Patchwork Farm Lavender

With temperatures reaching triple digits, the lavender crop was ready early. We went out to beautiful Capay Valley to take it in and paint. Things were buzzing with the pickers ranch hands. The fields appear to have a lavender cloud over them with the green base. It brought me back to years being in southern France seeing and smelling the field of lavender. It was a bit difficult to find shade for painting but the setting is so nice with the blue sky and Capay hills in the background. Thank you to the people of Patchwork Farm.

Capay Valley Ranches

. This painting was done under adverse conditions. It was cold with a strong wind. I bungeed my paint palate to the easel to keep from blowing away. Wind is definitely the worst condition for painting. Usually I find something to duck behind but out on this hill nothing worked. I danced around to keep warm and kept putting my hands in my pockets to warm them. I finally gave up, got into my car with my stuff and drove off. Finished the painting at home. It is a beautiful place and even returned a second time to do a painting.

Ranchland Spoils

Had a wonderful day to paint on a cattle ranch in the Capay Valley. Barns, machinery ruins, budding trees and grassy knolls were there for arranging. I moved (artist license) the car wreckage down the hill in front of this large barn and tank. The wreck was completely rusted but intact. I meant to later paint some of the trucks and machinery but the sun went in and all of my fellow artists had already packed up and left the area.