Vacaville Hills

A wonderful morning with cool breeze and good light. We are all prepared for very hot weather but were surprised at Lagoon Creek in Vacaville. I actually had to put on a light shirt. I painted here back in the spring when everything was green. Not so anymore with our drought. The hills are shades of yellow with the sun beating down on them. I was in the shade but my wet into wet painting was drying very quickly, requiring lots of spraying. I did not spend much time doing this as I am on my way to Cape Cod and need to pack a few things. Good to be out painting with friends.

Solitude

I went out early this morning to the Univ of California, Davis Arboretum to do some sketching and painting. Only the birds were making noise and then some very young campers wound past me in a long single file of bicycles down to the creek. A woman sat alone on a bench staring ahead at the vista that included the creek. I started sketching the scene and she remained absolutely still on the bench so,I included her in the sketch. She was silhouetted because of the back lighting and only some blonde hair showed color on the top of her head. She disappeared when I started painting and then reappeared in the exact pose she was in previously. I painted for more than an hour and she remained almost to the end. I doubt she was aware of me painting. The arboretum is a peaceful place with its plants; a perfect place for meditation.

Plein Air Painting in Audubon Sanctuary

Anther beautiful California day for painting. We were at the Bobelaine Audubon Sanctuary near the Feather River on this trip. There is water and lush vegetation all over this farming country. Plenty of shade for painting and the only limitation was the poison oak growing all around the water sites. I painted from the dike instead of being on the shore which I prefer. After a couple of sketches I got started but then totally changed my focus. Usually, I stick with one of my sketches which has all of the detail and value change. When I do, the painting is easy.

Rain at the Wetlands

Awoke to a cool morning with a few raindrops. Very unusual at this time of year. Yesterday we were in triple digits for heat. We are in the worst draught in years. Is this global warming? Headed out to the wetlands and there was water in the pools and plenty of birds. The sun was not out and the sky kept getting darker. I hurried my sketch and then soaked my paper. This was wet into very wet painting for the top 3/4 of the painting. It actually got cold and the rain drops increased so that I finished the bottom of the painting when I returned home. It is an ideal day for me to get out into the countryside and do plain air painting.