Judy Evenson - Watercolor Journal

Painting in Mexico

2012-01-23T09:38:00.000-08:00

Dear visitors to this blog-
I will be back in early February, and I hope to post new work done on location in San Pancho Mexico.
I am excited by the opportunity to paint in the light and landscape of the area. I'll share the results!

Faded Flowers

2012-01-22T15:42:00.000-08:00

This painting is about the soft color and curled blossoms of these dried hydrangeas.
Call me old fashioned, but I love their beauty!
15" x 18"

Fenceline Marker Tree

2012-01-14T11:30:00.000-08:00

Although this painting is 40" x 30" it is not large enough to capture the strength of this amazing tree.

Workshop

2012-01-02T12:01:00.000-08:00

Come visit Mexico for all the usual reasons, plus this lighthearted 3 day workshop.... my friend Shelby would like to start offering art classes at her place in San Pancho, and I am her willing guinea pig for this first effort. I'm really looking forward to this - anybody else interested??

Fenceline Oak

2011-12-22T17:04:00.000-08:00

This old oak stands alone on a grassy ridge overlooking a deep valley and the hills beyond the valley. It is stubbed and twisted, a wreck of rich tangles. It has massive tree sized limbs, twisty branches, mistletoe, lichens, mosses and even a few leaves. A symbol of the strength and tenacity of life.
This is a study for a large painting .
11' x 15"

Oak Rocking Chair

2011-12-18T10:50:00.000-08:00

Many years ago my son built this chair using only hand tools and from rough milled wood. It sits on my front deck, comfortable, useful, used frequently of course, and definitely a treasure.
10" x 14"

Hiromi

2011-12-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

I saw this dynamic young pianist at the Monterrey Jazz Festival last fall. She had the crowd cheering and stomping with her high energy and joyful performance . Her enthusiasm was contagious !
This watercolor is another in an ongoing series of musicians inspired by the Jazz Festival.
14" x 13"

Sonny Rollins I

2011-12-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

I plan to do a series of watercolors based on jazz musicians, this is Sonny Rollins, a jazz veteran , who was just honored by a Kennedy Center Award for Artists.
13" x 11"

Autumn Hillside

2011-12-01T16:21:00.000-08:00

The autumn oaks, madrones, firs and fruit trees on the hills and meadows of Humboldt County prompted this meditation.
22" 30"

Looking South

2011-11-17T14:06:00.000-08:00

This is a view of the headlands where the Mattole River meets the Pacific. It is landscape on a vast scale and it was a challenge for me to capture it's ruggedness and variety. I now have a new respect for those great landscape painters of the heroic mythic west, who painted huge canvas' to portray the grandeur they saw.
48" x 18"

4 Musicians

2011-10-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

Live music onstage = magic

16 3/4" x 27 1/4" watercolor and acrylic

Lookin South From The Mouth of the Mattole

2011-10-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

This is a sketch from a high meadow overlooking the hills and ocean where the Mattole River reaches the sea. It was a very warm sunny October afternoon, the fog hovered offshore, but never blew in. The low sun put the north facing wooded slopes into deep shade. This rugged landscape is very dramatic - I will be painting a large version which hopefully will give a sense of the really grand scale of this area.
9" x 12"

Three Musicians

2011-10-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

I'm intrigued with painting musicians -as they play their instruments and listen intently to each other, they slouch, they hunch and focus inwardly.
12 1/8" x 12 1/4"

2 Musicians

2011-10-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

and now for something different......in trying to capture the raw energy of a jazz festival, I left traditional watercolor behind.
For the background I used gouache and acrylic and generally tortured the paper by scraping and rubbing to evoke the sense of process I was hearing in the music.
An experimental piece that represents a visual improvisation - phew!
17 1/4" x 13 1/8"

