Far Off Places

 "Far Off Places"

The wonderful part of painting, for me, is the opportunity to take journeys into my mind and be wherever I want to be in the world of make believe.    This and the prior posting is that venture.  It is the fun of just being ..... no limitations and no guidelines .... just traveling through a wonderful whimsical world of uncharted blank paper.   I don't experiment with collage very often but this was great fun.

Far Off Places

22 x 15

Mixed Media

Dreamland

"Dreamland"

I am not sure what started me creating this painting ... I just found myself daydreaming one afternoon and painting realism was not what my paint brush wanted to do .... so I just began with no real idea of where or why.    To me it is fun and full of creative wonderings.    I loved the process and so did my paint brush.

Dreamland

22 x 15

Watercolor

LET THE DANCE BEGIN

Let the Dance Begin

Sometimes the brush and the paint  take on a life of their own and I  flow with the energy.   This was such a fun painting to create. It started by practicing palm trees  and emotions and then it took on a life of its own.   Happiness is doing what you love.

Let the Dance Begin

29 x 15

Watercolor

THE WEDGE

Many visitors to the Balboa Peninsula,  at some point, march to the end of this piece of land, and watch the surfers wait for that wave of waves at "the wedge."   Well  here is my interpretation of what transpires in the movement of the water at the wedge.     This was a real challenge as it was my first at trying to capture the energy and movement so the viewer would understand the force of the waves and the challenge to the surfers.    I will continue to repaint this wave until I capture to my satisfaction.

The Wedge
Watercolor
22 x 11 1/2

Atmospheric Energy

The sky is such a wonderful place to see creative visions and as a painter I love seeing all the energy the sky has too offer.    My imagination loves to go on a great venture and this is the product of that trip.   The strokes in the sky were so very whimsical and lots of fun to paint. 

Atmospheric Energy 

15 x 11

Watercolor

Popping Poppies

Fun and full of live this painting is about life and color.   When these poppies bloom you get the feeling that life is good.     The energy they have popping up everywhere.   Sometimes where nothing else will grow they find a way of sprouting their bright colors and capturing the eye.  And when you see a sea of this wonderful flowers you are thankful for the beautiful day you are experiencing.

Popping Poppies
22 x 15
Watercolor

Burst of Spring

I am so pleased with this painting as it was wet into wet and very little paint added after it was dry.   Prior to painting I had selected the colors and how I wanted it to flow.     Nothing was drawn on the paper it was all from the flow of the paint, the brush and the hand.    For someone that worked with numbers most of their life seeing this develop was amazing.   I just charged in and wow I am so pleased with the outcome.  

Burst of Spring
Private Collection
22 x 15
Watercolor

Pillow of Garlic

The playful ease of drawing and painting this was so much fun.     I am a garlic lover and that seasoning finds its way into all my veggie dishes so one day I decided to paint something I love and this is the results.      My son and daughter-in-law fell in love with this painting so it now has a home gracing their wall, in their new home, in Folsom California.    So this one I get to visit often.

Pillow of Garlic
22 x 15
Watercolor
Family collection

Peaceful Evening

What a wonderful time I had exploring the art of wet into wet and transitions of colors.    
This was a technique my teacher Yachiyo Beck used to explore colors and process.    I love the outcome.

Peaceful Evening
11 x 7 1/2
Watercolor

Emergence

Emergence

This was an inspiration when walking Sofie on the island one morning and spotting a new growth of sunflowers emerging from behind a fence.     They had so much energy that I could not resist charging in with bright strong colors.    


Emergence
15 x 22
Watercolor

Changing-Seasons

 Changing-Seasons
 22 x 15
 Watercolor

What fun to explore the seasons and the emotions that surround the changes in temperature.
Brings back memories of my childhood in Massachusetts.     Not many of these changes exist in Southern California but we, unlike the east,  have been blessed with a gentle winter.      Albeit  needing rain.

I can not believe I have been so remiss in posting my paintings.     I have been painting a lot enjoying the process and sometimes frustrated at my progress but nonetheless truly happy I am painting.   So I am going to be more diligent in posting starting today.

Small Pleasures of Life

Small  Pleasures of Life
Watercolor
22  x  15

The world provides the artist with so many wonderful opportunities.     Selecting and creating from such a bountyful landscape is a joyful part of being an artist.     Enjoy the results as I have enjoyed the process.

Disney Hall

During the past ten years this has been the vista from my living room, bedroom and den. Prior to the building of Disney Hall I looked over a parking lot that had little interest for a painter.   I enjoyed using my artist license with the design as it changes with the light, time of day or night and is never the same.    I was determined to paint this side of Disney for a long time as I know someday I will no longer live here and will rely on only memories and photos.  I was honored to have been juried into the Orange County Fair this year with this painting and received an honorable mention.   I am going to do a series of this view of Disney Hall and have some fun with different techniques so don't be surprised to see more of these in the future.

Disney Hall
22 x 11
Watercolor

Cabbage Patch

This fun Cabbage Patch is done on Aquabord not watercolor paper.  It has elements so different from painting on paper that it stimulates the mind and forces me to paint and think differently.  I was an interesting challenge and fun.  I will paint on this again ......

Cabbage Patch
Private Collection
20 x 16
Watercolor

The Chill of First Snow

Cold winters are not a part of living in California but for most of the United States mountain region this is a typical winter vista.   Learning to work with  snow as a major part of a painting is challenging ..... I truly enjoyed the process and delighted with the outcome.

The Chill of First Snow
Private Collection

22 x 15
Watercolor

Memories

This painting was triggered by a memory challenge.    The question was "what picture would I create if I thought about a childhood vacation."   This visualization  came to mind.  It was  my vacation with my cousins on the cape when I was 15 years old.    I remember the vibrant colors of the mornings and evenings so I have tried to reflect that in this painting.  I had great fun painting remembering a time when only the fun of the day was important and nothing else.

Memories
22 x 15
Watercolor

Wistful Day

Somedays are just about simple things with no real energy being exerted.   This was one of those days and I was happy with the results.  I find painting  flowers  a peaceful pleasure.     I have always enjoyed flowers and take great pleasure in viewing the changes season to season.    Flowers can tell so many stories in their structure and color.   Flowers are also used to say so many things and express many emotions.   As this was a wistful day I have named it so.

Wistful Day

22 x 15

Watercolor

Tranquil Templeton

Throughout the year I visit friends in Templeton California where we take morning walks with Codi, their dog, through the hills that surround their home.   It is a beautiful location with wonderful views from each hill top.     The colors change with each season and many times we see  deer roaming through the grass unaware that we exist.    It is truly a tranquil existence and that feeling inspired this painting.

Tranquil Templeton
19 1/2 x 15
Watercolor

River Roads

RIVER ROADS

A trip to Folsom to visit my son and his family prompted a long morning walk by the river.  Son by my side and cameras in hand we explored the rocks and the rivers edge.     Finding a wonderful display of rocks below the moving river we began snapping pictures and climbing rocks to get a better perspective.   Now reviewing the results of our excursion I find that between the two of us my photo box is a wonderful resource for additional paintings.     How many times have we sat by a river bed just watching the flow of water as it moves down toward some unknown destination.   For me it is a peaceful setting where I draw on wonderful memories.   

River Roads

22 x 15

Watercolor