Lilac Cottage

 

Lilac Cottage  oil 9x12 inches

Purchase info here.

In San Juan Capistrano's Los Rios Historic District you will find this pretty little cottage.  I used my photo reference for this painting.  

Capistrano Cottage -SOLD

 

Capistrano Cottage   oil  10x10 inches

Purchase info here.

I used my photo reference from the historic Los Rios District of San Juan Capistrano to paint this one.    It's all about the shadow patterns.

Sunny Day Cottage & Some Workshop Demos

 

Sunny Day Cottage -an original oil 12x9 inches

Painted on location at Crystal Cove Historic District

Purchase info here.

In March I camped for a few days at Crystal Cove State Beach.  It rained most of the time, but I was able to paint between storms.  On the one predicted sunny day I took my first Uber to the historic district.  I got two paintings in that day.  I had just the right vantage point for this one, but apparently too close to the surf.  A surprise wave came up and swept my backpack into the nearby creek.  My tripod stayed put!  I was so relieved that my phone was in my apron, not my backpack!  Lesson learned.  And another:  I did the next painting with a drippy roll of Viva paper towels and they still worked!  I came home from camping and the quarantine and lock downs began.  So long ago, it seems.

Here are a few demos from my recent workshop.  It will give you an idea of what I teach; mostly how to get a clear division of light and shadow (among other things!)  These are simplified small studies.

Sit A Spell

oil 8x8 inches For a closer look and purchase info click here. We visited artsy Cannon Beach, Oregon a few years ago. This great old house was a studio gallery. Once in a while I like to use a completely different type of brush just to keep things fresh. I normally use flats or filberts, but this was done with synthetic brights. I really enjoyed the resulting geometric marks. IN OTHER NEWS: NEWPORT BEACH ART IN THE PARK is this Saturday. Come for the perfect weather and great art! 10-4 On the Civic Center Green, 100 Civic Center Drive. Artists for this event are carefully juried in for the quality of their work. You'll see many different art forms. Definitely worth the visit! I'll have framed and loose paintings, over 100 in total to browse through. Come sit and visit with me a while. I hope to see you there!

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.

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!

Pots, Pots, Pots! -a plein air painting from Balboa Island

oil 10x8 inches magnify On Tuesday afternoon, the second day of Just Plein Fun, I walked the island looking for shade and inspiration. Specifically, inspiration IN the shade! The multiple pots at this little cottage caught my eye. I have a thing for potted plants myself. I loved the reds against blues and that small pot directly in front of the open Dutch door. I thought about leaving out the giant pot in the foreground, but maybe the golden color might be a nice foil to the others, and maybe it would lead the eye in to the focal point. Sometimes you have to entertain some maybes. Your comments are always welcome. This painting is available at Huse Gallery, 229 Marine Ave. Suite E, Balboa Island, CA. 949-723-6171

Wearing my nametag backwards so it won't create it's own little painting on my shirt. Tomorrow I'll have sinus surgery. I might not be posting for a while.

Hollyhock Window -a Colorado ranch scene in oil -SOLD

oil 14x11 inches magnify/purchase info While painting on an old ranch in Colorado, storm clouds began to blow in fast. We packed up our stuff quickly to avoid getting soaked. It lasted about five minutes. Rather than set up again, I went out with my camera. I found these gems near the back porch of the little old farmhouse. I painted this back in September. Happy New Year, everyone!

Home On The Range -a Colorado landscape in oil -SOLD

oil 11x14 inches magnify/purchase info Finally, one fresh off the easel. I worked this up from my photo reference taken September 2014 in Southern Colorado. We were staying at a lodge on "the front range." Though it looked like a flat prairie, we were actually at 8,000 ft. elevation on the eastern slope of the Rockies. No wonder I was breathless just moving around! We had dramatic skies the whole time. First time I've used cobalt straight out of the tube for sky. It was that brilliant. Gotta love Colorado skies!

