Abbot Kinney Plein Air Urban Landscape No. 2

6"x6" acrylic on 1.5" depth gallery wrap canvas

(1.5" depth return edge is painted black)

purchase here for $30

Abbot Kinney Plein Air Urban Landscape No. 1

I did some plein air painting at the Abbot Kinney (Venice, CA) street fair today. It was a good time and there was a lot to see at all of the booths. Plus I love the smell of street food!

8"x8" acrylic on 1.5" depth gallery wrap canvas

(1.5" depth return edge is painted black)

purchase here for $150

Hollywood Farmers Market No2

I chose to paint the Hollywood Farmers Market for an agricultural show submission because I like the contrast of the fresh produce in the middle of the grubby city. The contrast has been emphasized in this piece by the parking meter in the background and in the last piece by the car and grungy sidewalk.

18"x24" acrylic on wooden artboard w/ canvas face

Hollywood Farmers Market No1

This is one of two submissions that I made today to an exhibition based on agriculture. I absolutely love the farmer's markets in California. I grew up in farm country in Indiana and we always had a huge-super-mega garden so I am very picky about produce but I've had some strawberries at the Hollywood Farmer's market that are THE BEST I've ever tasted. I'm drooling right now thinking about them.

18"x24" acrylic on wooden artboard w/ canvas face

Cute Doggy Mug No.2

5.5" x 8.5" (outside, white edge) watercolor, ink and colored pencil on coldpress watercolor paper

Cute Doggy Mug

6"x6" acrylic on 1.5" depth gallery wrap canvas

Did this piece for a friend. It is to be a Christmas present for one of her friends I believe...Even more doggy and baby portraits are on the way.

Also, working on some farmer's market pieces which am excited about. Will be much bigger than the dailies I've been posting recently -and also very colorful (which is fun, eh?)

Harper's Favorite Spot

11"x14" acrylic on 1.5" depth gallery wrap canvas

This is my adorable ginger nephew, Harper. Love it when babies realize what "outside" is and want to go there constantly. So cute.

Inspiration from The Getty

I have quite a few daily paintings that I have to take pics of and post but in the mean time would like to share a few points of inspiration that I gleaned visiting The Getty yesterday afternoon.

Even if you never make it into the museum exhibits, the architecture and gardens alone are worth a visit. It is all incredibly well thought out and has a very calming effect.

(image found here)

(image found here)

There is also a ton of beautiful and thought provoking artwork there. I jotted down a few artists/pieces that really struck me for different reasons-

(image found here)

Thomas Rowlandson had an ink and watercolor work exhibited (it was different than the one above, but same  style). I'm always a fan of caricature and it is intriguing to see such comedic work going on in the 1700's. -Beware if you look this guy up, though, as some of his work is verging on pornographic.

(image found here)

This piece, Portrait of Jeanne Kefer, by Fernand Khnopff is just brilliant. The pale, cool pallet contrasting with her warm figure and the space emphasizing how small she is is just perfect.

(image found here)

Baronne de Domecy by Odilon Redon is such a unique portrait. The sitter is rendered in a realistic manner and in very bland tones while the background is free and verging on abstract. I think this work struck a chord with me because I have been struggling to push beyond following photographic reference to the detail and, instead, creating a piece that is overall visually harmonious. 

I think this Redon quote (found on Wikipedia) is interesting -"I have often, as an exercise and as a sustenance, painted before an object down to the smallest accidents of its visual appearance; but the day left me sad and with an unsatiated thirst. The next day I let the other source run, that of imagination, through the recollection of the forms and I was then reassured and appeased."

Hope this post isn't boring; I know it is a bit more wordy than usual!

Santa Monica Bluffs No. 1

6"x6" on 1.5" depth gallery wrap canvas

purchase here for $25

Santa Monica Plein Air No. 2

Several older women out for afternoon strolls stopped to talk to me while I was painting this in Santa Monica Park. One was also a painter and she spoke of a situation much like mine where finished pieces are piling up/leaning against walls. Another spoke of a painting that she purchased for $20 thirty years ago which, she says, she still absolutely enjoys seeing every single day. Still another pointed out a white poodle walking by and told me that I should incorporate "that fluffy rear end" into my next piece. Hilarious (and probably a good idea, too).

