Burning Off - Laguna Beach Oil Painting

Burning Off, 9"x12", oil on linen canvas panel available here
©2013 Cindy Greene

This was painted a few weeks ago at South Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach. The sun finally burned off the marine layer, and it was a gorgeous day. I painted fast, and snapped photos as the light and sky changed. After staring at the original painting for weeks, I worked out the final touches and finished it this week. 

I like the result of the late morning sun on the rocks and cliff, and the remnants of clouds still hanging over the horizon. I'm looking forward to returning soon. (And yes, those birds were there!)

Just Having Fun

Scott's Lobster, 2.5x3.5", oil on gessoed watercolor paper©2013 Cindy Greene

Sometimes it's great to just have fun. I know I have mentioned before that painting is hard. Maybe not this week? Oh, well next week I probably will.

The other day our friend Scott said I should paint a steak or a lobster to bring for dinner. I took him up on it, and he got a little ACEO-sized lobster for dinner. It was the most fun painting I've done in a long time.

June 6th

Low Tide, Normandy, 9"x12", oil on canvas panel,
©2013 Cindy Greene

Most Americans and Europeans over 40 have a pretty good idea of the meaning of "June 6." The sacrifice made by thousands of men to invade the beaches of Normandy to stop Hitler's march through the world is well known to many of those under 40 as well.

Although I have watched many documentaries about D-Day and the Normandy Invasion, I never knew what a Normandy beach looked like on a non-invasion day. When our daughter Hilary spent six weeks last summer volunteering in the tiny village of Merville-Franceville-LaPlage, she ran on the local beaches every day. Her photographs of the long, FLAT, shallow (and did I mention flat?) beaches gave me a view and understanding I never had before of the difficulty of landing an invasion force. Those men had to cross a lot of beach before reaching any sort of cover.

Above is a painting I did from one of her photographs, showing part of the Merville beach. This beach is just north of Sword Beach, where the British 3rd Infantry landed in their quest to get to Caen. Hilary blogged about her visit to the Pegasus Bridge Memorial here; it is only a mile or so from where she lived last summer.

Below are a few more of her amazing pictures; I hope she doesn't mind me sharing them. I look forward to visiting Normandy in person. Meanwhile, I salute and am thankful for those who moved onto these beautiful long, flat beaches on June 6, 1944, many of whom never went home.

©Hilary Greene 2013

©Hilary Greene 2013

©Hilary Greene 2013

Beginning of Summer

Beginning of Summer, 6"x6", oil on archival panel, auction here,
©2013 Cindy Greene

It's late May and the jacarandas are exploding all over Southern California. They are so gorgeous and I am enamored of them. (And please don't tell me they are messy; that's obvious and I don't care. I'm actually very appreciative of the people who clean up after them so that the rest of us can enjoy their beauty.)

I see these two trees most mornings on my bike ride through our neighborhood. My husband and I have a seven-mile loop that we've found (the fewest stop signs possible!), and I really enjoy watching the seasons change. At the end of this block, we turn and sprint to the next intersection, seeing how fast we can go each time. Four loops and then we head home. Anyway, I look forward to the jacarandas each morning. 

PS: Liz, is this a good Isle of Skye tartan painting?

Just Delightful

Just Delightful, 5x5", oil on board, Click here to bid for Fundraiser for Oklahoma Tornado Victims

Daily Paintworks is sponsoring a fundraiser for the Oklahoma tornado victims — participating artists are donating all proceeds from the fundraiser sales to tornado relief.

I'm happy to participate with this painting. I have a lot of Oklahoma in my blood. My great-great grandmother helped to settle Holdenville, OK (about 70 miles southeast of Moore, where the tornado hit) when it was Indian Territory, my mother grew up there, and I lived there briefly as a child.

This is a great opportunity to buy some art and help people who need to rebuild their lives. All proceeds from the sale of this painting will be sent to the American Red Cross and earmarked for the Oklahoma tornado victims. Thanks for your help!

