Crowned Wave

This was painted from one of my favorite places.

Mendocino Overlook

I really miss going places just to be there. I can't wait for us to get back to something we call normal. This overlook always puts me into perspective. Find some peace everyone it's out there.

Sierra Aspens

We were on that part of the trip just after we were at Yosemite National Park. We pulled over in this parking area for a break and found these aspen trees. Need I say more.

Lake Surface

This is a little sketch on Khadi paper from my trip to the Eastern Sierras. The water was amazingly clear. I'm going to do more studies of the water surface from some of the photos that I took. My strategy when out painting, is to capture as many drawings in ink as time allows. I later add color from memory or photos. I added sky color to the snow to make it look less like white cut outs.

Noyo Harbor Light

I was attracted to the light on the rocks and water. We were there to pick up some seafood to go.

For Your Dining Pleasure

This guy was the entertainment at a restaurant this past summer in Noyo harbor. I was able to get a quick sketch and photos while we waited for our orders. This painting was done from one of the photos. I was intrigued by the reflections in his sunglasses. I painted it on a piece of Fabriano watercolor paper which is my current favorite.

Three Souls

This is another piece the was initially sketched during the Art Model show this year. The sketch was done on Arches oil paper in ink. I later painted it from memory as photos were not allowed.

Pam took me into the city for lunch and a little sketching. This is a page from my Khadi sketchbook.

Fishing The Rocks

I was sitting on the sand on the beach part of Point Richmond. The people to the right were fishing and enjoying the day. I added them in. I liked the various shades and values in the rocks too. When I work from this study I will identify the fishing line better. I worked with a different version of Canson watercolor paper for this piece. It didn't work as well with the pigments as the Moulin du Roy version. That paper is amazing.

Sunlit Creek

This is the second of a series of paintings depicting the Samuel P Taylor state park in northern California. I was inspired by the reflections in the water and of course the light.

Garden Painting 1

I painted this watercolor at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. Usually I will shoot photos for painting later. On this visit I painted and didn't get too far into the gardens before I found this grouping of flowers. A beekeeper from New Jersey walked by and told me to include some bees. They didn't make it in to the painting.

Red Swimsuit

I took the photo that inspired this painting on my birthday last year. We were visiting the Point Reyes National Seashore. The subject was watching her son. Her son was the inspiration for "Joy By The Water". I completed this painting during our recent studio tour.

Bountiful Vineyard

My painting would really benefit from some plein air work in the actual wine country. I've been able to get in a painting or two onsite while traveling but never really spent some concentrated time onsite. I do however take lots of vineyard photos.

Approaching Wave

This is watercolor and gouache together. I realize that painting seascapes en plein air exercises the memory in a very good way. When painting a seascape one is forced to take a quick visual snapshot for the brain and then duplicate it on whatever surface one chooses. I saw a documentary on Wolf Kahn today. I love how he approaches his work. His wife is also an artist. Emily Mason, if my memory serves me correct. I am in the process of understanding why I am drawn to his work. Hans Hoffman was his mentor.

Noyo Night

This little harbor is obviously my latest muse. I'm exploring night scenes too. I love the colors of the night they tend to be more intense. Plus I just bought some new pastels from Terry Ludwig. The most requested violets are just delicious. But I digress. This is watercolor not pastel. I do intend to explore this scene in pastel too.

Three Ducks

I love this little lake and its birds. I often paint this area as opposed to the ocean across the parking lot. This was inspired by a photo taken with my phone a few years ago.

Sunset colors 5

I like sunrise and sunset. I more inclined to be awake at sunset however.

Sunset Colors 4

Painted from the hotel balcony. We had been out all day at the beaches and my painting muscles were warm. I had a bunch of paper taped to boards so I could work on multiple pieces at the same time. Painted during the sweet light hour.

Creeping Night (in progress)

This is one of three paintings that I am working on. Of course its a northern California seascape. Night was falling or creeping in. This is the first pastel painting in a while. The underpaiting is a watercolor painting. My friend Enid Wood suggested this to me. I used Terry Ludwig and Rembrandt pastels.

Good Catch

Another scene from Noyo Harbor a place I have to paint en plein air when I visit again. The place is rich with potential paintings and good food.

The Way Out

I paint a lot of stuff related to Fort Bragg, California. Its a very inspirational place. Texas inspires me too but the landscape is too familiar at times. Anyway this is a painting of the Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg. I took this photo during my most recent visit. We had just dined at Silvers.