WELCOMING 2025, Looking back at 2024, part 2

 After we returned from our big anniversary trip to New Zealand and Tasmania, I return to the studio but of course there are more paintings I want to do from the photos I took there, just not enough time!
In August I took a week trip to Point Lobos, CA, a beautiful marine preserve near Carmel. It was a challenge to lug my pastel because of the very limited parking, but I completed one plein air pastel.

                                                 

China Cove, Point Lobos

9 x 12 Plein Air pastel 

In late September I traveled with a local art friend to Lucca Italy for a 10 day oil painting workshop. We ate very well, but the weather was very wet, which isn't suitable for outdoor painting. I do have a good number of photos from travels after the workshop in Spello a small village near Assisi, and Perugia. I'll be doing some studio pieces soon.

 Agriturismo stay in Calci, near Pisa 

Plein air watercolor

We had a marvelous garden and I painted a few watercolor vegetable portraits. Both sketches are direct watercolor from life, no pencil, no photo references, so fresh home grown still lifes. 

Jim has also be successful in growing a perennial azalea, named Northern Lights. Although the bloom is fleeting, the fragrance and color are captivating.  

Northern Lights Azalea

Plein air pastel 

8 x10

I packed up my painting and sketching equipment after the snow melted and into the fall to do more plein air. Some are small and mighty others are large.

Carson Peak from Silverlake

watercolor

Rock Creek Ridge

pastel on suede 

Leaves of Gold, Birchm Lane Bishop

pastel 

I ended the year soaking in the warm sunshine at Danzante Bay on the Sea of Cortez, Baja Sur, Mexico. The weather was great and when not playing pickleball,golfing or learning how to make cocktails, I was able to paint plein air. Such a dramatic land and seacape. 

Low Low Tide, Danzante Bay, Baja

plein air pastel 

Sunset at Danzante, Baja

pastel