11″ x 14″ private collection
This view of a lovely valley near Gstaad Switzerland is painted to bring memories of restorative fresh mountain air.
Exhibited …
2024 – Allied Artists West Group Show “Colors of Summer”
2021 – Los Gatos Artist Association “Artist of the Year” (3rd place award)
2020 – California Art Club “Our World Reimagined”
9″ x 12″ (private collection)
The view from my front porch is of my neighbors porch and on this particular morning of an early season rose illuminated by the morning sun.
9″ x 12″ oil on linen panel
I painted this goose and gosling from a photo I took at a local park. I love that this mother and babe were venturing out … albeit cautiously.
Exhibited …
2022 – Coastal Arts League “Kindred Spirits”
8″ x 10″ (private collection)
The first rose blooms of the season are always the most fragrant and vibrant making it an extra delight to paint these.
8″ x 10″ (private collection)
Our backyard lilacs were a wonder this year and their sweet fragrance added to the pleasure of painting them.
If you have to be cooped up at home on a rainy day in April, it’s pretty wonderful to paint the fire in the mini Vermont Castings stove that’s in the corner of my studio space.
9″ x 12″ oil on linen panel
This was painted in early March at the marina in Berkeley. This was the last plein air painting I did before pandemic related stay-at-home orders went into effect. This boat was used for tours in San Francisco for 40 years.
Until the Covid shutdown hit, I’d been plein air painting somewhere beautiful once or twice a week or more. These days, the plein air action has been at home and in my backyard. Thankfully the lilacs are blooming.
In these pieces, I’m painting on oil primed linen that I purchase in large rolls. I can later mount the paintings to panels for archival framing. Somehow, this keeps me from thinking too much about whether or not the painting is going to work out and instead enjoy the time painting as practice and a way to improve my skills.
Update … I ended up really happy with the painting on the right and when I posted it to Facebook one of my friends wanted to buy it. Instead, it became a birthday present for this friend of 30+ years.
I’m not sure I ever really sorted out the focal point for this painting. The blooming white lilacs? The birch tree? Now, I’m thinking it’s the bright oranges in our brand new unstained redwood fence.
UPDATE … Due to virus-related business closures, this exhibition is now online only. The paintings are are really lovely. Here is a link.
I am so delighted that my painting “Nonconformist” was selected as one of the paintings for the show “Treasures from the Bay Area: New Paintings by the California Art Club.” There are many yummy paintings in the show and all of them are available for purchase.
I was able to see the show before the gallery’s temporary closure. The paintings are even more beautiful in person. The owner and staff of the Holton Studio Gallery are wonderful people and the art exhibits they curate are always of very good quality. Put their gallery on your list of places to visit once we are all getting out a bit.
On a related note … It was such a delight to see my painting featured in the Berkeley Times. It brought a grin during a time that there hasn’t been much to smile about.
