Virtual Paintout - Napa Valley!

It seems my post about the Virtual Paintout is always the end of the month.  The locations are so interesting to virtually look around that I spend too much time doing that.  This month host Bill Guffey chose the Napa Valley, Napa County, California.  Northern California isn't too far from me but I've never visited the Napa or Sonoma areas.

What a beautiful place to virtually visit.  I was really surprised by the vast number of vineyards and wineries.  Using Google Street View, I found many lovely views to paint.  I wanted to try one piece with gouache following the workshop with Mike Hernandez last weekend.  The other is transparent watercolor which I'm always trying to improve.  It would be great to visit Napa in person someday.

5" x 7" Gouache

5" x 7" Watercolor

Small Vineyard

The Saturday paint-out group returned to Deukmejian Wilderness Park last month for painting and a birthday lunch.  We had a beautiful morning there.  I was surprised to see bright new growth on the vines in the small vineyard, and water in the debris basin.  On my previous visit I painted a watercolor, A Stone Barn, so I decided to try a gouache piece this time.  The sun kept moving of course, so the 1914 stone barn began in shadow, then it was in some sunlight.  Plein air painting has its challenges.

5" x 7" Gouache

A Stone Barn

In October the paint-out group was back at Deukmejian Wilderness Park in the La Crescenta north Glendale area.  We've had some warm weather this fall but the morning we painted at the park was perfect.  It's a beautiful setting, an old 1914 stone barn with a small vineyard on a hill.  There was another group of plein air painters there too.  On my first visit two years ago I painted The Old Winery.  The beautiful barn is irresistible so I tried it again.  What a challenge it is trying to apply techniques I've learned in the workshops I've taken!  

    

8" x 10" Watercolor

The Old Winery

What a beautiful morning for a plein air paint-out.  We met at Deukmejian Wilderness Park in La Crescenta, California.  I hadn't visited the park before and was surprised to see a large and stunning two-story stone barn.  The French Le Mesnager family built the barn in 1914, using local river rock, on land they acquired in 1898.  It was used as a stable and grape storage for their downtown Los Angeles winery.  There is still a small vineyard producing a small amount of wine yearly which is tended by the Stonebarn Vineyard Conservancy.    

Our painting group had some wonderful views to consider.  I found some shade with a nice view of the barn and vineyard.  The park is located way up a hill so it's pretty quiet with mostly neighbors out walking dogs or hiking.  I had to include a dog walker in my watercolor.  There are also some spectacular views from the hillside of the valley and mountains.  I'm ready for a return visit!

    

8 x 10" watercolor

Vineyards!

I recently finished a watercolor for the online workshop given by Vinita Pappas at Create 38.  It was painted after watching Vinita paint a demo of a vineyard in Oregon.  It was fun to try.  I haven't been to any paint-outs at vineyards but that would be a real treat.  I realized the piece is the third vineyard I've painted during workshops given by Vinita.  There are some vineyards in Southern California.  Maybe it's time to check them out for a possible future plein air paint-out!  Here are the three vineyard pieces~

8x10" watercolor

Branching Out

I finally started to branch out from commercial watercolor painting to "fine art" pieces when I "reluctantly" signed up for an online watercolor class given by Vinita Pappas.  I had already been painting in watercolor for many years but it did sound like fun, something different for me.  And I already knew Vinita is a wonderful artist and teacher from her free online lessons.  So I took the plunge, signed up, and it literally changed my life.  What a change going from greeting card sized watercolor illustrations outlined with a crow quill pen, and exacting pen calligraphy, on hot press watercolor paper.  In the class it was larger sizes of course, larger brushes, rougher paper, more freedom of expression.  The class has ended unfortunately but Vinita is doing an online workshop this month that I've signed up for and will report on here.  I'm still learning and it's so exciting!  Here are two pieces painted from references from the class.  Vinita lives in Oregon which has some beautiful scenery.  

My 7"x10" watercolor after Vinita's demo

My 7"x10" watercolor after Vinita's demo