Vineyard Afternoon

Vineyard Afternoon, 6x6", oil on panel,
©2013 Cindy Greene

Look familiar? Yup, same scene I painted and posted on Thursday. In the spirit of last week's Daily Paintworks Challenge, I painted the same thing two different ways. 

I enjoyed this — I kept this one a bit simpler, since it is a much smaller size. Makes me want to be there.

Koehler Vineyard, Late Fall

Koehler Vineyard, Late Fall; 8x10", oil on panel,
©2013 Cindy Greene

Confession: I really enjoy Fauvist art (along with many other types). Think Matisse, Derain, Marquet and sometimes Van Gogh. I stumbled upon Kathleen Elsey's website a couple of years ago and have enjoyed following her work since. She paints landscapes and interior scenes in bright, fun colors, and considers herself a "new Fauve."

So today, being fairly frustrated with my recent paintings, I decided to be wild and crazy, and paint a landscape in a fun, colorful Fauv-ish style. Above is the result. I put out a palette of brighter colors than I usually use and gave myself permission to use them. The reference photo was taken last November at the Koehler Winery in Santa Ynez.

Evidently, it's not easy for me to throw caution to the wind. Other than using quite a bit of purple, I'm not sure this qualifies. My conservative self is fairly strong.

But it was fun and I enjoyed it. I think I'll keep experimenting.

I'd love to hear comments!

Lavender Path

Lavender Path, 6x6", oil on archival board, $100
©2013 Cindy Greene

I found the reference photo for this painting on my laptop, named "practice greens 2" — I think I took it at the South Coast Botanical Garden. At any rate, I liked it and think it's more than just "practice greens."

Greens are challenging, especially in the spring. They can be so very intense, that they look unreal and not always attractive. I almost always mix greens from various yellows, blues and sometimes black, and many of them also include a red to gray the result. Without the red, the greens all scream for attention. By reducing the saturation a bit, it becomes more pleasing to the eye and then small areas of more saturated color can be used to direct your eye through the painting.

The Sentinel

The Sentinel, 7x5", oil on canvas panel©2013 Cindy Greene

I've always been fascinated by the eucalyptus, or gum, trees that are everywhere in my part of California. The ones that really get me though, are the ones that line the freeways. I used to snap photos of them at dusk against the sky (only when my husband was driving).

This huge old tree stands at a freeway on-ramp not far from my house. It is just over a bridge that is being rebuilt, and I am so thankful CalTrans did not cut it down. We have a major freeway/overpass/carpool lane connector project going on around here (which is making the population of at least two cities very cranky), and there are a few of these old trees still standing and guarding the ramps.

I took the reference photo for this while stopped at the light, waiting to turn left onto the freeway on-ramp behind the tree.

Sycamore Hill Path

Sycamore Hill Path, 10x8", oil on canvas panel,
©2013 Cindy Greene

Last Thursday I painted at Sycamore Hill in Irvine Regional Park with Kim VanDerHoek's plein air class. We have a standing joke that Kim picks the most challenging weather and location combinations that she can find in our idyllic area of Southern California. How bad can it be in May in SoCal? 

Well, the prediction was for 93F, and I noticed the wind symbol on the weather app on my phone. While driving over the hill to the park, I was having to dodge palm fronds and eucalyptus branches in the street. When I found the meeting location, I spent about five minutes picking a parking spot away from the large trees — leaves and branches were everywhere. It was really windy.

My main goal was to find a sheltered spot that had something "paintable." I knew an umbrella would never work in the wind, so I also looked for shade for my easel.

I'm pretty happy with the result. I picked out most of the bugs and bits of dirt and leaves that blew in, and managed to get the painting home safely. My challenges for this painting (other than dealing with the weather) were to paint larger (8x10), and to do a landscape without a sky. Done!

And April Flew By....

Instead of finishing daily paintings the last couple of months, I've been working on studies and spending time on some slightly larger paintings. One of my goals is to do some large studio paintings from some of the plein air studies that I do. I love working small and finishing a painting in one sitting, but I need to move on! 

