Ha! Shadows can be so much fun – something not really there which is visible! In this case, the Carquinez Bridge provided the structure to obstruct the sun. This bridge is composed of an old trestle-ish looking bridge for going North, and the new graceful Southward bridge. I might add a few more pencil lines.
This vineyard painting was beginning in an abstract way, but I didn’t know where to go next. I thought of completing it as a traditional plein air painting, but I really liked the graphic stripes that were there — so I split the difference and added a goat painted in a loose way, with some unusual colors.
Vineyards frequently plant these rows of poplars as a windbreak. These are young trees, but will eventually grow to very tall and can reach to over 100’. I love the way the wind ruffles the leaves and light catches the occasional leaf and these glow brightly. A celebration by nature.
Normally when I go out plein air painting, I do more traditional style painting. This time, the tree shapes were so distinct, and my view of them was so narrow (vertically), the ocean color intense, a few stripes of brilliant sun, that I sort of fell into this more graphic representation. The headlands became pure shapes in the second one, at top.
Even though it’s quite simple, I like it.
Benicia Artists Open Studios will take place on Saturday & Sunday, May 5 & 6.
Event hours:
Saturday, 11 am to 7 p.m.
Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm.
At Jerrold Turner’s studio:
640 East L St.
Benicia CA 94510
See you there!
Painting in my back yard with cascades of flowers can be fun too! The nasturtiums were growing with leaves the size of dinner plates, and the ever-present morning glory was being, well, glorious, so I had to try a flower painting. As it’s not my usual subject, I had no idea if it would become something I liked, but I kept some of it graphic, and for a very fast painting, I think it turned out well.
While out in my garden, I unearthed a small mosaic memorial I made for my cat about 10 years ago.
I will be in Jack London Square at the Pavilion Building, as in past years. It’s such a great, airy, open space, really pleasant. I have new plein air work from around the Bay Area, and Mendocino.
We are the largest group showing in one location in the entire East Bay Open Studios, and we have teamed up with another group just a few doors down at Market Hall, so between the two locations there are 80 artists.
Hours and days: Saturday & Sunday — two weekends — June 1 & 2, June 8 & 9 — open 11 am to 6 pm
It’s just plein fun!
Hope to see you there!
Keyhole Rock Mendocino 20 x 16 oils
While trying to squeeze in a few paintings for the last week’s plein air paintout in Alameda, someone told be that this old crane by the ferry landing at the north end of the island will be torn down soon. If we had the relative strength of an ant, we wouldn’t need these, I think it’s fascinating how we create these things which help us do amazing feats of construction which we couldn’t otherwise do.
A lot of people commented on this painting. You can see it at the Frank Bette Center for the Arts at 1601 Paru Street, Alameda August 10-September 29. There may be a reception, if so, I’ll post that soon.
This is the Plein Air Paint Out paintings will be on display and on sale from 11 am, reception at 5 pm.
I was going to insert a photo of an finished painting, but I forgot to take pictures — well, you’ll just have to come see them! Here’s a detail of another unfinished one.
Micaela Marsden 