Central Park

On a rainy Saturday morning the paint-out group met at Central Park in Pasadena.  At 8 AM the weather looked like no painting for us, but at 8:30 the sun was out.  Central Park has a beautiful view of the historic Castle Green Hotel.  I painted a watercolor of it on my last visit and posted it in The Green Hotel.  I like that piece and didn't feel like trying the difficult 6-story hotel again.  I looked for another view.  

There is an old building at the south part of the park which is the home of the Pasadena Lawn Bowling Club that I thought of trying.  I finally chose a view beyond the rose garden to an old brick building across the street.  Reading its exciting history, built in the 1880s, it was Pasadena's first African-American owned hotel, The Hotel Carver.  In the '40s and '50s it was the venue for the jazz and blues nightclub The Onyx Club, later The Cobra Club, where some famous musicians reportedly played.  

I did something new for me.  I took two "in progress" photos of the gouache piece I painted.  It's taken me some time, and trial and error to learn how I like to use gouache.  There were dramatic rain clouds to add as well.  Finally a little rain for us.  

5 x 7" Gouache

First stage I'm letting dry some.

Second stage and more drying needed.