Another Trail

I went back out to Rockville to paint again today. This little section of trail, slipping by a large cracked boulder and disappearing over the hill caught my eye. Still working with color tones in the transition from sun to shade... I wanted to try to do some loser, impressionistic style painting but can't seem to just let the paint float onto the paper. I'll have to keep working on that technique.

Rockville Park Fieldtrip

I went back out to Rockville Park yesterday and discovered I was sharing the park with a group of 8-9 year olds on a field trip. The painting without the crowd in the back ground is what I painted while I was up there but I wanted to capture more of the things I was seeing and hearing. This morning I scanned the image and added the group in the background and the captions around the edges. I was tempted to just sit there and watch but decided to push myself once again and try painting some of the kids.

Sand and Sea

I decided to upload both the inspirational picture and my painting. This was taken at Pt. Reyes, on a beautiful day, back in March. I loved the tapestry of ice plant and grasses coming down to the sand. Any suggestions on painting ocean and waves would be helpful as I'm still learning...

Alstroemeria

My Alstroemerias are blooming in the back yard; I decided to try painting one... I know the reason that I stay away from painting flowers; they end up feeling to me like paint- by-numbers paintings. They don't have the free feeling that painting landscapes has for me. Never the less, I have pushed myself and posted the finished result.

Manzanita Path

Our winds the last few days have been incredible, common for our area, but incredible from a painters point of view just the same.

I got up at sunrise, anticipating a beautiful, CALM, clear sunrise with lots of painting opportunities, and Lo and Behold, WIND AGAIN! Skipped the sunrise idea but still felt the need to put brush to paper, so went out to Rockville, our regional park. I found a fairly calm spot with the Manzanita trees that I wanted and proceeded to pull out my paints. It was along about that time that I realized, once again, that I had forgotten my glasses in the car... So any errors in this painting I am going to blame on lack of ability to see. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it! Although, I must admit, more details were added after I returned home and had my glasses on...

Marsh Turtle

We have LIFE!!! This is a major accomplishment for me; something living. Field glasses are an amazing invention! I am constantly reading about artists using them but never think to bring them along myself. The last few days have been so windy here, I have been restricted to the car for painting. When I saw this turtle sunning him/herself on a drainage pipe the only way to get a good clear look was through the field glasses. Lo and behold, he didn't dive back into the water either so I was able to study him long enough to get him on to paper. I always get the feeling of sneaking away with something very special when I spend the time to work out an angle for a photo that I really like or when I slow down and become fully involved enough to paint a subject. This was one of those paintings.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you that are Mothers!

Marsh Creek

Well, I am back after a long winter. To update those of you that don't know; I lost my Grandmother in January. "Thank you" to all of you that e-mailed me to see how I was doing and tried to encourage me to pick up my brush. The winter brought a lot of changes but I think the Muse has returned.

The marsh is beautiful in the spring, lots of bird life and assorted other animals frolicking in the warmth. Haven't gotten good enough to include wildlife in these paintings yet but I'll get there.