Cache Creek Remnant

The sun was bright while we were painting this morning in Esparto, CA.  The Cache Creek runs through with its stone riverbed.  Right now, the water level is low and debris from previous storms line the banks.  I found this spot with an old tree and set up behind it for a painting.  You can see the low water level in the background and the carved out river bank.  Everything is very dry.  This scene will change when the rains come in early winter.  My tree stump will probably relocate when that happens. 

Springtime on the River

This month I have been doing a lot of sketching with charcoal.  Using a live model in short poses I think that I come up with more believable figures in my paintings.  This painting was an old theme that I have painted before but I added the birches and like the result.  There is nice value change from back to foreground and a nice eye path. 
With all of my travels this month, I have not been posting to the blog.  Will get some of my recent pleine air work up.