Low Horizon

It feels so playful.  Lots of color.  This was late in the day on another trip to San Jose.  Driving and looking out the window at natures artwork.  This was a wonderful place to start exploring color.  I enjoyed mixing it up and laying it down.

18x18 pastel on Uart sanded paper

Trees On A Hill

Continuing the "Out The Window" landscapes.  I did this a while ago as a 6x6 in oil and decided to try it again larger at 18x18 in pastel on Uart Paper mounted on foam core.  I did do an under painting, with water based pigments, that shows through in places, but for the most part it is pastel.  

I love working with a square format.  It seems to keep me on the page.  I need to think about that more, so I will get back to you on that.  Right now it just feels right to me.

18x18 pastel

Cloud Cover

Here is a 6x6 pastel of Central California.  This was a day of mighty clouds that towered over the land.  Fun to observe and wonder how to paint.  I find clouds somewhat tricky with their bellowing shapes and values.  I will keep at it and hopefully get to where I can paint them on a larger surface with confidence.

Passing Rows of Growing Stuff

Like I have been saying for a few posts, I like looking out the window of my car.  Passing rows of trees is really optical at 70 miles per hour.  The rows flash by.  I would love to tell you what's growing here, but I'm not sure.

14x11, pastel

Open Sky

Working in pastel and experimenting with stroke application.  This is another scene from my car window between L.A. and San Jose.  I love the visual space.

18x18, pastel, "Open Sky"

Sunset Storm on Central Valley

 A few times a year my husband and I travel up to San Jose to pick up or drop off our son Spencer at SJSU.  When I am not in the drivers seat, I love looking out the window at this vast landscape of California.  It is our farm land.  From raisins to garlic the land has purpose.  These mountains divide the valley from the coast.  The otherwise flat land seems to rise up to the sky like hands reaching for God.  This is a gift to see, as much of the days travels seem visually similar.  Looking out the window and watching as the land and it's occasional landmark flash by is a quiet meditation for me.  There in that valley is something that fills me with life and purpose and the feeling of being.  

So to the snicker-doodle king, Spencer, thank you, xoxox m

12x12 pastel on ampersand pastel board. 

A Road On The Edge Of Town, Santa Inez, California

My husband and I just took our trip with our son to return him to SJSU.  I have grown to love the drive and the central California landscape.  It is in many places a reflective view of life before modernization.  There is a quietness that is peaceful to the mind and spirit.  These drives make me dream about living in a quiet environment, one of daily contemplation.  My creative side has room to breath and stress is lifted.  I would love a big barn to paint in and maybe teach painting.  So often I am overwhelmed with the comings and goings of life in the O.C.  It is a dreamy thought.

This Painting was done on a new product, at least for me, called Pastelmat.  It has a suede feel to it and is a fabulous surface to apply pastel.  I worked directly on the surface with pastel and did not start with an under painting like I have been doing as of late.  I still used a nupastel (hard stick deep purple) to establish my value pattern by massing in areas with darks and lights before going to color.  Kinda like an under painting, but faster.  

This painting was done thinking of my boy who has once again left the nest.  I pray for a wonderful year of learning, enlightenment and adventure.  

"A Road On The Edge On Town", 16x20 unframed, pastel on Pastelmat
Chemers Gallery
17300 Seventeenth Street, Suite G, Tustin, CA 92780
714.731.5432     info@chemersgallery.com

"LONG RIDE HOME"

6x6, oil on gesso panel, $75.00

Interstate 5 can be a very long ride home through the Central Valley, from the Bay Area to So Cal.  The view is field after field of farm land with distant hills and mountains.  Depending on the season and crop it goes from green to brown.  I am always drawn beyond the fields to the hills and mountains low on the picture plane.  The sky becomes a big open canvas.  So when a storm comes rolling in, it paints a vision for all eyes to behold.  As a passenger I can sit back and enjoy the gallery of changing light, color and form.