Painting these old growth grapevines in October gave me a chance to intently focus on the character of the gnarled wood along with the subtle color shifts in the leaves.
Autumn Vines
8″ x 10″ oil on linen panel
Leslie Landers
Dressed for the Holidays
8″ x 8″ oil on linen panel
The schooner “Star of India” spends much of her time these days in San Diego. In this painting, she’s festooned with lights bringing a holiday vibe to Aquatic Park in San Francisco.
Daybreak Pond
10″ x 8″ (private collection)
In this backlit early morning plein air piece I was drawn to the moody shadows and the sense of mystery. I decided not to include the ducks and frogs but they were certainly good company as I painted the spring fed pond.
Vasona Glow
6″ x 8″ oil on linen panel
As I set up to paint at nearby park, I was struck by the backlit reeds glowing in the morning sun. It was a crisp fall day and as I started and the location was all about serenity. Then a crew of seven year old pos Thanksgiving day-campers arrived. So … there was less of a calm vibe than I initially anticipated. Still … there was a magic in the laughter of the kids which made for a great day.
Morning Sun Pigeon Point
14″ x 11″ oil on linen panel
There are a few moments on early fall mornings when the first rays of the sun illuminate the lighthouse at Pigeon Point. The fog lifts and it just glows. As I painted this on location, I gave all my attention to that effect and to the way the glow carried as a reflection on the ocean’s surface. I deliberately kept the vegetation on the foreground bluff loose to ensure the distant glow was the star of the show.
Exhibited …
2024 – Coastal Arts League “Iconic California”
Stillness, Moss Landing
11″ x 14″ oil on linen panel
While painting on a glassy calm morning, I was attracted to the way the dark rowboat in the foreground interacted with the lighter muted colors of the assembled white fiberglass boats.
Temple of Love
8″ x 10″ oil on linen panel
This painting of Villa Montalvo’s Italianate garden captures the temple on an autumn morning. The orange quince in the foreground seemed to be lit from the inside. I enjoyed its loose structure as a contrast to the temple’s vertical columns.
Bonaire Dive Boat
9″ x 12″ oil on linen panel
What fun painting this plein air piece in the Harbour Village Marina in Kralendijk Bonaire. The unwashed ochre building are such a nice foil for the Caribbean blues.
Bonaire Harbor at Dawn
8″ x 10″ oil on linen panel
I painted this on location at the Kralendijk Harbor on Bonaire. I had to work fast to try to catch the oranges and blush tones in the clouds at dawn. Once the sun rose just a bit above the clouds they dispersed.
Harbour Queen
8″ x 10″ (private collection)
I painted this dive boat from the Harbour Village Resort on while I was vacationing in Bonaire. I really enjoyed the way the blues of the water played off of the orange tones of the cluster of hotel buildings in the background.
A gentleman and his family who was also visiting saw me as I was painting. This piece was their favorite from the my time in Bonaire. I have since varnished and framed “Harbour Queen” and sent it to its new home in the Netherlands. What a great memory for their family and for me.