Sycamore Hill 8x10

Lovely morning in Irvine Park enjoying the sycamore trees. Great to get out and do some plein air.

The Plaza

The fountain in the center of the plaza is a wonderful gathering place.   It is a great place to sit and relax and enjoy the charm of Downtown Orange.

Weir Canyon

I have been exploring this week, painting the same scene several times.  It did not seem to come any easier with the progression.  Each one carried it's own set of problems.  From painting to painting shapes morphed and the emphasis changed.  I though I would post this one because it is the last one.  It is the largest one being a 12x12.  

This exercise reminds me of my childhood.  If I liked something I drew I would draw it over and over.  I remember being so proud that I wanted to sent them all off to my relatives in New York.  I would love to have that feeling back.

Weir Canyon is a beautiful hiking area not far from me near Anaheim Hills.  It is a favorite place for my husband and I to hike.

oil, 12x12

Balboa Cove

Took a ride down to paint at a friends house today.  It was overcast with a strong light burning through.  This little spot is from my friends back porch out onto the canal.  Houses are packed in on a circular edge of sand with boats and kayaks coming in and out of view.  This is the view of the neighbors and their boat up on shore just a few feet out of the water.  In this view is also large buildings which are across Coast Highway and a bit of sky that falls between.  I wanted to suggest something in the background without putting in every detail.  Working on an 8x8 I must remember not to put in too much.  The contrast between the hustle and bustle of the busy road and the hospital behind them is amazing to me.  It was all out there, but I did not care and just enjoyed the tranquil water.

It was a lovely day to be down there to enjoy the fresh air and the peaceful view.  Thanks Cindy :)

8x8 oil

Fallen Tree

Went out last week to Irvine Park to brush up on plein air painting.  In June I am going out plein air painting with Kim VanDerHoek's class.   It is always an adjustment to get set up and ready to paint.  Once ready I did enjoy just being in the quiet and painting.  I felt a little out of it in my approach.  I had too much paint on the surface and a whole lot of slip and slide going on.  I enjoyed being out with my friend Judy.  We both got in the zone and barely spoke a word.  It is very zen!  In the end I was unhappy with what I had done, even though I enjoyed every minute of being there.  Funny how that works.  I took it home and did not look at it again for several days.  In the mean time I did another plein air painting and then went back to look at the first one.  I decided it was a fine attempt and being critical at this point is useless.  Painting is an action.  It is always in movement; a continuing process to observe.  So it is my job to keep it in motion and observe the comings and goings of it's nature order.  

Pleasant Afternoon

Pleasant Afternoon is the product of an afternoon painting session in Cynthia Grilli's backyard.  There were seven of us painting and just enjoying a beautiful day.  Everyday I get to paint is a beautiful day.

16x12 oil on canvas

Princess For A Day

Last weeks model brought her wedding dress and wore it for the session.  Painting the white fabric was challenging.

14x11 oil

Leslie

This was a one day study.  Cynthia Grilli did a demo of Leslie and then we all dug in and had some fun.

Sweet Max

This sweet little boy is the delight of a wonderful family.  He was commissioned as a birthday gift.  Max is up in years and has lost his hearing.    I followed him around at a party and took photos for this portrait.  This shot shows his adorable ears up and ready to follow all he loves so very much.

12x12, oil

Sold

Pep Talk

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  I love making food and eating it.  Mainly I like spending the day with my kids, husband, brothers and sisters of mine and my husband and all the kids and their kids.  Again, I love all of this and the fact that great food is at the center of the day.  Everyone brings something yummy to share.   Now with all that said, the work involved is a labor of love by all and requires a few pep talks to get it all done.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

DPW Auction

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Spoon Down

Composition is important to content.  Especially when content is random.  More fun with stuff around my house.  I must have pushed that spoon around in every direction.  In the end it ended up flat out horizontal, like a fighter down for the count.

DPW Auction

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Morning Hike

This is a 6x6 oil of a local trail I painted once before.  The last time I did it I used pastels.  It is fun to see the differences in the mediums.

Bid here -DPW Auction

Clinging With Touch Up

6x6 Clinging needed some attention and advise.  I was able to take a second look and apply many of my comments from yesterday to finishing up this piece.  It is working much better now.  I could noodle this to death, but it is time to move on.  Thanks so much to all of you who gave constructive criticism on line and off.

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Today     vs.    Yesterday

Clinging

This 6x6 oil is another go at my little pot in more direct lighting.  I called it "Clinging" because the little nectarine looks like it is clinging to the pot.  I am not sure if the space between the pot and the nectarine is believable.  I have a few ideas on how to correct the problem, but I thought it would be fun to hear from you.   What do you think?  

Time Well Spent

Time Well Spent is a 10x8 oil of a valuable past time.  This is a precious moment in the life of this father and son.  It is priceless.  The young boy, standing with careful observance to the end of the fishing pole, is my great nephew James with his father Scott.  James has a little brother Nathan that I painted with Scott some time ago, "Precious Moments," and the painting hangs in a gallery of family photos at the top of their stairs.  According to my niece Mary, James wished there was a painting of him and his dad to go along with Nathan's.   James will be having a birthday this week and this was commissioned for him.  So he too will hang as an oil painting in the gallery with Nathan doing what is most precious...spending time with dad.

SOLD

Mid Day Sunlight

Mid Day Sunlight is a 8x6 oil painting.  This little one was painted last weekend during a Peggi Kroll Roberts workshop.  We worked on values for 2 days.  Painting from gray scale to full color.  I took lots with me from this weekend and am still turning things over in my head.

Good Friends

This 6x6 oil is of two good friends in my summer school class.  They are out doing some plein drawing with the class.  I walk from student to student helping and answering questions as they draw.  I always have a camera to capture moments like these.  These girls are always there for each other.

Good Friends, 6x6, oil, $85.00

Hot Pink

8x6, oil, $90.00

An afternoon with the model is always better than an afternoon with fruit.

Sand Diggers

12x24 oil, sold

Time

6x9, oil, sold

Time is precious and the time we give each other is priceless.