Bailey and Hermon

Bailey and Hermon are two of our local parks.  I've painted at both parks quite a few times with the local paint-out groups.  Hermon was on the schedule for possible Jacaranda trees in bloom.  They were there at the south end of the long park.  Unfortunately I drove by that area, paying more attention to the busy Saturday park traffic, and missing the lavender flowers.  Instead I painted an interesting hillside at the north end of the park.  Now I know where the Jacarandas are!

We usually go to Bailey Canyon Park to paint the Matilija poppies.  It turned out not to be a good year for the poppies.  Maybe not enough rain last winter.  So I painted another hillside with some friends to chat with.  

5" x 7" Watercolor

A very busy gopher we enjoyed watching

7" x 5" Watercolor

Matilija poppies

  

The Monastery in January

 The paint-out groups I've been painting with for many years haven't been meeting but I have a few watercolors I have not posted.  In January we met again at the Mater Dolorosa Monastery.  The monastery property is extensive so it's easy to find painting subjects.  On my previous visit I painted in the cactus garden, Monastery Cacti.  This time, most painters were in one area so I stayed there as well and painted a tile-roof building among the fruit trees.  We are usually lucky to see some deer in  this area which is always a high point for me.  Looking back, I might have changed my approach to this view.  Hopefully we'll be visiting there again.

8' x 10" Watercolor

Last for 2019~

I had planned to try something different, maybe a floral with Christmas colors, for my final painting in 2019.  Turns out it might be my first for 2020.  So, my last bit of art for 2019 was a sketch last Saturday with our plein air group.  We were at Memorial Park in Sierra Madre.  I was thinking of a sketch of the community garden there but it was being redone, adding more plots.  I noticed the side street to the east had a nice mix of buildings and trees, and wires which I like to add.  It was a cold morning so I decided to do a pen sketch rather than a watercolor.  The Stabilo pens are water soluble so I did add some water to see how that would go.  It's been fun to experiment with the various pens available.  Looking forward to doing more watercolor painting in 2020!

5" x 7" Pens

Monastery Cacti

It's been two years since I was able to paint at the Mater Dolorosa Monastery, Provence?.  I've always enjoyed seeing the cactus garden there but never tried a painting so I was looking forward to revisiting that area.  The garden seemed to be going through some clean up or revitalizing.  I found a view I liked where I could try some backlit cactus spines.  Another beautiful plein air painting day with a great turnout of artists.

8" x 10" Watercolor

2 Parks 2 Sketches

I'm enjoying doing some plein air sketches and trying out some new pens.  Of course they are smaller and less demanding than a larger watercolor.  They are a little quicker too which is sometimes a good thing on a Saturday.  So, here are recent sketches from paint-outs at two parks, Garfield in South Pasadena and Memorial in Sierra Madre.  The sketches were a fun thing to try from these locations where I've previously done watercolor and gouache paintings.

5" x 7" Garfield Park, South Pasadena, pen and watercolor

7" x 5" Memorial Park, Sierra Madre, pen and watercolor

White Flowers

On a couple recent spring Saturday paint-outs we had some beautiful white flowers blooming.  I was happy to get to try some Matilija poppies again last week at Bailey Canyon Park.  I painted these at Eaton Canyon a few years ago, Matilijas.  A few weeks ago we were at Memorial Park in Pasadena where the white iceberg roses were blooming.  Hard to believe it's been six years since I painted there, Another Park!  We've had some beautiful flowers this spring after our rainy winter.

Watercolor 7" x 5"

Watercolor 5" x 7"

Two Towns

Catching up a bit with recent watercolors.  Downtown Sierra Madre was exciting on the Saturday morning we were there to paint.  The city is very popular for cycling groups so there were many bikes.  It was also during a Scarecrow Festival a local art group sponsors.  Lots of activity!

A few weekends earlier we were at the San Gabriel Mission to paint.  There is a nice park across from the Mission with downtown views.  I had a bit of city buildings, banners, and a pretty pepper tree to paint.

Watercolor, 5" x 7" 

Watercolor 7" x 5"

 

January 2019

I finally painted my first piece for 2019.  It's been a strange month so I was happy to be able to join friends to paint at Bailey Canyon Park last Saturday.  My previous painting at the park was Four Fences, a gouache piece that was really fun to paint.  Hoping for more painting time next month.

5" x 7" Watercolor

Two 2018 Paintings

I thought I would post my watercolors from the paint-out locations from the last two Saturdays in 2018.  These were both done pretty quickly.  I was having trouble finding my subject in South Pasadena when I noticed a pretty tree with yellow leaves and some potted plants by the sidewalk.  I didn't have too much time to paint by then so it was done quickly.  And last Saturday we were at a park in Sierra Madre.  I was late arriving and it was cold.  The wonderful trees and bright green lawn looked fun to paint.  Unfortunately, it was pretty cold to be sitting for an hour or so to paint.  Another "quickie".  Hoping to improve my painting and of course paint more in 2019!

5" x 7" Watercolor

South Pasadena Museum just up the street

7" x 5" Watercolor

A community garden in one corner of the park...next time!

Scarecrow!

I was happy to see a scarecrow in the orchard when we painted at the Waldo Ward Ranch in Sierra Madre.  And some pumpkins as well.  There is also a persimmon tree which had some pretty fall colored leaves.  At least I think it's a persimmon tree but I haven't seen its fruit.  It was fun to find a painting subject that felt like the end of October fall season.

5" x 7" Gouache

Lots of old rusty farm equipment at the ranch.