View from the Montage in South Laguna

"View from the Montage at South Laguna"

Oil, 8" x 10" on linen panel.

$125.00 

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Last week I had the opportunity to be in a workshop with Kim VanDerHoek where we painted in South Laguna.  There is no bad view here.  On the left you can see part of a key hole behind a large rock in the foreground. There is a small beach surrounded by rocks that are starting to become visible as the tide recedes. It was an overcast day but that did not take away from the beauty of the location.

Peppermint Pillows

Peppermint Pillows

Oil, 3" x 3" on gesso board.

This is another piece that I hope makes it into a show. It is really small! I used a #2 flat brush for the entire painting.  The one benefit to painting candy is that the family gets to eat it afterwards.

Emerging Pink Poinsettia

"Emerging Pink Poinsettia

Oil, 8" x 8" on gesso board.

I have been working on some pieces I hope to put in some upcoming shows. I really liked how the Emerging Gerbera turned out last month so I really wanted to try going a little bigger and thought it would be the perfect entry for a holiday show.  Fingers crossed!

Undead Aesop

"Undead Aesop"

Oil, 8" x 10" on canvas.

$125.00 

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Like my last zombie portrait, this also began as a replication of the face of a full-body Velazquez painting of Aesop, of fable fame. Since I was only focusing on the head and face, most people who saw it thought it was a woman. Although my replication actually looked like the Velazquez, I decided the portrait would make an excellent monster. Since Velazquez painted a large number of interesting people with interesting faces, I hope he would approve. I love making the monsters.

Eisenhower Park Plein Air

"Eisenhower Park"

Oil, 8" x 10" on canvas board.

$125.00 

Click here to purchase.

Today I was at a plein air workshop with Kim VanDerHoek. Our venue was Eisenhower Park in Orange, California.  The park is a gorgeous gem tucked in between vintage homes and the freeway. This particular park has a lake, pond, geese, ducks and this beautiful, gigantic moreton bay fig.Today's focus was on simplifying what you see. Was it necessary to include the strip mall across the street and the cars whizzing by behind the marvelous bay fig to tell its story?  Today we learned that less can be more when you are telling stories in paint.