Pastels

Had a great day painting at Montara. 14 in the group, very good weather, lovely scenery. These two shots of my pastel paintings are not particularly good representations of the real thing, but will have to do. Haven't figured out yet how to handle taking pictures of pastel art on paper that curls....

First one is 12x9" on Mi Teintes blue paper with mostly soft pastels (the one I like best of the two); second one is 9x12" mostly pastel pencil or hard pastels on pastel board. Regardless of the photo lapse, the paintings came out well and I'm pleased at experimenting in this medium.

Peak Experience

Temps were peaking avound the Bay. Great day painting at a colleague's family farm on Skyline overlooking the ocean. Very changing light and shadows. Tried to capture that in bit acrylic 12x16". Then quick small watercolor & ink sketch of Danny painting, 7x5" on paper. Down in the Bay the temp was 90 degrees, but we were cooler with a nice breeze up on the mountain top. Almost 20 painters all having fun!

LTFA = Leave It The Fuck Alone!

Should stay  my motto for painting when it feels done, before screwing things up!

OK, you know I never do this, but it felt "unfinished" as a sketch, so I added watercolor at home. Forgive me for I have sinned! LOL

Crystal Clear

Another good day painting. Out at Crystal Springs, alternately hot and cold! One acrylic, one pastel. These pix of them don't do them justice, BTW.

12x9" acrylic on masonite, Crystal Springs, B. Charlow 2019

8x4" pastel on sanded paper, Crystal Springs, B. Charlow 2019

Cattin' Around TomKat Ranch

Good day painting. Got to go to an all day event at TomKat Ranch in Pescadero, a private spread that is an experimental and educational cattle ranch. Got 3: one acrylic, two watercolors. Not bad! Liked the last watercolor of the wagon alone best.

GG Park Bandshell

Good day painting after visiting the Monet exhibit.

Last of the Ohlone (series)

I had never been up to the top of Sweeney Ridge, but today we took the loooonnnnnggggg drive (escorted by GGNRA Ranger James Osborne) up to the top to the SF Bay Discovery Site. Spot where Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portola topped the ridge to discover the real SF Bay the natives told him about. Incredible views in all directions, even with some fog over the coastside hills and haze on the Bay. Wildflowers too.

This was for the last painting in the "Along the Ohlone-Portola Trail Plein Air" series with Sanchez Art Center. We'll have a juried exhibition of the works in July in Pacifica to cap it all off.

Not a bad day, though not my best painting. Kind of difficult to find an inspiring composition there, as I don't find broad landscape expanses that moving, though they make wonderful views. This was 12x9" acrylic on masonit.

Pastel for Pasqua!

Not much to do around here on an Easter Sunday, so I broke out the pastels and tried an experiment. Not bad on the results, particularly since I had nothing substaantial in mind for a composition. 12x9" on peach colored paper.

Along the Ohlone Portola Trail

Maybe last (?) in a series in Pacifica. Part of the 400 year anniversary (or so) of Portola's coming upon the SF Bay Area. Will be an exhibit at Sanchez Art Gallery in July if chosen for the show.

Ohlone Abalone, 9x12" acrylic on masonite, Shelldance Orchid Nursery in Pacifica, B. Charlow 2019

Monterey in the Rain

Back to paint Point Pinos Lighthouse, but rained out, so completed indoors. Also, Monterey Cypress is a composite impression. Both watercolor and ink on paper.

Tall Ships Again

Every year the painters return to capture the return of the 2 tall ships that ply the Pacific Coast. Too much to paint! It's a mess of devices, lines, sheets, masts, cleats, pulleys..... everything you could imagine hangs on or off those ships. So they are very difficult to paint and most fail. Most marinas are like that, but with these ersatz clippers it's more so.  I've got one, maybe two decent versions, but honestly, this is beautiful but tooooo much.

So I narrowed it down to: 1) the bows and water reflections; 2) a line of small sailboats waiting for a class at the marina. This was all at the Harbor of Redwood City.

At least the weather was decent.

Along the Ohlone Portola Trail Plein Air

This was the second of a multi=event, multi-group historically themed series following the trail the Spanish took to eventually "discover" SF Bay. This was at Pacifica Beach (Linda Mar).

First is acrylic on board 9x12"; second is quick watercolor on 5x8" paper afterwards.

Rockin' Rockaway

Painters out with company from 3 other groups today at Rockaway Beach in Pacifica, CA. Part of a series we're doing in cooperation with Sanchez Art Center to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the European discovery of SF Bay.

Two paintings: 12x9" acrylic on Masonite; 12x9" Ceracolors on watercolor board.

Wow on the Coast - Redux

Back again to Cowell Purissima Trail in Half Moon Bay on the coast. Terrific day with remarkable 69 degree weather and sun. Got two: acrylic on masonite of farm and hills, 6x12";  very quick watercolor and ink on paper of coast, 5x7".

Mavericks

Had a great day painting at Pillar Point, just off Maverick's. Light on the water was the basic theme of the acrylic on board, 9x12"; then wild flowers and colors in the marsh in the 9x6" watercolor and ink on paper.

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.