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I can't believe it!   The time has just flown by and I leave tomorrow bright and early with two equally adventurous women whom I have never met.  We live within 80 miles of one another and will share the ride together on our way to Arizona.

It all started last year when I received an amazing email about a painting workshop led by Kevin Macpherson.  The group would be river rafting through the Grand Canyon and camping and painting along the Colorado River.  As soon as I saw the email, my mind went back to my early years of wanting to actually go down into the canyon.  I remembered how much I loved the book "Brighty" when I was a girl.  Since then, I've visited many times, but I have never gone into the canyon.  Mind you, I didn't actually have river rafting in mind all those years back, but ... hey...  as my wonderful little guy, Tyler, keeps saying "YOLO*!".

     Grand Canyon Paintings by Kevin Macpherson

I jumped on it and called the same day I received the email notice.  It turned out that the trip had already filled and I was first on the waiting list.  I couldn't decide whether to be relieved or disappointed.   But a few months later I got a call saying that someone had chickened dropped out and now there was space for me on the trip.   I took a deep breath and thought... YOLO!

Tyler's 13 and he's saying YOLO..   but he's right.

I'm no longer a teenager... (not by a very long shot).  I'm not a camper.  The river's 50 degrees.  I hate being cold...  and I get up at night a lot.   It's going to be interesting.  It's going to be a great ADVENTURE. 

I actually a bit anxious, but I am so looking forward to the new experience.   I can't wait to learn all I can from Kevin Macpherson.  I'm told he's a super nice guy and a great teacher.  And I can always learn more.  Plus...  there will be so many beautiful places to paint. 

I've been so totally wrapped up in several volunteer projects for the last couple of weeks and I am SOOOO glad to get away.    I'll be away until May 18th and during that time I'll be off-line.  No cell phones.  No internet.  Only beautiful and awe-inspiring mother nature.

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And what does any of this have to do with the painting at the top of the page?? 
NOTHING

I painted this before everything got so busy and never had a chance to blog about it.  It is a scene from a road trip I went on with another friend last fall.   We had a ball.   Life is beautiful.
Seacliff

I entered it in FASO's monthly BOLD BRUSH contest and look what happened!  :o)
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Congratulations! Your painting, "Seacliff", was selected as part of the FAV15% (jury's favorite 15% of the entries)
in the March 2013 BoldBrush Painting competition.
You may view the FAV15% paintings, including yours:
http://faso.com/boldbrush/fav15/104
This honor means that you might be featured in http://informedcollector.com in the coming months.
Please login to your account and make sure your bio info is current if you want any additional info to run in that article.
Thanks again and congrats again!

Sincerely,

Clint Watson
Software Craftsman and Art Fanatic

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*Just in case you don't already know... YOLO is one of those words that has come about from texting.  It means "You Only Live Once".   (So in my mind... live it well!!)

I'll let you know all about it when I return.   Until then... hasta la vista baby!

A little scene from my nearby canyon --

I will probably continue to paint the sycamores whenever I'm moved to explore my own back yard. 
They are infinitely beautiful and varied.

Canyon Grove

I am so excited.  I leave in a little over a week for a 10 day river rafting trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.  We'll be camping and painting.  Kevin Macpherson will be leading the workshop and I am very excited to learn all I can from him.  Cody DeLong will be the artist with painting and rafting experience in the Grand Canyon.

In the meantime, I'm trying to get all the gear I might need to camp and ride the river.   Although I totally love my EasyL box, I thought it might be a bit big for this excursion.  So I borrowed a slightly smaller EasyL pochade from my girlfriend.  Actually we switched.  I had the smallest EasyL box, but thought it was too small and she had the pochade box that was between the smallest and my size.  Anyway, I've used it a few times and it seems just right.  Then Guerrilla box offered a tiny thumb box "second" for 1/2 price... So I bought it - couldn't resist the deal.

Well, one should never set out on an outing without using the equipment / clothing / etc.   I've also been re-reading Macpherson's book and was reminded that he painted his nearby pond every day of the year.  I thought to myself, "Well, I don't have a pond, but I do have a canyon right up the street."   So I popped my paints into that little thumb box and hiked down into the canyon. 

I found a cluster of my favorite trees amid the grasses of the canyon.   I kept trying to look for interesting shapes and patterns.   And I kept asking myself what was the reason I wanted to paint what I painted.  

The little pochade box will only hold 6x8, 8x8, or 8x10 panels but it worked just fine.   I learned that I need to think about where to put brushes, and my turpenoid.  I am so used to hanging them off the side of my EasyL.  All in all it was an enjoyable trial run and a great learning experience.

Although I won't be able to do any blogging while I'm on the trip, you can be sure I'll be writing about it both in my blog and in my newsletter.  If you're interested you can get my blog posts sent to you by clicking on the RSS feed here:

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Memories linger as we watched the sun set after a beautiful day.

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I was on my way home from a morning painting at the beach with friends.  I was driving along in the snazzy silver Infinity G37 that my Dad gave me for a surprise birthday and Christmas gift so many years ago.  The radio was blaring and I was happy to have been outside painting and seeing the world on a beautiful day.   Life is good.

The phone rang (happily the car has blue tooth), so I answered and an unknown voice identified herself and told me that someone (she couldn't remember who) had given her my card.  She had looked at my website and thought my work would be perfect to hang in the gallery she curates.  I had never heard of the gallery, but the location was in Burbank which is a nice area.  Since I was driving, I told her I was interested and asked her to email me more information.

Then I didn't hear anything for several days.....   (*&^%*!!)   I wracked my brain, but couldn't remember the details so I looked up all the galleries in Burbank and nothing seemed familiar.   Sigh.   I figured I'd blown it.

Happily after a few more days, the woman called me back.  We connected.  We set up a meeting so I could see the gallery.   It is a gallery in the main lobby of a large theatre in Burbank called the Colony Theatre.  Obviously, the gallery is called the Colony Theatre Gallery.    -- It looked like a nice space, and the work that was in the current show was spectacular, but very different than mine, so I thought... Hey, why not??

We set a date for the start of a month-long exhibit.  I have many projects going and sort of set this aside for a while.   Then one day the woman called me again and wanted the work a WEEK EARLY!!    EGAD!!    Well last Friday, I delivered and helped her hang the paintings I brought, most of which were ocean-related ..(are we surprised??). 

"San Simeon Sunset" is one of 32 paintings which will be on display in a show called "Precious Gems".  I made a card for people to take with them and although I kept the Precious Gems title the curator wanted to use, I also kept my "One Lucky Artist" title that I gave myself based on my feeling about art and my own last name.  I kept it because I think it might help people remember me and my work. 

I think the show looks great and hope that the people who see it like my work.  

    (And yes, I also hope that I have some sales.)  -- Wish me luck.  

And if you are that "unknown person" who gave my card to the gallery, I'd love to thank you...  Let me know who you are!!

Precious Gems

California beaches are often are full of atmosphere during the summers.   The warmth of the inland area creates fog along the coast.

One of the gals from the Channel Islands boat trip lives in Tennessee.  She is friends with another gal who was visiting her son here in SoCal.  That friend gave me a call and off we went to paint.  It was fun!

I rarely see the beauty on days like this -- I prefer color and light.  However, the way the silver sunlight was coming through the fog and shimmering on the wet sand and water on the beach caught my imagination.  I loved the way the light led to the sandpipers which were happily hunting for tasty sand crabs.

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I will be publishing my newsletter soon.  Sometimes I write about books or movies I've seen.   Sometimes I write about adventures like the one I'll be on next month rafting down the Colorado River on a painting adventure with Kevin Macpherson and some other hearty plein air painters.  I always include little bits about shows and paintings.  If you'd like to receive this free monthly email letter, please sign up here:

Marian's Newsletter

My friend, Kay, and I were exploring along the coast before we arrived in Cambria.  I climbed up the bluff from the beach and saw an egret.  I tried to get closer, I saw another.  They were beautiful!  As we approached one flew off and sat on a rock sticking out of the water.  I kept going around the bend...

Ahhhhhh

A field of poppies.

Delight.

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I've written in the past about my aversion to painting large.  I prefer the smaller work -- especially plein air.  Plein air work allows me to go places I wouldn't normally go.  I also see in a different way.  Somehow I feel that through learning to paint, I've been given a gift -- something to treasure that I hope I will be able to enjoy for a long time.

However I also mentioned that my mentor, David Gallup, pretty much threw down the gauntlet.  He expects a large painting (whatever that means to us) in our near future.   But not just ANY large painting.... an AMBITIOUS large painting.  Honestly, I just keep thinking about that word... ambitious.  I know it means something different for each of us.  It is meant as the ultimate teaser to help us stretch ourselves and not remain in the comfortable realm.