The Garden Stage

2011-09-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

Recently I went to the Monterrey Jazz Festival after an absence of 10 years, and found it to be the same wonderful experience. Fantastic music non stop for 3 days and happy people in a beautiful environment .
Here is a sketch of one stage: 4 musicians playing with great energy in front of striking graphics of the backdrop.
5 1/2" x 14"

At The Equinox

2011-09-21T17:21:00.000-07:00

These are the last lovely days of summer, and a good day to paint outside, This is another study of the corner of my garden.
7" x 10"

County Fair Horse Race

2011-09-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

Who will win? Next time I will bet.
This painting is a little larger than the study - 7 1/2 " x 21 1/2"

Race Track /study

2011-09-10T14:15:00.000-07:00

A tiny study from a wonderful afternoon at the county fair race track.
2 1/2" x 10 1/4"

Eel River Cliffs

2011-09-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

Here the Eel River swings around a cliff topped by redwoods before it flows north, and provides a favorite summer swimming hole.
This panorama view measures 60" wide by 17" high

Redway Beach Study/ Part II

2011-08-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

This is the second study of the favorite local swimming hole of the area. This scene portrays the continuation of the cliffs just before the river swings around a steep curve, then meanders north for approximately another 70 miles before it reaches the ocean.

11" x 28 1/4"

Redway Beach Study / Part 1

2011-08-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

The next two posts are "studies" of the popular local swimming hole. I call them studies , part I and II, even though they are full size paintings, because they are preparatory paintings for a very long panoramic view of this dramatic location.
The Eel River runs along a sheer vertical cliff of geologically interesting stratified rock. Vegetation grows in the crevices and the river flows below, bringing much pleasure to locals young and old.
Part I is 11' x 29 1/2"

new Rollerblades

2011-08-19T20:57:00.000-07:00

Childhood is about the new abilities, experiences, activities and challenges that life presents and I am so happy to be present to share some of them. It's great being a grandma!
watercolor 9 3/4" x 9 1/2"

Hula Hoop

2011-08-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

Afternoons in the play yard - a lot of learning goes on with very intense focus.
11' x 9 1/2"

Mendocino Headlands

2011-08-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

This is a large painting made from a small study. I am interested in developing the concept of "reading" an image, a parallel to the way your eyes scan a landscape from one end to another, noticing the variation in textures, focus and detail. Here the subject is the row of buildings that rim the thick, grassy headlands in Mendocino.
14" x 40 1/2"

The Koi Pond

2011-08-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a group of painters were invited to paint in a beautiful garden, and I chose a spot near a small
pond bordered with lush vegetation, where every once in a while, large, slow colorful koi would put in an appearance in the shadier waters.
This watercolor is 9" x 12"

Late June Garden

2011-08-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

This is a large version of a study I published earlier. There is a time in June when the world seems to explode extravagantly in roses. Here is a small sliver of that generous display.
The painting is 35" x 30"

One Way

2011-07-23T18:01:00.000-07:00

The summer heat on the east coast prompts me to post this watercolor of a street scene in NYC, painted earlier this spring as a commission. It was a challenge to get the light right - the cool light of the city is very different than the light I usually see here.
I like challenges!

Suzanne's Garden

2011-07-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Summer, and why we love it!

Painted on 300# paper 20 1/2" x 28 1/4"

Mattole River Valley

2011-07-12T10:44:00.000-07:00

This landscape looks eastwards towards Petrolia from a hill high above the Mattole River, close to where it flows into the Pacific. The river meanders through many sandbars before finally reaching the ocean. In this valley the air is fresh and the wind is strong. The riverbank is edged with large sloping grasslands and rugged wooded hills of alder, fir, tan oak, and maple. The world feels fresh here.

