Mission San Juan Capistrano on beautifully sunny Saint Joseph's Day. I took lots of photos for possible paintings of which this is the first. The yellow and blue of this shed caught my eye. They even painted the old smudge pot to match. The shadow was the icing on the cake. We're still busy with family fun, but I managed to squeeze in a little time in my paint cave. My little granddaughter, Gracie (3),joined me for part of the time, painting watercolors at a little table beside me. What a sweet time. I'll post some pics when I can.

Can't Miss Mollie's -sold

oil 12x9 inches
click here for purchase information and magnifier

Driving through Utah a couple of summers ago on our way to Idaho we ate at this classic diner. It was the real deal and the food was good. Do you think they have enough signage? This painting is available at Vander Molen Fine Art, Arcadia, CA

Orange "Filling Station"

sold
oil 8x10 inches

Yesterday Dana Cooper and I met up at the Orange circle to paint. This little eatery, "The Filling Station" was getting ready for the lunch crowd. As the crowd came we had to work around parked cars blocking our view. But no complaints here, the owner came out to see and bought my painting. We finished up then walked right into our subject for a delicious lunch.

Jerome's Finest

oil on canvas panel 12x9 inches
click here to bid

Last spring while driving around Jerome, Arizona with my good friend Martha we spotted this old police car. Jerome is an old mountainside mining town near Sedona, Arizona...and a painter's paradise of junk. The focal point is that red light of course, but I do love the pink structure and the "Ben&Jerry's sky." My paintings are loosening up, which makes me really happy. A few years ago someone looked at my photo realistic watercolors and said, (and I quote), "Once you paint like that you can never loosen up." How irritating!

Old Town Storefront -sold

The Tustin Art Walk on Saturday was fabulous! I entered the painting above in the Plein Air Contest. Old Town Flooring occupies this, one of the oldest buildings in Tustin. Though my painting didn't win any awards, I can't complain... it was purchased by Margaret from the flooring company. Thanks, Margaret!

You can see from the photo of the building the most interesting part (the front) was completely in shadow. I lightened things up a bit so I could play with the little bits of color in the windows and flag. On Friday I positioned myself behind a parked car where I could see my subject across Main Street. When the lunch hour traffic backed up in front of me, those Tustin people were so nice most of them left space so as not to block my view!

I met the nicest folks and had my highest sales ever. Thanks to Tustin Parks and Rec for all their hard work, and especially thank you to all who stopped by my booth to say hi!

Washed Up-sold

oil on canvas panel 8x6 inches

click here to bid

And now, for something different...from Jerome, Arizona.