L-5 Cottage At Crystal Cove -a plein air painting from Crystal Cove State Park -SOLD

oil 9x12 inches magnify This was a fun little piece which sold practically off the easel. The next day we headed home and I started preparing frames and packing up for the Just Plein Fun Invitiational on Balboa Island. Nine paintings in six days, and meeting other artists...it was a great experience! Sorry I'm slow lately in my postings, but they're coming up next.

Yellow Cottage -a plein air painting from Crystal Cove -SOLD

oil 12x9 inches magnify/purchase info Yesterday I met others from SOCALPAPA to paint at Crystal State Beach Historical District. While I set up the sun started to burn through the overcast giving my subject some nice shadows. In the shots below you can certainly see the change in light conditions. (The last shot of the painting is more accurate than above.) By the time I finished, my subject was pretty much buried in shadow. It's always a surprise when I finish and look around me. The beach had filled up with sunbathers and children played in the waves. I chatted briefly with some of the other artists then headed home at 1:30 to try and beat the Friday afternoon gridlock. A great place to paint is worth the drive, especially if I come home with a good one, and this one made me happy.

Los Rios Cottage -a plein air oil painting from San Juan Capistrano -SOLD

oil 9x12 inches magnify/purchase info First of the paintings I did while in San Juan Capistrano, I was going for the dappled light on the front of the little cottage. Dappled light makes a painting both interesting and difficult. There was a lot going on in this scene. Once home, I subdued a few things (believe it or not!) to keep the focus on the door and flag. I enjoy talking to people when I paint, especially children. The teacher in me sneaks out! Thank you to my friend, Mary Jo for the pics below.

Window Box

oil 8x6 inches click for purchase information and zoom A few years back my husband and I took a walk through an older neighborhood in Meridian, Idaho. The little old houses were beautifully cared for. When I saw this scene, my first thought was of course, "what beautiful gardening." No, it's more than that. It's love. Someone had poured their love into that yard, and here I was enjoying the beauty of it. I'm thinking about how important it is to do our work with love, whatever that work may be.

Tustin Autumn SOLD

oil 9x12 inches, framed. Click to Purchase My painting submitted to the Tustin Plein Air Competition. It received an Honorable Mention. To be very honest, sales yesterday were dismal. There were a lot of nice comments on my work, but almost everyone kept their cash and credit cards in their wallets. After a day like that I get discouraged. I ask myself if I'm devoting myself to making things that nobody wants. Seriously. Life is short. I apologize to those who say "don't put anything negative on your blog." I think it's important to be honest about the struggles of being a painter and a human being. Think I'll take a few days off from painting.

Logan House -sold

oil 12x9 inches Last Sunday in Tustin I met up with Brent who commissioned me to paint his lovely historic home built in 1928. His grandparents purchased it in 1934 after they married, and the original furniture is still inside. Amazing! Below is the unfinished field study. When I got home I realized the pink canvas tone was a problem. I started over with a light burnt umber and executed the work using my sketches and photo references. I have a dream of someday living in an historic home. It may never happen, but I feel honored to paint a few. Tomorrow I'll be out at the Tustin Art Walk with lots of fellow artists. It's a great day, so if you're local, don't miss it!

Bed, Bath & Beyond

oil on canvas panel 9x12 inches

click here to bid

This mountain cabin is in Big Bear. It appeared just as I've painted it, with all the "facilities" out in the front yard. Well, the bed is on the side, but still. I could have straightened the stump, but the pot threatening to slide off kinda fit with all the rest. For me, the appeal of this subject was lots to look at, plus the dappled light. I slowed way down, purposed to leave my brushstrokes alone, and painted it in two sessions.

"Christmas House" Plein Air

oil on canvas panel 12x9 inches

click here to bid

Tuesday Martha and I painted in Rancho Cucamonga at "Christmas House", built in 1904 and now a Bed & Breakfast Inn. I love old houses, but what attracted me most was the lavender blooms of the jacaranda trees against the blue-green house. The palm trees made it a California scene and a nice composition. I have been having trouble with my back but painted anyway. Funny how all my aches and pains disappear when I'm painting! I kept thinking..."Gee, I'm kinda hot..." When I got in my car I found out it was 99 degrees! I had a great time talking with Martha and painting, glad the backache or heat didn't keep me home.