It Can't Rain All the Time...

My current corner of California has been relentlessly washed with rain over the last week, with little end in sight...actually I've read there will be an even more soggy storm a' coming.


While I watch the drops fall and my muddy, country driveway become less, and less passable I searched out some rain inspired creations on Etsy...take a look at this gallery that celebrates the drama and beauty of the Spring Shower...It Can't Rain All The Time.

Waiting in the Rain-Original Acrylic and Metallic ink on stretched canvas

18 x 18 inches (45.72 x 45.72 cm)

Speed

Speed the latest exhibit in the Showroom gallery for the Paso Robles Art Association is a juried show featuring artworks reflecting the pace of life (fast or slow). This may include: the speed of objects, a long boring lecture, clocks, calendars, snails, cheetahs, lazy afternoons, race cars, food left on the stove, etc. Exhibit runs October 7 to November 7.

My original acrylic painting Sudden Rain from my Umbrella Series has been chosen for display. She is a paused moment of a little black dress laden girl caught in a shimmering sprinkle.

  
Sudden Rain~original acrylic painting with metallic silver ink details on stretched canvas,
18x18 inches (45.72 x 45.72 cm) framed in black wood

Waiting on the Waves

My local strip of California beach is notorious for small summer surf and I couldn't be more excited for the fall waves to be rolling in. With sizes of 5-6 ft waves making a morning search for the perfect wave a welcome retreat.

Waiting on the Waves is an original oil pastel drawing on archival watercolor paper;
8 x 12 inches (20.32 x 30.48 cm).
Original drawing available in my Etsy shop; prints available on Imagekind.

I Madonnari Festival 2010

Tools for this weekend’s warriors.

It's a perfectly breezy weekend in San Luis Obispo and the artists have gathered for street painting in the Mission Plaza downtown. The I Madonnari Festival allows artists of every age to enjoy a space and express in bold vibrant color.

I strolled along the plaza yesterday in the late afternoon and found many images well on their way of completion even though the festival still continues today.

Some of the highlights from the children’s paintings…

I Madonnari Festival downtown San Luis Obispo, September 11-12, 2010.
More images on Flickr.

Come to the Fair

It's the peak of summer here in Paso Robles and the California Mid-State Fair, known as "the biggest little fair anywhere" kicked off this week. The community really rallies around all that the fair has to offer supporting all the exhibits in whatever way they can. It has all the classics...carnival, tasty treats, animals, big-name entertainment and the largest art show I have ever seen at a county fair.

mmmm….funnel cake…

A special preview party is held the night before the fair opens inviting the artist who entered a chance to get a sneak peek at the show and award winners. Included in the show are hundreds of photos that are entered in the various categories from children, amateurs and professionals within the county.

I am excited to announce I was among this year's award winners in the professional categories receiving a 2nd Place award in the "Fair Theme (Endless Summer Fun) division with On a Day Like Today and a 3rd Place award in the "landscape" division with The Promise.

On a Day Like Today-photograph

The Promise-photograph

More snapshot from the fair…

Can’t make it to California right now? Here are some fun finds inspired by all things carnival…

1.  Suzanne Aunan Gallery 2. Jennifer Dickerson Photography 3. BeckyM 
4. Sew Many Quilt Books 5. My Selvaged Life 6. Kc Soaps N More 
7. Mimi Kirchner 8. Wandering Whimsies 9. Bovine Bubbles 
10. The Fancy Lamb 11. Dawn Correspondence

Surf and Sand

While we enjoy heading to the beach year-round, many make it a special event with summer fun and 4th of July celebrations. A favorite spot to catch views of two fireworks displays is sitting seaside on Studio Beach just on the south end of Cayucos, California. From that beach you can watch the colors fly above the Cayucos Pier to the north and over Morro Rock to the south. Get there early, claim your domain and don't forget all the necessities.

 
Beach Life-iPhone Photo from #MailArt Series

The Ocean is Calling-Watercolor on Paper, 7 x 9.5 inches (17.78 x 24.13 cm)
Original painting is sold-prints available at ALTAMIRA  or on imagekind and ACEO on Etsy

The Rush

I am expanding my Surfer Series of paintings to include some new larger original acrylic paintings. The Rush is an original acrylic painting on 1 1/2" deep gallery wrapped canvas, 12 x 36 inches (30.48 x 91.44 cm). Working larger is allowing me to create additional dynamics in my scenes.

A Summer Tradition

Camping in the Sierra's is a summer tradition for me and my Mr. We have a couple of secret* spots that allow us to get away from group campgrounds and really explore the serenity of escaping our busy schedules. Don't worry; I recognize the humor in running up to the mountains to get away from what are almost weekly surfing Sundays. But there truly is a calming quiet you find among the trees that can't be reached listening to the wind and waves of the West Coast beaches.

