"Sierra Snow Melt"

20x16" oil on canvas

I'm getting ready to paint outdoors again. When I first started painting ten years ago I painted almost exclusively on location. Later, in order to make the most of the little time I had to paint I started working from digital images on my computer. I actually still use my plein air set up when painting indoors. 

Working from the computer is great in a lot of ways. I love being able to experiment with different compositions and color settings. It's also nice having everything set up and ready to go. All I have to do is put a canvas on the easel and get to work. Now that I'm painting full time I'm feeling the need to get out and paint from life again. I'm excited to see how it will effect my work.

The above painting was done from the computer but I painted as if I was working outside. What I mean is, I painted fast. This one was done in about 90 minutes. I had to make minor adjustments the next day, but most of the work was done in the first attempt. I'm trying to work fast even though I'm painting on larger canvases.

"Mori Point"

20x20" oil on canvas

One of the things I like about participating in themed shows is that it encourages me to explore new subject matter. I tend to avoid painting traditional landscapes so this one is bit of a departure for me. This painting is for "Waterfront", a show opening at the Studio Gallery on September 4th. 

I've only recently discovered Mori Point and it's become one of my favorite spots to go for a walk. This view is looking south from the point toward Pacifica. The large mountain in the back is Montara Mountain, another beautiful spot for a hike.

"Weskeag Bridge"

10x8" oil on canvas panel

I had to put myself in a precarious position to get the photo for this one. Maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but I did have to climb over a guard rail and then part of the way down a steep slope. One slip and I would have been in the water, washed under the bridge and on my way out to sea!

"Queen Anne's Lace"

8x10" oil on canvas panel

The abundance of wildflowers is one of the most beautiful things about the summer landscape in Maine. Most of the grasses and flowers in California have turned brown or gold by early summer due to the lack of rain. The time for wildflowers in the west is usually early spring.  I'm pretty sure the flowers in the painting are White Yarrow. I know there's not a lot of detail in this painting but if anyone knows what kind of flowers these are I'd love to know.

Update: Thanks so much Susan, Judy and Merci for letting me know that the wildflowers are Queen Anne's Lace!

"Three in a Row"

8x10" oil on canvas panel

This is a group of joined houses in Tenant's Harbor, Maine. I drive by this scene countless times every summer while staying in Port Clyde and I've always thought it would make a good painting. I'm having fun doing quick oil sketches from the images I took this summer. I'll be posting more soon.

"Port Clyde Cove"

11x14" oil on canvas panel

I'm doing a few Maine paintings to transition back to painting larger. I've been having fun attempting to paint fast and spontaneously. Some of the paintings haven't worked out but I like this one. It's nice to have room to experiment with brushwork.

"Larkin and Broadway"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50"

I got back from Maine just in time to hang the "50/50" show. It was fun seeing what the other artists have come up with. I'm really impressed with the overall quality of the work I saw. There is so much great work and most of the prices are so low, I'm not surprised this show has become as popular as it is. If you're interested in coming I suggest going to the ticketed preview, which is ten dollars if you buy in advance. For more info click here.

I had a wonderful, relaxing time in Maine and even managed to take a few pictures to paint from. My only goal for the two weeks was to spend time with family and swim every day regardless of the weather. Spending time with family was easy, swimming every day had its challenging moments. Especially the time my daughter and I went swimming in the bone-chilling ocean in a freezing downpour.

I'm excited to work on paintings for "Waterfront" which opens at the Studio Gallery on September 4th. It will be nice to work on some larger pieces after spending the last month primarily painting 6x6s. I'll post paintings and more info soon.

"Taillights"

6x6" oil on Gessobord - sold

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #21

Well I had originally planned on posting all 50 of my paintings here on my blog but it doesn't look like that'll happen. I've set up a gallery on my website though, so anyone who's interested can check out my progress by clicking on the 50/50 gallery.

I approached this project knowing it would be a learning experience. I chose to do cityscapes for two reasons. For one, I find cityscapes extremely difficult, particularly handling the cars. And secondly, I felt pretty confident about finding 50 interesting compositions featuring the streets of San Francisco. 

So what did I learn? I do feel I've improved at painting cars. I've learned to ignore their complexity and simplify as much as possible. I feel I've also learned how to better compose a cityscape. I now try to look for large simple patterns within the jumble of visual information.

The next step is to see if I can translate some these little paintings into larger works.

The "50/50" show opens August 23 at the Sanchez Art Center in Pacifica, California. 

