Earlier this summer, I was pleasantly surprised to hear from our US Representative Anna Eshoo’s office. They asked me, as a long-standing professional artist, to act as a juror for the Congressional Art Competition, an annual art competition for young persons in the 7th through 12th grades. The art competition … Read More
[Revised Jan, 2021] It is sometimes difficult to paint large paintings plein air. After all, when we set up our easels in the out of doors, factors like uneven ground, heaviness of large canvases and wind make the large painting effort problematic. Especially wind, which can come up at any … Read More
The California Art Club (CAC) is a fine organization which was founded in 1909 in Pasadena, California. The Club has as its focus representational art, and the CAC may be the most prestigious organization of its kind in California. While in person exhibits are problematic in this Covid era, they … Read More
“If there is a common theme relating to the perception of color harmony, I believe that nature holds the key.” – Michael Wilcox I continue to explore what has been written about color harmony and find ideas to share with you here on my blog. “ Perception of color harmony … Read More
Being safe in this pandemic has meant painting around my home or seeking out places where I can keep distance from others. My friend Richard and his wife Gay have an amazing estate with gardens, lily ponds, and Koi. Last week he offered a small group painting event on his … Read More
A dear friend and painting buddy, Karin Leonard, a few years ago created a website to support and preserve parks – whether neighborhood parks, local preserves, state parks, national parks, or parks throughout the world. The idea – artists creating paintings in parks anywhere join and then donate a portion … Read More
I have recently been perusing a book on color theory. It’s called Perfect Color Choices for the Artist, written by Michael Wilcox. There are many different theories about color harmony, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It appears “perfect” is a relative term. One system that I … Read More
Preparing to paint plein air requires some forethought and action. I need to have canvas, easel, and all my brushes and tools packed up to carry with me. Once on location, I need to evaluate the scene from various angles, to determine just what I want to paint, and how … Read More
Recently I have been cleaning out my paint tube drawer where I keep tubes of oil paint ready to be put out on my palette. I have several tubes that will no longer accept their caps, so the paint dries out! Here’s a tip: I have used the tip of … Read More
Often I choose to paint out in a new location, but with the quarantine in place, I have stayed home, choosing my subjects as the spring comes on. I planted a magnolia tree several years ago. It is the first large tree to bloom on our property in Soquel each … Read More