The Yacht Club

Plein air painting was difficult due to the wind.  I have not painted for months on San Francisco Bay and was anxious to get back there.  We went to Tiburon, found a close parking spot, and set up for painting.  It wasn't long before an easel blew over and then another painters paper flew off the easel. Nothing landed in the water.  The sun was warm and brilliant but that wind kept gusting.  Wind is the most difficult condition to deal with when out painting.  We could not shield ourselves from the wind gusts.

I did no sketching but set up and painted quickly.  This is a much edited scene from what was out there. Probably, that was fortunate, since I was done in an hour.  I will need to return since there were so many things I wanted to paint.

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.

Beach at Sayulita

Viewed from our house on the hill, the waves were rolling onto the main beach of Sayulita, Mexico.  In the late afternoon it attracts a bunch of surfers.  They were out there, but seen as just black spots on the water, so I did not try to paint them into the scene.  The far away hills look lonely when seen during the day, but when the lights come on at night, there are plenty of homes tucked into the greenery.

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.

Surfers

On the beaches of Sayulita, Mexico, painting was part of my vacation.  Lots of winter people from cold areas were soaking up the sun rays and the surf was up.  Surfers were of all ages including some very young, around 5-6yrs of age.  A big advantage to surfing here is the closeness of the surf.  It saves a lot of paddling.

Painting was fun with lots of comments from people.  It appears from our conversations that many artists travel without their painting supplies.  Could that be?  Some complain that taking paints means packing another bag and checking it because it won't pass security.  I have heard of this.  Anyway, I am happy to have my paints and something to do, especially when visiting a new place.

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.