"Ferry Building"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #20

"Clouds over Filbert"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #19

"West on Broadway"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #18

"Cafe at Dusk"

6x6" oil on Gessobord - sold

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #17

"Golden Hour"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #16

"Looking North on Polk"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #15

"Powell Street"

6x6" oil on Gessobord - sold

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #14

This was one of those images I was pretty sure wasn't going to work as a small painting. I felt there was just too much visual information. What attracted me to this scene was the bright band of light on the street and buildings to the right. I'm glad I gave it a try, I think it worked. This view is down Powell Street looking toward Union Square. 

"Jones at Glover"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #13

"Last Light, Downtown"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #12

Artist Studios Online Tour!

Here's a chance to visit the studios of some wonderful artists. Click the links below to go behind the scenes and see the spaces where these artists create!

Marla Laubisch	Carol Schiff	Kaethe Bealer	Jo MacKenzie
Michael Chamberlain	Charleen Martin	Sally Binard	Jacklyn Karabaich
Sharon Graves	Sea Dean	Johnna Schelling	Taryn Day
Julie Ford Oliver	Sarah Sedwick	Kim Rempel	Cindy Michaud
Joanne Grant	Carmen Beecher	Cindy Williams	Cathy Engberg

Below are a few pictures of my kitchen/studio. I have a cottage out back where I paint larger work but most of my painting days are spent right here in the kitchen. There are north facing windows so there's plenty of indirect light. 

The floor is an old speckled linoleum that hides the paint splatters pretty well. Even though I try to be good about cleaning up, every few months I have to get down on my hands and knees and scrub it clean. I just cleaned it a few weeks ago so it's looking pretty good in these photos! I use the same easel set up that I use when I paint outdoors. I leave it up and just drag it into the dining room when I'm not painting. It's a Julian half box so it's easy to move around. 

As you can see, my palette isn't too pretty. It's just a 12x16 piece of masonite. I made a brush holder out of canvas which I attach to the easel drawer with a binder clip. 

When the paintings are done they're moved to the dining room for drying. I usually set them on music stands or the middle shelf of the corner cabinet. The photo above is the view you get when walking in the front door of my house. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing my workspace, be sure to visit the other artists listed above!

"Narrow Street, Telegraph Hill"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #11

"View of Alcatraz from Hyde"

6x6" oil on Gessobord - sold

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #10

"Hyde and Lombard"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" # 9

"Crossing Grant"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #8

Every painting is an act of faith. I'm finding that especially true with these little cityscapes. You have to have faith that if you keep going and trust your instincts the painting will probably work out. I think it was Richard Schmid who said you should be able to stop at any point during the painting and it would look good. Interesting idea, but that certainly isn't how it works for me.

"Electric Bus"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #7

"Mission Alley"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #6

The alleys in San Francisco are interesting in that they allow you to see the backs of the houses. Many houses have unusual additions which make for inspiring shapes to paint. This particular house had lavender colored garage doors, what more could you want?

"Last Light, Side Street"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #5

"Cranes over Polk Street"

6x6" oil on masonite

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #4

"Tree Lined Street"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #3

Some city scenes are easier than others to break down into simple shapes. I think there are less than ten in this one. The idea is to get the shapes in place and then add just a bit of detail.

"Alley Shadows"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #2

One of the nice thing about doing small panels is that it encourages experimentation. There was something about this scene that appealed to me but I wasn't sure I wanted to try it on a larger canvas.

I bought some small brushes for this project (size 4 and 6 princeton 6300 brights) but I'm finding them frustrating to use. I'm mostly using a large brush, size 8. The smaller brushes don't hold enough paint! The 4 is good for windows though, so I guess it's good to have.

"Corner Market"

6x6" oil on Gessobord

Sanchez Art Center, "50/50" #1

This is the first of my paintings for the "50/50" show at the Sanchez Art Center. This corner store is located in the Russian Hill area of San Francisco. I remember seeing a Tim Horn painting of this building many years ago and thought it would be a fun subject to paint. I knew it was in San Francisco but had no idea where. I stumbled upon it by accident and quickly pulled over to snap a few photos. I wonder if the owners know that their aqua sign is attracting painters.

"Bus on Polk"

12x12" oil on masonite

Studio Gallery, San Francisco

I'm participating in this year's "50/50" show at the Sanchez Art Center in Pacifica. The idea is to paint 50 6x6 inch paintings in 50 days. I pick up the panels today and the first painting day is Monday. I haven't painted that small in a while so it will be interesting to see how it works out.

We were asked to choose a theme for our paintings, I chose "Street Views". That seems like a broad enough theme. I'm still motivated to explore painting possibilities in San Francisco but thought I could do some rural street scenes as well.