Retired Barn

This is another of my Winters' Plein Air paintings done last week. I am not sure how retired this barn is since it had a well worn path to the front. The hills in the background create a nice value in contrast to the warm notes of the grasses. I had plenty of visitors while painting and the sun was warm. The light was almost overhead.

Cantelow Road

This is a painting of Cantelow Road which is the best backroad I can ever imagine. I found this place last year while painting in Winters CA. I have now painted it several times. Each time it is awesome. You can see the Sacramento Valley and almost to the Sierra Mountains from atop the road. The other side of the hill offers a view of Pleasant Valley which I want to paint the next time I am there. The painting sold before the reception for the Winters Plein Air Festival. It was fun painting it and meeting the new owner.

Winters Plein Air Painting is Over

This was the 2nd annual paint in which lasted 6 days. Some days were very windy and even cold. I got over to Winters for 3 half days and one full one. It is a wonderful spot for painters with barns, valleys and mountains. I painted at the end of town in my attempt to shield myself from a gusting wind. It was done on 300lb Arches watercolor paper which was previously adhered to quarter inch foam core. This allowed me to use gel and then varnish. I then put it into a float frame that we came up with. Looks like an oil and there is no glass. I was worried that it would turn out 'crafty appearing', but I like it. Anyway, I have this and two others in the show with a reception tonight.

Over the Hill is...

This steep hill leads to some of the finest restaurants around Zihuatanejo. You do have to drive almost out of town to circle back to go over the hill. It is a hot day and nobody is climbing the hill. Of course, I can sit under the shade of a big tree and paint the hill from across the canal. There is also plenty of cold beer nearby to help the imagination. At night the area becomes a beehive of activity.

Today's class

This is one of the many water towers on the vineyard next to us in Napa. I teach a watercolor class on Friday morning to about 20 budding artists. So often I hear, "If I try this, I'll probably ruin my picture". Todays' exercise was to banish this timidity. I did a demo that included a sky, mountain, water tower, and front green. I then asked them to add details to their painting. Here are my quick details.

Winter Memories

I was looking at news photos of the latest snow storm in the Northeast and remember the discomfort of getting anywhere. This painting shows a person bundled against the elements and an uncertain path covered with snow. Many a time I navigated the white-out from a blizzard to get to school in Burlington, VT and, also, it was so cold. This scene has varying layers of value as the eye moves from the foreground to the fuzzy snowy distance.

Early Morning Davis Commute

My muse is the Davis Train Station. I have painted it so many times plein air, that I can put a painting together in 20 minutes and it is fun. I tried a yellow, red and blue sky to indicate the rising sun and gave the people long shadows. I have painted the station in the early morning and that is the east where the sun comes up. Because I wanted a tall exaggerated front of the station I painted it on the vertical. Most of my work (99%) is done on a half sheet (15x23") and when I frame, it has a 3.5" mat around it. They are all for sale.