I'm not very good at updating this art blog, because I'd much rather be out painting plein air, or trying new media in my studio. But here are a few of my best from the past year.
I love this fresh and loose direct watercolor in a Wayne Thiebaud style. He taught me art theory course at UC Davis and I fell his influence in my watercolors. Direct watercolor means no pencil drawing, just diving in with watercolor. My reference was a photo of the beer taps at bar at LAX airport. Contrary to my usual 'originals only' rule, this is available for purchase as a giclee print, matted to fit nicely in an 12 x 18 frame. Please contact if you'd like one
Last winter I did watercolors in the studio from photos. It was definitely too cold to stand outside and paint. And snow is very reflective and we had 12 feet of the wet stuff.
The Green Church is a local landmark and starting point for cyclists and runners, spring through fall.
I experimented with watercolor on pastel paper and then added dry pastels to capture the various birds that we saw feeding over the winter. This is a Clarks Nutcracker who only comes if we have a lot of snow. They cache seeds and if they are buried they can't get to their food stores, so they come to our feeder.
Cassin's Finch in the snow at our feeder. Pastel over watercolor.
Stellar Jay
Spring 2019 was fabulous for wildflowers and painting, it was the Super Bloom!
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| Desert Peach Blossoms watercolor and pastel  |
A workshop with Al Setton and the art gang on the central coast of California provided new vistas, like a rusty boat in dry dock, both are plein air watercolors.
The Old Derelict, 1/2 sheet watercolor
Sunset at Pismo Beach, watercolor and pastel
More experimentation with pastels and watercolor
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New Mexico Sand Dunes
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The Lilacs, oil pastel over and under watercolor
Oil workshop in Paso Robles with Karl Dempwolf
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Halter Ranch and Winery |
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Mission St Miguel, Paso Robles |
Aspen Glory, oil painted on site (plein air)
It was glorious fall morning and the aspen surrounding the shallow pond in Aspendel provided a vivid tableau of bright gold.
Life is good!
