Quick Visit to the Muse

I have not been painting because lots of projects have popped up and taken more time than anticipated. Isn't that always the case? The Davis train station has always been my go to when I need a jump start. It was late afternoon when I set up my easel and then started paining right away. It was hurry up from the beginning. After an hour or so, my phone went off and away I went. This was my painting and I just added the shadows of the people when I looked at it today. Sometimes I find some good things happen with rushed painting. I have been painting but it has been chairs and doors. Lots of plein air coming up with good weather and groups.

House on Eureka in Davis

A group of artists arrived this morning to see and paint in Kris Bell's newly finished gardens.  Her yard is spacious and has lots of plants started.  The design and landscaping were recently completed.  It is well done and gives rise to many great spaces for plants.
I love the street view of the house because of the very tall mature trees that line it.  They really dwarf the houses along it.  I tried to capture that in this painting.  I tried out some of my new green mixes.  It was a nice sunny day and I met many of the neighbors while painting.

Morning Coffee

The temperature finally dropped out of the triple digits. Out to paint in the early morning and the coffee customers are there on G Street in Davis. Nice cool morning and no people to bother. This was quick and the coffee people were there almost to the end. I am still working on my trees. This was done with sap green and raw sienna, gradually increasing the sap green and then adding ultramarine blue to the mix.

Meeting at 2nd and G

Painted in downtown Davis this morning before the stores opened and while there were plenty of parking spaces. All was quiet before 8AM and then the nail shop behind me opened and a lot of smells were in the air. Then the wonderful smell of baked bread and soon the coffee drinkers arrived. It is interesting to see the city awaken. The cleaning ladies are seated on the benches viewing their smart phones awaiting someone with a key to show. The trees are in bloom except the one in the foreground which is just starting. It is sunny and warm. There are long shadows with the rising sun. It is a challenge to edit this scene. There is so much signage and plenty of things on the walkway. Big trucks pull up and block the view as they unload kegs of beer but they are quick. Getting down a good sketch at the beginning is the secret to paint changing shadows and blocked out views.

Two Icons

The Taco Truck and the Water Tower stand out in Winters, CA. I picked a spot across the street and painted this scene yesterday. It amazed me how many people come to the truck. There is pretty much a continuous stream of people and this was after lunch. Cars pull in and empty out the occupants. They stand and wait for the orders. This is a busy spot for traffic going into this small town. Fun place to paint.

Workers Live Here

This painting is a composite of several attempts at painting alleys in Mexico. This imaginary one goes down to the beach and shows two methods of transportation;horse and truck. Most of the alleys in my neighborhood in Sayulita are not paved and the back or side of the house comes out to it. It is a place to park. Most are not cluttered with bottles or paper. The sides that are on the alley usually need some fresh paint or at least a good wash. It makes good subject matter for a painter.

Alleyway to the Beach

Returned last evening from the warmth and sun of Mexico. It is raining here in California and we welcome it for our severe drought. This painting was done on location right next to a primary school. All of the children would come to the corner of their play area and tell me how well I was doing with my painting. Of course, they spoke Spanish to me so I am not sure about all of the critiques but I did hear something that made me think they liked it. (Wish I spoke some Spanish.) The painting hue is done in a high key. I see this after getting it back home, but while painting in the bright sunlight it is difficult to judge the values in a painting. I just keep comparing and see relative differences. The horses are left there and keep being moved or exchanged as someone comes to ride them. The lane is also used by the local taxi group and they park cars in the lane. Despite all of the distractions, I would do it again as it is quite enjoyable.

An Alleyway in Davis

Last week our Davis Plein Air Painting Group visited the alleys that are found in the older section of our town. For some, it was a first time discovery. The morning was bright and sunny with the sunlight shadowing one side of the alley and casting long shadows. We did a sketch crawl through several of the alleys and ended up with pictures done with pen and ink, colored pencil, watercolor pencil and watercolor painting. This was from one of my sketches that I liked. We all promised to revisit the alleys and find new ones. It was a good outing.

Bluefish Inn

I painted this during the summer and I just redid it. The light hit this building in such a spectacular way, that I had to stop and paint. It was a Sunday morning and though, not sure, I guess the two women were returning from church, the way they were dressed. The greens of the trees were lush and I mixed several different ones that complimented the yellow orange of the Inn. It was a fun day painting

The Train is Running Late

Was at the Davis Train Depot this morning. Beautiful day with a very active scene. After setting up to sketch, a few trains came and then there was only this man on his phone. I sketched him. He eventually got up and wandered over to see what I was doing. He gave me his story about waiting for the train to Missouri and it was late. And a long story ensued about coming to Davis. Eventually, another wave of people arrived for trains. As I look at this quick study, I am thinking of Edward Hopper. He always had some melancholy theme to his work. I am not sure why, because I was bright eyed and well rested and doing what I like to do. My friend Naomi was also there painting along side. I don't know what the dynamics are for a feeling in this painting.

