Okay, maybe not so colossal, but the subject could be considered colossal. I have, again, painted Half Dome with full moon. This time in acrylic and on a 2.75 inch square canvas. Curiosity made me do it….and it worked.
The lower layer of the sky and blocking in shapes.
The little painting on a table easel…. I held it in my hand while I painted. This is a wrap around canvas with the scene continued on the sides.
The painting leaning against my iPod.
Today I worked on last Saturday’s painting I started at Williams Gallery West during the monthly Art Hop. I worked from a photograph I took on a day trip to the east side last October. Here’s the result so far…… I’m not completely done. This is 13×19, pastel, $800 It will be framed to 20×26
Lundy Canyon Morning
This week has been a busy one. Tuesday I took my daughter home and returned home the same day. I quickly stopped by my older daughters work place to say hi before hitting the road. Wednesday we had our monthly meeting of the Sierra Art Trails Committee. Thursday was our monthly meeting of the Yosemite Western Artists photography group. Friday was the Sierra Foothill Conservancy Plein Air Exhibit reception at the Fresno State Campus Henry Madden Library. Saturday was Art Hop at Williams Gallery West in Oakhurst where I demonstrated with pastels.
I had so much fun at the reception. The paintings are publicly on view in the Madden Library until the Great Central Valley Exhibition on Sunday August 29. Penny Otwell and Claudia Welsh were in the parking lot when we arrived so we all walked to the library together. These two ladies are always fun! Penny is also in the Plein Air Exhibit. This was the first time for us to see everyone’s work in person. We’d seen some images in the field and some emailed but now we got to view the ‘real deal’. The curator did a fantastic job hanging about 100 paintings. Penny and I were very pleased with the way our paintings were displayed.
My daughters, honorary son and his mom, my good friend, all showed up in support of the event. It meant so much to me to share this experience with them. (Much appreciation and love to my peeps.) The Sierra Foothill Conservancy has done an outstanding job creating and managing this event.
Claudia, Penny and moi in front of Penny’s paintings.
Michelle, Me and Heidi…..my girls, in front of my paintings. What’s in the red bag??? Heidi brought me a lilac scented candle which smells heavenly. Michelle brought me clean socks. She’d borrowed them during her visit.
Art Hop was a busy day with guest ceramicist from Clovis (Amy Morgan) and Santa Cruz ( Bob and Sandy Kinzie). Tables were set up for the artists to work and guests to play with the clay. It was a very lively day with lots of talking and laughing and people passing through the gallery.
This is about as far as I got working from 11 – 5pm. I am very happy with the progress this far.
We had the pleasure of a visit from our younger daughter(another artist) and her fiancé last week. They arrived with their 2 little dogs on Friday evening. We immediately drove to town to attend Mariposa’s 2nd ‘First Fridays Art Hop’. We visited the Riversong Gallery, Penny Otwell, and Franka Gabler. The second ‘First Fridays Art Hop’ was hopping with activity. There were a lot of visitors, a couple of places had live music and the restaurants looked full. The event looks like it’s getting a good turn out.
Saturday was a lazy day. Michelle’s favorite meal, our holy trinity, is baked whole chicken, mashed potatoes and broccoli. I started the chicken in the morning so we could enjoy a leisurely late lunch. Before lunch we enjoyed fresh picked basil, Monterey Jack cheese slices and tomato slices layered and drizzled with my homemade basil infused olive oil on crackers….and beer…..and the pet chickens who refused to be left out of the party. They kept coming up onto the deck and joining us in the gazebo. Mike had them jumping for bits of crackers….chickens are very good jumpers. Occasionally Weesie, a Plymouth Barred Rock, got into his lap. One of Michelle’s little 5 pound dogs loved chasing/herding the chickens.
Macy, the chicken herder, Lola, Lacey and Weesie all looking at Mike’s hand with a bit of cracker in the palm.
Weesie communing with Mike.
Smiling me….time to take the beer away. After lunch we walked to the river behind the house. Usually the river is dry this time of year but it’s still flowing nicely. I brought home a plant for the pond and lots and lots of stickers all over me. That evening we watched a suspenseful movie.