I've been working on another "large painting" for a while now.  I'm trying to really make it special.  It's a square format and not as big as "California Coast", but it is larger than most of the work I do.  I've been working on it for a while now and right now I'm really liking it.  Hopefully, I won't mess it up before I finish.   Also hopefully, I'll stretch myself a bit as I try to move toward that "ambitious" status.

After doing this little plein air sketch of that delightful poppy field, I've decided that I will use it as the basis of my NEXT big painting.  Perhaps while I'm painting it I can relive the wonderful excitement of the moment of discovery when we found that field.   I think I may also try to put that wonderful egret in the larger piece.   We'll see.

Each painting I do, I try to expand my skills and explore new ideas, so I'm not sure I'll actually ever be able to reach out and catch that golden "ambitious" ring as I ride around the merry-go-round.   It may be forever just beyond my outstretched mind and hand.

The weather seemed to clear up a bit a few weeks back so I took the chance and headed back to Point Dume to see if I could immerse myself in coreopsis once again.  Although I enjoy painting with friends, sometimes just heading out and painting where and when I want without anyone to answer to is pure joy.

When I arrived at the "secret" parking area I had found the previous week, I realized it wasn't so secret.  I snagged a parking spot which was a bit iffy and prayed that the powers that be wouldn't decide to tow or ticket me.  I WAS out of the way and "sort of"  in the right area... It's just that those red lines were there on the road... 

Keeping my fingers crossed, I gathered my hear and headed to the cliff.  This wasn't a foggy day.  It was bright and clear and beautiful.  After tramping all over, I decided on another "edge of the cliff" piece which of course had a coreopsis.  I kept the size small because I had arrived late AND I didn't want to leave that car there tempting fate too long.

A beautiful sunny day! 

While I was there I didn't see any whales.  It's not to say there weren't any out there, it's just that when I paint, I am not focused there as a look-out.  I sort of missed my Swiss spotter from the previous week.  HOWEVER, I got the biggest thrill when a ... (okay I had to look this up) a "pod" or "scoop" of pelicans flew by me right below the ridge.   I was just settling back when one guy separated himself from his buddies in the ... pelican pod ... and came lazily drifting by about 10 feet away from the edge of the cliff eyeing me the whole time as I was sitting there slack-jawed looking back at him.  He was so beautiful!!  I really wished I could have scrambled up and gotten my camera out in time to catch him, but I guess he will just linger in my memory.

           My plein air sketch

One day I'm sure I will find him in one of my paintings.. (I hope).   Then I settled on getting down the scene.  When I showed it to David in class last week, he had many, many suggestions to improve that little painting.  I was fairly paralyzed which sometimes happens when I need to move to another level on my work.   

Seriously... it was painful... I just couldn't figure out what to do despite all of David's kind and well placed suggestions.  Finally, in the last hour of the class (it's a 4 hour class) I loaded up the paint and began to try to take it from insipid to joyous.

I changed the focus a bit so the diagonal didn't cut the painting exactly in half.  I loaded up on the color and laid on paint.  I played with color in the shadows and darks.  It may not be the best painting I've ever done, but I think it communicates the joy of the day none-the-less.   

JOY

Late winter / early spring on Point Dume is a dream.  The coreopsis are in bloom and they carpet the entire top of the promontory creating a blaze of gold.  It's pure heaven.   As I walked down from the top of the bluff, I looked down to see the sea and rocks peeking out from behind the cliff....  All along the walkway, the yellow coreopsis indicated the way.
What a great day!
2011

2013

Today was one of those days when I just HAD to get out and paint.  I look at the calendar, the weather and see what is possible.  Appointments are looming.  Rain is predicted.   Tuesday is a minimum day for Tyler at school (which really cramps my style).  But it seemed with all of the upcoming impediments, Tuesday would have to do.   It was very pretty on Monday, but I have my Master Class with David Gallup, so I couldn't get out because I just don't want to miss that class -- I really love it.   Then when I woke up this morning, the weather was foggy. 

Ugh...  I really dislike painting fog. 

But like I said... I just HAD to get out and paint.

GIANT COREOPSIS

So I had everything organized and I jumped on the freeway as soon as I dropped Tyler off at school.   Off to Point Dume.  I knew the coreopsis were or would be soon at their peak.  This is something not to be missed even if it was foggy.   It was a pleasant drive and at one point, as I neared the beach, the sun began peeking out through the fog giving me hope for a sunny day.  But it wasn't to be.

In past visits, I had always approached painting on Point Dume from Westward Beach, a city owned parking area near Zuma Beach.  However, I had recently read about a small area to park on the top of the bluff and I figured that with this fog and this early I might just score a parking spot.  Happily, I was the first one there.  I got all of my gear out and with it on my back, began hiking all around.  What a gorgeous spot.  I explored many paths through the coreopsis which still have maybe another week to go before full bloom (you can bet I'll be back).  I walked down the path to the beach on the opposite side of the point from the spot you see in the above painting.   Finally, after coming back up the cliff, I settled on a spot with an observation bench out on the top of the point. 

At first I was alone, but then the hikers and visitors started coming by.  One young man walked up behind me and startled me.  After I calmed down, we began to talk.  It turns out that he is learning English and is on a visit here in the States from Switzerland to hang glide (although not today). I asked him if he had seen any whales.  (They are migrating up the coast right now.) (All of this somewhat awkwardly because I speak no French... so between my gestures, my Spanish and his English, we did pretty well.)  Off he went and I went back to my painting.  A bit later he came running back shouting.   When I paint, I'm pretty much in my own world and it dawned on me that he had been shouting for a while. 

Guess what!!  He had actually spotted a whale!  He was very excited and I was disappointed, because by the time he got back, the whale was not to be seen.  However, he hung around for a while and together (because of his sharp eyes) we saw that whale surface several times and even saw him spout!  Some other hikers came by and we all enjoyed pointing gleefully and exclaiming each time that whale came up for air.  I called the young man the Swiss spouter spotter.  We took pictures of one another... sorry.. no whales in the photo.

Eventually everyone walked on and I went back to my little painting.  Despite the fog and the interruptions and excitement, I was fairly happy with my little 8x8 painting which I will post later.  (I'm learning not to post everything.  I'm also learning to wait a while and really look at a study to see if I can liven it up. (I've been told by several experts that there really are no plein air police).   I packed up, hiked back to the car and made it back into the valley in time to pick up Tyler for his early out.

I am SO glad I just had to get out to paint today!

Memories linger as we watched the sun set after a beautiful day.

Guy Rose (1867-1925) View of Wood’s Cove, Rockledge

Edgar A. Payne (1883-1947) The Restless Sea

Although I've taken a workshop with Ray Roberts before and enjoyed it thoroughly, the main reason I wanted to participate in this workshop was because I wanted to see how Ray moves from plein air studies into studio pieces.  

Half of the third day and the entire fourth day were dedicated to studio work. By the end of the second day I was really concerned because I had painted NOTHING I wanted to consider turning into a studio piece!
Even so, I still found Ray's information interesting and I learned from him.

 Ray discussed the various plein air pieces he had created during this workshop and decided to use one of the sketches he had created of the rocky part of Eaton Canyon looking towards the mountains.  He said he would be using the patterns and colors he had interpreted from painting outdoors.  

We were fortunate to have a beautiful monitor in the studio we used on day three.  Ray uses a monitor to display photos and manipulates them using Photoshop.  (It was suggested that we use Photoshop or Photoshop Elements or a similar program for our own work.)  Since I wanted it anyway, I purchased Photoshop Elements and was hoping to see how Ray used it in his work.   Ray says his monitor is nice, but nowhere near as big as the one we used in THIS studio.   This huge monitor was GREAT for all eighteen of us to see, however.

Ray talked about the things he liked about the photo and demonstrated a few ways to cut and move elements of the photo around.  He also talked about and demonstrated how to simplify an area which was too busy in the photo. He used the artistic watercolor element to simplify the overall look.  He said that cropping a scene can change the composition. 

He then began to sketch the scene he had decided upon and block in the dark shadow masses.   (See the photo on the left.)

Here are a few additional thoughts he expressed over the session:

• You are always drawing.
• Finesse a painting to its end by cutting back into things etc.
• Always consider the size of the shapes and the delicacy of the contours ... Everything should be unequal but natural... controlled chaos.
• He is more concerned about the movement in a painting than in a focal point.
• "It's not what I do, but what I avoid doing."
• Use sweeping gestures... Rhythm is when your eye isn't stopped by something static.
• Everything in shadow is darker than anything in light.
• Sometimes it's better to use a black and white photo than a color photo... Like Edgar Payne did.  That way you are working with values to create your composition rather than getting confused with color.
• Use overlapping shapes and avoid kissing edges.
• He uses several different photos to create a final studio piece.  
• Eventually you develop a level of taste when deciding what to leave in and what to leave out.  When in doubt, take it out.