So I'm going slightly larger in my plein air work - yes, an 8x10 feels large when you're outside with the weather and light changing every 10 minutes. (It's almost twice the real estate of a 6x8!) I've gone up to 11x14 for a couple of studio paintings and I'm aiming at some larger pieces this month.

Above is a collage of a few landscape studies I did in April. A few were in class, and a couple were painted from demos in Elizabeth Tolley's book.

You First!

"You First!", 9x12", oil on canvas panel, ©©2013 Cindy Greene

I watched these children a few weeks ago, when I was painting at Laguna Beach. It was a gorgeous day and obviously spring break for some families. The water was cold of course, but that didn't deter them, and they eventually did get wet. I snapped some photos of them and I've been thinking about painting them ever since.

The emotional tug for me here is that these two remind me of my brother Michael and me. When we were very young, our parents would load us in the car in the pre-dawn hours and drive across the desert to the beach. We would have a wonderful time for a few hours, and then would spend a few miserable days coping with the inevitable sunburn. The smell of Coppertone is forever ingrained in my mind — I've never been able to use it; it just reminds me of being sunburned. 

I'm finding that I'm pulled to painting certain subjects, and then I realize later what the tug was about. Do you ever have that happen?

Blown Away

Blown Away, 5"x7", oil on canvas panel, ©2013 Cindy Greene
available here

As I mentioned in my long posts about our Cambria trip, I painted a few small paintings at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. This is the first one I did, from the Bluff Trail looking north to Moonstone Beach. The clouds were blowing in and out, and I was trying to capture the essence of the scene very quickly, especially the hills in the background. 

This was definitely the most challenging plein air experience I've had, what with the 35mph winds and icy fingers. There were a few friendly dogs and walkers, but they weren't a problem. I think there are a few grains of sand embedded into the paint — but that just adds to the authenticity, don't you think?

Sensory Overload, Part 2

Up the Hill

I decided to split the post about our Cambria trip when I realized that my sensory overload didn't end when we got home. Looking through the photos still overwhelms me. 

Part 1 if you missed it.

I burrowed into some bushes on the back side trail, and painted the grasses and some trees on the hill. There were many tempting views, but the least windy spot won.

White-Crowned Sparrows sang to us; they look like they are wearing bicycle helmets

After I finished the second study, I decided to whip out a third (since I still had some feeling in my fingers and paint on my palette). I painted fast and furious, but it was pretty much a disaster. "Wipers" aren't for public consumption, so it's not getting blogged. I quickly packed up, and we headed for some lunch. Winds were about 35 mph by that time!

While loading the car, I couldn't resist snapping more flowers in front of the house next to the preserve.

A friend had recommended that we try Robin's for lunch. What a nice surprise! Very eclectic, international and creative menu. We had the Salmon Bisque, a black bean and rice burrito, and a delicious bun-less hamburger for me. Oh and since we had worked so hard all morning, we shared a hot fudge sundae with McConnell's coffee ice cream. With a flower.

small photo to downplay the size of that sundae

We then took off to drive up Santa Rosa Creek Road to find more future painting locations. It was so beautiful, but it is a working road with very few turn-outs and a lot of trucks flying up and down the road. We did stop a few times to take some photos.

On one of our stops, I ran down the side of the road to get a better shot of a field, and stepped in a hole and twisted my ankle. I was able to get back to the car, but that ended the active part of the day. We drove around a bit more, but then headed back to the hotel where I spent most of the rest of the day with an ice pack. We did get to Linn's for dinner, which is always a treat.

Poppies deserving a sacrificed ankle?

We headed home the next day, but took a carefully-planned route to make the most of our trip (and to miss the evening LA traffic). First we drove north to see the elephant seals at Piedros Blancas Rookery (check out the livecam here if you can). Here's the lighthouse and the rocks, but no seals. Great colors in the ocean.

 And of course, the elephant seals. One of the volunteers explained that they are fasting right now on the beach, waiting to finish molting. Then most of them go out to sea to feed — the largest males get up to 5000 pounds while feeding off Alaska. They will be back next winter for mating and birthing season. They estimate about 4800 pups were born this last winter just at the central California beaches.