Sunday morning Weesie laid the biggest egg I have ever seen. It turned out to be a triple yolk. Later Sunday morning we hiked up our driveway, up the neighbor’s driveway and property to the top of the ridge where there’s a grass landing strip that runs parallel to our street. There was lots of knee high tarweed and stinkweed, which I love the smell of both. There’s quite a view from the end of the runway which looks down the East Fork of the Chowchilla River. We opted to trespass through a persons lot and down their driveway rather than walk all the way back through the sticky weeds and stickers. In the process we met some neighbors we hadn’t met before. Of course now I forget their names. We all had sticky legs, arms and stickers everywhere at the end of our walk. Mike went home Sunday afternoon leaving Michelle to visit a couple days longer. Michelle and I started painting Sunday after Mike left.
On Monday Michelle and I painted in my art room. The weather was so nice we had the windows open. Occasionally we’d hear the chickens squawk and we’d yell at her dog to stop chasing the chickens. We were painting, the music was playing, the chickens were squawking, we were yelling at the dog but the chickens kept squawking. I finally looked out the window to see 2 of the chickens at the foot of the deck stairs, no dogs. I kept looking because the chickens were frozen looking back into the yard. I looked down along the fence (I’m in a second story room) and then notice movement, like a log is moving. It wasn’t a log. I yelled that a bob cat had a chicken and went tearing down the stairs. Dave and I both ran into the yard. The bob cat ran to another corner but left the chicken where it was. The bob cat couldn’t figure out how to get out of the 4 foot high chain link fence. We finally opened a gate and move toward the cat to make it go in that direction. He/she was so thin with mangy looking fur. It left the yard but didn’t leave. Dave walked it away a few time but it kept coming back. It seemed to be sick but a few people have suggested it was a really old cat. One interesting aspect of the event was the ravens in the trees surrounding the yard. They kept squawking as if warning about the presence of the bob cat. When Dave walked it off the property the ravens followed and kept squawking.
Every time Michelle comes to visit she frets about her dogs safety, especially about them going out the doggie door at night. I always reassure her that the animals are safe. I no longer feel safe. Lola, the chicken died 2 days later from her injuries. I have 3 remaining chickens and 2 small dogs that I now worry about. In the picture below, Lola is on the step.
We never got into painting after the bobcat incident. Here’s some painting pictures of our 2 sessions.
Dave and I went to McGurk Meadow, which is located off Glacier Point Road, on July 28 and July 30. Our good friend and local photographer, Nancy Robbins, guided us to the trail head. On the second trip Nancy joined us again as well as another wonderful photographer, Franka Gabler . I learned I’m very out of shape. The trail is just under a mile to the meadow, all downhill. On our first visit we arrived early evening catching the last light and then walked out in almost full darkness. The trail is all downhill going to the meadow. I was struggling on the hike out. Perhaps part of my problem was the fact that we were at 7000 feet. When we went back I had shin splints so bad at the start of the hike but by the end of the hike I was feeling much better. This hike is rated as the easiest…at level one… Take the deet, the mosquitos are thick.
There were lots of flowers blooming along the trail. I could identify huge red Indian Paint Brushes, purple Larkspur, a variety of Lupine, Tiger Lily, Columbine, Astor…..
Dave and Franka are standing on a little bridge over the flowing brook. This is the beginning of the meadow. When we arrived there was a bear in the woods behind them. They spotted another bear on our way out.
We entered July with the continued cooler than usual summer, until this 3rd week, when it reached the century mark on the thermometer. Maybe my vegetables will grow better with some heat. I have one pea pod…..no tomatoes, no squash, the corn is getting taller. Until recently the nights have been in the 50’s and low 60’s while the days have been 80’s. I’m guessing we need warmer weather for veggies??? Maybe it’s harder to grow veggies at the 3000 foot elevation???
On July 4th I saw my first fawn of the year. It seemed a bit early and I still haven’t seen any others. The deer haven’t been around our house much but I think it was due to the dead deer on the property next to ours. Thank goodness the weather wasn’t too warm at the time. We open our windows at night to cool off but with the strong odor we kept our windows closed at night.
