Fall Cove (sold to benefit Japan)

I was sick over the holiday weekend, and two things always happen when I paint while sick.  1.  I get tentative and fussy with the paint, and 2.  I'm never happy with what I do.   That means a lot of scraping off and re-doing sections until I get mad enough to put some paint down like I mean it.   It was a battle, but I'm finally okay with this one.  Contrary to popular belief, we do get a lovely change of seasons in San Diego!  You just have to pay attention.  6" X 8" oil/canvas panel.

After the Storm (sold)

La Playa Cove, with the last dark clouds moving out after the rains.  The focus is on relative values, and using them to portray the spectacular brightness of the sun and that reflection.  8" X 6" oil on canvas panel.

(Sold)

Sunrise 5

Last sunny sunrise for a while.  In fact, while I was painting this, the fog was already rising up over the point, overtaking the lighthouse (distance, at right) and the Visitor's Center (left).  The clear Santa Ana weather pattern is giving way to the usual foggy, misty morning.  6 X 8", oil/canvas panel.

Sunrise 4

This one almost got scraped off after the first session, but I went back again at sunrise a few days later, and it seemed to come together.  Now I really like it.  You just never know.  6 X 8", oil/canvas panel.

Cloudburst (sold)

Very fast sketch of some very fast moving dark clouds.  Before I finished painting, they were overhead and it was pouring.  Since this is the view out our window, I was indoors, nice and dry.  6 X 8" oil/canvas panel.

Sunrise 3

Shadows have beautiful color, and can say so much about the presence of things not seen.  Third in a series done at Fort Rosecrans, with the Cabrillo Monument Visitor Center in the background. 6 X 8", oil on canvas panel.

These small plein air paintings are done with my Guerrilla Painter Thumb-box which fits on the small rear rack of my road bike.  I ride out to wherever I paint on site, so keeping it small is helpful.  If I'm hiking or taking public transit, I use a larger EasyL setup with tripod.  There's something very enjoyable about keeping the setup so simple though, and people seem genuinely happy to see someone out there with a bike and a paint box.  Sometimes they stop and say so, which is very nice of them. Here's my setup--everything I need, box and all, fits into that canvas bag which I bungee onto the rack (where the box is sitting).

Sunrise 2

We've had beautiful sunny mornings lately, and the shadows are wonderful.  6" X 8" plein air, oil on canvas panel.

Sunrise (sold)

It says everything I wanted to say. 6" X 8" plein air, oil/canvas panel.  (sold)

Ikea Kitchen #3

I like that these are getting more abstract, more about shapes and color.  That's where the beauty is. 8" X 10", oil on panel.

Getting Away From It All

A day at the beach.  Not a self-portrait.  12" X 8", oil on textured panel

Catching up

A two-mirror self-portrait which is a pretty fair resemblance.

Tired

That's what this is about.  A long hard week.

Backlit

Self portraits in the mirror are a challenge (mainly because the model keeps moving).  The challenge with this one was to define the form with very subtle changes in value and color, because the whole subject is in shadow.

Gray Morning

Grey overcast, plus haze in the air.  Atmospheric!  6" X 8" oil/canvas panel.

Fog

I love when the fog does this, creeping over the Point like fingers.  This was the afternoon of the same day as the previous post.  6 X 8", plein air, oil/canvas panel.

Morning ebb tide

In the morning before the winds come up, especially if the tide is ebbing, the surface of the water is smooth as glass.  8 X 6", plein air, oil/canvas panel.

La Playa Cove (sold)

Fog over the Point.  First painting in our new home; this is the view from our balcony.  Of course it's full of boats, since the Yacht Club is right here, but this is the essence of the water and Point Loma.  This will be a series.  6 X 6", plein air. (sold)

Grounded

My mom loves hummingbirds, so a dear friend of hers sends her hummingbird figurines.  Her house is full of all sorts of them.  These two sat on a sunny windowsill. 

Apples

The other quick sketch to get the feel of the water-soluble oil paints.  I tried a loose wash for a background, just diluting the paint with water.  It makes a lovely wash, with more substance but also more stickiness and drag than paint thinned with spirits.  All in all I love how these paints make me push more.  They're forgiving of indecision too, since they chalk up less than traditional oils when an area is re-worked. 

Clearcut

For my trip to Oregon, I bought a selection of Holbein Duo water-soluble oils so I wouldn't have to deal with finding some thinner and oil mediums.  I've never used these before, but a number of my painting friends like them.  They do handle differently and take some getting used-to.  To try them out, I dashed off a couple very fast and loose sketches.  This is the consummate Oregon landscape--thick woods with a bare slope of clearcut. 

Squash

While visiting Mom in Oregon, I was fortunate to meet a group of enthusiastic and dedicated painters who allowed me to sit in on their weekly class.  I did this little still life with some "props" that happened to be available, and thoroughly enjoyed the energy and spirit of the group.  The teacher has a very good eye and insight, and contributed some very helpful feedback.  Thanks, all you Rogue River Painters!

Memorial Drive trees

As it came out of the paint box.  A 30-minute session while under attack from small black ants.

Skyline

6 X 8" oil/canvas panel plein air.

Avocado

6 X 6" o/p.  Sold.

Shell Beach

8 X 10".  From a plein air sketch done last October at Shell Beach, in San Luis Obispo County, California.

Martini, or Margarita?

We got a set of these goofy glasses from a dear friend.  Can't decide what to put in them first.  :)
6 X 8", oil on gessoed acid-free card.

Two Views

A couple more sketches in the early morning heavy overcast.  From Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, this is looking southeast across the bay to the breakwater and Coronado.


4" X 6", oil on gessoed acid-free card

From the same viewpoint, looking to the northeast, San Diego and just the tip of North Island:

4" X 6", oil on gessoed acid-free card

Drizzle

4 X 6" plein air sketch.  Cool, misty morning near Fort Rosecrans again, westward ocean view.  Oil on gessoed card.

Tree study

7 X 5", plein air.  Early morning at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.  (NFS)

Sandy Path

5 X 7" plein air, oil on gessoed acid-free card

Visitor Center, Cabrillo Monument

Early morning mist.  4 X 6 plein air sketch (oil on gessoed card).