This commissioned painting is 40" x 18 "

At Suzanne's

2011-07-02T18:22:00.000-07:00

My neighbor's garden is in full bloom, and today I sat under an umbrella in her yard, painted, watched butterflies, kept the cat company and felt very fortunate indeed !
This study is 12" x 13 1/2"

Late June

2011-06-27T16:19:00.000-07:00

Another study of my backyard roses, I am struck by how the simplified blocks of color remind me of Matisse - I should be so lucky!
I plan on painting a large version, I really like working big.
This is 7" x 10" on hot press paper

Sally Holmes, Budding and Blooming

2011-06-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

This painting challenged me by it's size and complexity. Every spring I fall in love with the roses in my yard, so I go at it with brush and paint...excited and then exhausted! I am very happy with this painting, it captures the unruly force of spring growth.
34 1/2" x 23"
My posts have been irregular for several reasons; Open Studios took a lot of time and all my space for 2 weeks, and also I am working on two commissions, which I will share with you if I have permission of the collectors. I enjoy doing commissions, it means new ideas...

Trellis Rose

2011-06-07T15:37:00.000-07:00

Finally the sun! And every rose and peony says hooray, it's my turn to blossom, watch out world!
This is a little ( 7" x 10" ) sketch of all that energy which will be on view at my studio this weekend for Open Studios #2 . June 11 and 12 noon to five-

6 Tomatoes

2011-05-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I like to combine watercolor with other media. This is a mixed media piece, graphite and watercolor which I will have on display at my studio during Open Studios - June 4, 5 and 11,12
I hope you will visit!

Calla Lillies

2011-05-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

Endlessly fascinating, the large creamy, single petaled blooms are stemmed regally above their furled leaves - there, does that explain it all?
11" x 15"

Pear Branch

2011-05-13T15:31:00.000-07:00

Another in my series of fruiting branches, this watercolor will be on display at my studio during the upcoming Open Studios which will be held the first two weekends of June. I will be sharing my space with Alicia Tredway, I hope you will come have some wine and look at our art.

Easter 2011

2011-05-02T17:56:00.000-07:00

These large petaled apple blossoms were in full bloom on a windy, sunny day just before Easter. They were very fragrant. The apple tree in my yard is just beginning to bloom now, it's a late season apple , and it's blossoms are much smaller. I'll probably paint it as well...
22" x 30"

Where the Mattole River meets the Pacific

2011-04-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

This is a view of the headland overlooking the Mattole River where it empties into the Pacific Ocean in Petrolia. This was painted on a cloudy day, one of those days where the sky and the water meet without a clear distinction and the sky promises rain.
A small study 7" x 10" on hot press paper

Pink Tulips

2011-04-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

Suddenly it's spring - and so much beauty all at once, who can resist?

April Backyard

2011-04-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning was actually sunny, so my friend Alicia and I headed out into the wilds of my backyard for the first plein air venture this season. So there we were, back in the unruly outdoors, where nature refuses to be neat and tidy. Yea!
11" x 14"

warm up for "Warming Up"

2011-04-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

This is the preliminary sketch, the "warm up" for "Warming Up". It helped me figure out the composition and paint colors I would use for the larger complicated painting . This study is fresh and was fun to do, and I thought it might be interesting to show the process.
11" x 15"

Warming Up

2011-04-11T16:05:00.000-07:00

At last! A little spring color, hooray! The beginning of the season, I'm looking forward to more garden paintings.
15" x 22"

Meyer Lemons

2011-03-28T17:04:00.000-07:00

For years I have tried to grow Meyer lemons without a greenhouse; in my area this enterprise requires large amounts of optimism, perseverance and a little magic. So to that end, I set up this "altar" to the Meyer Lemon gods - Does anyone know the appropriate incantations I should chant?
30" x 22"

Rain Drenched Daffodils

2011-03-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

I had to rescue these battered daffy's from the non stop stormy weather. They actually perked up a bit as I painted !
9" x 12" on hot press paper

Cyclamen II

2011-03-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

This is another version of the delicate houseplants that brighten our stormy days.
I am still loving the way paint soaks into the soft paper, creating the effects that only watercolor can produce.
My work is about the expressiveness of this medium, and the adventure of following this path.
22" x 30"

Hyacinths

2011-03-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Manet, I painted this small watercolor of hyacinths from my backyard.
The darks in the background flow and granulate due to the specifics of the pigments , these differences in how the paint sits on or soaks into the paper are inherent to watercolor - and makes it such a fascinating medium.
7" x 10"

Mendocino Art Center Classes

2011-03-11T17:38:00.000-08:00

I will be teaching a workshop in watercolor fundamentals at the Mendocino Art Center April 16, 17, 18.
This class will be about the basics in the vocabulary of representational painting: color, value and composition, resulting in stronger and more expressive watercolors.