Enchantment by Joseph Kleitsch

I've been working on this painting in the studio off and on for several weeks now... Looking at values and movement and paint texture/brushwork.   However, now that I've posted this, I see that I have more work to do on my on it...  The light doesn't seem to create the movement in my own like it does in Kleitsch's.   So... I will work on it some more. 

One thing I'll ask you though....   ..    If I ever finish it, which title do you prefer?

1. Enchanted Eaton
2. Eaton Enchantment
3. ????

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Ray painted two demos on day one.   The second was really a tree portrait painted almost in silhouette against the bright grey sky.   Here are some points he made:

• Every tree has its own contour. 
• Paint groups of leaves rather than individual leaves and find the rhythm and unifying graphic sense to the groups.
• You are orchestrating a gestural summary.
• There needs to be a balance between unity and tension.
• You should have mostly leaves or mostly sky... never 1/2 1/2.
• THIS WAS A CONSTANT THEME..... Find the rhythm... all paintings are patterns of light and dark...  It's all "stuff" in the sunlight... not things.
• Paint a few and indicate the rest.

On the second day we had hoped for clear skies but were disappointed.  So after a brief talk and some scouting around we each found a sycamore or other tree with a shape that pleased us and tried to paint.  Here are some notes from day two:

• The eye goes to where there is the most contrast.
• Be faithful to the light.
• Outdoor light harmonizes the colors.
• Ray says he's a tonalist in composition, but a colorist when he paints.
• He likes leaf patterns that spiral around the trunk or branch.
• Pay attention to patterns and rhythms.
• Ray calls himself a "movement" kind of guy rather than a "focal point" kind of guy.
• Incorporate the contrast in the scene to help the design of your painting.

 Because we feared more poor weather, we decided to paint in the studio on the morning of the third day rather than in the afternoon of the third day.  (Turned out to be a beautiful morning...)  But you never know with plein air... It is what it is.

In the afternoon we were back to Eaton Canyon to paint outside again.  We painted and then Ray did a demo of the canyon again -- this time emphasizing the beautiful colors of the setting sun on the San Gabriels.  
 I'll discuss some of Ray's tips about working in the studio (We were in the studio for 1/2 day on the third day and the whole fourth day.) in my next post.

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I'm not sure why I've not blogged about this workshop.  I enjoyed it and I learned from it.  Ray is a wonderful man and a great artist.  I met nice people.

Probably, my reluctance is that I painting absolutely NOTHING worth posting.   So finally I'll share some noteworthy items from the workshop and I won't post anything I painted.   I've been doing a lot of thinking about this blog and my painting journey.  There is no doubt that I have improved and a lot of it has to do with posting all of the humiliating work I've done over the years.   However, more and more, I'm reluctant to post the losers.   (and there are LOTS of those).   Sometimes the ones I thought were good enough to post, after time (sort of like dead fish) begin to stink.

Ah well, perhaps that's also a sign of growth and not just a bit of vanity. 

On to the workshop...

The workshop was hosted by the California Art Club so we met at the headquarters in Pasadena on the first day.   Ray showed us some of his studies and explained his basic procedure for painting outdoors.  Then were were off to Eaton Canyon where we spent all of our outdoor time.  Unfortunately the weather was quite overcast and atmospheric so all of the work we did revolved around those constraints.

However, here were some of the insights from the first day:

• Ray's outdoor studies are just that.  Done to help him remember color and values in a scene.  
• He sketches in the basic composition first and then paints the darks in to establish the pattern of light and dark.  
• He always works dark to light.
• Everything is relative
• He establishes atmospheric perspective by doing the foreground shadows first then greying down as he paints those shapes that are further back.
• He designs with value.   since there were not many shadows he uses the dark/light pattern of the wash because it unified the scene.
• He likes verticals.  Horizontals create walls.
• The challenge was to create form when there were very few shadows.
• He looks for a rhythm for the light and dark patterns.   Not too many equal sized shapes -- Not equidistant, etc.
• He made shapes descriptive yet interesting.  He didn't necessarily paint what was there.
• Shadows serve two purposes.   Everything in shadow is darker than anything in light.  
• Every time you put a different value on your painting you are creating a pattern.  The pattern should have a pleasing rhythm.
• Sunlight harmonizes everything.  
• He doesn't paint the colors he sees... He resolves color.   When working in the studio he tries to stay close to the the original studies for color and value of the larger paintings.  Color relationships are most important in the field.
• Always paint a little bit lighter or darker than you see within large areas of color.
• Within a value area -- keep value the same as you add color.  If you change the value pattern you liked when your started out, your painting is likely to go downhill.
• Quoting Asaro (one of his teachers from Art Center) "Whatever you do... just paint!"

(There was more... but that's enough from the first day.)

The California Art Club arranged a paint-out retreat at the Marconi Center in Tomales Bay.  CAC Artist member, Richard Lindenberg and several other artists from the club worked hard to help organize this wonderful event for all of us.  Seventy-five or so artists gathered together to laugh, paint, exchange ideas and simply have a wonderful time together.  - Thanks to all of you!

I had never visited Tomales Bay and it was a real joy to be able to spend time doing what I love doing in a beautiful part of the world.  After a surprisingly winding and topographically varied drive through San Francisco to San Rafael and then toward the coast to get to the Marconi Center, Sharon and I checked in and wandered around the center to explore spots for future painting spots and to chat with those who had arrived earlier.  It was late afternoon and although there were artists painting everywhere, neither of us wanted to do more than settle in and explore.

We had a fun both at dinner and afterwards.  The food itself throughout the weekend was exceptional...  as well as plentiful.  The fact that it was delicious was especially deadly and I had to make sure I didn't eat everything I would have liked to eat.

This painting "Tomales Bay", is a plein air piece done on Saturday morning.   We had been told that there were several "good spots" with parking further south toward the mouth of the bay where the river empties into the bay.  Sharon and I drove around a bit and then decided on the spot we had seen a bit earlier.   We pulled off the road and began to paint.    Both of us liked the beautiful bright orange rust and ocher colors of the wetland area against the other colors in the water.  After about one-half hour we were joined by five or six other artists.  It was interesting.  We were all looking at the exact scene and yet each of us approached it differently and each painting turned out differently.  

It was a pleasant morning.  After a bit we headed back to the Center to hike around and chat with the other artists who were gathered together.  This fourth day of our road trip was starting out to be another great day!

Sharon Weaver and I were driving up the coast of California on our way to meet other artists in the California art Club at a paint out retreat in Tomales Bay, north of San Francisco.   We stayed in Half Moon Bay just south of San Francisco on our second night. 

Sharon had contacted another artist named Kristen Olson whom she had met at one of her plein air events.  Kristen lives up near Palo Alto and she brought a friend, named Tara Norwood to paint along with us.  We initially had selected a place south of Half Moon Bay which looked nice in the fading light of the day, but it really wasn't where we wanted to paint when we saw it the next morning.  So off we went following the two more local artists to a place of their choosing just north of Half Moon Bay.

We had a delightful morning painting away.  Each of us painted something entirely different.  Although Sharon and I were each in different spots, for some reason, we both chose to face inland rather than painting the coast.  If you visit her website you'll probably see her version from her spot.

This was my painting called, "Looking Inland".

After we all packed up, we spent some time admiring one another's work then headed into town for a chatty lunch.  We spent our time getting to know one another and talking about the art world in our different parts of California.   It's always fun to make new friends.

(Just as an aside... Sharon and I both submitted the paintings from our first day of the trip to a local art exhibit. [See my last post.]  The paintings were totally different, but painted from about 20 feet apart.  Each painting was juried in AND Sharon's won a Best Of Show Award and my painting was awarded a FIRST PLACE!!   Wasn't that wonderfully seredipitous?)

Last week, my friend, Sharon Weaver, and I drove up the beautiful coast of California on our way to a California Art Club paint-out in Tomales Bay which is north of San Francisco.  Seventy-five CAC artists were expected in Northern California on Friday and would stay at the Mosconi Conference Center there in Tomales Bay.   I had never been, but everyone told us it was a beautiful place to be -- "painting heaven".

Sharon and I decided to take Highway One up the coast.  It is a longer route than through the center of the state, but has far more spectacular scenery.  Over the years, storms have washed out parts of the road below Monterey, but the wonderful highway engineers are working to restore the iconic road and the delays were worth the vistas.

