Balboa at Topaz - revisited and completed

"Balboa at Topaz, revisited"

Oil, 8" x 8" on linen panel.

$125.00 

Click here for more information.

This piece is now finished.  I worked on the values in the buoy and added palm trees in the distance. In order to capture the shimmer of the water I went even lighter  with the light color in the water and deepened the cool blue. 

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 5

"Petulant Pitcher"

Oil, 6" x 6" 

$100.00

Click here for more information. 

This pitcher has taken me about 1 1/2 years to get right. I tried to paint it at a workshop last year and I could never get it to look right.  There was always something about the color or shape that just wasn't working.  I attempted to paint it again several months later, recreating the set up exactly.  Consequently, I replicated the failure as well.  I decided to try it again this week, shaking up some colors and doing a lot of visual editing as I worked.  I think I have finally conquered my nemesis, the petulant pitcher!

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!

Portrait of a Japanese Bobtail

In case you did not get a full sense of Suzu the cat in the last painting, here is her portrait.  She is so adorable, funny and cuddly.  Bodhi the dog is so used to her now, I might go as far to say they are friends. We are so lucky she needed to be adopted just when we needed her.

Green Pear

The first iteration of this pear was pretty grayed down so I decided to punch up the golds and the greens. This pear was also very delicious!

Purchase this painting here.

See on Leslie Saeta's Blog

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

Day 18 -- Fungus

This is an amazing fungus that grows on the eucalyptus trees in our neighborhood in more humid times.
It is an explosion of golds and oranges springing from the side of the tree!

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Day 14 -- Strawberry - SOLD

Day 14 and this strawberry gave me a run for the money.  So many colors in such a little fruit!  He did taste good though...

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Day 13 -- Red Swingline

Day 13 has me turning to one of my favorite office supplies, my red Swingline stapler! I love the cadmium red against the shades of caribbean and ice blue (colors introduced to me at a fabulous workshop one year in Pasadena).

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Day 9 -- Bowl

Day 9 of the 30 day challenge, and today it's a still life of a humble bowl from my cupboard. It looks a little sad, all empty an alone.

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Day 8 -- Bosc Pear

I could not resist doing another pear -- this time the mighty bosc!  I love the browns and golds of the pear in contrast to the caribbean blue surroundings.


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Day 7 -- Chopsticks

A packet of chopsticks is more difficult to convey than you might think.  It always comes down to the details.

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Day 6 - Found Box

30 in 30 - Day 6. We had some neighbors move out quickly over the weekend and rather than move anything, they just threw EVERYTHING away.  My husband rescued this box because he thought I might like it.  I thought I might like to paint it.  I love all the browns and reds in this piece.

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Day 4 -- Pumpkin

I love the colorful variety of pumpkins that are available every year.  I thought the yellow, oranges, greens and grays would fun to paint today.

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Day 2 -- Red Pear - SOLD

Ok! Made it through Day 2 with Red Pear.  I really loved the particular red in this pear, together with the blue, green and yellow under tone.  Tomorrow we will eat this pear but now it is immortalized in art.

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Day 1 -- Tomato

Happy New Year friends!  Painter and teacher Leslie Saeta has decided to start 2013 with a 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge.  I have accepted the challenge and today is Day 1! According to Leslie, this is very easy... all one needs to do is paint 30 paintings in 30 days.  We shall see.  For the next 30 days I will be posting a painting a day. Here is my first offering - Tomato.

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Culver and Barranca

This is an intersection in Irvine, CA at sunset.  The clouds pink, yellow and orange of the clouds were so amazing, I had to try and capture them.  Combine the sky with the dark purple hue of the buildings and you have suburban magic.