 A quick stop in Cayucos for more Smoked Pork Tacos (I only get these once or twice a year!), and then we went to Atascadero to visit Central Coast Trains. I went in the store for a few minutes, but then sat in the car with my foot up and enjoyed the clouds.

We drove down to the Santa Ynez Valley and made a quick stop at our favorite winery, Koehler. The Lady Banks roses were in full bloom. More overload.

Last stop of the day was to meet our "youngest" daughter for dinner in Santa Barbara. We always go to the Fishouse, mostly because of the location and they have a parking lot where we always find a spot (not so easy in Santa Barbara). The food is also pretty good. ;-) It was a great finale to the trip, and we did manage to miss most of the traffic driving back through Los Angeles. 

(The ankle is still pretty swollen and sore, but improving. It will be ready for another painting trip in a week or so!)

Sensory Overload, Part 1

 

Wildflowers at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve

 Although there is painting in this post, there's also travel. Hope no one minds.

My husband and I took a quick trip up the coast — we needed to get away, and a Travelzoo deal popped up at just the right time. We love the California Central Coast, and try to visit a couple times each year. I realized that except for a trip in January with some friends, we've always "gone north" in the fall. Our anniversary is in November, and we like to travel as off-season as possible. (One of us really doesn't like traffic or crowds. Well, maybe both of us.) 

April is pretty spectacular in California this year. We hit the peak of the wild mustard season, as well as a lot of wildflowers and just general spring green beauty. I was snapping photos out the car window like crazy. When we realized how gorgeous every hill was, we decided to take a couple of detours to enjoy the ride. 

We worked our way up to Cayucos, and had Smoked Pork Tacos at Ruddell's. So delicious. Here's what Ruddell's looks like in case anyone has forgotten. Aside from the tacos, I think the red trash can with aqua liner is my favorite thing, and it's still there.

Ruddell's, 6x6", oil on board

We got to Cambria early afternoon, and went to Fiscalini Ranch Preserve to scout out painting sites for the next day. It was really windy, but we enjoyed a walk on the Bluff Trail before checking in at the Cambria Pines Lodge. There were many wildflowers blooming along the bluff; so pretty.

Monday was an adventure. We were at Fiscalini early, and the wind was blowing. Predictions were for 20-30 mph, so I decided to just paint a couple of quick studies. I found a slightly-sheltered spot on the Bluff Trail and did a study of the view toward Moonstone Beach.

the light and clouds had changed a lot by the time I finished.

Yes, it was freezing. There were walkers of course, bundled up and asking me if was going to blow away. I would have, but I was hunkered down behind a bush, on my low stool. I quickly packed up and headed for the back trail, thinking to get out of the wind. I found a spot tucked into the bushes and set up my gear again.

Multi-tasking, with a blackbird watching from a bush behind me

This is getting long, so I'll finish the story tomorrow!

Go to Part 2...

Building an Artist

Slowly Clearing, 10x8", oil on canvas panel,
©2013 Cindy Greene

Do any of you read Stapleton Kearns' blog? Well, if you're interested in art, you should. He doesn't post often, maybe once or twice monthly, but it's always interesting. 

In March, Mr. Kearns wrote a post called "Negotiating a Painting Commission." He rarely accepts commissions these days, but talks about when he accepted any request that "walked in the door." He describes a couple of unsavory commissions, and his advice to those considering accepting commissions. But the most interesting part to me was his last sentence, which jumped out at me. "Look at your work as building an artist." 

All good artists and art teachers will tell you that it takes time to learn to make good art, and it is hard. There are different phrases used to describe this process, which we all share when a fellow artist-in-process is having a tough time. Carol Marine says, "Paint 500 paintings before the real ones." A few artists have talked about the need to paint "miles and miles of canvas." Kim VanDerHoek says "Painting is hard. If it were easy, everyone would do it." Last night my friend Jeanne and I were talking about how to get through the frustrating times, of which there are plenty. (She and I both seem to cry a bit, and then buck up and move on.) I think it was Carol who also talked about if you started taking piano lessons, would your family expect you to come home and play a sonata after your fifth lesson? No. But when we pick up a paintbrush and some paints, we expect to be good, fast. At least good enough that your mother would want to hang your painting in her living room!

