And yet again...

 So:

Nicasio - 8X10 Oil

It looks like I'm going to just keep trying to get it right!  Trees are one of my current challenges. So, I got on the internet and studied at artists who know how do it, masters of the art. Most  recently I looked at Brian Blood because he is a northern California painter and does lots of eucalyptus trees beautifully. Well, you should have seen me with my mouth skewed to the side and even my tongue sticking out as I concentrated. I couldn't quite get it. Then I was looking at Ron Guthrie's latest paintings. He also is a California painter and does lots of wonderful landscapes, which include eucalyptus trees, as well as a variety of other subjects. In trying to see what I could learn about painting these trees from both artists, something clicked a little bit.The background has been simplified some, the sky has been worked a bit too.  This is definitely a learning experience, and I'm glad I've been able to spend the time on it. Now I'll leave the eucalyptus alone and try something "painterly" with the background.
   When it comes to composition, the clump of bushes in the very center of the painting don't seem like a good idea. They might just go away, or get converted to something more straggly and a shallower slope. I just got a tube of "Naples Yellow," and I sort of got carried away playing with it on the hills and grasses.
  This was a plein air I started last year at a horse ranch in the Lucas Valley at Nicasio.

Darn it, that sky sure looked better in person. Now when I look at the photo, most of what I did looks faded. Another lesson.

Good Grief, look at the date! What happened to July!!!

Nicasio - oil 8X10

Starting with the oldest: This is a plein air I'm still trying to get right. The enormous group of incredibly tall eucalyptus on the right are still defeating me. "Only God can make a tree." It's sooo true. I've been studying the work of very accomplished California artists, and some trees are starting to look better, but I still don't have it right. Hmm, and then there is that sky. Van Gogh-ish?

The Plaza, Sonoma - oil 6X8

Another plein air, a little "less-old" than the one above. I'm not sure anyone would recognize the building, I used my artistic license to try to simplify it. Bummer, the photo is less than focused. Skip it.

Still Life, Watercolor, 10X14

I did this a while ago, and just fixed a little bobble then photographed it. It's too big for the scanner. The mat is one I found in a thrift store, but the items are mine. The wiggley bit in the center is a reticulated helmet I picked up on a beach, I especially like the square bottle, the crock with the blue band was my grandmothers and dates back to the 'teens. I don't remember where or when I collected the smaller jar on the left, it's crockery too.

Garin Park - oil, 5X6

 This was originally an attempt (plein air) to use a limited palette suggested in a workshop. It has reinforced my general objection to Veridian. This version has the addition of Sap, Hookers and generous amounts of yellow ochre. OK, I confess, a touch of black. Some artists seem to think it is some how cheating to use black and not mix your own. However, you can find just as many who swear by it, so I pick my battles. I'll use it when I need it. Why do I feel the need to apologize? Whatever works. Unless I claimed my self the strict student of a particular school, I can feel free to use what I need. Er, Uh, right? Wow, have you seen the subtle variety available in Charvin paints!?

Hopi Adobe - Acrylic, 12X15

Sorry this is leaning away from the camera. This is from a black and white photo from the 1930's. They back onto a cliff, so they must have an incredible view. They might not have much in the way of windows at the back, but a lot of time is spent on the roofs.

Carquinez - oil,  6X8

It was a gorgeous day, but difficult to settle on what to include in the picture. The road way on the left that includes a "bridge" has gone through a major change. I think I'll stop (or give up on) this one.

Coyote Hills - oil, 9X18

A studio work based on photos taken during a plein air paint out. Not very accurate, the hills are smaller, the rocks are way smaller and the foreground field is way bigger. It may be best to strip it and start over, to bring it back into proportion. A challenge in composition. Ick, veridian is an awful green.

Coyote Hills 2012 - oil, 8X10

Hmm, too recent, I need some perspective provided by time. It was dawn at the park and the reflections and shadows kept changing.

Niles Canyon - 9X18

Not a plein air, I have driven by near here, and I was imagining it before the urban sprawl. The oak on the right has been really re-worked, and some things about the gate and cattle guard.

Tulip - oil, 8X10

This was to be a palette knife painting. I don't have the knack for it yet, had to repaint the blossom completely, and the leaves and stems a bit. I probably couldn't leave the background alone either, you know me. I normally would have done this in watercolor, but it seems important to try a variety of subjects in each medium.

Canyon, AZ - oil 8X10

The rocks on the left look too soft, like pillows. They need flatter tops. There is a village on the valley floor, but it looks amateurish. Time to study the work of some experts. The depth seems pretty good.

Beach, Cape Cod - watercolor 6X8

This is using the American Journey watercolor sticks. I can't find half of them, so that meant a really limited palette! It sure is easier when you can find your browns instead of mixing them.

Toy Boats, Paris - watercolor 4X6

Again, the A.J. watercolor sticks. Boy am I out of practice on water ripples! Ick.

