new from yesterday

oil on canvas

6" x 12"

oil on canvas

8" x 10"

I went back to the Santa Rosa plateau to meet with Laura. we dicided which studies she wants enlarged. The largest will be 7'x4'!  I'm getting started on a 30" x 40" today so I'm not sure how daily painting will work into this but it would be good to keep doing small works.

friday night

8" x 10"

I like this one. My client. friend and designer wants bold color. I hope she likes this one.

more from the Santa Rosa Plateau- thursday

10" x 8"

paths.....

10" x 8"

oil on canvas

 this study refers back to another one that I did for the plateau house but I wanted to capture the light. the morning that I first was there we went out walking at 5 am. It was very inspirational. I will continue to work with this image as I'm not sure it's completely right.

saturday daily painting and it's monday

10" x 8"

another study. wildflowers on the plateau. this is a great idea that hasn't just translated into a bigger work. although I like tho cools in the foreground.

will keep trying. 

Friday night and daily painting

oil on canvas

10" x 8"

This isn't the greatest photo. I taught alllll day, turned in an RFQ for a Metro station art piece, then stayed in the studio to work on studies for the Plateau House. I'm learning to see what it is about oak trees.

Then I cleaned up, packed up all my stuff and locked the studio door, leaving my KEYS inside.

Thank you to Sarah Arnold for coming in early tomorrow to open things up for me.

painting from wednesday

oil in canvas

8" x 10"

 Since I work also as Peeps special assistant I spent hours in the fabric district this week. buying fabric, size labels, stretch interfacing -all at the last minute before she starts production. she has all of her samples and patterns. the first shirt is at the factory and more items are going over on monday. in case you don't know her site, it's peeps.org. the checkered top is to die for.

but that takes a chunk of my work time. I wrote a grant and did the replacement paintings for the new signal boxes. now I have to get down to serious business getting studies for the Plateau's Edge Guesthouse in Murrieta. here's a new one.

another try at the international city building in long beach

12" x 6"

oil on panel

I think this one is better

not working and what is the name of this building anyway

Kids in the studio today and I need one more image for the last side for the mural. This is the second or so  miserable try..... the other sides were so easy. I love the idea of looking at the old landmarks. I know this building and it wasn't that old when I first saw it. now an iconic view...  given all the changes in Long Beach, it's a landmark. In my painting it's waving around because I can't make the layers work.uggggggggh. 

and what is the name of this building anyway. I knew John Savalas who lived there in 1980.

new signal boxes- yesssss

12" x 6"

oil on canvas

If you haven't heard I get to do two more signal boxes in Long Beach ( thanks to Jeff for announcing it so quickly on is FB page). I just love this format. Up until now it hasn't been that hard to translate a 12" x 6"  painting into something that is 56" x 33". I had two studies that were Long Beach style bungalows and the people at the city didn't want me to paint peoples houses so those paintings are going to Ebay asap and I'm working on two replacements. Here is the first, the Breakers Hotel on Ocean.

Artichoke flowers

10" x 8" 

oil on canvas

one of my favorite flowers is the bloom that comes if you  don't pick the artichoke. what a sacrifice. here's from a photo I took at Laura's garden.

Friday night

10" x 8"

oil on canvas

this is another path on the santa rosa plateau. painting oak trees is a pain. but there's a wonderful path that goes underneath the trees back onto the shadow. 

here's a small preview of tomorrow's painting

more from the Santa Rosa Plateau

9" x 12"

oil on panel

here's another study of the plateau in murrieta. it's full of those gorgeous old oaks and grass that must be bright green in the springtime. it was sunrise when we walked through and the grass had the most beautiful pink and gold tones.

today

10" x 8"

oil on canvas

my great friend Laura Loring Comers, who now lives on a hillside overlooking the Santa Rosa Plateau in Murietta, wants me to do a bunch of paintings for her new bed and breakfast. we went there two weeks ago. it was hot and we got there late because I underestimated traffic. the next morning, we got up at 5am and took a long walk down from her house to this beautiful plateau. it's all protected- a huge number of acres. I got some good photos and get to go back next monday. here's the first study. just a start.