Cape Cod Couple

Two years ago, we camped at Cape Cod, MA for a week in October.  It was quiet, some restaurants were still open for delish seafood, and I got to take lots of photos for paintings.  These boats were anchored near the shore in Wellfleet and I loved how they looked together. Just like two Cape Cod couples, happy to be together, waiting for their next adventure.  I painted this on a pastelbord that is 6x18. I really liked the format.

Surf and Rocks at Laguna Beach

I didn't have much of a chance to paint those glorious rocks at Laguna while I was out in California last month, but as soon as I got home and the house was cleaned, the 12 loads of laundry was done and the lawn was back into shape, I had an urge to paint the California surf.  I also wanted to paint another scene for a charity event a friend is organizing in California for July 19th. 

I've framed it and it will go out tomorrow.  I hope it goes to a good home!

14x11 pastel

Trying to get my Mojo Back!

This has been an interesting month, as we travel across the country in our small A-liner camper.  After a very harsh winter in the Adirondacks, we headed out to come to visit family in California on April 23.  We started out with the weather at 21 degrees and headed towards tornadoes in the mid-west, wind and sandstorms in Amarillo, Texas, 90 degree weather in Sedona, a swollen hand,  and fires near our campgrounds in California!  I'm finally getting to paint again, after spending a winter painting from my photos, I am now outdoors in this lovely campground in San Clemente, overlooking the cliffs and the ocean, trying to paint at least one pastel every day.  I was beginning to feel stale in my art, aimless and needing a new direction.  I've been fooling with underpaintings,  dry brushstrokes and watercolor washes.  It's been a struggle. 

I've been so blessed to have such great artist friends whom I've had the pleasure of seeing while I've been here.  It's wonderful to talk "art" again, to hear about their work and future.  It's been invigorating.  Today I met for lunch with a wonderful artist and when she came to visit the campsite she noticed a gnarled tree, growing on the cliff with the ocean below.  I had been eyeing that tree for two weeks, but just didn't think I had it in me to paint it.  She said that it was just the thing Albert Handel would paint. I had decided I was going to paint a beautiful pot with flowers at the Visitors Center this afternoon, but her words spurred me on to paint that tree.  Not up to Albert's standards, but I think I'm getting my mojo back.........

9x12, pastel on Art Spectrum tinted pastel paper

Beach Tree

 14x11 - $140.00

We went out to paint this afternoon at the edge of Doheny Beach.  I thought it would be foggy, as it was all morning, but the fog lifted and we had some nice shade to  paint under and nice sun for cast shadows.  I brought some larger paper, 11x14 and some 12x16.  Used the 11x14 and am happy with the results.  Painting outdoors is the most wonderful experience, even with the moving sun, the changing light, it's exciting and different every time I go out.  After the painting was done, a sailboat came into view and I added it at the last moment.

Beach Afternoon

 6x9  $65.00

I like to take my watercolors to the beach and do small, liquid compositions.  The beach in the afternoons are as beautiful to me as in the late afternoon, when all those long shadows appear.  I like to paint that bright ocean, too.

Before the Storm- Sold

This one was a plein air painting, done at Dana Point. We had walked the dogs across the bridge and I lugged all my pastels in a backpack so I could paint. The dogs were restless, but I got to do this small painting. It was done rather quickly because it did look like it would rain at some time that day and we didn't want to get caught with two dogs and a backpack. My husband is so patient with sitting and waiting for me to finish! This sold at The Cottage Gallery recently.

Harvey- Sold

An email friend from England sent us a picture of her bulldog and I asked permission to paint him. He has attitude and I couldn't resist. I did a close up, which, I think, captures Harvey's personality. Right now he's hanging at the Mission Viejo Library, along with nine of my pastels. They'll be up until the beginning of January.

Ocean Palette

This one was started in class a few months ago, but never finished. I wanted it to be very "painterly". 9x12