The Art Center is a beautiful place for this exploration - I hope all who are interested will attend

Dogwood Blooming

2011-03-11T17:21:00.000-08:00

This rather dramatic painting is a departure from my recent soft watercolors. I am portraying the stubborn insistence of plants to keep to their blooming schedule despite wind and rain. I don't have the words to express this amazing annual miracle, here it is in paint.
28" x 22"

Budding

2011-03-03T14:28:00.000-08:00

The blossoms of a young Magnolia tree in my yard are slowly opening. The weather has been very unsettled, hardly springlike yet. I tried to capture this lovely event .

Camellia Branch

2011-02-25T15:15:00.000-08:00

So what is a painter to do in wintry weather? Paint camellias of course !

And I continued work on my earlier camellia painting, developing and strengthening the leaves
blossoms and background - this is the revised version.

Pink Camellias

2011-02-22T17:11:00.000-08:00

The temperature outside is still chilly, and the sun only peeks out occasionally, but spring is on the way,
and my neighbors camellias are proof of this.
This was painted in one long session, (the term is alla prima,) it's like holding your breath for a long underwater lap in the pool, and I'm breathless!
I will probably continue to fuss with it - but I feel pretty happy just now.
22" x 30"

About Memory

2011-02-17T16:50:00.000-08:00

At times it's difficult to put into words the reasons for choosing to paint particular subject matter. In this case it is a memory of my mother, and a painting of a pot of primroses I gave her a long time ago. Primroses are a reminder of those feelings.

Valentine Chocolates

2011-02-12T11:11:00.000-08:00

Yum! This one is just for fun - Happy Valentine's Day you all!

Pineapple II

2011-02-03T13:47:00.000-08:00

To continue the fascinating subject of painting the pineapple..... this one is twice the size of the earlier version I posted, and is now perfectly ripe and will be eaten this evening.... again, my inspiration derives from marble bas-relief sculpture , with the pineapple being a convenient stand in for the usual mythological god or goddess, who are currently unavailable, alas.
30" x 22"

Hawiian Pineapple

2011-02-01T16:35:00.000-08:00

If you can't go there, there's always this....

Dried Hydrangea Blossoms

2011-01-24T12:20:00.000-08:00

I am still fascinated by the lovely forms and delicate colors of Hydrangeas - fresh or dried for winter bouquets. Call it my "Hydrangea Period" - and there will be more! My influence here is, believe it or not, classical Greek sculpture, I'm sure you understand. If not, give me a call.....
15" x 22"

4 Pears on Silver Tray II

2011-01-20T16:48:00.000-08:00

These are the same pears as in my last post, this time I switched my viewpoint and waited until the light faded from the studio. I used the same pigments as the other version, but here contrast and color are subdued. There is no strong light source, just the last light of the afternoon.
9 1/4" x 13"

4 Pears on Silver Tray I

2011-01-15T18:19:00.000-08:00

Red pears are irresistible to painters, who love their form and rich colors. This painting is the first part of my class assignment which calls for subject matter to be depicted in two different lights - this one is in bright indoor natural light, my next post will be the same subject in very subdued natural dim light.
9 3/8" x 13"

Cymbidians

2011-01-10T15:39:00.000-08:00

The leaves of the orchid are a tangle and unruly, while the blossoms are somewhat intimidating in their proper upright formality. Fascinating contrast, no ?
30" x 22"

The Studio Queen

2011-01-06T15:30:00.000-08:00

This essential piece of studio equipment deserves a portrait ! Often overlooked, I decided to make it my first painting of this new decade,
I used 4 colors in varying ratios to paint a warm, textured, impressionistic background, in contrast to the cold steel of the flood lamp.
The dimensions are 30" x 22"

Pear Branch V

2011-01-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

My analytical self says, " ah, this subject has all the elements of rich color, strong composition and repeated forms" :

My emotional self says " My God, what beauty we have on this earth!"

