September 30 in 30 — Up A Creek

Up A Creek, 6"x6", oil on gessoed panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene

On one of our painting group excursions this last summer, my friend Diane disappeared down a path and soon called the rest of us down to see her view. It was gorgeous, and I snapped some photos. The path was a bit too rocky to get my painting gear down, so I planned to paint the creek another day.

And today was that lucky day. This is one of those paintings that I knew what I wanted, and it pretty much worked out that way. (Those days are pretty nice when they happen!)

I'm going to post a demo series of this painting on my FaceBook fan page tomorrow. Be sure to "like" the Cindy Greene Studio page, and check in tomorrow to see how I painted this view.

FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/cindygreenestudio

September 30 in 30 — Around the Corner

Around the Corner, 8"x10", oil on canvas panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene,
$175 available here

This painting was a challenge in itself! I started in en plein air on Balboa Island, on a beautiful summer morning. I was very happy with parts of the painting, but there were a few problems. I've been mentally working on those areas now for some time, and decided it was time to actually finish the painting. I used Julie Ford Oliver's "paint on the glass" technique again and tried out some different options, and I'm pretty happy with the outcome.

Balboa Island is really sensory overload — so much to paint and it's better to bite off very small chunks. The gardens of the homes are charming, and I especially liked the Iceberg roses and grey-green bedding plants of this home.

September 30 in 30 — Clouds Over Big Morongo

Clouds Over Big Morongo, 6"x6", oil on gessoed panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene
$100 available here

A couple of years ago, we went on a bird-watching expedition to Big Morongo Canyon. It was amazing of course, an oasis in the desert and so beautiful. Full of birds; we saw birds we never heard of. Thankfully we were with an Audubon Society group who knew what they were talking about. I brought home a lot of photos, and found this one. I think I'd like to go back to paint.

September 30 in 30 — Foggy Morning

Foggy Morning, 5x7", oil on linen canvas panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene
$100 available here

We decided to ride our bikes down to the marina this morning, and I thought it was a good time to play with my new cigar box pochade. I had loaded it with appropriate supplies, and my husband offered to "sherpa" the backpack for me. As we neared the beach, the fog got thicker and thicker, and I had a feeling that my idea of the Naples Island shore with the Long Beach downtown skyline in the background wasn't going to pan out the way I hoped.

When we arrived and claimed our bench, this is what the view looked like.

Truly. See the buoy bobbing there? Well, look closely. By the time I unpacked and set up my supplies, the view had improved to this.

And that was intermittent. So I did a quick little study of an old boat that was tied up to the dock, which will be wiped off by this evening. Some things just aren't for sharing.

Eventually, bits of the shoreline started to peek out, and I decided to start and see where it led. We were entertained as usual by the outriggers, fishing boats, and other craft, as well as a few seagulls and other bicyclists. 

This was a "process" day, and I learned a bit about using a small pochade to paint from. I think it will be a fun addition to the equipment, especially since that plus my small PanelPaks fit easily in a lightweight backpack. I think I'll take it out again soon — and maybe get a sunnier view.

Oh, and as proof that I really did ride a bike into the fog to paint, my husband offers up evidence.

September 30 in 30 — Road Trip

Road Trip, 6x6", oil on gessoed panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene

Road trip! Throw a few things in a bag (well okay more than a few), and Get In!

I live in one of the most amazing states in the USA, California. Within 90 minutes of my home, I can be in the mountains, desert, or beach — or in one of the largest cities in the country. We take it for granted most of the time, but we do love to pack a bag and take off for a few days. (And yes, the local traffic can be one of the reasons to get in!)

This is painted from a photo I took from the passenger front seat of our car on our way to the Central Coast last spring. The wild mustard was spectacular, and the marine layer was still hanging on the hills. It was a beautiful morning.

September 30 in 30 — Half-Mast

Half-Mast, 5"x7", oil on linen panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene
available here

I wanted to paint an American flag yesterday, as a way to remember and mark September 11. It had a profound impact on me, as I thought of little else all afternoon and far into the night. My husband and I also watched a memorial television show, which brought the impact back so completely. Of course, September 11, 2001 is one of those iconic dates that everyone (of an age of course) has burned into their minds. Being on the West Coast, two of our daughters were getting ready for school when the eldest heard the news on her radio. Our youngest daughter had badly broken her leg the previous Saturday and was bed-ridden until the swelling lessened to allow a surgical setting of the bones. So we were mostly house-bound that week caring for her (it took two of us to lift her to try to minimize the pain), and of course glued to the television. One of those nether-world sorts of times. 

As to the painting itself, the wide-angle of the camera over-emphasized the angled perspective. I tried to compensate, but I think it is not quite right. But I am happy with the flag, which was the purpose of my painting, so decided it's time to move on. 

Again, I am reminded of how grateful I am for a "normal day."

