Ocean Fishing

A lot of people were out fishing this year. I took the opportunity to sketch a while they were busy casting their lines.

Wet Sand

When I last visited Fort Bragg, California I sat on the beach and painted a few trading card paintings. This is one of the studies that deserve enlarging.

La Jolla Iceplants 2014

I posted the 4 by 4 inch study for this painting a few days ago. This is the pastel version at 8 by 8 inches. I have had this photo for years trying to figure out how to make a painting out of it. I finally cropped in into a square format and found my painting. Its a painting of the iceplants and ground cover in La Jolla, California. I started out with a watercolor underpainting and blocked in the pastel when it was dry. My next version will be painted on "stone" paper which is similar to Yupo.

Joy By The Water

This little boy's dad was close by so don't worry he wasn't by himself. This is a part of the Point Reyes National Seashore that I had never seen. To get to the area we had to walk through a wooded area. The trees had this beautiful moss hanging from them and the light was amazing. The beach was filled with people enjoying the water. It was my birthday so I was sketching and painting. I used a photo taken that day as inspiration for this little painting. 5 by 5 inches $45.00 unframed.

The Stone Muse

I really don't know why I like to paint this rock. Its on Glass beach and I have noticed that I frequently include it in my paintings. I think its the waves that crash against it.

Swept Away

I spent a lot of time playing with the waves during my last visit to Fort Bragg. I'm trying to improve my memory by painting waves as I remember them. Its an ongoing process because its art and exploration. It works best when I can sketch out what I see in a sketch pad using gouache.

Guiding Light

The entrance or one of many to Noyo Harbor. The lights that blink are almost hypnotic.

About Peace

The title comes from where I go when I see a beautiful sunset over the Pacific Ocean. I got a new sets of Terry Ludwig Pastels for the holidays. I've been taking them for a stroll. The under painting is watercolor and the surface is print making paper.

Creeping Nigh (Fini)

I'm done. Throwing down my pastels.

Bouncing Waves

I haven't yet declared this one complete yet. I painted a 9 by 12 on site and used it for this 18 by 24 incher. We traveled as far north as Jenner, California that day. I remember standing looking down and painting this image. I worked quick because it was freezing and windy.

Warm Wave 2

I used the acrylic 5 by 7 inch plein air painting as inspiration for this larger version. If I remember correctly I was working with Golden Open Acrylics.

Iceplants and Fog

This is the pastel version inspired by the plein air painting which is below.

This study was completed on Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California on September 3, 2012.

Peaceful To Me

Another image from the Northern California area. I can hear the surf and seabirds and that brings inner peace to me. It's time to book another trip.

A Good Morning

A slice of an active morning surf.

Wave Colors

The inspiration for this painting is 2012 Wave Study 1. I tried to stay true to the colors and overall feel of the original plein air painting. I couldn't get the last quarter inch into this one but I will work with the sketch again. The original had some cresting waves very light in value which I think makes the image read better.

2009 Plein Air Wave Study

I painted this in Northern California a few years ago. One goal this year for me is to get rid of clutter and organize my art better. I have about four years worth of work to contend with on just one table in my home. I found this little painting about five layers down. This would look good in watercolor and oil.

Ancestry Half

This is my first pastel of this set of rocks and surf. I'm working with Uart paper and Rembrandt pastels.

Ancestry Study 1

Another study in the ancestry series. As to my prior posts of the 'birch trees", a friend informed me that they are actually aspen trees. For a country girl like me that's not good. Live and learn. I worked with the Pan Pastels on this one.

Ancestry 2 study

The rock formations on this beach reminded me of our ancestors. I thought that perhaps they were around when the dinosaurs roamed the world. They were certainly large enough. I worked with Pan Pastels.

Sunset

Sunset in Fort Bragg, California. I have painted its various stages many times. On this particular day the fog bank had receded to give us a nice view of the sunset. As the sun set the fog bank was coming back in. That scene inspired this piece.