We’ve had lots of baby quail this year. They are so adorable, looking like walking fluffy ping pong balls when they first hatch. We even had a flock of turkeys and their hatchlings cross through the grass in front of the house. I have only seen one Jack rabbit here the 12 years we’ve had this house. This year we’ve had many sightings. Maybe with all the rains and grasses they’ve multiplied.
July also began with the construction of our new roof. I learned that when you doubt the safety of walking out any doorway, due to the enthusiastic work overhead, one tends to remain indoors. This was a good thing since I had limited excuses to procrastinate painting. (I love puttering outside) I rather liked the rhythmic banging companied with painting and I even managed to finish a few paintings.
July is when the ‘Tour de France’ event occurs. Last year we watched the race on the computer screen. THIS year I hooked the computer up to the TV to watch the LIVE streaming internet coverage….we don’t have television reception. I haven’t had TV in 3 years and don’t miss it…. ANyway….I love France, and the race of course, but I’ve also enjoyed sketching bits of France’s landscapes that appeal to me and have 3 pages of little sketches for potential paintings.
Oakhurst’s monthly ART HOP was the second Saturday, July 10th. I had the pleasure of painting at Williams Gallery West with Patricia Allen and Patrick Lacey. Patrick is also one of the regional artists painting for the Sierra Foothill Conservancy.
When deciding on a subject to paint for Art Hop, I found a lightly sketched view of the foothills in the Hornitos area in a pile of unfinished paintings. I sketched the scene last November, eight months ago, with limited lines so I wasn’t sure what I my goal had been. It was a lot of fun to play with the existing lines and create what I envisioned in my head. This is the resulting painting, (9×12, unfinished):
Towards the end of Art Hop day, I also made a quick study of a painting I’ve been meaning to paint for a while. My husband and I were just outside of Fresno on our way home one night. The moon rose over the dark landscape in the shape of a tilted golden egg illuminating a maroon toned landscape. I sketched a thumbnail scene, noting colors. The pastel study (5×8) was fun to create but still isn’t what I see in my mind.
Here’s a 6×6 acrylic painting of morning’s first light and dewy grass. I like the wrap around canvas with the scene continued on the sides. One doesn’t need a frame, it’s ready to hang on the wall.
I’m still working on this acrylic painting of the last of glow of evening light. This is also a wrap around canvas, 6×12.
I have produced 7 paintings to benefit the Sierra Foothill Conservancy Plein Air Event. I believe four will be shown at the Great Central Valley Exhibition and at CSU Fresno’s Leon S. Peters Ellipse Gallery. The first 2 paintings will definitely be displayed, hopefully the first 4 will be shown…..depends on wall space.
‘Evening on Trabucco Ranch’ Image 13×19 framed to 20×26 Pastel $800
‘Spring Tapestry’, Striped rock’ Image 13×19 framed to 20×26 Pastel $800
‘Morning Shadows’, Mckenzie Table Mountain Preserve. Image 9×12 framed to 15×18. Pastel $350
‘The Colors of Trabucco Ranch’ Image 9×12 framed to 15×18. Pastel $350
‘Lake McSwain, Hornitos Ranch’ Image 9×12 framed to 15×18. Pastel $350
‘April on Kennedy Table Top’ Image 9×12 framed to 15×18. Pastel $350
‘Sunrise Colors, McKenzie Table Top Mountain Preserve’ Image 9×12 framed to 15×18. Pastel $350
HURRY! HURRY! Purchase your tickets to the upcoming events.
Excuse the skewed format since I copy and pasted from an email.
Sierra Foothill Conservancy
Presents:
The Foothills En Plein Air
“En Plein Sight”
Dear SFC Supporter,
Poppy Field
Ray Roberts
McKenzie Preserve
Sierra Foothill Conservancy and the Plein Air Partners are delighted to extend you an invitation to three special events that culminate SFC’s plein air project: The Foothills En Plein Air. Over the past year, twenty three exceptional California artists have painted lands protected by SFC. The resulting collection of 100+ fine art pieces will be exhibited and sold in the month of August at two gala sale receptions in San Francisco and Fresno, and one public exhibition at CSU Fresno’s Leon S. Peters Ellipse Gallery. This first ever Sierra Foothill Conservancy Plein Air Collection illustrates the beauty and diversity of the foothill landscape, join us at the events detailed below and support the conservation of these inspiring lands. We encourage you purchase your tickets today, we expect the events to sell out.
