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| Lunch at Lola's, 6x6", oil on board, ©2013 Cindy Greene |
I thought about naming this painting "Just Another Day at the Office." I am so thankful to be able to spend a gorgeous spring day outside, with paints and wonderful artists to paint with. But this is Lola Gaspar, a trendy restaurant and bar in the beautiful Santora Arts Building in Santa Ana. Judging from the aromas and happy voices coming from the patio, it would be a good place to eat.
I spent about an hour deciding what to paint — there are just so many interesting scenes in Santa Ana's Artists Village. My intuition kept telling me to keep it simple, so I ignored the fountain, the beautiful buildings, the other cafes ... and I was drawn to this faded orange umbrella and the spiky plant below it. (My family knows I can't resist orange - not!)
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| my start - see, that umbrella really was faded |
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| midway and working on the greens and shadows |
Another beautiful painting! I just love seeing each new painting you post here. It inspires me to keep painting even though I am very disappointed when I finish each painting. I know I'm too hard on myself and I try to find one thing that I've improved on in each painting but still ... I hope one day to be able to paint HALF as good as you!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Jeanne Maag
Oh Jeanne, if you could see my first paintings... I look at some I did last year and cringe. But it takes that work, that mileage on the canvas. Truly, that makes so much difference. Miles and miles of canvas. Process, my friend. You are growing; I can see it in your work!
DeleteThis is splendid - not only your canvas - but you have painted a vivid picture of your day, with your words. Your commitment is just as inspiring as your work.
DeleteBeautiful combination of colors. Makes me feel like I'm there enjoying lunch with you ;-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandy. The color combination was sort of there on the building, I just emphasized the oranges a bit more than reality. The colors in that spiky plant were fun to paint; I started with a dark purply transparent color and then added the greens and yellows on top. It worked pretty well. I liked the way the terracotta pot and the umbrella color worked together.
DeleteI am starting to understand that the process is to make a painting, not to copy the scene as it is. Takes a while. ;-)