We stayed in Cambria, near Hearst Castle on our first night.  We got there in late afternoon after stopping in several beautiful spots to take photos.  Although we COULD have painted that day, we were tired and it was rather cold and windy so we opted to bundle up and walk up the coast then to take in a delicious fish dinner near the hotel.

The next morning we got up early and found a spot to paint.  What a gorgeous place!   We chatted with several visiters, each of us had fun painting AND we got to see lots of cows, seagulls, elephant seals and (surprise) a herd of zebra!!!  This is the painting I created that morning:

Along The Cambria Coast

Finishing up our plein air sketches, we packed up and headed north toward Half Moon Bay where we planned to stay the second night.  Along the way of course, we stopped for a picnic lunch, lots of photos of every beautiful thing we could capture, and some nice walks.

Life is good -- especially for those of us who love to paint plein air!!

David Gallup's Monday Master Class

As you probably know by now, I take a weekly class from David Gallup.  It's a four hour class and we spend a good hour to an hour and a half just talking about art, marketing and life in general.   Often our discussions about art are a result of critiques David gives about the work we bring in.  Sometimes David will illustrate a point by bringing out a well-worn book containing great color plates of various artists' work.  Sometimes he will use his own works in progress to discuss how a certain thing can be approached.

Seascapes

On one particular day several of us had brought in plein air seascapes.  We often paint at Sesquit Point in Leo Carrillo State Park Beach.   I brought this painting in.  Originally it had a cooler and darker look.   I liked it.  However, David thought it looked like a nightscape seascape because of all of the cool colors.   I have since added in some warms and made sure that the directionality of the light was clear and although there are still lots of cools, I'm happy with it.   If people want to think of "Raging Beauty" as a nightscape... that's okay with me.

Illustrating Thoughts
More and more, David is using his new I-Pad to illustrate a certain artist's brushwork, color, or composition.   On this day he had his own seascape and pulled up an image of an artist he considered an outstanding painter of seascapes on his I-Pad to place next to his work.  I have a rotton memory and often take photos to help me remember the points he is making.   That is what I did using my smart phone (a Droid) instead of my camera this time.  Shortly afterward, my phone pinged and this came up!    I had totally forgotten that I had downloaded Google Goggles after a docent at the Getty had told me about it about a year ago.   Much to my surprise, the phone automatically searched the museum archives around the world, compared it to my phone camera photo and came up with a suggestion that the painting on the left that David is pointing at as he's talking, was "similar" to a a painting by William Reischel. 
Amazing!!

My art history education is lacking and it is fabulous to be able to whip out my smart phone, take a photo of a painting or the image of a painting to see if Google Goggles can identify it.   I did it just tonight to cheat and identify an image on Katherine Tyrell's blog that she posted as a challenge.  I knew I just didn't have the ability to do it otherwise, and I won't try to respond because I did cheat, but I still think it's a great little ap!!

So much has been going on and I seem to be getting behinder and behinder.    I'm trying to keep up with my art club obligations AND paint and be part of my family.

So this is another post about my September trip to the Channel Islands.   This painting was painted on the last day we were on Santa Rosa Island.  I still had my cold and had been painting while on the island earlier in the day.   I painted this from the top deck of the boat.  The waves were constantly crashing against the sloping sandstone rocks on the edge of Ford Point.   When the wave crashed up on the slope, the water would rush to the top of the slope, then come crashing back just before the next wave crashed.

The seas reflected the colors of the sun and the island rocks.   It was a beautiful time -- late afternoon.

Ford Point, Santa Rosa Island

Earlier in the week one of the paintings that I painted last year from the Channel Islands trip was purchased by a client in Georgia.  It was called, Cueva Valdez, and was painted off the coast of Santa Cruz Island.

I'm on another painting trip now heading up the coast to Tomales Bay to paint with a large group of California Art Club Artists.   We've been really having a great time and have seen some absolutely gorgeous scenery.

Leo Carrillo State Beach
I've been going to Leo Carrillo State Beach to paint often lately.  It is almost always nicer there than in the very hot Valley where I live.  It seems, however, that each time I go, it is a bit different and I find another beautiful scene to try to capture.  I am continually amazed that no matter how often I paint in the same area, I capture it a bit differently.

Continued Learning
One of the the wonderful artists who has been commenting on my blog posts lately, Russell Black, often reminds me that I'm painting a painting, not a photograph and that, while I should know and employ the "rules" I should also ignore them when I want -- pirate style.   This is very true -- and I need to work on not really TRYING to capture the scene as a camera might, but, well, I guess more as I FEEL it.   Truthfully, even if I WANTED to be photorealistic, I couldn't, but what he and others have said is to move things around to improve a composition, and basically do whatever is necessary to make a pleasing piece of art.   The artist I study with, David Gallup, is always reminding us to use "playful" color -- especially in dark areas.   From a distance darks all read as dark anyway, but close up they are definitely more interesting with colorful passages of paint and complex surfaces.  David talks about obfuscating strokes and edges to create mystery and let the viewer's imagination kick in.   He says paintings should be seductive, leaving things to discover and things to be revealed by further viewings.   David is always saying that there should be a play between contrasts and harmonies and that highlights are often more important in describing a form than draftsmanship.   To make a painting believable is more important than making it accurate.

It's not that all of this great advice is lost on me... It just takes me a long time to really make it mine so that I can paint and enjoy and be the best painter that I can.  

SALES
Last week, by a happy stroke of luck (and a GREAT FASO website) I sold four coastal scene paintings to a person who lives far from California.  They were all plein air pieces and most were painted right there at Leo Carrillo State Beach.

California Coastal          Carrillo Splash Zone          Splash Point          Cueva Valdez

I know selling isn't main goal of painting, but it IS a nice bit of validation.    

Next week I'm off on a painting trip with my friend, Sharon Weaver, up the coast to Northern California.  I'm really looking forward to it.

	"Santa Barbara Seaside"
	A ray swims below me.
	A playful sea lion "buzzes" me.

This 8"x8" painting called "Kelp" was painted from the top deck of the dive boat, Conception, looking down into the sparkling sea.  "Kelp" was the second of three paintings painted on this day.   "Island Dawn" was painted in the early morning.   "Santa Barbara Seaside" was a study painted in the winds of day one while we were still anchored off of Santa Barbara Island.

Either I was exposed before I left, or painting out in the wind on that first day and evening did it, but by day 2 I knew I was coming down with a cold.  I'm sure all of you know that feeling.   You're just not yourself.   You're not really "present".   I had the miserable cold the whole rest of the trip.   There wasn't much I could do about it except forge ahead.   I was there in the middle of the island paradise adventure and the best I could hope for was to get the most of the experience and hope not to infect the entire boatload of artist friends (or die of pneumonia).

I had rented a wetsuit and snorkel outfit.   Couldn't let that go to waste.  I was already sick so I went snorkeling.   I went kayaking, I painted.  I tried to absorb as much of the experience as I could despite the cold.  It wasn't the trip I had hoped for, but It was all I had so I did as much as I could of the boat activities, except the nighttime hilarity.  I went to my bunk and slept, and slept and slept ---- all night --- every night.  Not as much singing, and story telling and night-time activities.

David Gallup, who once again lead this painting adventure, often tells us that half of what a painter needs to create beautiful paintings (once they have pretty much mastered the technical skills) is to absorb life and beauty around you.   The more you can store in your soul, the more you can call on it when you're painting.

And so I did.  (And look... I'm still here and nobody else seemed to catch the cold from me!)

I've been really so busy getting ready for and enjoying my one woman show reception called "One Lucky Artist at Gale's Restaurant" that I haven't had time to blog about how it went.   I'll be sure to do that in my next post.

Dawn of the first day of our "Legendary" Channel Islands adventure broke as we arrived at the far-away and relatively small island of Santa Barbara.  This was my third such trip led by David Gallup.  Once at Santa Barbara, we had so many choices, but my first choice was to take the rubber boat to the island and join a group for a hike across the top to one of

	Looking back at our "home" (the Conception) from the campground on Santa Barbara Island.

the craggy rocky edges of the island.   We saw many sea birds, a lizard (one of two native vertebrates on the island.. the other being a mouse) lots of beautiful scenery and a wonderful owl who decided to come out from hiding in his cave and swoop across the canyon in front of us. 

After our hike, I returned to the 85 foot dive boat, Conception, where we slept and ate and laughed in a continual flurry of activity.  I sat up on the top deck to paint this scene.  It was a lovely day despite the increasingly strong wind which was sweeping across the island.   I painted two studies before calling it a day.  I'll include the other little one in the next blog post.