Saturday, August 7th, 2010
San Francisco, CA
5pm-8pm
Tickets: $89 or 2 for $149
Foothill Sunset
Bryan Mark Taylor
Hornitos, CA
Thirteen celebrated California plein air painters have captured the essence of the foothills in all four seasons: from spring fields of wildflowers to golden autumn leaves. This gala event will feature boutique wines by Ma(i)sonry and culinary delights by The Painted Table. This is your one night opportunity to see the collection in its entirety in San Francisco and take home a special piece to add to your collection.
Artists: John Burton, John Cosby, Gil Dellinger, Kathleen Dunphy, Jeff Horn, Adam Longatti, Kim Lordier, Clark Mitchell, Jesse Powell, Ray Roberts, Randall Sexton, Bryan Mark Taylor and Libby Tolley.
Located in AECOM’s west coast headquarters on the Embarcadero in San Francisco. For ticket information visit our webiste at www.sierrafoothill.org/pleinair or contact bridget.fithian@sierrafoothill.org
209.742.5556
150 Chestnut Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
Boutique Wine By:
Culinary Delights By:
Leon S. Peters Ellipse Gallery Exhibition
August 12-26, 2010
Henry Madden Library
California State University, Fresno
Public Exhibition
Dairy Queens
Kathleen Dunphy
In the second event, works by all 23 invitational artists will be exhibited in the Leon S. Peters Ellipse Gallery at California State University, Fresno. Join us for a special reception and presentation on August 13th to learn about local land conservation and the plein air project. Speakers include SFC Vice President and biologist Rodney Olson from Fresno City College, plein air artist Adam Longatti, and SFC’s land protection director Chuck Peck.
Local Artists: James McGrew, Susan McCline, Charlotte Hoffman, Penny Otwell, Ginny Burdick, Briana Johnson-Smed, Patrick Lacey, Paul Buxman, Matthew S Hopson-Walker
RSVP:
Special Public Reception and Presentation:
Call: (209)742-5556 or (559) 855-3473
Email: bridget.fithian@sierrafoothill.org
2nd Floor, Leon S. Peters Ellipse Gallery
August 13th, 2010
5:00pm-9:00pm
5200 N. Barton Ave
Fresno, CA
The Great Central Valley Exhibition
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Fresno, CA
5pm-8pm
Tickets: $59 or 2 for $95
‘An Evening on Trabucco’
Charlotte Hoffman
Trabucco Ranch Conservation Easement
Join us for the grand finale! This exhibition and Gala Reception will showcase the twenty three invitational artists works. The Great Central Valley exhibition and sale will be held at the California Arts Academy located in the historic Tower District in Fresno and will feature hors’ dourves by Chef Roy Harland and The Elbow Room paired with wines by Stefanelli Distributing Co. Your purchase of a special painting will support the arts and contribute to local land conservation.
Artists:
For Ticket information go to our website at www.sierrafoothill.org/pleinair or contact bridget.fithian@sierrafoothill.org
209.742.5556
4750 N. Blackstone Ave.
Fresno, CA
Wine Provided By:
Culinary Delights By:
Join Our Mailing List!
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Purchase Tickets Today!
Visit our Website at www.sierrafoothill.org/pleinair
June 5 was a day of celebration in Coulterville California where they dedicated a portion of Highway J 132. The Sierra Sun Times began their article, “On a bright sunlit Saturday morning, June 5, 2010 history was made on Highway J132 from Coulterville, California to Highway 120 in Tuolumne County as the road was designated the ‘Historic John Muir Route.’ “ You can read about the dedication at this link: http://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/component/content/article/78/342-2010-john-muir-highway-dedication-ceremony-
My husband and I, along with friends Nancy Robbins and Rifka arrived early to set up our booths. I had an added bonus of my Aunt being there since she helped organize the event and 2 of my cousins drove up to partake in the festivities.