Provence - watercolor 6X8

At last. Same session, only half of my colors in A.J. watercolor sticks, no mixing surface, and no pencil. I tried to lightly sketch shapes with the only thing I could find, a ball point pen. I should have just gotten up and scrounged a pencil! Oops, the balcony shadows are way too light. Obviously this is not finished. Especially now that I see an out of focus photo of it. Sorry to inflict it on you! thanks for your patience.

OK, now I'm hungry. I can't believe July is almost over!

Plein air fallout!

Shinn/Niles preliminary painting, oil

If you're old enough, you remember the saying from the 70's: "As soon as I've figured out where it's at, they MOVE it!" (sigh)  It still holds for me. As soon as I get the hang of this blog business, they "improve it." Honestly, they ARE improvements, it's just that they catch me off guard.

OK, enough whining. (for today) The above is a new oil that I started in the bathroom. Sounds funny? Well, I have one bathroom that is really large and incredibly well lit, so once I removed the useless tub-thing, I had room to paint in there and could be comfortable no matter the weather.

OK, back to the topic. I've now switched the oils to the porch studio due to fumes, so I've been finishing this one out there.  This is a fairly inaccurate picture of the Niles Canyon entry, with the Shinn house in the midground as it was around 1910. I fully took advantage of my artistic license in moving things and turning them around. I wanted to explore depth in painting hills, too. You can see sketch lines where I was trying to decide about the foreground. Eeek, what do I do with all that yellow? Make flat land interesting.

Niles Canyon/Shinn House - The old gate, oil

Ultimately, I think this is it, done, finito, fin. When it dries a bit, I'll sign it. Then start saving for a frame. Funny, I like the barn a lot more than the house! Too small to see here, but the barn did come out well.
As a child we went to grandma's ranch most summers, mostly so daddy could help her with the heavy annual stuff. In painting this picture I started thinking about those days and those old cattleguard gates everywhere. So it went into the picture! She was a homesteader who raised Black Angus and my Dad, all by herself. Grandaddy died when Dad was three months old, as a result of conditions in WWI. Yes, WWI.
Those summers are great memories. The scents were especially nostalgic, hot sun on hay, young calves when you feed them from a nursing bucket, barns and old wood, lots of things.
Can you tell I've been checking in on Ree Drummond's "Pioneer Woman" blog? Just type "Ree Drummond" in your browser and it will take you there. That's how I found it. It's fun to lurk, without having to do the WORK.
Hmm, I think the trees on the left may need something, some variety. The red is not flowers, they are red weeds that grow around here.

Learning curve,

Kayaks on the Charles River, Summer

This is an "oops" post. A friend did a comment and let me know it didn't show up. There have been some changes to Blogspot, and I encountered them yesterday when I thought I was doing a new post. Well, it's gone where ever good posts go when they pass over.
I was actually trying to figure out how to add to the other page of this blog, the Period Needlework page. All I could do was edit what was there. I added some "WIP" pictures at the bottom of a lace Pelerine I made this winter.
Well, It's Summer now. Technically. We had TWO hot days for the last days of Spring, then it dropped to the 60's the 1st day of Summer. It felt like this:

Paine Massif, Patagonia

Of course, I just made the change over to the A/C. There is no going back. I have a new thermostat I am about to install which will remedy that , and other problems. Thanks Bob and Sheila!

It's time to paint the top photo. I took it from the dining room in the Marriot in Newton, MA. A lovely place to stay.

San Mateo Coast, Fog Bank and Fishing boats.

Maybe it's time to paint this one. It was an amazing day on the northern California Coast!

"Blue Sax" is IN!

I got the word yesterday, "Blue Sax" has been accepted for the show! Yippee. Now, I've got to get ready for a couple of other local shows coming up. What to choose, what to choose? Or what's framed, What's framed?

Art of the Blues II, Jazz and Blues Festival

Blue Sax, 8X10 Acrylic

This is from a photo by Lee Brown, he posted it last year for an artist challenge. I have wanted to do it for a long time and I kept picturing it as a study in blue. The announcement of the art show to accompany the Festival here gave me the perfect opportunity to give it a try.

It was tempting to use watercolor, but I kept thinking of oils. So, after some graphite sketching and then studies in Pentel pens in 5 shades of gray, I finally got up the nerve to put brush to canvas. Of course I waited so long that oils would never dry, so it ended up in acrylics.
I've submitted it for jurying, so wish me luck that it will be accepted.

My nephew likes to hang off the side of mountains: The Edge Craigieburn

I would write something here, but I'm still a bit breathless from the ride!
Whew.

While the oils are drying...

Silly me, I have three oils going right now. When I get exasperated at one, I move to another.  There are any number that I thought were finished. I take a look at them in on the computer and OOOPs. Why didn't I see that? It's the same as stepping away for a few days. You suddenly see what it needs. At least some of what it needs. That can be exasperating, but revealing.