Please enjoy my 12x9 plein air study called "Touching The Sea", painted from the top deck of the Conception.  I preferred the top deck because I had a clear view on all sides, it was warm in the sun and there was less traffic to distract me.  The drawback was that it was too windy for an umbrella and the rocking of the boat was too pronounced for some.  Up on top, there was usually also a masseuse who ministered to those who wanted a total relaxing experience beneath privacy sheets and warming blankets.  I found this interesting to observe as well.

I painted this early one morning aboard the Conception, an 85 foot dive boat on which 30 adventurers / painters were exploring the Channel Islands National Park.   This morning was our second on Santa Barbara Island.

This was my third year aboard the Conception with David Gallup and a band of fun-loving artists and friends.  It is always a wonderful time to explore a part of Southern California that relatively few people get a chance to visit.  The Channel Islands are known as the "Galápagos of the North" because of the unique life forms found there.  Actually, at one time there were ranches and people living on the various islands.   There was a time when entrepeneurs tried to establish resorts, etc.   The only

	Me atop Santa Barbara Island
	Kay painting from her kayak. Notice the easel she built! Conception in the background.

resort that remains is Avalon on Catalina Island.  Since the National Parks Service took over, there has been an effort to remove non-native plants and animals that were introduced to the islands through ranching and other means.   This has met with a variety of reactions.   A book written by T.C. Boyle called "When The Killing's Done" is an interesting historical fiction account of this evolution.

On this trip we started out on Santa Barbara Island which is relatively small and much farther away from the city of Santa Barbara where we started out.  We had a naturalist along with us who answered questions and eagerly led hikes around the various islands we visited.  The day we landed on Santa Barbara was sunny warm, windy and beautiful.  

Happily despite the rough ride due to the tropical storms down in Mexico, I didn't feel sea-sick (thanks to Bonine).  I spent the day hiking and snorkeling and having a great time.   I painted from the boat.  Some people painted from kayaks and I had planned to do that as well.

There was much laughing and chatter at the end of the day.  Singing and partying was what most people did, but I went to bed.  I got up early the next morning and saw this beautiful dawn scene, which I tried to capture.   I may still work on it... The clouds look too much like fingers to me... but they were beautiful.    

Island Dawn - 10"x8" Oil on canvas

I'm really trying to get my paintings framed and ready for my show at Gale's Restaurant in Pasadena.   It opens next Saturday and there is just soooooooooooooo much still to do.
The reception will be on Sunday, September 30 from 4-6
I hope you can come!!

One Lucky Artist at Gale's Restaurant Event Dates: 9/22/2012 - 11/17/2012 Reception: 9/30/2012 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Location: Gale's Restaurant (626) 432-6705 452 South Fair Oaks Ave. Pasadena CA 91105 http://www.galesrestaurant.com/

Leo Carrillo State Beach Park has become a favorite spot for painting en plein air especially when the valley temperatures are in the three digit range.   I try to go there as often as I can and each time I go, I see it differently and paint it differently.

I made any number of changes to this plein air study.  My original waves just didn't look right and the colors were too muddy in the water...   So I worked on it and now I like it a lot more!!   I've been told more than once than I'm creating... not copying...  So I did a little inventing.

Click here for additional details on the painting, "Carrillo Cove".

The Daily Art Show

My website host, Fine Art Studio Online (FASO), does many things to both help artists learn to better promote themselves AND to actually promote their art.   Recently I noticed upticks in the number of visits made to my website and I really couldn't figure out why.    I hadn't posted a blog.  I hadn't sent out an email.  I wasn't even messing around on facebook.

What I HAD done, however, was to upload a new painting onto my website.  After following this for a month or so, I realized that there are a surprising number of people who take a moment and browse through the art that is posted daily on FASO.   It's called "The Daily Art Show" and is often included on news, blogs and announcements that are sent out to those who sign up.  Clint and his website wonder team have added a special feature so that when you click on the tiny microthumbnail image, it is shown in a nice, viewable size on the right of the block of thumbnails along with the title, the artist's name and a link to the website.   I'd say that's a pretty special new feature for FASO.

Today, for example, so far (at 12:30) I've had 30 visitors and 17 of them came from the Daily Art Show.  Now, I'm not saying that the number of viewers is translating into new collectors or anything... but it's sure pretty special, that people are at least looking!

The FASO team is continually working to help their artists.    Isn't that great???

Thanks, FASO!

A group of artists from the Malibu/Ventura Chapter of the California Art Club got together for their monthly paint out.  I always try to make these get togethers because I enjoy painting with others... discovering new and beautiful spots and the challenge of ever-changing coastal scenes.

I had never been to Sycamore Cove State Beach.  It is north of Leo Carrillo and south of Pt. Mugu and it turned out to be the perfect spot for us to meet when temperatures in the inland areas were in the three digits.   In fact with the cool sea breezes, I was a little cool at first so I put on my sweatshirt and down shell that I always carry with me in the trunk with all of my painting gear.   After a bit in the bright sunshine, however, it warmed up and I took off the extra layers.

I painted happily for a few hours but the wind came up a bit and I was happy to break for lunch.   I had blocked in the main shapes and gotten my color notes down so that I was fairly sure I could finish it off at home.  I had a chance to chat with old and new painter friends during lunch and before I had to run off to pick up Tyler who called me because he wasn't feeling well at school.   

The painting sat for a few days and in the meantime I went to the Edgar Payne show for the third and fourth times.   I really looked hard at the way Payne had painted his sea foam in the shadow areas and when I went back in to finish off this little plein air piece, I tried hard to get the right value and temperature in that foam.   I also wanted to avoid rocks that looked like dog manure (paraphrasing a friend talking about the color of the rocks during a recent class with David Gallup.)   David always encourages us to use lots of color of the same value especially in the darks so that the surface is more interesting close up.  It all reads as a certain value from a distance and it's only when viewed close up that one sees the playful color.   This is something that Payne also did.  

Don't we all wish we could channel those artists we admire while we paint???   David always tells us to be careful about the art we look at most because someday sometime we will find examples of it in our own work.   Well, I certainly hope that some of that is true.  

One of my blog readers, Russell Black, gave me some wonderful advice about my last post... this among many gems is quoted here:
"My only "real" advice is don't make a boring painting. We have enough of those on the walls of every gallery already. Be different. Be you. Paint from the heart, from the soul, and give us what only you can offer us, your view of the world."    
THANK YOU, Russell!   I will try.
There are some great comments on that posts and I appreciate each of them!!

And by the way... about the silhouette controversy in the last post....   Today David said that there should be SOME silhouette effect in my painting.   So I will go back and revisit it.   I too, believe I lightened it too much.  

He also told me today that he really thought I had done a great job in this painting (one of three I brought in for a critique).   Color, value, composition and edges all got favorable comments.    I was thrilled because David does do great and helpful critiques, so when he had no big suggestions for improvement, I was thrilled.   However, he then pulled out a book by Alfonse Mucha and another by Hiroshi Yoshida who each made beautiful decisions about patterns and shape.  He used examples and talked about elegant and descriptive shapes and design which would be a final element to consider before doing "masterful" work.  

Happily, Dave is a patient teacher as I'm afraid that one, especially,  is going to take loooonnnnggg time for me to internalize.

**********************

By the way...  I would love to see you at the reception for my one woman show:

One Lucky Artist at Gale's Restaurant Event Dates: 9/22/2012 - 11/17/2012 Reception: 9/30/2012 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Location: Gale's Restaurant (626) 432-6705 452 South Fair Oaks Ave. Pasadena CA 91105 http://www.galesrestaurant.com/

     It was a nice day to paint with other artists from the "Thursdays En Plein Air" group.   I arrived at the grounds of the Brand Library (which I soon realized is a lot larger than I had remembered it.)   Several painters, including Chuck Kovacic, a wonderful painter and actor, were setting up to paint the classic views of the Moorish Library entrance.   It was beautiful, but architecture and I usually do not play well together.

     Another artist told me that there were more artists painting over by the Japanese Gardens just past the bathrooms.   Since I needed to use the facilities anyway, I walked over there to check out the scene.  It was beautiful too.   There I saw Lynne Fearman sketching an odd-looking duck who was posing quietly for her until some children came and chased the ducks away.  That woman can draw!!  WOW!

     Anyway, I decided to look at different kind of view so I sat among the canna lilies that lined the koi pond.   I had a pleasant morning painting and listening to the other artists paint.  I was enthralled by the dark reds of some of the leaves and the way that some of them mixed with green.  I loved the bright oranges of the canna flowers.   Anyway the contrasts of the darks and the brights is what attracted me to the cannas.

     A photographer from a Glendale newspaper came by and took my photo (as well as that of other artists and visitors).   I don't know if anything ever made it into the newspaper, but it was kind of fun to think about it.

