May 25

This Weeks Paintings

By Administrator Painting, Photography, Events and Adventures No Comments »

I was inspired by recent visits to the Knowlton Gallery in Lodi and a visit to the Haggin Museum in Stockton.  The Knowlton Gallery’s current show, ‘Finding Beauty, Backroads Close to Home’ was landscape paradise, especially Clark G. Mitchell’s pastels.  The Haggin Museum is exhibiting the Pastel Society of the West Coast’s 25th Annual International Exhibition.  That was pastel heaven to drink in all the styles and techniques of other pastelists.  It’s been a long winter and a slow to start spring as well, so these two trips within a few days were quite a tonic to shake off the winter dust and begin painting again. 

This week I painted two little 5×7’s.  The first was of oaks and their afternoon shadows, inspired by the recent trips through the rolling foothills.

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The second 5×7 is a vineyard.

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5x7vineyardds

Today I had a landscape in mind to paint but the blue iris bloomed so I had to paint it while it’s fresh.  Tomorrow I’ll paint the iris fully open in the third space.  This is a half sheet of Art Spectrum’s Colorfix paper.   13x 19

Irises

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Mar 03

McKenzie Table Mountain Preserve Open House and Plein Air Paint Out

By Administrator Painting, Photography, Events and Adventures No Comments »

 Come join the invited group of local artist and the prestigious group of nationally recognized Embarcadero artists for a day of enjoying nature and the arts.  The artists have committed to creating a body of work depicting the Sierra Foothill Conservancy lands. The paintings will be sold at a fundraiser next autumn. 

Foothill Invitational artists:  Brianna Johnson-Smeds, Charlotte Hoffman, Don Price, Ginny Burdick, Matt Hopson-Walker, James McGrew, Patrick Lacey, Paul Buxman, Penny Otwell, Sue McCline

Embarcadero Invitational artists:  Adam Longatti, Clark G. Mitchell, Jeff Horn, John Burton, Kathleen Dunphy, Kim Lordier, Randall Sexton, Bryan Mark Taylor, Gil Dellinger, Jesse Powell, John Cosby, Kevin Courter, Libby Tolley, Ray Roberts

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Saturday, March 13, 2010
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

March is a beautiful time of the year on the McKenzie Preserve. Bring your family and friends to the Open House to explore on your own, enjoy the wildflowers and perhaps have a picnic. You may pick up a Discovery Trail guide and walk this interesting loop trail on the lower part of the preserve or hike to the table top to see the beautiful view. While you explore the preserve, observe plein air artists creating paintings on canvas right out of the landscape. No reservations are needed.

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Nov 18

Sierra Foothill Conservancy Plein Air Painting Project October 2009-2010

By Administrator Painting, Photography, Events and Adventures No Comments »

I’ve embarked on a new journey that will last a year. 

Last month the Sierra Foothill Conservancy invited me and other regional artists to join their core of nationally known artist for their Plein Air Invitational.  The Sierra Foothill Conservancy owns preserves and have easements in the Fresno, Madera and Mariposa counties.   The artists will have access to paint the lands for the following year.  In the Fall of 2010 the paintings will be exhibited and sold to benefit Sierra Foothill Conservancy.    Soooo……

untitledPenny Painting Hornitos propertyblog

Above:  Charlotte Hoffman (left)   Penny Otwell (right)      Regional artist Penny Otwell was also selected for the project. 

……Penny and I had a lovely day last Friday, painting on the Hornitos Easement property.   The next day, Saturday November 14th, was the first scheduled public plein air event at the Trabucco Ranch.  The artists arrived at the Trabucco Ranch easement property a few hours before the public so we could familiarize ourselves with the area.  From 2 – 6  visitors talked with and watched the painters as they painted the land surrounding them.  I had the pleasure of  meeting again with Adam Longatti,  Kim Lordier and Jeff Horn and meeting for the first time Clark G. Mitchell,  John Burton, Patrick Lacey and Brian Mark Taylor.  It was such a gorgeous day for painting!  As the sun set, the foothills turned rose colored with beautiful clouds to the northwest. 

This is such an awesome privilege to be be granted access to these beautiful lands….AND to meet such fabulous painters.  More importantly, the Sierra Foothill Conservancy is a wonderful organization working very hard for our future generations guarantee of unspoiled lands.  My heartfelt thanks to their hard work and dedication.

Penny at Trabucco Ranch Nov1409blog Trabucco Ranch John Burtonblog

Above:  Penny  at her easel greeting visitors and distant group watching Adam Longatti demonstrate.  (right) John Burton catching the last light.

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