See You in Court!

Actually not that dramatic. The painting group returned to the Redwood City Old County Courthouse Square for a little winter urban excursion and I did two.

Both acrylics, one 9x12", the other 6x12" on masonite.

First is almost a repeat of last time's courthouse portico, second is a quick "cartoon" of the square and "theater district".

Funny Day Painting

Funny day painting at Pacifica Pier. Started off with wild ocean and high tide. I went down the stairs to the beach half way, about 12' above the water line; big wave comes in and soaks me half way up my thighs! Got out of there fast. Waves splashing over the sea walls. Fog and clouds and odd lighting all morning. Got in two, one expressionist piece of the ocean and sky, the other a quick cartoon like sketch of fishermen on the pier (made up, not from life.) Liked the first, hated the second. Jan wanted it, so she snagged that one.

Charlow Down Under

Bayfront Bedwell Park 2018

Great weather, terrific lighting all day, lots of our group there and we had a blast. Bayfront Bedwell Park is lovely, and it was originally just a dump!

G'day Mate!

Had a fair dinkum holiday in Australia. Painted a few in watercolor and ink below:

Impression of Victoria countryside and farm house.

Byron Bay Lighthouse, NSW.

Impression of tops of stores in Lismore, NSW.

Manly Beach, NSW.

Rape seed fields in Yarra Valley, Victoria.

Sidney Harbor Bridge and Opera House, NSW/

Sydney Opera House, NSW.

Big Turnout - No Crush

Big turnout of about 16 painters at Portola Vineyards. They were in the middle of their "crush", so no wine tasting, but great painting day.

First one is 12x9 acrylic on masonite of their woodpile with very large oak trunk pieces.

Second one is small 5x7 watercolor and ink of a tree there on paper.

Lands End at Summer's End

Great day painting at Lands End in SF with the group.

First is acrylic on masonite, 12x9", Seal Rocks; second is 12x6" acrylic on masonite, Lands End path and scene.

Potrero Nuevo Farm Redux

Back at PNF today in the overcast and cool weather. Fun with the farmers!

Not thrilled with this picture. Painted it over 4 - 5 times and each time messed it up! Ah well....

Cresting Wavecrest

BPAP out at Wavecrest Open Space Reserve having a ball. Though overcast, it was temperate and the views were terrific, even though fog obscured the mountains across the road from us. Lots to paint here and nobody complained of lack of subjects!

I started out in the cypress tunnel on acrylic. One good 12x9 there in fauve/expressionist style.

Then moved on to a pastel on tinted paper, approx 10x8 or so, of the Coastal Trail and the fields.

Very satisfied with both efforts and will definitely return here.

Last Day of La Rusticana D'Orsa

Another great day, ending a terrific 3 day painting workshop at a Tuscan vineyard in Los Gatos, CA. Father Bruno Segatta is a terrific coach and a terrific guy. Met some lovely people, mostly artists. Ate great gourmet meals al fresco with good wine too. Just fabulous.

Painted 2 today: olive trees on a hillside reminiscent of the Sinesi countryside, 16x20", acrylic on canvas; small watercolor of flowers, trees, lamppost, etc. on the road up the hillside, 5x7", watercolor on paper.

This estate is incredible. All built from scratch over 25 years to look like it had been there for 500 years, and the illusion is fabulous, homey, and just thrilling. Ponds, houses, vineyards, olive groves, gardens both formal and kitchen, animals, old trees, artifacts all over the place, vintage cars.... abbondanza!

Day Two of La Rusticana D'Orsa

Another productive day at La Rusticana d'Orsa at the workshop with Father Bruno Segatta. Three today, one large 16x20 acrylic on canvas of cypress trees and a stone staircase; one Ceracolor 9x12 on watercolor board of a fountain; one quick watercolor and ink sketch of a garden walkway 6x9 on paper.

Tuscany in Los Gatos!

Signed up for something I never do: a workshop! 3 days in a Tuscan themed vineyard with gourmet lunches and instructions from an Italian master, who is delightful. What a gorgeous place! This is going to be great. Here are two from today, and they're larger than I usually do: 16"x20"

Mori Point

Good day painting with the crew at Mori Point. Overcast and cool, but gorgeous scenery.

Tree sketch

Quick ink sketch from imagination on watercolor paper, then watercolor wash. 5x7".

Spooooooky!

Up on Skyline Blvd. at Skylawn Memorial (read cemetery) with the painting group. Very foggy! Two pix, one acrylic on masonite, 12x9" of graves and trees in the fog. The other a watercolor on Arches paper of the view down the hills to the Crystal Springs Reservoir in lifting fog, 10x4" in watercolor.

Painting Points South

2 day painting trip with friends to Pacific Grove, Point Lobos and San Juan Bautista. Good days for painting.

Good Day, Sunshine...

In the back roads behind the town of Half Moon Bay today with small group. Making up for missed weekend last time when I was too ill.
2 paintings: 12x16 acrylic on masonite of eucalyptus by creek near cemetery; 4x5 ink and watercolor on paper of vignette of a barn.

Fully baked - Baker Beach

Great day painting with the bunch at Baker Beach in SF. Lovely weather and views. Lunch impromptu at Boon Pang's gallery, which was a trip in and of itself!

Painted 2: first is an acrylic, 12x16 on masonite; second is a 6x9 watercolor (done last in about 30 minutes). Lots of fun today.

This trip had to be postponed by a week, because they closed off all the streets last Sunday in SF for the Alcatraz triathlon.

Painting Pedro Point

Painting with the group in Pacifica today. Weather started out very overcast, highly windy, and cold, but warmed up considerably. Path lined with daisies along a creek leading out to the ocean beach. 20"x12" acrylic on masonite.

GG Park Snafu

We had an odd day painting in Golden Gate Park. Got there very early AM and there was no parking on street for miles around! Couldn't get close to the right site, so went over to the museums anyway and painted there (parking undergound.) Missed half our group, who must have come so late that they got parking in the right area after all the crowds left. Ah well, all's well anyway.

Two decent quick sketches: one watercolor and pen on white paper, one Ceracolor on tinted paper. Small but nice.

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve

Great time painting today at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. 17 painters! Millions of families with kids celebrating Earth Day in the tide pools, so very crowded. Painted two: acrylic of the cliffs/beach/tide pools; pastel of a huge stump with poppies.

An experiment

I had been watching David Dunlop and his "Landscapes Through Time" series. In one teaser for his new season he demonstrated how JMW Turner achieved his luminous atmospheric effects in painting Venice. I've been intrigued by Dunlop's techniques for years, but never tried it, because it seems suited for oil painting, which I prefer not to do.

Decided to try it out with his scene from memory using Ceracolors (cold wax paints). This was clearly NOT the kind of medium to use with his technique, but I did achieve and learn something in the process.

Dunlop's finished scene painted in Venice on site:

And now my experiment painted from memory in about 20 minutes:

San Juan Bautista

Love this little historic mission town! We had a gorgeous spring day, just 4 of us, painting here. Didn't want to paint the mission itself again. But this one turned out pretty crappy.

Bean Hollow

We had a great day painting at Bean Hollow State Beach in Pescadero. First one is a Ceracolor, 12x9 on Canson Watercolor Board, second one is line and wash, ink and Inktense watercolor pencil on paper 7x5 from memory of Boon painting amid the rocks (see real photo.)