This is the last watercolor of 2010

Let's see what this year brings!

Silver Teapot and Tray

2010-12-22T18:21:00.000-08:00

I gave my class the challenge to paint a watercolor using only the cool colors of the spectrum
and this is my response. Fun!

This watercolor measures 13" x 12"

Cyclamen

2010-12-18T22:13:00.000-08:00

This delicate painting is hard to capture. It is of Christmas cyclamens and I painted it on the soft paper I am currently using. This work is very different from my usual more graphic images, and requires a closer look. I am enamored with the looseness and the soft way it implies the subject, rather than a more forthright presentation.
Is this being romantic, prithee?

The watercolor is 22" x 30"

Begonia Starts

2010-12-15T16:57:00.000-08:00

This watercolor show the contrast between the soft paper in the watercolors of my last two posts, versus the paper I that I had been using which has a harder surface, which allows for sharper edges and intense color. Each type of surface enables the painter to pursue different qualities.

This painting is already framed, as it has been exhibited. It is for sale. Please email me if you are interested. I will sell it either framed or unframed.
The image is 13 1/4" x 19. Framed and matted it measures 25 1/2" x 27 1/4"

November Sycamore Branch

2010-12-09T19:20:00.000-08:00

Sycamore leaves have a strong silhouette against the overcast skies of November. The color is subtle and the leaves are torn, battered by the wind and rain. This was painted on the soft new paper I am currently using, and I am struck by how differently the paper accepts the paint. It is more expressive. I am enjoying this process.
This watercolor is 30" x 22"

December Bouquet

2010-12-05T13:57:00.000-08:00

These sweet scraggly flowers are what remain in my backyard, Peruvian Lillies and Japanese Anenomes.
I have begun painting on a soft surfaced German paper that changes the way paint is accepted onto the paper, so, accordingly, I have to change my approach . So far I love the result !
This watercolor is on a full sheet of paper - 30" x22"

Two Pears / mixed media

2010-11-30T17:10:00.000-08:00

Continuing to pursue the concept of combining drawing and watercolor is a very small (6 1/2" x 6" )
study. This study has prompted me to paint on a different surface than my usual work, a soft unsized paper, which will influence my approach and the appearance of my work. The potential is exciting !

4 Pears - Mixed Media

2010-11-18T10:59:00.000-08:00

In this still life I have combined a drawing in pencil and conte crayon with watercolor to achieve an interesting effect. A tightly rendered subject with loose and subtle color.

Old Olive at Knossos

2010-11-14T15:27:00.000-08:00

This was painted on Crete several summers ago. The site was the study center for the excavations of the Minoan Palace at Knossos. It was like a stage set, with the ancient tree posed in front of the rugged Cretan landscape stretching away in the distance.

Peruvian Lillies in a Glass Jar

2010-11-08T16:24:00.000-08:00

For the next two weeks my posts will be previews of what I will be showing at my studio sale November 20 and 21. Many works will be unframed, ( which make studio prices even more reasonable ) , and will include some drawings, mixed media work and oils

This painting is 9" x 12"

Backyard shadows

2010-11-03T15:19:00.000-07:00

In preparation for my upcoming studio sale, I was browsing thru my files of small paintings, and found this study of sun and shade painted last year. The white canvas director's chair serves as a foil for the complicated patches of light and shadow, and gives the sense of a late summer afternoon.
9" x 12"

