Virtual Paintout - Guatemala!

The Virtual Paintout for June 2017 was Guatemala.  I like participating in the Virtual Paintout and always enjoy virtually looking around the month's location for my views to paint.  Guatemala has ancient Maya archeological sites, and the beautiful old colonial city, Antigua Guatemala.  There is never enough time for me to see everything using Google Street View.  I usually try to choose a city scene and a country scene.  And I'm always trying to improve my watercolor painting, so the Virtual Paintout is good practice time.  Looking forward to the July location announcement.

5" x 7" Watercolor

5" x 7" Gouache

Cattails!

On Saturday the group visited the Audubon Center at Debs Park.  My previous post from there was a watercolor over two years ago, The Audubon Center.  I painted there last year but didn't like the way the painting was going, never finished.  It was a very busy morning at the Center.  Quite a few people were getting the courtyard space ready for an evening event...setting up tables, stringing lights, and trimming plants.  I decided to try the view I could see from the picnic table I found in the shade.  It was a lovely view of the raised pond of waterlilies and cattails.

7" x 5" Gouache

A peek behind the Staff doors.  

Mchillinda Park

As usual I'm behind on posting paintings from local paint-outs.  I'm prompt on this one though.  It was painted this morning at Michillinda Park in Pasadena.  I've driven by the small park many times but had not visited.  Since the area is close to the local arboretum where hundreds of peacocks live, many seem to have overflowed into the lovely neighborhood surrounding the park.  There was one young peacock checking us out while we painted.  We've heard a heat wave is coming but it was cool in the shade of the beautiful park trees, painting with friends.

5" x 7" Watercolor

 

Return to Oxy

I've always had a nice time painting at Occidental College in Eagle Rock.  It's such a lovely campus with many great views and buildings.  A year ago I painted this watercolor, Study at Oxy.  I returned last fall with another group.  Unfortunately I couldn't find the other painters for quite awhile so when I finally got started I felt sort of rushed with my painting.  Maybe that was a good thing since I like the way this piece turned out.  I haven't posted it until now since, as usual, I couldn't decide whether to add a figure.  I might still be a little undecided but "no figure" for now.

8" x 10" Watercolor

Festive Playhouse!

A few weeks ago we met at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse for the Saturday paint-out.  It was a year ago when we were there last.  That day was overcast and drizzly, and I painted a gouache piece, Playhouse Plaza. We had a beautiful day this year and I ended up painting almost the same scene, but in watercolor this time.  The festive Cinco de Mayo papel picado banners in the plaza area caught my eye and I had to include them.  The 1927 Playhouse has some interesting features I might try next time.

5" x 7" Watercolor

Playhouse entrance area