Vegas

A ten-day trip to Las Vegas last month produced some new little watercolor sketches, plein air.  Hotter than blazes, the paint dried almost before it hit the paper.  The colors are amazing in the thin desert air.

 Industrial park, south Las Vegas.  Red Rock Canyon in the distance.

Mandalay and Luxor hotel/casinos.  

 

Palms with bright red seed pods.

Looking down from the hotel room.

Aliens

Hawaii is home to many species of birds, but not all of them started out here.  Residents now, but at one point, alien invaders.   All below are watercolor, all painted from life.

 Red-Vented Bulbul.  These, along with Mynahs, are the most plentiful birds on the island.  Not so welcome.  Considered invasive, injurious to native species and plants.  Native to Asia, illegally introduced on Oahu in the 1950's.  They are *everywhere*.  The other islands either don't have them, or only a few (so far).

The Common Myna(h), also an Asian import, is so ubiquitous that many people don't know they didn't originate here.  Believed to pair for life, they are extremely prolific and displace other birds, even robbing nests.  Mynahs are related to starlings, and their huge gatherings generate quite a lot of noise.  They are funny and endearing to watch, though, so it's hard not to love them.  We don't have crows here, and I miss them.

NOT an alien.  The Pacific Golden Plover, also quite numerous, is a welcome migratory species.  Breeding season is spent in northern Alaska, then they winter in Asia, Hawaii, even Southern California. They are seen everywhere here in the fall and winter, even on grassy areas in very urban environments.  This one was fast-moving, the painting was done quickly with no drawing.

sketching Hawaii

The Ko'olau mountains usually are engulfed in clouds, which makes the sunrise beautiful.
Below, the hills much closer to our apartment are remnants of a small volcanic crater (unlike the enormous volcano that resulted in the Ko'olaus).

more from the sketchbook

In January, we sold our boat after living aboard for a year, and in April, we moved to Hawaii.  In the months before the move, I biked around to familiar places in San Diego and did little sketches.  Sort of saying goodbye. 

This is the first one I did after we got to Hawaii.  We're definitely not in Kansas any more!

pages from the sketchbook

I made a pocket-size sketchbook using Hahnemuhle Ingres drawing paper, which has become a favorite support for watercolor as well.  Some of those works in the last post are also on that paper.  This tiny sketchbook went with me everywhere while we were preparing to move away from San Diego, and I did a bunch of these little studies, a couple of them out on the Point not far from Cabrillo.  I'll post a few more tomorrow.

East County watercolors

These are small watercolors I did east of San Diego, from a few months back.  Top one is 6 X 9, lower one is 4 X 7. I'll post a few more soon, and talk about where I am and what I'm doing now.  

East County sketches

All about 5 x 7", plein air sketches

San Diego River wetland. 5 x 7".

Dowitcher

Little Blue Heron

Long Billed Curlew

Birds of Paradise, 5x7". A day trip to the Irvine Museum with a dear friend.

Limited palette experiment--raw sienna, English red, Payne's gray. 5x7", Hahnemuhle bamboo paper.

Sunset, Waikiki. Farewell to Hawaii for now, but not for long.

Pyramid Rock, beach at MCBH, Kaneohe Bay. It was almost too hot to paint that day and no shade around, so this was done very quickly indeed.

Studies of the lava mountains above Waikiki that form the Honolulu watershed.

Different time of day and rare cloud-free sun.

 Hibiscus blossom. Flowers everywhere here.

Mokule'ia Beach Park, Oahu's north shore. 

Sea turtle studies. There were several of these beautiful endangered beings at the shore, but they don't stay long and it's forbidden to get close to them.

Clear, warm water and coral reefs, hardly anyone else around. A wonderful swim in the company of many fishes. 

Pu'u O Hulu (distant) and Ma'ili'ili seen from Kane'ilio Point, Waianae.  Looking southward on Oahu's western shore.

Papaya. The fruit here is unsurpassable.

Kaneilio Point, Poka'i Bay, Waianae.

Java Sparrows, aka Java Finches. Classed as vulnerable on the endangered species list, because Asian countries are trying to eradicate them as rice-eating pests. Here in Hawaii, they are loved. Although still scarce, they're doing better.

 Diamond Head at mid-day seen from Ala Wai canal, buildings and cars edited out.

I think this is an immature coconut. About three inches in length, much smaller than a regulation coconut; fell from a palm tree that was full of them.

 La'ie Point, a lava projection, state beach park.

Ahupua'a O Kahana State Park, seen from Ka'a'awa. These volcanic mountains (called pali) are everywhere on Oahu, a reminder that the entire island is made of lava.

Mākaha State Beach Park.

Sweetest pineapple ever.

Diamond Head, Waikiki.