During the last couple of weeks, I've been working on just learning. I've done a couple of landscape "lessons" out of Elizabeth Tolley's great book "The Oil Painter's Solution Book: Landscapes," and a couple of landscapes from Kim's class (one is above). I've also been doing some tree studies, and have been experimenting with some new paints and painting surfaces. I try to paint outside at least once a week, usually in a new place, which is always a learning experience! It's fun to try some of these new colors and techniques, and Stapleton Kearns reminds me that I am building an artist. I'm thankful for that.

Here are the two landscape studies I did from Elizabeth Tolley's book. I have long admired her work, much of which is painted in my favorite part of the country, the California Central Coast. She uses a lot of transparent colors, and a layering technique that is new to me. Challenging, but fun.

Landscape Study #1, 8x10", oil on canvas panel

Landscape Study #2, 6x8", oil on canvas panel

Remember, it's a process. It's hard, but rewarding. And you may be "building an artist."

Keyhole Rock in Laguna Beach

Keyhole Rock, 8x10", oil on canvas panel, available here

A couple of friends invited me to join them yesterday morning in Laguna Beach, at the Montage Hotel, for a plein air painting session. There is a public park and bluff area in front of the hotel and it is gorgeous. I'm surprised we were the only painters there. We quickly set up and chose our painting views. I knew I had to paint fast and loose, since I had about two hours before I had to leave. 

I had my own "studio"

I've seen several paintings of Keyhole Rock, so it was interesting to start my own. Sometimes I feel the painting has a life of its own, and I'm just there to facilitate things. (Then there are all the other times...)

I completed about 90% of the painting at the beach, and made a few corrections and finishing touches today. 

This is on a Panelli Telati panel from Italy, which is a cotton canvas on a hardboard panel. I really like the very fine canvas texture, and they are light to carry for plein air work. I still love the Ampersand Gessobords, but am enjoying this as a change.

Debbie & Jeanne painting their Keyhole Rock paintings from the upper path

Thanks, Debbie & Jeanne — it was great!

Lunch at Lola's

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!)

my start - see, that umbrella really was faded

 

midway and working on the greens and shadows

When I finished, I enjoyed a great lunch at the Gypsy Den (behind me) with Kim VanDerHoek and two other artists. My first urban plein air painting, and a great day.

South Crescent Bay

Rocks at South Crescent Bay, 6x8", oil on linen on board

Last Thursday I spent a wonderful day in Laguna Beach with Kim VanDerHoek and our March plein air class. We were on a spectacular small beach with many painting opportunities. My goal was to choose a simple, strong composition, and not get caught up in the overall view and distractions.

These rocks are looking south, and I eliminated almost all of the bluff. I originally had some sand at the bottom, but it did not really add to the composition and I like it much better without it. As usual, the sun, fog, clouds, tide, shadows and general scene changed every few minutes, and the gorgeous weather and spring break brought in quite a few kids and families. It's very challenging to focus on the painting when there is so much going on (and I'm easily distracted anyway). 

About 10:00 am, a marine mammal rescue center released four rehabilitated seals right in front of us. That was a fun distraction, and it was great to see them dive right into the waves. You really never know what you're going to get when you go outside to paint!

Late morning, after the fog and seals, before many people showed up

Dancing in the Light

Dancing in the Light, 5x5", oil on board

Today I decided to paint more tulips, before they fade away. I spent a few good hours doing a larger painting of the tulips on my kitchen counter in the light from the window. When I finished, I realized I wasn't finished. I grabbed a small panel, and painted the one above. I think I like it better. The light coming through the window turned the tops of the petals a pale pink, such a contrast to the deep red.