Our Booth.
John Muir was even there to read from his journal.
MEANWHILE on the home front our local hummingbird decided he needed to protect HIS territory. David and I sat on the deck stairs watching from about 10 feet away while I drank my morning coffee. The two hummingbirds dueled for over an hour. They were hitting each other, buzzing each other, diving at each other and at one point fell into the daisies surrounding the feeders. All we could hear was their buzzing on the ground.
After a while of fighting I thought perhaps they needed to drink so I stood at one feeder while David stood at the other. My reasoning was that they would be able to drink without the other seeing. It didn’t work. The two kamikazes continued to battle as if we didn’t exist. That’s when the thought popped into my head, ‘great photo opp’. I grabbed my camera and took my place next to one of the feeders. It’s not easy to catch a photo of the little fighters zipping to and fro. At one point around the time I took the picture of them in front of Dave, one slammed into Dave’s stomach. It was quite comical, the bird was fine, he never missed a beat and continued the pursuit. They would take breaks sitting fairly close to each other in the tree. They are such fascinating little creatures.
Last Saturday I demonstrated pastel painting at the gallery for the monthly Art Hop. I chose to paint Half Dome with a full moon rising. I took the photograph last November. I was drawn to all the pinks and lovely lighting. I lightly sketched the scene with pencil before I arrived at the gallery. Phyllis McAdams was demonstrating oils and working on a still life.
This is what I accomplished for the day.
Phyllis McAdams.
After Art Hop we moved 2 doors down to Stellar Gallery for the………..
Claire Blotter, a former Poetry Slam National Finalist, has taught writing and performance poetry at San Francisco State University, John F. Kennedy University, Dominican College and the College of Marin. She has published two poetry books and received numerous grants for poetry, theater and video.
The performance/reading with with Blotter and guest poets Lee Underwood and Mary Lee Gowland will begin at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 12 at Stellar Gallery. At the evening gallery reading, Blotter will perform her poetry, and workshop participants will be invited to read or perform a poem written in the workshop.
The event is sponsored by Sierra Art Trails, a non profit organization dedicated to supporting artists and artisans in the Sierra Foothills.
We enjoyed the creative and very brave students who shared their poetry with the audience. I couldn’t have performed in front of people like they did. Lee Underwood has just published a book and read a few of his poems. His book is available at his website. All the poets take you to another dimension when you listen and visualize their words. The Stellar Gallery is currently exhibiting a photography show entitled ‘Going Deeper’. The students chose works by photographers to inspire poems. I like the idea of the 2 fields of art interacting with each other to inspire works of art.
People gathering in Stellar Gallery before the performance.
Claire Blotter talking with Lee Underwood and Sonia Crespy.
Claire Blotter surrounded by students preparing to introduce themselves.
Jon Bock, owner of Stellar Gallery and Williams West gallery, reading his poem.
Sunday was Art in the Garden in North Fork California. The event is a yearly fundraiser for the Friends of the Library of North Fork. This is the 14th year of the event. You can read an article by reporter Tiffany Tuell of the Sierra Star. David and I were interviewed for the article. http://www.sierrastar.com/2010/06/09/52595/art-in-the-garden-raises-money.html
David and I were located in Gay Abarbanell’s garden where she has vegetables in raised beds, a shade garden, a rose garden and lots of other planted areas. As you enter her garden area a very large Buddha sitting in a glass enclosure greets you. Between her house which is set into the hillside and her garage with overhead apartment, is a stream under a large oak tree that flows down to a pond. Gay has created such a magical atmosphere with all her gardens.
We met so many nice people. Unfortunately one of my limited giclees wasn’t marked so I explained to the interested party that usually my giclees are priced the same as David’s photographs but since this is a limited edition it’s price is higher. I offered the lower price, which would have been a steal but he seemed to doubt my information. I learned to make sure everything is marked in the future. Had he bought the giclee it would have been $50 cheaper than usual.
After we packed up the car we took time to enjoy the gardens and take photographs.
