California Art Club {The Romance of Europe & Landscapes of the West II}

I’m excited to announce that two of my paintings were juried in
to California Art Club shows this month!

les bateaux du lac Léman (above)
was accepted into The Romance of Europe show at the Altadena Town & Country Club.
January 30 – May 26

IMG_1157

Eucalyptus Study
was accepted into the Landscapes of the West II at the Olaf Wieghorst Museum
February 7 – April 4

Recent Paintings and Places

 

I’ve been working hard in the last month to practice, practice, practice!  These are new paintings created on location up and down the coast from Laguna Beach to Santa Barbara. Things I’m working on lately: accurate values, interesting compositions, honest color, and painting as communication (what do I want to convey?).

{Shadow of the Rock at Inspiration Point I, 12×9, oil on linen, SOLD}

 

 

{Warm Grays at the Back Bay, 6×12, oil on linen, AVAILABLE}

 

{Last Light at Hendry’s Beach, 9×12, oil on linen, SOLD}

{Summerland Cliffs, 8×10, oil on linen, SOLD}

 

 

{Aliso Evening, 12×9, oil on linen, AVAILABLE}

 

 

{Back Bay Blues, 6×6, oil on linen, AVAILABLE}

Ultra-Light Plein Air Painting {A hike in the Alps}

Last month my husband and I (and a few friends) hiked for ten days in the French Alps. In preparation, I researched how to pare down my painting gear as much as possible, anticipating the long hours of hauling our packs up and down the mountains. This is the kit I hiked with:

Moving clockwise from the top left–
my Strada Mini easel,
small turpentine container,
gloves, tripod, mini-binder clips, brushes, paper towels, canvas boards, [in the center] paint (including Gamblin’s FastMatte white),
and [not pictured] an 11×16
Raymar wet panel carrier.

 

 

 

   {Painting Lake Geneva in Evian}

I made ultra-light canvas boards by gluing oil primed linen to multimedia art board, a super-thin, durable substrate that has the rigidity of a thick card stock. This allowed me to fit more in my wet panel carrier and made the painted canvases easier to store for drying than loose linen would have been. I clipped these canvas/multimedia boards to an 11×16 piece of foam core when I was painting and while they were drying.

{Capturing the effect of mist and light at Trebantaz}

We climbed up and down mountains for 3 to 5 hours each day, often arriving at our destinations in time for me to pull out my stuff and paint a quick sketch before dinner. We enjoyed incredible views, dramatic weather, lush, vibrant colors, and encouraging fellow hikers. I was even fortunate enough to sell one painting right off the easel (thanks, Sten!).  I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity! (And thankful to my husband for helping me schlep my gear!)

{Painting the stormy sunset from the col du Bassachaux)

{The GR5 leaving Moede Anterne Refuge)