Summer in Briceland

2010-10-28T17:25:00.000-07:00

This was painted one hot day last June, when you urgently needed to shelter from the scalding heat. Today in contrast, it is dark and very stormy. Where do the robins hide out ?
7" x 10"

Madrone Grove II

2010-10-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

This study is a contrast between the row of trees in dappled shade with a landscape across the valley still getting full sunlight.
7" x 9"

Pears in Black and White

2010-10-17T15:27:00.000-07:00

This painting shows a wide variety of the transparency of watercolor paint, going from the lightest tints to the deepest blacks, one of the reasons I love this medium.
9" x 12"

Pear Branch

2010-10-13T14:58:00.000-07:00

This little watercolor is inspired by the classic beauty of the form and color of this subject.
7" x 10"
I have just returned from San Francisco where I browsed in galleries and museums and I feel energized by the new work I saw in the galleries, and renewed by the great old guys in the museums. Now I can't wait to get back to work here in my studio!

Peruvian Lillies

2010-10-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

I am reading about Manet's flower paintings and am very inspired.

Pt Reyes View

2010-10-03T19:16:00.000-07:00

It has been only a week since I was in Pt Reyes, but it seems very long ago ...time and events move very fast. Then it was summer, now it is fall. This was painted as I sat in prickles and dried grasses on a headland above the bay, drenched in sweat from what seemed like a tropical sun. It was uncharacteristic weather for that part of the coast but very enjoyable.

Tidal Tomales Bay

2010-09-27T15:09:00.000-07:00

I was visiting a longtime friend this weekend in Pt Reyes where it was sunny and very warm. There must have been a thousand people on bicycles zipping about, but I opted for paint and brushes, enchanted by the view of tidal flats at this end of Tomales Bay
9" x 12" 300# paper

Peach

2010-09-21T17:46:00.000-07:00

The seasons are changing, but the peaches are still ripening. I had to pose this perfect example and paint it.
7" x 7"

Hydrangeas in a Glass Bowl

2010-09-17T15:52:00.000-07:00

This watercolor is a study for a larger painting - tho since I began painting these lovely blooms they have faded considerably, and as they age they are still beautiful in their subtlety.
Is this an allegory??
9 1/2" x 13 1/4" $200.

Hydrangea Bouquet in a Yellow Vase

2010-09-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

Now I am making bouquets of these blossoms of summer. Some of the blooms have faded to cream and pale green and dusty violets and soft blue. Dreamy color!
This was painted on cold press paper and is 8 1/4" x 11 1/4"

Eggplants

2010-09-04T11:45:00.000-07:00

I saw these little beauties in the market and I couldn't resist. I think they are called Sicilian eggplants, small and striped, very lovely.. I will cook them tonight!
8" x 10 1/4" $150.

Eucalptus Trees in the Presidio

2010-08-31T16:44:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I participated in an event called a "Paint-Out" in the Presidio, sponsored by the California Watercolor Association in conjunction with the 41st National Exhibition being held there this summer. It was fun! The day was sparkling and everyone was energized and feeling ready for the adventure. You are given a specific time and theme and then you're on your own...
I painted this scene of the light coming thru a dense wall of eucalyptus trees creating a backlight on the young cypress trees planted in front of a typical Presidio Victorian.

Big Trees in the Park

2010-08-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

It is high summer now and the meadows are baking hot, so the deep shade these large trees offer is very welcoming.

Hydrangea / study II

2010-08-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

My hydrangea wouldn't win in any garden contest, but I love it dearly. For one thing, I never know what color (s) the blossoms will be in any year, so that"s the first surprise. Also it has an independent blooming schedule, preferring to listen to an inner prompt, rather than just following the usual bandwagon. Perhaps this is all because it is in an unlikely location, so it has to work harder than it's conventional brethren.
But best of all, it is scraggly, and and so becomes an ideal subject to paint!
This study is 9" x 12" on cold press paper. $200.