September 30 in 30 — A Walk With Bepa

A Walk With Bepa, 7"x5", oil on gessobord panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene

This is a painting I've been wanting to do for a very long time. A faded photo of my father and my eldest daughter is on my bulletin board, and has always been one of my favorites. The toddler is now a wife and budding knitwear designer, and my dad passed away 14 years ago. I didn't notice until I scanned and enlarged the photo that Emily is wearing her favorite stretchy heart bracelet on her upper arm. She has always had her own original sense of style!

It's funny how the painting developed. I sketched the figures lightly in thinned paint, and had to do very little correction. It took quite a long time for such a small painting, but the figures went pretty quickly. It's the background that gave me trouble. The reference photo was taken in a park with some rather straggly small trees, and people in the background. The trees and people just didn't work with the composition, and the dry brownish grass in the photo wasn't very attractive. 

So I borrowed Julie Ford Oliver's idea of using a piece of glass held over the painting to try out different ideas — I painted the changes on the glass first and snapped a photo. Then looking at the viewfinder, I could see if the design was improved or not. It took a few tries, but it is a brilliant tool. Thanks, Julie! 

Here are some photos I snapped of the process — it might be interesting to you how it went.

I toned the panel with diluted burnt sienna, and wiped it off.
It will help counter all that green. I hope.

Got the figures sketched in, the darks in the jeans and shirt,
and my original idea for the background

My dad is looking pretty good, and I'm working on Emily

Emily is coming along, and I've greened up the grass.
Not happy with the background.

Glass! Painted a brighter sky to see how that looks. Nah.

More glass — painted in a darker background of distant trees. Better.

Added some distant trees on the painting. Better,
but I don't like the little tree. Too distracting.

Glass again. Made the tree(s) less distinct. Much better.

Corrected the trees on the painting. I like this background much better;
it gives context without distracting from the figures.

Finished for the night, but there are a few places I want to adjust.
Too much yellow halo around my dad's sleeves and Em's right leg isn't right.

I'm happy with the final result. Also corrected Emily's hair, and
added some shadow under the tree on the left.

Thanks for sticking with me this far!

September 30 in 30 — Chevy Apache

Chevy Apache, 8"x10", oil on canvas panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene
$175, available here

No, this wasn't painted at a marsh or wetlands, or even at a beach! This was a class assignment, and I complained about it. (Hate to admit it, but it's true.)

We are a classic car family, so I suppose I should start painting some of the old cars and trucks that I see frequently at the local car shows or even on the street. This old Chevy Apache had a lot of fun elements. Thanks to my husband, who helped me edit a few parts.

Anyone out there have one of these?

September 30 in 30 — Incoming Tide

Incoming Tide, 5"x7", oil on canvas panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene,
$100, available here

When we were at Bolsa Chica Wetlands the other day, the clouds gradually cleared and the heat started to sink in. This view of the inlet is full of birds, resident and visitor, as well as sealife. I love sitting there and watching. 

I'm thankful I painted a couple of paintings ahead last week. A dear elderly family member is not feeling well, and I've spent quite a bit of time with her. Then yesterday, two of our daughters came for a weekend visit, and it was totally worth putting the paints aside while we enjoyed them. We visited, talked, swam, cooked, watched soccer, knit, shopped, ate and talked a lot more. So much fun, and I am so thankful.

September 30 in 30 — Summer Clearing, Back Bay

Summer Clearing, Back Bay, 6"x8", oil on canvas panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene
$125, available here

Cheater alert: I started this painting at the Back Bay last month, but stopped way before it was completed. Since Real Life is happening around here, I spent a couple of hours reworking and finishing it as one of my September paintings. Yep, I did. 

The Newport Back Bay is a fun place to paint. And challenging!! The summer greens are so very bright, and next winter that marsh will be golden-red. Like this:

High Noon at the Back Bay, 8"x8", oil on board, ©2013 Cindy Greene
$125, available here

And early spring, it will start to green up just a bit, like this:

Rain's Coming, 10"x8", oil on board, ©2013 Cindy Greene
$125 available here

Always changing; always different. And now, what to paint today?

September 30 in 30 — Plein Air at the Back Bay

Plein Air at the Back Bay, 5x7", oil on linen canvas panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene

I had so much fun this summer painting with my two plein air buddies. Jeanne always wears her red shorts for painting trips (you know, you get a bit of paint on something and presto! it's your uniform) so of course I've been wanting to paint her in them. It was challenging to get the rocks and grasses in without letting them dwarf her. This area is a beautiful deck that overlooks the upper Newport Back Bay, and it's a favorite spot for painters.

September 30 in 30 — Wetlands Sky

Wetlands Sky, 7"x5", oil on canvas panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene
$100, available here

When we arrived at the marsh the other morning, the sky was just amazing. I'm guessing the late summer unstable hot air meeting the marine moisture did some magic. I painted very quickly to try to capture the essence of the sky. This is the main inlet for the wetlands, so the moving water allowed very few reflections.

