A Patch of Sand

'Dog Patch' 8" x 10" Oil on Board.

This work is named for the surf break called Dog Patch at San Onofre State Beach in southern California. This is the part of the beach where dog owners walk their dogs. It is the surf break for surfers using stand-up paddle boards plus sit down wave skis (which my husband named butt boards).

Sketchy Work

Sometimes I get focused on one medium and forget to work in the other areas that I also enjoy. In an effort not to do this, I have written little notes telling myself to work on all kinds of projects concurrently. 

One such project is to work in one of my sketchbooks in watercolour. To help me along I am also taking a short creative course with summer as its inspiration.

This particular sketchbook started life as a novel. I bought the book for $1 at a local library and use it for drawings, collage projects, and watercolour sketches such as this. To provide an interesting and plain base for painting, I covered the pages first in gesso (although white acrylic paint would also work). The gesso doesn't allow the watercolour to absorb into the paper so the finished effect is different.

Nature's Decoration

The first flowers to bloom in my little flower garden are the Stardust daisies. I cut these three to enjoy in my kitchen (they match my cabinets and tile).

'Bloomin' Lovely' 6"x 6" Oil on panel.

Laying It On

The first layer is done. Standing back from the drawing the reflection looks better than it does close up. Six to eight feet away is the optimum distance for viewing artwork. Sometimes I forget this and fuss about how a piece of work looks until I leave the room and see the work anew as I come back into the room.
I think the reflection will look even better when I put another, darker layer of blue on the drawing. If you want something to look lighter then put something darker beside it.

The Low Down

Here is my latest painting. I have just realised that I don't have a title for it yet. It is of the jetty on the ocean side of Dana Point Harbour. It is at low tide which is why you can see a portion of the beach on the left-hand side. 

Abstract Inspiration

A couple of years ago I was given a Canson Montval art board when I attended a workshop. It won't accept oil paints so I decided to do a painting with my acrylics.

Probably because it was free, I decided to try something a little different and more abstract than usual. I also worked to be less slavish to my source photograph using it more for inspiration.

I am very happy with the result.

'Darkening Horizon' 8"x10" acrylic on board.

Flowering Outcomes

It is good to be painting a little more regularly now.

'Solitude Awaits Below' 8"x10" Oil on Board.

'Gerbera Trio' 5"x5" Acrylic on Canvas.

Day by Day

Finally I am posting about the calendar one of my photographs is included in.

The City of Dana Point produces a calendar every year with either historical or recent scenes from around the city - specifically the harbour and coastline.

I took my photograph of a great egret while on a walk beneath a cliff at a location called the Point.

Season's Greetings

Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas and New Year.

Egret Success

A photograph I took of a Great Egret in Dana Point, has been chosen to be included in the 2014 City of Dana Point calendar.
I'm very excited because many of the other people chosen are professional photographers with fancy cameras. This means that you can do good things even if you don't have expensive equipment or extensive training or experience.

Feeling Blue

This was painted from a photograph of a sunset at Doheny Beach in Dana Point.

'Blue Heaven' 5"x7" Oil on canvas.

On a Knife Edge

I haven't painted with a palette knife for a while so it seemed a good time to take a workshop to brush up my skills and pick up some new ideas.

The painting above was done in the workshop from a photograph supplied by the teacher. It is from Point Lobos in northern California taken when she was there on a trip in May.

I had visited the same area in June, so, back home in my studio, I looked through my own photographs of the area and choose this scene to paint. 

'Rocky Cove' 8"x10" Oil on Canvas.

New Painting

My latest painting 'Sweet Spot at Main Beach' 5"x7" Oil on Canvas.

I've spent many occasions doing exactly what the subjects of my painting are doing, sitting in the sun on a bench watching the ocean and what is going on at Main Beach in Laguna Beach.