Being Human in Time-How This Generation Spends Their Time
iPhone Photographs from MailArt Series

One of our favorite areas is Chiquita Creek near Mammoth Pool Reservoir. There are many areas to explore without the crowds you may find in Yosemite National Park throughout the summer.

 Chiquita Creek-photograph

 Along the Path-panoramic photograph

 
The Water’s Edge I-Original Acrylic Painting on Paper, 7 x 15 inches (17.78 x 38.1 cm).

 
The Water’s Edge II-Original Acrylic Painting on Paper, 7 x 15 inches (17.78 x 38.1 cm).

Beautiful Blooms

A recent visit to the de Young Museum of Fine Art led me to a surprise like no other.

For a few days out of the year an awe inspiring array of floral sculpture bloomed inside the de Young. Bouquets to Art took on the challenge of interpreting master works of art into floral bouquets. I'll admit my primary intention for the visit was to have a glimpse at the Diebenkorn's and de Kooning's but the display of blooming sculptures was a welcome surprise. It's was an inspiring trip to the museum located inside the Golden Gate Park downtown San Francisco.

 
Blooming Petunias-photograph

Iris Influence-acrylic and metallic ink on paper, 10 x 11 inches (25.4x27.94 cm).

Life's Better Surfing

On a cool fall day I was hanging out on the beach with the teenage daughter of one of our surf buddies. In between texting her friends and listening to her iPod she started telling me about that morning  on the way to the beach. They were in the drive-thru line at Starbucks when her father was starting to wonder if they should make the 30 mile drive to the beach and waste a day surfing when he had to start his week of graveyard shifts that night. She looked over at a lamppost and saw that some other slacker had already been there and left his words of wisdom with a sticker that read "Life's Better Surfing". She of course pointed it out and any reservations he may have had floated away in the wind, because as he has known since he was a teenager-even in the worst of waves you never regret a day in the surf.

 

 

Life's Better Surfing-MailArt, iPhone photo.

Call it a Day
Watercolor on Canvas, 7.5 x 8.5 inches (19.05 x 21.59 cm).

 

What the Rains Can Bring

If you follow me on Twitter you will recognize my “#surfinsunday” tags from my many surfing expeditions. While most of the time those tweets are accompanied by quick photos of the current beach we have invaded taken with my iPhone, I always have with me one or two other cameras for whatever my eye finds worthy of capturing. This time of year we are surrounded by the bright blooming wildflowers, and our 30 minute drive to the beach of choice is no exception. The rolling hills that separate us from the ocean are scattered with what the rains can bring. What the Rains Can Bring I, II, III-digital photos.

Inspired by Spring

Inspirations for my landscape art come from all around me and my corner of California. Every year at this time the surrounding rolling hills explode with cotton candy covered trees and the grasses that were so well watered by the winter rains become the epitome of “grass green”. Overnight, those fluffy trees that decorated my drive home along the lake road lose their blossoms to become fields covered in confetti. Making sure not to miss the limited engagement of showing this year I was able to capture the almond orchard that rows the lower flat at a moment just before a sturdy Spring rain melted the cotton candy from the trees.
Valley Orchards-original acrylic painting on paper, 10.5 x 13.75”.

Top The Promise; bottom Well Traveled Path-photographs.

A Day at The Beach

I have had the urge to continue on with my A Day at The Beach series. With the added push to create a commissioned new piece I began work on two new scenes. Both paintings below are watercolor paint on canvas that has been treated for wet media. The canvas surface has a unique absorption that can be a bit tricky. I have come to enjoy the challenge and love creating the leisurely days at the beach.
Top: Surf Buddies; Bottom: The Break at Pico-Sold, prints available.

Change Your Latitude

I feel as if I have been neglecting this lonely blog of mine lately. I apologize for the lack of fascinating posts. It is not that I haven't wanted to fill my few followers in to my work in progress-it's just that I have been too busy actually working on new art to document it in this way-but soon. I have on my calendar new commissioned work as well as additional pieces to continue "My Girls" series and "Day at the Beach" series. I am, as I write this, waiting for larger canvas and rag boards to arrive for the actual work to begin. In the meantime let me leave you with one of my leisurely images from my "Day at the Beach" series. It makes me want for that casual day when my commitments can wait and there are no worries...











Change Your Latitude is a watercolor painting on canvas,
5 x 10". Sold, prints available.

Ranch Road

I have been working on some new landscapes for the spring gallery display. This is a view of our local rolling hills. It is acrylic paint on watercolor paper, about 11x14". If you are in the area come by The Art Works to view some of my new work.

Almond Orchard-Sold

Almond Orchard is a painting with a soft palette that has a few drops of hot pink for the blossoms. The tree trucks are crooked and knarled but the foliage is airy and light, like the orchards in early spring.

It is an acrylic painting on stretched canvas, 24x24".