September 30 in 30 — Wetlands Reflections

Wetlands Reflections, 6"x8", oil on canvas panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene
$125, available here

We went to Bolsa Chica Wetlands again yesterday, to enjoy being outdoors before it got too hot. (Yes, heat wave here.) This is a slightly different view of the same area of marsh I painted last week. The clouds were just magnificent.

My husband got some great photos, including a red egret and a pair of white pelicans, neither of which we had seen there before. Fun morning, but by 10:00 it was too hot to stay in the sun, even at the coast.

September 30 in 30 — The Perfect Rose

The Perfect Rose, 6"x6", oil on archival board, ©2013 Cindy Greene
$100 available here

My friend Leslie picked this rose from my front yard on her way into the house one day, and announced that it was "the perfect rose." We took some photos, and I'm glad I did. The rose is Princess Marianna, and it's a very small shrub rose with pale pink, perfectly shaped blooms. Sadly, no scent, but I enjoy it anyway.

Tomorrow's painting — another trip to Bolsa Chica Wetlands!

September Challenge: 30 Paintings in 30 Days — Balboa For Two

Balboa for Two, 8"x8", oil on panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene

It's September! And I'm joining the 30-Paintings-in-30-Days Challenge over at Leslie Saeta's blog (along with over 300 other artists...).

"Balboa for Two" was painted from a photo I shot a couple of weeks ago at Balboa Island. I had painted a sidewalk/garden view, but a couple sailed up and parked their little Sabot on the sand while they went to lunch. They weren't there long enough to paint the boat then, but I'm glad I got the reference shot.

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Summer Clouds

Summer Clouds, 5x7", oil on linen panel,
©2013 Cindy Greene

Tuesdays have been plein air days all summer and today my two painting buddies were not able to go. So I asked my husband if he'd like an outing (he's a photographer), and off we went to one of our favorite local spots, the Bolsa Chica Wetlands. It was a strange morning, weather-wise, very cloudy for late August. But what a beautiful morning it turned out to be. I shared this part of the marsh with a reclusive clapper rail, who had at least one photographer looking for him, as I guess they are fairly rare this time of year.

I'm very pleased with this painting — since the light was changing so rapidly, and the clouds clearing up, I got the color notes for the water in early, as well as the dark marsh areas. The pickleweed was fun, with all the reds and greens.

 

I finished this painting fairly quickly and started another of the incoming tide. You can see a bit of it below, along with Stuart who agreed to pose. Such a fun morning; it left both of us very satisfied. And hungry!

A New Favorite Edgar Payne

"Marinescape", 1918, Edgar Alwyn Payne, collection of Bowers Museum Santa Ana

I thought I'd share a new find. (No, I didn't paint this.)

Last Saturday we visited the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana and saw the "Tsars' Cabinet" and "Gems of the Medicis" exhibits. We had great docent tour guides for both exhibits, and really enjoyed them. After a brief rest, we trooped to the nether regions of the museum, where they had hidden some of their collection of California paintings. A few are in a hallway, and thankfully there was a sign directing us upstairs to a conference room where the others were hidden.

I love this seascape by Edgar Payne — it is not his usual subject matter (very tall mountains, Breton boats, etc.), and I think that's part of why I enjoy it so much. Payne founded the Laguna Beach Art Association, and this painting is definitely part of his Laguna Beach days. I've spent some time painting in Laguna this summer and find the virtuosity of this wave so inspiring. Notice the reflection of the pinkish sky on the water, and how he sculpted the frothy part of the wave with light and shadow. Time to re-read his Composition of Outdoor Painting.

High Summer at the Back Bay

High Summer at the Back Bay, 8x10", available here,
©2013 Cindy Greene

I'm taking another plein air class with wonderful artist Kim VanDerHoek, and this is where we went last week: the Newport Upper Back Bay. I've painted this view a couple times before, but it is always diferent. The marsh grass will be turning reddish-brown, and of course the light changes all the time. (Here's a stormy day last March.) This week we had the challenge of the bright green marsh grass, the bright green bluff plants, and of course the ever-changing light as the clouds burned off.

Treasure Island Cove

Treasure Island Cove, 8x10", oil on canvas panel, available here,
©2013 Cindy Greene

No, I wasn't standing on a rock in the ocean while painting this — the beach curves around enough that this was my view from the north end.  I'm so fortunate to live only an hour away from this beautiful spot, and to have friends to meet there to paint. A gorgeous morning with the subtle light of what we fondly call "the marine layer."

Grey Day at the TIdepool

Grey Day at the Tidepool, oil on canvas panel, 6x8", available here,
©2013 Cindy Greene

Yesterday was another wonderful day in Laguna Beach. Our painting group decided to go to the beach below the Montage Resort, also known as Treasure Island. Because of limited parking time, we were finished by 11:00 am, and the sun never came out.

But if you know me, you know that's just fine. While I love painting sunlight and shadow, the sea has so many colors and nuances when the marine layer is over us.

I have another painting that needs a few tweaks, and will post that tomorrow.