View from the Montage in South Laguna

"View from the Montage at South Laguna"

Oil, 8" x 10" on linen panel.

$125.00 

Click here for more information.

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.

Undead Aesop

"Undead Aesop"

Oil, 8" x 10" on canvas.

$125.00 

Click here to purchase.

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.

30 in 30 - Day 6

"Hart Park"

Oil, 8" x 10" on linen panel.

$125.00 

Click here to purchase.

This is another really neat location in Orange County, Hart Park in Orange.  Next to a beautiful mission style swimming facility sat this little shed.  The colors of the shed were nice and bright against the luscious green background.

30 in 30 - Day 3

"Back Bay"

Oil, 8" x 10" on linen panel.

$125.00 

Click here for more information.

The Back Bay the inland delta in Newport Beach, California. It connects the Upper Newport Bay with the Newport Harbor. It is a nature reserve home to several species of birds with hiking and biking trails. I have driven past this place for years but this was my first time to stop and consider it as an artist. I look forward to meeting the Back Bay again with my easel many more times.

30 in 30 - Day 2

"Balboa Island at Topaz"

Oil, 8" x 10" on linen panel.

$125.00 

Click here for more information.

Welcome to Balboa Island!  This is a wonderful place in Orange County with adorable beach cottages and lots of boats.  The streets are historic and many locals can look at a photo or painting from the area and tell you exactly what street you would have to be on to see that view. For this painting, I was standing at the end of Topaz.  This painting was mostly completed on location, with a few final details added in the studio.  A beautiful and peaceful place to work for the day!

30 in 30 - Day 1

"Irvine Regional Park"

Oil, 8" x 10" on linen panel.

$100.00 

Click here for more information.

Well here we are again with another 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge hosted by palette knife artist, Leslie Saeta. This painting was started au plein air (out of doors in natural light) and completed in the studio. It is a lovely view from the vast and gorgeous Irvine Regional Park. I have recently started studying plein air painting with a fabulous artist, Kim VanDerHoek, and let me tell me you, plein air and studio painting are completely different in approach but they complement each other each other in the end.  When I am in the studio, I make most of my editing choices before I pick up the brush.  When I am outdoors, I am continuously editing what I see in front of me.

Thank you for following me in the challenge once again!

Getty Villa Fountain

The Getty Villa is a replica of a Roman villa designed to house the Getty antiquities and this is one of the fountains there.  This is larger than I have done in a while (8x10) and I don't know if I totally captured it. I may revisit this piece.  Stay tuned!

Purchase this painting here.

See on Leslie Saeta's Blog

Vintage Halloween Cat

Halloween is only 6 months away! Are you ready? He is! This creepy, ceramic tea light is waiting to greet you all year round.