Meadow View

2010-08-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

This was painted at the very edge of a very large tall grass meadow on a very hot morning. The sky was a blaze of metal and the far slope had a heat shimmer. Even with these conditions there were walkers and joggers ! This is late summer in inland Northern California

Lisa's Chickens

2010-08-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

This painting was a complete surprise for me- I sketched the chickens as they pecked around their pen, and of course they never stopped to pose for me. So I scrambled and sketched as fast as I could as they entered and left from my narrow point of view. It was like a sprint! This little watercolor is the lively product of that effort.
7" x 10" on hot press paper

View of the Eel River at the Women's Federation Grove

2010-08-05T14:07:00.000-07:00

I painted this from the shady side of the river, looking towards the sunny bank with the row of redwoods as sentinels to the rear. The river was full of shadows, reflections and brilliant light all together in this short stretch. I had to get it all down fast.
9" x13"

Fresh Figs

2010-08-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

Fresh picked from the big tree that shades my yard. They are sweet and plump.

mmmmmm......

2010-07-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

Who can resist? yummm, fresh, flavorful and beautiful too!
7" x 10"

As The Sun Came Over The Hill

2010-07-25T19:37:00.000-07:00

This was one of those magical mornings, very still, still cool, a curious doe wondering what that human was doing. I barely put the paint on the paper, it all happened by itself!
10" x 14" $200

What I Saw

2010-07-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

What I saw when I looked out from the deck, a half moon hanging over an early evening sun-warmed landscape. Grapevines growing wildly at the edge of the deck trying to grab all the attention, bold things!
10" x 12 1/2" and a new price for this larger size - $250

July 18, late morning

2010-07-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

I've had the flu all week, and this morning I finally found enough energy to leave the house and paint! I had been dreaming of doing just this during my fever. This is a sun struck section of road and fence in Briceland, light bouncing everywhere. Just what I needed.
Normally the paintings I post are scanned and the resulting images are completely true to the original-solid ; but this image is from a photo I took at the site which is why it appears so pale. I thought it was kinda poetic but maybe it's a reflection of my feverish state!

July 1, 9:30 AM

2010-07-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

This is a sunny morning in the community park, with more green colors than have ever been seen on this planet! The late rains extended this lush time by almost a month - hallelujah !

8 " x 9"

Good Fresh Coffee

2010-07-08T16:39:00.000-07:00

How to resist ? Fresh brewed coffee in my beautiful purple cup. Ain't life great!
9" x 12"

June 30, 7 PM

2010-07-05T19:37:00.000-07:00

As the title suggests, this watercolor is about the light of a summer late afternoon on the river bar, the river and the firs and alders which are the deep bass backdrop to this scene. Though I was painting this warm light, I was standing in shade and got very chilly!
9" X 12"

By the Pond

2010-06-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago I participated in a painting event at the Fieldbrook Winery, which has a large lotus filled pond, green, green lawns and large trees. It was sunny and mild... It was like being in an illustration for beautiful California!
9" x 12"

Climbing Roses

2010-06-27T11:04:00.000-07:00

If I were a more dedicated gardener, my backyard might be more organized and better weeded, but I love the haphazard and reckless energy of the plants that grow here. I would never be included in a garden tour, but I bet I'd win a prize for enthusiastic growth! This study was made earlier this spring, when this climbing rose was putting on it's fanciest show.
9" x 12"

Sally Holmes / study

2010-06-23T21:44:00.000-07:00

These roses are like extravagant showgirls commanding center stage. I am approaching painting them timidly, a little at a time. This is one study, I am working up to a large painting, giving them their proper place on the stage.
7" 10"

Backyard Garden

2010-06-20T16:50:00.000-07:00

Well somewhat anyway .....It's June and even the roughest garden has its charms. There will be variations on this theme, it's too alluring to ignore. The large white Sally Holmes roses are the reigning divas these past weeks. They are truly majestic.