     At lunchtime we grouped together and chatted.  Since no one was there to critique this week, we all just said a few words about our paintings while we finished up our lunch.

I began planning this painting in my head.   Do you ever do that?   It's just that sometimes at night when I think I'm asleep, I'm really thinking about a special painting.   I'm trying to figure out how to convey to those who might see it just what it is about the spot that I think is so wonderful.

In this case, I had walked this path many times.   The "place" of this painting is Caballero Canyon, just a stone's throw from my front door.   I often hike down and into the canyon to be in beautiful surroundings and to be alone with my thoughts and to paint.   Each time I've gone, the experience has been a little bit different.   But every time I go, I enjoy marveling at these worn river rocks in the middle of the canyon alongside the sycamores and their dappled light on the path.  Always a bit different and yet the same.

Caballero Canyon is well-traveled.  There are many dog walkers, hikers, nature lovers, mountain bikers, and neighborhood friends who hike the canyon.  But walk just a few steps off the path and you feel like you're in your own special place.

I first decided to paint this in the spring when I was in the canyon.   The bright yellowish green of the mustard was gorgeous and the subtle colors really sparked my imagination.   I sat down and painted a field study... one of MANY MANY paintings I painted of the canyon.  But all the while I was thinking about and planning this big studio piece.  Here are just a few of my field studies:

Caballero Canyon Sycamore          Caballero Colors          Canyon Spring          Canyon Sycamores          Canyon Trail    

There are many others that are not on my website any longer.   I've also done several studio paintings of the canyon.   In fact this post has made me realize even more just how often I've painted there.

There is a wonderful painting by Hanson Puthuff, an early California Art Club member,  that inspired me... but then almost ALL of his paintings inspire me...  Take a look.   Aren't they wonderful??

When I was just about finished... or so I thought... I asked my 12-year old his opinion.   He went in to the studio to look and basically told me it "sucked".  (He was a bit kinder.)   I was deflated.  I had thought it was pretty good.  So I worked and worked on it some more.  Then a day or so later I was working on it and asked him if it was better.   He looked at me strangely and said he liked it.   It turns out that the one he DIDN'T like was a totally different painting that I had sitting up along my "viewing wall".   Whew!!!   Thank goodness SOMEONE besides me likes it!!   (LOL)

Lately, I've been spending some time in museum shows enjoying the fabulous talents of well established artists of the past and present.   They fuel my desire to paint and become more than I am.

No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.
-Buddha

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Almost every month I go out to enjoy painting with the group of artists from the Malibu/Ventura Chapter of the California Art Club.   This month we went to Malibu Creek State Park, located in the Malibu highlands between Thousand Oaks and Malibu Beach.   I have painted there many times and always enjoy the hiking and the wonderful views.

There was a large group of painters who spread out all over the park.  Some chose to paint the creek near the parking lot, while others hiked in to paint other views.   I hiked in a bit and crossed over the creek.  It was fairly low and I managed to walk across some low rocks without falling in or breaking anything. (Whew!!)

I enjoyed my morning painting ... It's pretty hard not to have a great time painting in a beautiful spot and chatting with friends from all over.  I saw so many friends -- some had come down from the Ventura area and others live on the westside so I don't usually get to see them.  Beautiful weather, great activity and fun friends... what could be better?

Some of us had decided to paint in the morning and then scoot over to the Weismann Museum on the Pepperdine University Campus to see the "On Location In Malibu" Exhibit.   This is a wonderful juried exhibit of views of all of the Malibu Beach and Inland areas painted by the Artist Members of the California Art Club.    The show will be up until early August, so if you get a chance you should drive to Malibu and enjoy seeing it!

Have you ever been in the situation where there are so many disparate things to do that you don't know what to do first and pretty much end up doing nothing at all?

That has been my life lately.  Between trying to prepare paintings for several shows, organizing and communicating with people about some fantastic opportunities that have come my way, trying to get things together from my father's estate and just life in general...  It's got me scattered.

I guess I'll just have to suck it up and get it done, but wow.. inertia is hard to overcome!

The best tension easer ever is painting en plein air with friends.     The plan was for Diane and I to get together and paint.  Well, that was what was initially planned but we went with plan B because we got a late start and Diane's car broke down.   We did get together and I painted for a few hours.   Our friends from David Gallup's plein air class were there so we did a lot of chatting.    I managed to do this little study before I had to leave to pick up Tyler.  Diane stayed, watched the dolphins playing and then saw the sun sinking below the horizon.

I think painting rocks is still hard, but at least my rock studies are looking more like rocks!!!

Sometimes on a delightful day, you can lose yourself in time.   Hiking or painting... You can find your muse in the gifts of nature.

On Monday I was supposed to drive to Camarillo for my class with David Gallup.   I love being in David's studio and seeing all of the work he is doing for his upcoming show.  It's tremendously inspiring.  And, of course, David is a motivating instructor as well.

The class, however, doesn't start until 11:00 which is a problem for me because I'm up and out by the time I drop Tyler off to school at 8:00 and I have to be back in time to pick him up at 3:00 when he gets out.    But I take what I can get.

I squandered away an hour reading my novel and eating a bagel and decided to head out to find a good spot to paint BEFORE I got to the class.   I remembered a spot where I had painted in the past just north of the Las Virgenes turn off on the Ventura Freeway.   I had enjoyed painting there once before and hiking there several times.   At this time of the year the mustard is gorgeous and the area is filled with brilliantly colored blooming thistle plants.   And of course it is dotted with wonderful hearty California Oaks which have survived the fire that ravaged the area a few years back.  

Here is a link to information about the location if you want to try it out:  http://www.lamountains.com/parks.asp?parkid=28   One thing to keep in mind if you are planning to hike or paint or mountain bike for any length of time there is that there are no potties of any kind around.   So don't drink or ???

Anyway the whole point is that when I finished my hike, found my "spot" and settled in to paint, I got lost in time.   It is a wonderful totally engrossed feeling of the joy of being in a beautiful place doing just what you want to do.   But I was sooooo lost in time, that I ended up being quite late to my class.   Oh well.   It's always about the miles and the joys isn't it?

My art website is hosted by Fine Art Studio Online (FASO).   I love the website for many reasons... including its easy handling and all of the support and special features which help us artists easily do all the things necessary to market our art.  One of the more recent additions to the FASO's marketing efforts is something called the "Daily Art Show".

New Artwork by FASO Members Your art could be here tomorrow, for free. Click for Details	**
FASOs Daily Art Show My "Medley Of Pansies" painting is in the row with the asterisks.

Each time one of their artists uploads an artwork, it is included in the daily art show.   I had seen it included in FASO's newsletter (Called Fine Art Views) and on several other e-publications they send out to help inform artists and collectors.

Then I noticed  dailyartshow.faso.com/dailyartshow/...   appearing on my website stats indicating that someone had visited my personal website because they had clicked on the image they saw on the Daily Art Show.   So I began to wonder WHAT they were seeing.   Obviously they had clicked on one of my recently uploaded artworks... but which one???   Sometimes my work was easy to find.   Other times, despite the fact that I KNEW one of my images was there, I couldn't find it.  

	Sea Lace © Marian Fortunati 6"x6" Oil on Board $50 contact the artist

HMMMMM   If I couldn't even find my own work... maybe it just didn't stand up to the other work.   I wonder what elements that could be seen in that teeny tiny jpg image could be used to strengthen the work I do??

I will tell you that when I uploaded "Cormorants Roost", it wasn't easy to find.  Even though, its only a simple 6"x8" plein air study and I liked its simplicity, it probably isn't strong enough for anything more than a joyful moment of painting on a foggy day at the beach.  The cormorants didn't seem to mind whether the weather was brilliant and sparkly or foggy and cold.   They just sat and enjoyed their surroundings.  

I painted two small paintings that day.  We were there at Leo Carrillo State Beach on a typical "May Grey" day.  Despite the fact that I was VERY cold even layered up, I had a great day!

So which little painting is YOUR favorite??

Sometimes I can't find any friends to go out and paint with me.   Sometimes I just want to spend time alone.  Plein air painting is a great excuse to get outside in a beautiful spot and really see things.  I think about life.  I enjoy nature.  I get some great exercise when I hike up and down the trails looking for something that strikes my fancy.

Near my home is a lovely little canyon called Caballero Canyon.   From some of the trails leading up the hills I can see the homes in my community.   From other spots, however, it seems like there are no homes or "tamed land" anywhere.   Caballero Canyon is a favorite for hikers and mountain bikers, for dog walkers, nature lovers and people who like the outdoors.  