Gay Abarbanell and her photography. Gay has travelled the word with her camera.
David next to the tree, tent in front of garage/apartment.
Buddha beyond the Coral Bells and Manzanita.
May has been a very, very busy month. On the weekend of April 24th we had the privilege to show our work at the Silver Fox Winery for the Mariposa Agri-Nature Trail. We were asked to leave the show up for a Sierra Foothill Conservancy event to be held the following weekend. As members of Sierra Foothill Conservancy we donated 20% of any sales made during their event. If you have interest in helping preserve lands then I would advise looking into the Sierra Foothill Conservancy.
Silver Fox Winery Gallery
The Yosemite Western Artists organization held it’s annual Tri-County Exhibition reception on May 1st. Below is my entry with a light blue Honorable Mention Ribbon hanging at the corner of the painting. I entered the ‘August Meadow, Yosemite Valley’ pastel.
My younger daughter and her fiancé came to visit Mother’s Day weekend. On Saturday we went to Mariposa to stroll their historic streets. I finally got to visit the new Riversong Gallery a friend just opened. She’s done a beautiful job and has lots of ideas and plans for the future. On the way home I saw a sign at the back of a pickup truck that read ‘chicks, eggs and goats’ at the corner of Ben Hur Road. Well I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check out the animals, after all, that’s like a mini zoo. And then I couldn’t leave without taking something with me. One of our original set of 2 Plymouth Barred Rock chicks became hawk bait so I had to take home a couple of companions for the remaining chick, Louise whom we call ‘Weezie’. I chose 2 Bantam chicks that are almost full grown. I wasn’t thinking, I was so caught up in their beautiful feathers that I didn’t think about egg size. I’ve enjoyed fresh eggs from my 4 year old Plymouth Rock but she’s not laying much anymore. I guess 2 Bantam will add up to one normal egg. I’ve had them almost 3 weeks and all 3 chicks get along beautifully. They are hilarious to watch ‘play’ with all their dodging and weaving and kickboxing and short bursts of flight.
Bantams: Lola (brown) and Lacey (white).
On Mother’s Day my older daughter and her husband drove up for the day. We all went gold panning. My son-in-law is a knowledgeable prospector so he was our teacher. We didn’t last very long since there was a very icy breeze and very little sunshine. I’m looking forward to a get together this summer when we can spend the entire day playing at the river.
We’ve had such a cold May with several dustings of snow. I’m still lighting the woodstove. This morning (May28) was 35 degrees when I got up and the highest peak above us was white with snow. I think that’s about the 4500ft elevation. I’ve put the heating elements back into the coup twice but right now there isn’t supplementary heating….I keep thinking it’ll get warm! We had a dusting of snow on May 11th. The chicks didn’t know what to make of the furry ice. I think the rain froze and then there was a dusting of snow.
Weezie and furry ice.
We’ve taken several day trips to Yosemite this month. The most memorable day for me was watching the Bridalveil Fall rainbow. We watched as the rainbow began at the bottom and crawled to the top of the falls. I’m guessing this took at least a half hour. As an additional benefit we saw 3 separate rainbows arc across the valley. The valley rainbows were due to the almost constant light drizzle and the fall’s rainbow was due to the angle of the sun and amount of water raging over the edge which created lots of mist.
The final Sierra Foothill Conservancy Plein Air Paint out was held in Clarks Valley on May 16th. The first location I chose to paint was along (in) a creek. The second location was a pond. Now it’s time to finish a few more paintings and frame them for the exhibit in August.
I’ve been exploring with acrylic by painting cards. Below are an abstract and a still life.
This was my second Navels cards. The first I sent as thank you to friends who were in the area and brought a large box of Navels when they visited. These Navels look a bit squished but it was fun to paint.
ART HOP was yesterday at Williams Gallery West in Oakhurst. I demonstrated pastels while Judy DeRosa created dream cards and Mary Jane Brewster painted a portrait. I began a new painting of grasses and flowers from a photograph I took on the Sierra Foothill Conservation’s Striped Rock Conservation Easement.
Judy DeRosa worked on dream cards.
Portrait artist Mary Jane Brewster painted a portrait.
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