Showing posts with label beach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beach. Show all posts

Monday, November 9, 2015

Gaviota Painting


Very late post but back in August I painted this scene of a favorite surf spot for a friends birthday.  I used a picture he posted on Instagram, and here is the original picture he took on the left, and my painting on the right.  I was very pleased with it, and so was he!

Friday, January 30, 2015

I Sold A Painting to A Stranger!

I Sold A Painting to A Stranger!

Lots of my artwork hangs on walls in my own home and in the homes of friends and family but I had never sold a painting to a stranger until this past Christmas season when this little painting was purchased by a very nice couple.  Isn't that nice?




This one needs some more work...I'm kind of stuck with how to jazz it up.  I just keep staring at it...
I have not been very productive in the art department lately.  Every time I start something I think "this is it, I'll break my rut," but then...I don't.  I'm joining in Paint Party Friday.  It's been forever since I've linked up and I've missed the interaction and inspiration!



Paint Party Friday

Friday, May 31, 2013

Santa Cruz Island aka Fluid no.3



I've finally finished my first commission.  As you know if you read here often, I was worried about the dark colors in the painting before and the fact that it didn't match it's mate so well.  I didn't want the dark colors to look like a stormy sea so I played up the sunset colors and finally I am happy with the way it came out....and so is it's new owner. 

BEFORE:


AFTER:


TOGETHER: 
 Obi photobombed:
 
I'm looking forward to my next project, feel some Hungarian flowers coming but it's been a crazy week around here, fires AND earthquakes.  My kids have experienced fires (unfortunately) but this was their first earthquake.  It was a relatively little one but they didn't understand it was an earthquake and froze in place, especially after I yelled at them to follow me outside.  My yelling scared them more than the earthquake that they didn't know was an earthquake!  I need to work out our emergency plans!

Next week is the last week of school and I am looking forward to summer, even though the kids being home with me makes my life much more complicated.  They have a few camps planned and I am hoping work slows down so we can have some fun around our beautiful town.

 
Paint Party Friday

Friday, May 10, 2013

Progress Santa Cruz Island

 I've been working on my first commission (and first sale!)  It's quite a change for this late in life, self taught artist to paint something for any other reason than fun and personal fulfillment.  I try not to remember my "customer" but it's hard not to get a little nervous wondering if the painting will live up to expectations.

After my first painting session

Continuing to add color
This is where I am now (below.)  I've added a lot more color and movement to the water.  My worry now is that it is getting to far away from it's mate, they are intended to be hung together.



Besides the color variations (which is more subtle in person than in these pictures,) I worry that the water looks flat in the other painting now...but I hesitate to go back and mess with it. 



 What do you think?
Is it OK if they are not matchy/matchy.   I wasn't given any direction but they will hang together so I want a cohesive look. Is it enough that they are tied together because they are two ocean paintings?
 
Paint Party Friday

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Santa Cruz Island WIP

A little more than a year ago the prompt at Illustration Friday was 'fluid' so I painted the ocean.
I was happy with the painting and decide to do a trio of ocean inspired paintings.

The first Fluid is a close shoreline view. The second, Fluid no. 2, which I painted about a month later was a mid view of a crashing wave. I had in mind that Fluid no. 3 would be a far off view, such as the way Santa Cruz Island looks from the mainland, but I took several detours into Hungarian folk art, drawing with colored pens, journaling, and experimenting with watercolors. That third canvas stayed white as snow...hidden in a closet.

My dear friend L's brother, who is decorating a new home, took Fluid and Fluid no. 2 home and asked me to paint Fluid no 3. for him.  I sold three paintings!  (my first three!)

So here it is, a work in progress.  Santa Cruz Island at sunset.



 
Some lovely roses from my garden for inspiration.
 



I'm sharing at Sunday Sketches and Artists in Blogland. 
Click on the lovely links above and check out all the talented artists!

Friday, April 12, 2013

The Tree


Years ago one of the first paintings I felt good enough to give away as a gift, and I mean a real gift wrapped and presented at a birthday party, was this Cypress tree I painted for A's birthday.  If you are from Santa Barbara you would instantly recognize it as the tree at the end of the bluff of the Wilcox Property (Douglas Family Preserve) which is an open space and off leash dog walking area not far from my house.
 