Everyone who comes up to speak with me loves art. It is very encouraging and great to get so many perspectives. Yet another reason why plein air painting will be something that I continue.

6"x6" acrylic on 1.5" depth gallery wrap canvas

purchase here for $25

Santa Monica Plein Air No. 1

So I took my newly arrived french easel out for the first time...and discovered that plein air painting is the bomb. Of course it helps that I was in Santa Monica Park above the bluffs -in the sun and the ocean breeze- looking down on the beach.

Yes. Be jealous.

Also, I work much more quickly than anticipated and will need to get some canvases that are bit larger for next month. Anyways, here is the first result of my independent plein air adventures:

6"x6" acrylic on 1.5" depth gallery wrap canvas

purchase here for $25

The tire tracks left in the sand and the abstract lines/shapes that they form are interesting. Will possibly have to explore that aspect of the beach further at a later date.

Succulents No. 2

I can't believe my first month of a painting/day is almost halfway done already. It honestly hasn't been as grueling as I had imagined. Sticking with smaller canvas seems to help with that. Here's what happened on  the 9th:

6"x6" acrylic on 1.5" depth gallery wrap canvas

purchase here for $25

Succulents No. 1

Many a house plant has died at my hands. I simply neglect them. Are succulents supposed to be easy to take care of? -Or perhaps paintings of plants will have to replace actual plants in my apartment so that the death toll can stop where it's at.

acrylic 8"x8" painting on 1.5" depth gallery wrapped canvas

purchase here for $50

Hollywood Watercolor

Really stretching into my photo reference folders these past few days...Good thing the french easel is officially here and some open air paintings are on the way!

8.5"x5.5" (outside, white edge dimension) watercolor, colored pencil and ink on cold press watercolor paper

purchase here for $25

Chinatown LA Watercolor

I did this piece awhile back in acrylic on wood panel and thought I'd give it a go as a watercolor.

5.5"x8.5" (outside, white edge) watercolor, colored pencil and ink on cold press watercolor paper

sold

Corrugated Barn in Indiana

...I realize my subject matter is kinda jumping around w/ these dailies. Must adopt a new theme and do another series like the New Mexico/Arizona series.

5.5"x8.5" (outside, white edge dimension) watercolor, colored pencil and ink on cold press watercolor paper

purchase here for $25

I have an french easel on the way as well as (15) 6"x6" canvases so here are a few series ideas that I've come up with:

• Venice Beach -since I'm showing at a gallery there- could result in some really textured/blown-out/messy ocean grunge pieces
• Downtown/Urban LA -urban landscapes w/ palm trees and power lines
• Succulents Up-Close -really digging the exotic plant life here in LA and would like to to some big, graphic paintings of succulents a-la-Georgia O'Keeffe

Shaylee Nearly Strangles a Cat

5.5"x8.5" (outside, whit edge) watercolor, colored pencil and ink and cold press watercolor paper

Lake George Watercolor

This is Sept 3rd's painting. The subject is Lake George (in Northern Indiana) at dusk. My grandma has had a cottage there since before I was born. I learned to swim there and spent countless summer days in the water with my siblings and cousins. It is THE best place I've ever been in my life -my favorite place.

8.5"x5.5" (outside paper edge) watercolor, colored pencil and ink on cold press watercolor paper

purchase here for $25

Grand Canyon Watercolor No. 4

This is the piece I completed on Sept 2nd. Had some trouble with it. Spanked it with some ink and colored pencil which made it behave but also made it more of a drawing than a painting. Oh well.

8.5"x5.5" (outside edge) watercolor, colored pencil and ink on cold press watercolor paper

purchase here for $25

Beach Watercolor

I forget what the name of this beach was. But it was up near Malibu, small and not busy. Painting numero uno for the month of September complete!

8.5"x5.5" (outside edge) watercolor, colored pencil and ink on cold press watercolor paper

purchase here for $25

Josh and I made plans to go to San Diego for Labor Day weekend. Neither of us have been so it should be a grand time -and will hopefully result in a few cool daily paintings. Does anyone else have exciting Labor Day plans?