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

Christmas Lights

I had to miss our recent paint-out at a busy plaza featuring holiday decorations.  But I wanted to try painting something holiday inspired.  In December three years ago I took a photo of the home across the street from us.  It's always decorated for every holiday and especially for Christmas.  The pretty lights at dusk caught my eye.  Have a wonderful holiday!

5" x 7" Watercolor

  

St. Luke's

We've met several times to paint at St. Luke's Hospital in Pasadena.  The hospital was built in 1933 and closed in 2002.  No longer a hospital, it's been a popular location for movie and TV filming, including Kill Bill and LaLa Land.  I hadn't tried painting the building before.  On one visit I painted the apartments on the opposite side of the busy boulevard,  The Yellow Apartments.  On another visit, since I like utility poles, I painted the curve in Washington Blvd in gouache but I didn't finish so I brought the piece back the next time to finish it.  I'm still not sure it's finished but it's included here.  So on our recent visit in October I finally tried painting a watercolor of the main hospital building.  Pretty sunshine that morning.

5" x 7" Watercolor

5" x 7" Gouache

Vintage postcard

Nearby Lake

I always enjoy our peaceful paint-outs at the nearby Peck Road Water Conservation Park.  There is the lake which started out as a rock quarry, as well as expansive mountain views.  The lake is challenge to paint as the water moves continuously with the wind and wildlife.  I also like the industrial buildings on the east side ridge above the lake.  On our recent visit, I tried to include some of them.  A favorite painting is sort of this same view but I was closer to the water and didn't have a view of the buildings, Morning At The Lake.  Looking forward to next time as always!

8" x 10" Watercolor

8" x 10" Watercolor of fishermen at the lake

Two Autumn Sketches

I've enjoyed doing more sketches and trying some of the great pens available now.  One of the Facebook groups has a monthly sketch event which I like to participate in.  It's not a competition, just for fun and practice.  For the autumn season I've done two autumn themed sketches for the group's event.  The rose hip, and Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo, berries were both in my own garden.  Of course I add a little watercolor.

Rose Hip

Nandini berries (Heavenly Bamboo)

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

Heritage Square Revisit

It was a beautiful day to paint at the Heritage Square Museum.  It's a collection of local, historically significant Victorian-era buildings.  They were moved to Heritage Square between 1969 and 2005, saved from demolition at their original locations.

The last  time I painted there, five years ago, I felt that my painting failed.  On this visit, things went much better.  An improvement is a good thing!

8" x 10" Watercolor

Valley Knudsen Garden Residence

An hourly tour

Perry Residence 1876

La Casita Entrance

Last month we had a beautiful Saturday paint-out at La Casita Del Arroyo in Pasadena.  There are a lot of views to paint from this location on the edge of the arroyo.  On my previous visit I tried the Colorado Street Bridge from the Casita parking lot, First 2018 Painting.  On another visit I painted a gouache piece from the lower level, La Casita Squirrel.  This time the light on the driveway, the oaks, and vintage lamp post at the entrance gate caught my eye.  Hard to capture the beautiful, dappled light.

5" x 7" Watercolor

La Casita

La Casita and the Bridge

Lacy Summer

A recent paint-out was at Lacy Park in San Marino.  It's been three years since I painted there, Roses!   At that time the extensive rose arbor was closed for renovation.  Being late summer, three years later, I thought the roses would be perfect to try painting.  But the group gathered for painting near the entrance on the other side of the park so I joined them.  More fun than painting alone of course.

5" x 7" 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

A New Park!

Along the arroyo, there is a new park in Pasadena, Desiderio Neighborhood Park.  It's only been open for a few months and I've already painted there twice.  It's located directly under the 1912 Colorado Street Bridge.  On my first paint-out there I painted the bridge, Some Architecture.  Last week, there was a lot of construction being done, building the restrooms finally.  The activity and fencing that the crew put up kind of restricted some painting spots.  I found a shady bench with a nice view of the 1920 Vista Del Arroyo Hotel, now a U.S. Court of Appeals, which overlooks the arroyo.  The new park is a wonderful addition.

5" x 7" Watercolor

1937 photo

Seven Years Later

I 'm surprised to see that it was almost exactly seven years ago when I painted for the first time at the 1816 Old Mill in San Marino, The Old Mill.  It's such a charming and relaxing, and historic of course, place to paint.  Last Saturday was such a pretty, perfect day to paint there...seven years later.  I'm also including a piece I painted a year ago and had not posted yet.  Looking forward to next time as always.

5" x 7" Watercolor

7" x 5" Watercolor