Like most people around here, especially if you live in this part of town, I have a relationship with this tree.  I have sat under it.  I have run past it as I turn around and head for home.  Sometimes I even tag it because it's just the half way point of a 5 mile run from my front door.  Lots of people have climbed it, but not me...as I find climbing a tree at the edge of a cliff a little too scary. 
Mostly I've just admired it and painted it and stood next to it.
 
This past week we had some fierce winds.  They lasted a few days but one night was so windy that I was woken up several times during the night hearing wind and the crashes of pots falling over and gates banging.  I knew we'd lose some trees around town but I was hoping it might be one of the trees on my street that blocks my ocean view!
 
I was so sad to hear the Cypress fell.
 

The dog and I went to visit and say goodbye.  Poor tree.

 
A very different view without that tree.
 
 
 
Paint Party Friday


Monday, October 15, 2012

Illustration Friday - Water

I'm happy to finally participate in Illustration Friday again.  I haven't been feeling the prompt words lately but this week is 'water' and I have no trouble with painting the ocean over and over again.  I love the color a wave becomes just before it breaks and wanted to capture that here.

Green Wave.  Acrylic on canvas.  11X14.

 
I used this picture to paint from.  Taken yesterday.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Another Day, Another Beach Walk.

I hope you aren't tired of beach pictures.  Happy Sunday!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Ebb & Flow...High Spirits at Low Tide

Someone said to me recently that if one reads my blog one would think I am so together and perfect...making delicious, healthy meals, creating art and keeping a beautiful garden.  It's true that I tend to show you the good stuff here but the truth is I am far from perfect and the last few weeks have found me feeling pretty blue.  These periods of melancholy are not new for me.  Like the tide, my emotions have an ebb and flow.  I can honestly say that perhaps for the first time in my life I am being 100% proactive in moving forward in a more positive direction instead of just waiting for the mood to pass.  I feel good.
 
Today my son and I took Obi to the beach at low tide.  What a gorgeous day.

 
 
Obi found a lobster shell to play with but then he started to eat it and I had to wrestle it away from him. 
 
 
 
 

Monday, August 13, 2012

Hello Monday (A day at the beach)


With two weeks left until school starts, 4th grade! 2nd grade!, the weather has been great and I have been wanting beach time.  This is our local beach, those of you who follow my blog have seen this point before...I've painted & photographed it a bunch.  It's the beach I can walk to and often walk, run or bike past.
Ahhh...hello beauty

Hello pelicans
Hello sketchbook.  Watercolor pencils at the beach and then filled in with watercolors at home.

Linking up with Lisa

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Fluid no. 2

Fluid no. 2


Acrylic on canvas
Number 2 in a 3 part series.  See Fluid no. 1 here.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

1, 2, 3

1. The view from my "studio" today

2. Fluid no.2 in progress

3. A peek at my sketchbook



Monday, February 20, 2012

Illustration Friday - Fluid

Fluid no.1



I do believe in a certain amount of serendipity and this week's word on Illustration Friday is Fluid.  When I first started painting I was painting mostly landscapes and seascapes and I love them but I always felt that there were SO MANY talented painters out there painting the very same local scenes.  I didn't feel like I could compete.  Over the years I have tried experimenting with other styles and medium but I was always keenly aware that people responded most favorably to my landscapes, especially if there was water involved.  For the last few months I have felt a strong pull to paint the ocean but something was holding me back.  I played around with different things for Illustration Friday and my days get hectic and the painting gets put on hold.  So when the word this week was fluid and I found myself stuck at home with a cold it felt very right to paint the ocean.  I had a bit of a mad weekend, my wonderful husband kept the kids busy and I painted like crazy.  Despite not feeling well it was so fun and I felt alive with creative energy.


The painting above is acrylic on 12x30 stretched canvas.  It is number one in what will be a three painting series (I'm well into Fluid no.2!)


The below painting is Butterfly Beach, also acrylic on 11x14 canvas.  I've painted 3 or 4 painting of this beach and so far it's on of my favorite subjects.



A busy weekend
Leave me a comment, if you'd like, I love to read them!