This year 2024, began with many glorious travels that inspired new art pieces, so I've decided to share them in an update to my blog.

We spent 3 weeks on the Big Island of Hawaii, so I was able to do several plein air pastels and watercolors.

One rainy afternoon, I set down and painted a few watercolor postcards to send to grand children and friends.

We returned to the quiet reef area in Puako several times. Early in the trip the weather was calm and safe for swimming, but High surf conditions made for county beach part closures. I carefully switched to doing plein air pastels safely from the beach.

watercolor plein air, Mahukona Beach Park

watercolor plein air, Anaeho'omalu Beach

Journal entry on a very high surf day. This is the 15 acre historic beach home of Francis H Ii Brown, on Keawaili Bay. High humidity caused by the sea spray from the surf made this a challenge.

NFS 6x9

Green turtle (honu) breeding area, Puako in late afternoon

I spread my moms ashes here in this

serene and beautiful for her final resting place.

Gouache plein area near the Mauna Lani Beach Club

plein air study of the surf, with a whale spout in the distance

6 x8

SOLD

plein air pastel at 49 Black Sand Beach

6x8

my personal favorite, plein air pastel looking toward north along the Kohala Coast

9 x12

plein air pastel at Waialea Beach (Beach 69)

5x7

plein air pastel, Waialea Beach (Beach 69)

9 x12

Evening at the Mauna lani with Haleakala, Maui in the distance

9 x12

New Zealand and Tasmania

A magical 5 week trip to the South Island of New Zealand and Tasmania was so full of adventures that I wasn't able to do any large plein air painting. BUT I was inspired to work for memory and my own reference photos in the studio when we came home.

watercolor of the Owen River in the morning

Owen River Fishing access

We spent several nights a Trout fishing Lodge on this river. Catch and release, sight fishing with a wonderful guide Stephano; we caught BIG rainbows and browns. Thrilling!