I realized when I stole the day last week to grab some fresh air and sunshine between clouds and rainy days that I have mostly hiked in Caballero Canyon in the fall when the orange and rust colors dominate the landscape.  Last week the fresh greenish mustard was just starting to come up near the trailhead and the spring flowers were popping out all over.  There was so much beauty hidden amid the grasses and brush.  I spent the morning with this little study, but I'm inspired to use this and my photo references and my memories to paint a larger (22"x28") painting of Spring in Caballero Canyon.

The California Art Club's Annual Gold Medal Exhibition moved this year to the extremely impressive Autry Museum located near Griffith Park in Los Angeles.   Although previous exhibitions have been wonderful, I felt this year's artwork, venue and all the hoopla and extras were the best yet.

Ray Roberts' amazing painting deservedly took the gold medal.  It was an eye poppingly beautiful coastal scene that I wished I could take home for my very own.

The Club hosted many events during the run of the show.  All were different but designed to bring people back to the show in the hope that they would find an artwork they couldn't live without.   I don't know for sure, but I think the show was a financial as well as an artistic success.

The day of the show's closing, the CAC hosted a paint out for all members.   While weather during the previous week was really awful, on Sunday, the day of the paint out, it was amazing!

Chuck Kovacik, who is an actor as well as a wonderful artist organized a group of models and reinactors... all in period dress.   They posed in long poses or short pose vignettes.  Between 70 - 150 artists and guests wandered around chatting, snapping photos and painting or sketching the model or models which struck their fancy.   I painted Toni a well-known artist's model from the Los Angeles area.   I've painted Toni many times.   This time she was in a vignette called "The Letter".   I decided that I didn't have enough time to paint the entire figure, so I narrowed my field down to a head and shoulder view.   I really loved the way the sun created light and dark on the hat she was wearing.

I am continually thrilled with how friendly artists in general are... even those I hadn't met before were happily chatting with anyone who seemed interested in talking.  I spent a lot of time chatting with friends, but I got most of what I wanted to capture there on site and then finished up at home.   I'm now wondering if I need to grey out the flowers on the side of Toni's head..... What do you think?

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Occasionally I drive far to the east toward the San Gabriel Valley to paint with a group called "Thursdays En Plein Air".  Because of nasty L.A. morning traffic, the drive is tedious from my house to that area and I can't often join the group.  However, I sometimes do take advantage of the day by joining them.

	Brenda Swenson critiques the watermedia work.
	Chuck Kovacik steps in for Walter McNall to critique the oils.
	Yellow irises... Beautiful!!

There are many reasons  for going.  Among them are:

1. Each session is followed by critiques by respected water-color artist Brenda Swenson or oil painter   Walter McNall a wonderful artist who is quite a beloved character.  If either of them is not present there is usually someone who steps up to take their place...   This is a difficult task but adds so much to the day... We all learn from listening!
2. They go to places I've never visited -- often they are lovely.
3. The group is large and diverse and I enjoy meeting and getting to know the various artists during the time we all break for lunch after painting all morning.

Several years ago because of this group, I discovered Arlington Gardens.    The lovely Arlington Gardens lie in Pasadena, CA, part of the San Gabriel Valley.  The gardens are a magnificent example of what a community can do to enhance the neighborhood.   Whenever I have the opportunity to paint there with a group, I jump aboard.  Each visit is magical and each year different.

Last week's visit was warm and sunny -- actually almost hot!  After wandering around the gardens delighting in the wide variety of flowers, plants and beautiful corners, I settled on the field of poppies.   Red poppies I'm told are originally from Italy.   Scattered among the large red flowers were our orange California poppies.   Pure heaven!   I decided to change the look by having a long narrow vertical format.  -- Just to be different I guess.   But I liked the outcome.  Hope you do too.

Another group I paint with is going next Thursday, but the weatherman is predicting rain and thunderstorms.   Hmmmmmm. 

 
I recently read a blog post from a fellow FASO artist that I admire named Janice Druian.   She titled her post "Postpartum Painting".   Of course the title drew me right in, but when I read the reason she called it that, I had to laugh.    She was talking about how it is difficult to begin painting again after taking a show down.   I just took my "One Lucky Artist" show down today, but I don't really feel like that.   I even went out this morning with a plein air group and painted in a gorgeous garden.   (I'll post that painting soon.)  Of course I've been so "off" painting-wise and otherwise for the last few months because of all of my family issues, but now I'm just starting to feel like my old painting self.

Yesterday, on my last day of painting in the patio outside the Crain Art Gallery, I decided to bring along a prop.  These yellow roses in their bright orange water can caught my eye and I had a great day trying to capture their sunny look in paint!   I was painting happily away when my friends Petra and Angelo walked up!  I was so pleasantly surprised and had so much fun chatting with them, that I totally forgot to take them inside the gallery to see the show while it was still up.   It really was a lovely show to see all those paintings together on the wall.   Petra had actually "seen" the show virtually and had purchased a painting she liked without seeing it in person.   Here's a link if you're interested.   I do wish I had remembered to walk them through the gallery, though.  Sigh...

Painting in the patio was a really interesting and rewarding experience for me.   I didn't really know what to expect, but I'm glad I did it.  I met lots of nice people and answered their questions and I think it created some good will with the gallery and the Crowell Library people.   Many of my friends came by to see the show while I was there on Wednesdays and some artist friends even came by to paint with me.  I would do it again if given the chance.

My glass really IS half-full (even a bit more than half).   Sometimes, though, when I think about Dad's illness and death, I lose perspective.  But really I do know that I am extremely lucky.   So very lucky to have enjoyed his company and guidance for so long and so very fortunate to be with a wonderful husband and kids/grandkids and friends.

Last Thursday, the San Fernando Valley Art Club had planned its monthly paint out to be at the "old zoo".   Huh???

Where was that??  I told the paint out chairperson that I might not be able to make it.    But on Thursday, I decided...  HEY!!!   What better way to get back into the joy of things than to go out with friends on a paint out??

It was fun.   I must say that if you have a group that plans destinations for paint-outs near you you should really take advantage of it.  These wonderful people work hard to scout out new places and to provide clear directions for all of us who get to join the group.   It isn't an easy task.  I sure appreciate it.   (Thanks, Trish!)  (Thanks, also to Jan, who does the paint out blog!!)

All through Los Angeles, the city where I was born, grew up and worked, are delightful spots to enjoy hiking and being out in the natural environment.   When I was growing up and then again when I was working and raising my family, I never explored them.

My guess is that my parents took me to the "Old Zoo" when I was a child.  Somehow, however,  I missed the fact that the zoo where I have taken Tyler is not the zoo of my youth.   The Old Zoo, still within Griffith Park but further south in the park, is filled with remnants of the "caves" where animals were housed along with great hiking trails and beautiful natural spots like this twisted sycamore stretching out over a small rock studded stream.

When I was offered the opportunity to have a one woman show at Crain Art Gallery, I jumped on it.   They had a set of dates and although
there were many things happening at the time, I thought I could still do a good job with the show.   I tried to set the date of the reception as early as possible so that I could have the reception out of the way before the due date for my daughter's first child. 

"More Purply" © Marian Fortunati 10"x8" Oil on RayMar Linen
"Courtyard Flower Pot" 6"x6" Oil on Hardboard

As it turned out, everything and everyone came together to make a terrific opening reception for the show called "One Lucky Artist".    We all had fun, I sold several paintings and got to see and speak with so many wonderful people.   My plan was to come to the patio outside the gallery every Wednesday after that until the show closed.   I had hoped that that way people who might not visit the gallery would be encouraged to go in to see the paintings which were still hanging.

I have painted in the patio courtyard three Wednesdays now and am looking forward to each one before the show closes on April 19.    People come by to chat, to ask questions or, like one lady named Ana, to tell me what she'd like to see in my painting.  On that particular day I was painting the wisteria.  Ana spoke little English, but wanted me to know that she knew the wisteria plants.  She also wanted to tell me something else.  She and I struggled with words for a while until she pulled out her Chinese / English translator.   She then told me that she'd like to see the painting be "more purply".  We both had a good laugh.  The library staff has been exceptionally nice coming by to chat or to see what I'm trying to paint.  One even made me a sign with my name on it for when I'm painting in the patio describing what plein air painting is all about.  They call me their "artist in residence".

On the first day I expected cold, windy weather and wasn't sure what I could actually paint in the courtyard, so I took a photo and it was there I mostly completed "Tidefalls - Nature's Hour Glass".   The next Wednesday I painted the wisteria, although I think that I will try it again on a different Wednesday from the other side of the wall.   The shadows fall so beautifully on the outside of the courtyard.  However, inside the courtyard patio it has been sunny and delightful with the beautiful fragrance of wisteria whispering along on the breeze.  Last Wednesday I did a little 6x6 of one of the flower pots and then began another painting from a photo reference.

