Virtual Paintout - Montenegro!

Each month I love participating in the Virtual Paintout.  So much fun to virtually visit locations around the world, having a painting in mind.  This month Bill Guffey chose Montenegro for our virtual paint-out.  Montenegro has a very picturesque coast along the Adriatic Sea across from Italy and it's a prime tourist destination.  Along with some cruise ships, I also found some medieval walls and villages.  The buildings with tile roofs, and the many flowers and palms are so charming.  The country looks like a beautiful place to visit.  

These are my last paintings and final post for 2016.   Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and wonderful 2017!

5" x 7 " Gouache

5" x 7 " Watercolor

Happy Holidays 2016!

I think the holiday sneaked up on me this year.  And I haven't gone out to paint at any holiday locations.   Last year at our Saturday paint-out group's holiday get-together we had a handmade card exchange so I'll add mine today to help wish you all a happy Christmas and the best 2017!

Villa del Sol d'Oro

It's been six months since I painted this watercolor at Alverno high school in Sierra Madre.  It was a special day for us to be able to paint there since it's a private school.  The main building, the Villa del Sol d'Oro, was designed by notable Pasadena area architect Wallace Neff.  Completed in 1928, the Villa is a two-thirds scale replica of a villa near Florence, Italy.  As part of the Alverno school today, the villa is the site of school activities as well as a location for television and movie productions.      

Attempting a plein air watercolor of this villa with its flavor of Tuscany was a challenge.  It's taken me awhile to decide whether or not to add a figure to the painting.  I'm still undecided and we've recently returned there for another paint-out.  So it's time to post my first piece painted at the Villa de Sol d'Oro.

8" x 10" Watercolor

December at Ward Ranch

Our Saturday paint-out group returned to charming Waldo Ward Ranch in Sierra Madre today.  We were there last December to paint and we also like to check out the store for holiday goodies like jams, marmalades, and condiments.  Last year I painted this scene near the gift store, Ward Ranch Holidays.  It was so busy with people that I looked on the other side of the main house and factory buildings for my view today.  We were surprised to see the orchard of old tangerine trees so full of fruit that I just had to paint them.  I also included the barn since I like to have a structure in my paintings.  It was foggy in the morning and I loved the mountains behind the ranch looking very pretty and hazy.  There were still quite a few people coming by to get their holiday gifts, and asking me directions to the store.    

5" x 7" Gouache

Gamble House in November

I returned to the landmark Gamble House in Pasadena for a Saturday paint-out recently.  It was quite a few months ago when I last painted a watercolor from behind the garage/book shop, Another View.  On that day I noticed this view from the north side of the house looking south across the driveway and front entrance.  I had it in mind for my next painting there.  The weather forecast was for an overcast and chilly day but in the morning we had some sun.  I wanted to avoid painting much detail in this complicated house while still getting its essence.  I tried a more dry brush approach on rough watercolor paper.  A nice surprise was a newly planted garden behind the garage where I painted from last time.  After a couple hours our fingers were pretty cold.  Maybe some gloves...

8" x 10" Watercolor

Part of the new garden