The Kite Shop

An iconic marker for HarwichPort is the Kite Shop. Every kid visiting the area has made at least one stop. The shop has expanded lately with candy that can be chosen in the old fashion way; one selection at a time, and you leave with a bag. Also, the main sidewalk in front of the shop is usually filled with summer items. I am attracted to paint it because of the myriad of colors. The flags, wind socks, whirly-gigs, etc. are sure traffic stoppers. I paint from across the street and have plenty of company from the strolling vacationers.

The 'Hood'

Got back to my acrylic paints this morning.  After being away for two weeks and doing little painting and sketching it felt good to do a quick acrylic painting.  The dicipline of daily painting is important to move on.  I have not tried a painting a day, but can see the benefit, particularly, if you do the same subject for a week.
It is summer here in terms of tree foliage and warm temperatures.  This should get me out to doing more plein air work.

Church on Broadway

The Urban Landscape Painting Group headed out to Broadway in Oak Park last Wednesday.  It was a nice warm day with plenty of sunshine.  I set up my new umbrella that I just bought at Costco.  It allowed me to be out on the sidewalk to paint this scene.  I bungied it to a fence, otherwise, it would require a jackhammer to put it into the soil (made for beaches).
I always go on about Oak Park.  It is a changing scene with new housing units and shops opening.  Right next to us, they are completing a brewery with outside dining area.  The area has wonderful alleyways, old homes and plenty of homeless.  

Great Pizza

My favorite pizza comes from George's.  It is located on Main St, HarwichPort.  I tried painting several things on this 8X11 canvas board and each time jessoed over the painting.  I did not sand down the bumps that came from pallet knife applications of paint.  I gave up on my early paintings and painted this scene from memory and previous paintings.  My ventures into acrylic are becoming less frustrating and this is an advantage; you can use the same canvas over and over.  I think this has a total of 4 paintings.

Sayulita Morning Rush

I set my easel up at the entrance to town.  Sayulita Mexico is a beehive of activity around 9AM.  Shop keepers are opening up and bus passengers are arriving over the bridge that leads into town.  There is wonderful color along with the activity.  Despite the activity, no one is frenetic.  Plenty stopped to talk and a few breakfasters moved over with their coffees to watch and chat.  It is just a great place to vacation and paint.

Street Vendor

My subject was setting up to sell his drinks when I started painting.  His space eventually became closed in as cars filled the open spaces before and after his cart.  He ended up really pinched in between two cars which greatly reduced his visability.  After he had his cups and drinks just right, he retired to a step in the shade up against a building, a good 10 feet away.  I'm not a business man, but this method of selling doesn't seem effective.  Of course, there is an inertia that overtakes one in the tropics.  It was a warm, humid morning in Sayulita; just the kind that attracts you to cold drinks.

The Square

The center of town in Sayulita buzzes with activity.  It is colorful in the Mexican tradition.  There is a small park in the center and I set up on the banking along the sidewalk.  It did not stop people from climbing up to see what I was doing.  I love Mexico.

Oak Park Theater

Painted on a beautiful day in Oak Park section of Sacramento, CA.  The Urban Landscape Plein Aire group is managed by Patris.  She finds the place and takes us out to paint.  Weather has been ideal for plein aire painting.  Of course, we do need rain in California but have to take advantage of these nice winter days. 

The large building is the Guild Theater which has been restored.  It has an intricately designed brick facade which I did not deal with in this watercolor sketch.  I am curious to see the inside and take in a performance.  I painted The scene from across the street on Broadway.  The entire couple of blocks are being developed with condominiums and apartments.  Oak Park will not be the same when it is all done.  What a great place to live with everything in walking distance. 

Care Needed

It was a frosty start yesterday in Arbuckle, CA.  The sun eventually warmed the place.  I chose to paint the old railroad station and stay in the sun.  The station is actually fenced in with a large sign on it requesting donations for restoration.  I remember seeing this beauty several years ago with all sorts of things growing up through the platform and building.  These have all been removed and it just sits there naked.  I removed  the fences but I painted a rickety structure that has plenty of work needed.  The sun created some nice shadows from the exposed beams.

There was not a lot of activity in Arbuckle but a few cars stopped to pick something up on Main St.  A long train rolled by.  The large parking lot remained empty except for a few painters.  It was great to be outside.

Trash Pickup Day

What is more urban than alleys and trash containers?  We set out to paint alleys Sacramento on Wednesday.  It was adventurous as we disturbed some homeless late sleepers as well as found a new litter of pups.  The trees now have color and provide a nice frame to our scenes.  Many of the trash barrels were lined up in the alley.  There were long shadows from sunlight this morning.  I kept debating whether to place figures in the scene but then decided that the trash containers told a good story.