If you live anywhere nearby or have friends in the area, please send them by.   You could even forward this blog post to them and suggest that they might enjoy the show.  I'd sure appreciate it!!   They can come anytime the Crowell Library is open.   The Crain Art Gallery is within the gorgeous library complex.

How This Painting Came To Be
In late November I spent some time driving between Bakersfield and Santa Barbara.  I had dropped my grandson off with my son for a few days of fun up at the Kern River, and I wanted to meet the rest of the family in Santa Barbara.   It was a calming and lovely drive and I saw some of the less seen and beautiful open spaces in Southern California between the rich farm and dairy lands near Bakersfield and the patches snowy mountainsides in the Los Padres National Forest on the way through Ojai.   I believe this is a little stretch of the Sespe River which becomes a bit wilder as it leaves the canyon on its way down the mountain.  It was a long ride and I  loved being able to stop often to soak in and simply enjoy my beautiful state.

I painted this piece during some evenings and days when I was home from the hospital and / or my Dad's house, using reference photos and visual memories that wouldn't leave my mind.   The process soothed me.

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My Dad
Those of you who have followed my blog know that my life has had its ups and downs lately.   After my father's illness and death, I heard from several of you who shared your grief about losing loved ones recently as well.   I think that sharing the grief is one way we all relieve the pain.   I thank you all for your kind thoughts, words and feelings AND for sharing your own stories.  I think we become stronger and more aware of our place in the world by sharing -- even sharing the pain.

Looking Ahead
In contrast to the sadness of loss, I have been buoyed by the expectation of a new grandson.  My Dad had hoped to meet him in this world but I'm sure he'll enjoy getting to know him in some way.   The little guy is taking his time.  He was due yesterday, but he's holding out.  I'll let you know all about it when he arrives.

Wonderful Events
I also had a wonderfully successful opening of my one woman show in San Marino, "One Lucky Artist".   We had a fabulous time.  I got to meet and talk with so many interesting and fascinating people.  I saw friends from different parts of my life, and even met a FB friend in person.  I will post some photos from the show in a future post.  I was  thrilled that four of the paintings in the show were sold at the opening reception.   If you were not able to make it yet to the exhibit and sale, the work will be up at the gallery until April 20.   You may also look online.   Contact me if you are interested in purchasing any of the remaining paintings.    CLICK HERE.

To revive my spirits, I decided to submit the only painting (besides the 30 little ones I did for my daughter's baby shower) to the VAG Gold Medal Exhibition take-in last Sunday.   I was blown away by the quality and quantity of the work submitted.   The poor juror, Mark Wood, had to jury out 40 paintings...  It was tough!!    Happily both of my submissions were juried in.  (YAY)  

(Meandering)   (Caballero Canyon Sycamore) were my entries and will be showing at the Venice Arts Gallery until the end of the month.  The reception is this Saturday and I'm sure it will be terrific.  I am guessing (hoping) I'm going to be up in Santa Barbara welcoming my new grand baby, so I probably won't be at the reception, but I hope you can make it.   There will me lots of fabulous art (over 80 paintings and sculptures) and so many fine people there.

 

You are invited to an art exhibition. 
Two of my landscapes were juried in!

Reception:  Saturday, March 10th  5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Venice Arts Gallery

1702 Lincoln Blvd.

Venice,  CA  90291

  

Gallery Hours:  Mon. - Fri.  10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Evenings &  Saturday:  by appointment

Exhibition Dates:  March 5 - March 31, 2012

Sometimes when life is full of worries and stresses, it's a good thing to just set it all aside and escape to a beautiful place to paint.   That is what I did when I painted this scene.   I dropped off my guy at school and headed straight out to the beach.  I just went alone as I wasn't sure what the day had in store and whether I would have to return suddenly or not.  Although I like to paint with friends, I didn't want to worry about inconveniencing a friend.  And I enjoy being alone sometimes.

I decided to go to El Matador State Beach Park in Malibu.   I figured that walking down and then back up the hideously steep cliff with my paint pack on my back would be great exercise.   At the top of the cliff I was a bit worried because the wind was blowing and blowing wind and sand does NOT make for a great painting.   However, by the time I hiked to the beach and walked all around the wonderful rocky outcroppings to choose my spot, I found the place sheltered enough to enjoy a picture perfect day.   The sky was clear except for a few wispy clouds, and it wasn't too cool.  The beach was gorgeous.

I found the time just flew by as I tried to weave the magic before me into the painting.  I am so glad I was there.

I paint fairly often at Leo Carrillo Beach State Park.   It is a beautiful beach on the north end of the Malibu coastline in Southern California.

The weather changes.  The seas are sometimes stormy and sometimes calm and the rock formations are varied so that wherever you decide to paint, there is a different scene to create.

One time after I had been painting at Leo Carrillo, my father called me up to tell me that Hewell Houser was doing a program about Leo Carrillo Beach State Park.  Apparently Carrillo was the set of many old movies... (Many giant mutated crabs attacked the world over those coastal rocks!)  I also learned by watching Hewell Houser's program that below where I had generally been painting, there are a series of caves that are referred to as the pirate caves.   So on this day, I went in search of them....  And found the caves and the cove beyond.

	George, Maria, Annette and Diane getting ready for lunch.

The Malibu / Ventura Chapter of the California Art Club held its monthly paint out at Leo Carrillo on Wednesday.   I was eager to go so I could enjoy winter along California's beautiful coastline.   Although the forecasters and predicted cold weather and clouds, it was moderate and clear.  -- Actually it was quite beautiful.   There weren't a lot of painters at the event this time... they probably thought it would be too cold but we all enjoyed ourselves anyway.

I decided to find the pirate caves.   I climbed over large mounds of built up seaweed and lots of rocks and found the caves.   Then I went through a big one and emerged on the other side to find a beautiful little cove where the wet sand was reflecting the cliffs beyond.  My heart did that little pitter patter thing that happens when a painter finds "the spot".   I knew I had to paint it.

While I was busy painting, I left my salad which was in a bag in a plastic container next to a thick jacket on a rock (before the seaweed piles and rocks and the cave.   It's the seagulls that were the pirates!!   They pecked through the plastic container and stole all of the chicken out of my salad.   -- No worries...  I had lots of cabbage and lettuce to eat with my friends when we all broke for lunch.

This plein air nocturne was so much fun to paint!!

When David Gallup planned our Channel Islands Adventure each year, he checked to see when we would have full moons.  This September, however, the weather wasn't cooperating.  We had lots of clouds and some fog.  

But on one spectacular night we saw what I thought of as a harvest moon.   The moon peeked through the layers of clouds and each time I looked up from my palette it changed.   I was pretty much just trying to get the canvas covered with my impression of the moonrise before it changed too dramatically.

Isn't this a silly picture? Painting nocturnes really brings out the "weird" element I think.

~~~I hope each of you has a wonderful 2012~~~

You Never Know
You may remember that I went to the Channel Islands back in September with David Gallup and a group of artists.  We all had a wonderful time and I painted many studies during the trip and several studio pieces afterwards.   I posted and talked about the trip so much that I figured everyone who reads this blog had grown tired of it.   I never posted the last three plein air pieces from the trip.

Lately I've been really busy painting some more complicated pieces.   Once again I'm trying to paint for a show.  All painting... nothing finished enough to post and no blog posts.   I guess I need to catch up.

The good news is that three of the last shows my work has been in have sold my paintings!!!   What a thrill!

	From the kayak

A Surprise
Then the other night, a wonderful follower from the internet told me she wanted to buy one of my Channel Island plein air paintings.    She wanted it as a gift for her husband.  She hasn't even been the the Channel Islands,  but maybe she will one day.   I hope so... just so she can see them in person!   It's a place that should not be missed.

You just never know.   I was figuring that no one was really interested in even seeing any more of my Channel Island plein airs.  Now that someone seems to have been interested enough to purchase one, I decided that just to finish up posting the series.   I will post the last three before I post any of my current work.

For this little painting, we were anchored off the largest Island of the Channel Islands, Santa Cruz Island.   We were either at Twin Harbor or Platts Harbor (I can't remember which).   Most of us who were on the ship had gone out on a kayak to paint.  Having done it once before, I decided to try paddling out to paint once again.   I found my spot.  I was trying to capture the beautiful shadow and light pattern on the sides of the cliff in the inlet.

I had a great time.  This time I had more trouble because the kelp bed I "parked" in wasn't very thick and the strands kept letting my kayak drift away.   I had to keep paddling back to my spot and trying to re-attach.  However, I didn't lose my camera overboard and I was able to paint a little study.

It was a beautiful way to spend the morning!