Camp Truck, 1948

oil 11x14 Purchase info here. A few weeks ago we camped for the first time at Silver Lake, which is in the Sierras on the June Lake Loop. Wow! What scenery! Couldn't wait to paint, but instead we were waiting out a vicious wind. After about two days, I set up to paint this scene. Even though I anchored my tripod, everything was moving, including my brush. I had a good start (looked like a drunk painted it, but I liked it!). Then a gust of about 75-80 mph. hit and forced me to pack up. I finished in the studio using my photo references. IN OTHER NEWS: Friday I'll go south to San Clemente to participate in Paint San Clemente Quick Draw and Plein Air Competition. It's my first time, and I'm really excited to find inspiring scenes in an unfamiliar locale. Follow my adventures on Facebook: Karen Laster Werner and Instagram: KarenWernerArt.

Turquoise Truck

oil 9x12 inches For a closer look and purchase info, click here. Painted in Wilder, Idaho along the Snake River.

Rusty Rest

oil 9x12 inches magnify/purchase info On our last day in Zion I found this beautiful old truck on a side street in Springdale. Below are some progress shots.

Permanent Parking -a plein air painting from La Verne Heritage Park

oil 9x12 inches magnify/purchase info Here's a plein air piece I did yesterday. I think this is an old citrus hauler. I was told by one of the volunteers that it's a 1938 and has 180 thousand miles on it all within the city of La Verne. I don't know a thing about vehicles except how to drive them, which I enjoy very much! This one won't start anymore. Lost all it's power, but gained a lot of character.

Discharged -a plein air painting in oil

oil 9x12 inches magnify/purchase Saturday I met up with SOCALPAPA, (Southern California Plein Air Painters) at the Planes of Fame Air Museum. Amid all the aircraft, this truck caught my eye. I settled in and started painting. Soon I was informed that there would be some sandblasting going on not too far from me. The noise added to the feel of the place, but in a few minutes a cloud of dust and paint particles hit me. The painting was going well. I really didn't want to move, but I really couldn't breathe. Thankfully, a volunteer wearing a mask was able to get me one quickly. So I was able to continue and hardly noticed the mask.

Chevy To Market -SOLD

oil 8x10 inches magnify/purchase Our first day in Cannon Beach I noticed this truck in front of Mariner Market. The next day it was in exactly the same place. I took my chances that it would stay there long enough to paint it, and it did! Most of the passers-by wanted to know what I was going to do if it moved. I had taken pictures, but I'm so glad it stayed put! I love old vehicles.

Tractor Portrait

oil 8x10 inches click for purchase info and magnifier I didn't have much painting time in January, but the month definitely ended in a positive way, paint-wise. Yesterday I got out to Irvine Regional Park in Orange where this old tractor asked to have her portrait painted. Mostly the light was cloudy and overcast which allowed me to slow down and enjoy myself instead of racing against changing conditions. As I painted, the Shetland ponies nearby snorted and chewed, and the little train clicked by again and again full of young children on field trips. One painting, then one wipe-out in the afternoon. Having had good dose of dirt, trees and fresh cold air, I went home a happy painter.

Vineyard Relic -sold

oil 8x8 inches click for purchase information and zoom I had fun with this one, an old truck at the Galleano Winery just 9 miles from my house. Painted from a photo I took, now I'm itching to go back for a plein air day. The painting is much better in person. I know...heard that before, but really! The lit side of the truck is a yellow orange, not the garish yellow in the photo. I tried all kinds of camera settings and computer editings, and still this is as close as I could get. Would much rather paint! Painted on 1 1/2 inch deep gallery wrap canvas, ready to hang.

Red Truck -sold

oil 6x6 inches sold I couldn't resist Carol Marine's Daily Paintworks Challenge. Love painting anything red.

Old Galleano -sold

oil 10x8 inches click here to bid This morning I went out to the Galleano Winery with my new Coulter Plein Air System. I was really exited to try it out. After picking my spot, I discovered I had no paper towels! Dang! Driving to a store gave the sun a chance to come out. Yay! Almost finished with my painting, I heard a voice behind me; "You're pretty damn good!" It was Don Galleano who long ago proclaimed another painting I did out there "damn good." This time he introduced himself and invited me into the tasting room for a glass of wine. Well how could I refuse? :-) He insisted I take the glass, the wine and a bottle to go, (!) and "get back out there". What a nice guy. Everybody else out there is just as friendly. You can see my Coulter System supported my wine glass quite nicely.

FD Retired

oil 10x10 inches FRAMED
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From the Gold King Mine in Jerome, Arizona. All the old relics sit on the side of the mountain just like the rest of the town. I've always liked diagonals.

Truck 'N Cluck

oil on canvas panel 6x6 inches

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For this painting I used a photo taken at Gold King Mine in Jerome, Arizona. There were chickens walking around and I was lucky enough to get a few in shots with the vehicles. I liked the living, moving element in with the "graveyard" of old vehicles.

Funny, I'm posting from San Francisco a painting I did at home in Chino from a scene in Arizona. Today we rented bikes and rode across Golden Gate Bridge, visited Sausalito and took a ferry back. We've had some sun and quite a bit of rain, but rain means great cloudy skies in my pictures. Yay!

That-A-Way Truck-sold

oil on canvas panel 6x8 inches

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This old truck in Jerome, Arizona had so much character with that big red arrow...and of course I love painting text, so here it is. It was sitting on the drop-off side of the street (seemed like the whole town was on a cliff!) and the distant valley below showed in the background. Transparent red oxide is perfect for rust, and mixed with ultramarine blue makes a rich black you can swing toward warm or cool. After lunch we followed the big red arrow to the mine and loaded up our cameras with more trucks to paint! Whoopeeee! Can't wait!

Vintage Orange Hauler- SOLD

oil on canvas panel 8x8 inches

On Saturday I had the most wonderful experience! Two artist friends and I went to an Orange Festival in Redlands put on by the Inland Orange Conservancy. Located in an orange grove full of blossoms, it was an aromatherapy painting session! If that wasn't enough, we tasted about 30 different citrus fruits, and went home with bags full of free tree ripened oranges, tangelos and lemons. Above is my work for the day...a 1948 Chevy loaded with wooden orange crates. The sun was in and out, so that was a bit tricky, but I really loved all the different colors on the truck and I'm happy with the result. If you want to help preserve the old orange groves in our area, click on the link above and check out the Conservancy's "Share Of The Crop" program.

Two Rusty Trucks

oil on canvas panel 8x10 inches
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It was plein air day at La Verne Heritage Park. Lots of history there and plenty of subject matter. I painted these rusty relics looking slightly down at them from a hill under a shady tree. What a quiet peaceful morning...cool and breezy, cloudy but no rain.