Taking a break while pictures dry, I picked up the pen and ink. I need practice in portraiture, and there's so much to learn. (To cheap broke to pay for classes) Or something. Not wanting to offend anyone, or make them sit still, I thought of trying photographs of long gone composers. These tend to be old and grainy, to simplify values and shapes. They also tend to have lots of character in their faces.  So far I've done about eight, but these two are the only ones that anyone will see:

Toscanini 5X7

Tchaikovsky

You should see Rimsky-
Korsakov. Well, no you
shouldn't. He looks like
a walrus in my version.
"Do over!"

I feel especially embarrassed about Bernstein, he's a handsome man and I grew up on his wonderful music. OK, that's another do-over.





Last weekend was really cool. On Saturday there was an Artists Flea Market in Pleasanton. I also did some painting, it's a very picturesque town.
After church on Sunday a ran back to finish up and take a picture with the light "just right" (I forgot on Saturday). On the drive back I passed through Sunol, another painters dream, and decided to paint some more. There was a group of painters on the street! I parked nearby and painted a different scene.
For lunch I waddled across the street to pick up a sandwich and soda, passing near the group of painters. I thought I recognized one. Yep, I stopped and said a brief hello to Mark Monserrat! He was working with this group! They all had great pictures going too! He's an upper level instructor at San Francisco's Academy of Art University. I've been there(she bragged...as a model).

Back again, formats keep changing!

All at once scanning a picture has become an ordeal. HP Devices can't find the HP scanner. The scanner can't find the computer, but when I Print it finds it, no problem. Unless I go through the System Preferences and choose the Printer/Scan and go through a guessing game of which will work this time and how to get it into iPhoto once I finally get it into Photosmart. Sheesh. And now the format for blogspot has changed. Oh give me patience and persistence!

Light & Color, 5X8 Pen & Ink

(Heavy sigh of relief) I was able to actually find the two scans I managed and upload them. Maybe it's time for a little workshop in how this new system works. This is a Pen and Ink from a little challenge by Light & Color (or vice-versa) found through David Lobenberg's blog. An interesting challenge, too bad it isn't plein air.

Peony, 5X8

Here is the other item I was able to upload. a close up of a peony. I wish I could grow these! We don't have the right climate, I'd have to refrigerate the plane for a a certain number of weeks. Can you imagine trying to extract the butter by reaching around a peony?

OK, I need a nap, and the laptop battery is running low. And it's time for lunch! Then I'll visit all my favorite blogs again and see what everybody else has been doing!
Love to all.

Forgive the delay, been painting...

Ok, Ok, but it's plein air season! When it isn't raining I try to work outside, so, I've been doing a lot of work in the studio. (Sigh) Mostly it's been oil and acrylic, and I have not mastered the art of photographing shiny pictures without getting a flash on them.

Winter - Acrylic 12X16

Now, this h'yar paintin'. . . (cough, wheeze, sorry) This picture is one of a set of Four Seasons to-be. In earlier blogs I have posted Autumn and, well, early Summer. It's not quite finished yet.

North Coast, 6X8 Acrylic

Well, always practicing. The clouds came out OK. The rest needs work. Or not.

With flash.

Bottles, 8X10 Acrylic, no flash

Here's what happens when you try to photograph a shiny picture. This is "source unknown." I think I got a photo somewhere on the web, so I can't give the attribution. Ooops. But it was good practice, I wanted to paint something dark.

Fogged in Fishing Fleet, watercolor

I just got this framed. This is a much bigger piece than usual. I painted it in 2010, but it took forever. Sometimes watercolor is NOT fast. To get the fog effect I ended up doing washes, layer after layer of white, with a little Designer Gouache in it, then lifting it back off in certain places for depth. Sheesh. I was painting it for my brother, and about then he announced he didn't want me giving him paintings for his birthday or Christmas. It seems he figured his walls were already full. What can you do. You'd have to know him.
Well, today's his birthday, and I decided to give him a really big card. In a frame. (schnert, schnert)

Carquinez Straits, 8X10 oil

This is a plein air I started last summer but couldn't finish. This week I dug out the photos I took that day, brushed on a little linseed and went at it again. I have decided it's finished. Ta-Da!

On the Square, Sonoma 6X8 oil

 This too was started late last year, and last week I dug this out too, brushed on the linseed and played with it. The proportions are all wrong, but I've decided to pull out my "Artistic License" and use it.

Garin Pond, 6X8 oil

This is plein air, it's up the hill from my house. After a demo recently by Mark Monserrat, I started experimenting with a limited palette. This came out heavy on the blue-green side. I think it needs more reflections of the darkest of the yellower greens in certain trees to give it better balance. Hey, I think my trees and shrubs are looking less like fluffy balls and more like vegetation! Oh, I forgot, I still need to put in trunks and branches. I'd better do that first and see how it affects the color scheme. Or is it theme?

Work in Progress, 7X14 oil

This is just getting started. It's Coyote Hills Regional park. I went to a Paint Out there last year and this is a view I photographed but had not painted yet.

OK, that's what I've been up to since the last time I posted. I hope to get back to being more frequent.