Winter Light

There was a big, well-attended flea market and paint-out at the Old Mill recently.  It was put on by the California Art Club so the flea market had an emphasis on art related items.  It was very busy and fun to see some old friends there.  Some of my Saturday paint-out friends were sketching in the quiet Pomegranate Patio area. so I joined them there.  I really loved the winter light streaming through the bare pomegranate trees.  Years ago I painted from the same spot in the fall, Fall At The Old Mill, when the trees weren't quite as bare.  I tried some pen first and then added watercolor.  A fun day!

7" x 5" Pen and Watercolor

Pomegranates and Succulents

I have a few sketches to post, so here are two featuring gardens and plants.  I've been driving by Mission Gardens but had not stopped to check it out.  They specialize in decorative arrangements.  I especially liked the succulents growing in frames so I set up my sketching spot next to the curb to try out some pens.

The pomegranate trees surrounding the patio at the Old Mill finally had beautiful red, ripe pomegranates.  We were waiting for them ripen, and planned to visit to draw or paint them.  Fortunately it was a bright morning, making the pomegranates look so pretty and red in the sun.

7" x 5" Pen Sketch (Stabilo)

5" x 7" Pen and Watercolor

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

Old Mill Sketch

The Old Mill in San Marino is such a wonderful setting.  The historic adobe building from 1816 is surrounded by lovely gardens and fruit trees.  The last time I painted there was in January, Old Mill in January.  Since it's summer, there was a possibility of very hot weather but the day was perfect.  In 2012 when I had just started plein air painting it was over 100 degrees for our Saturday paint-out at the Old Mill.  Special events are another possibility there, especially on a Saturday.  Sure enough, at one point a woman told us that people would be setting up for a wedding in about half an hour.  We were painting where the wedding activity would be.  I painted a little more quickly and finished up as arriving planners and flowers started blocking my view.  Plein air painting can be exciting!

5" x 7" Watercolor

My 2012 10" x 8" Watercolor

The Old Mill in January

Last month I returned to the Old Mill in San Marino for a paint-out.  I didn't realize it's been over two years since I last painted there and posted, Fall at the Old Mill.  Also, I haven't visited the property in January before.  The old adobe building from 1816 is surrounded with lovely gardens and fruit trees.   I was surprised to see the the pomegranate trees bare of leaves as well as fruit.  The trees usually shade the patio area so it was striking to see just dark trunks and branches.   I just loved that dramatic view and painted a watercolor from the path outside the line of trees, looking through them.  Fun piece to try!       

8" x 10" Watercolor

Fall at the Old Mill

It was another beautiful day in October for a paint-out with one of the groups at the The Old Mill, El Molino Viejo.  The wonderful old adobe building, from 1816, and surrounding patios and gardens had some lovely fall light.  The California Art Club maintains a permanent gallery in one room so we also wanted to see the current show, The Missions of California.

I've painted at the Old Mill quite a few times now and have posted all of my watercolors and one gouache piece.  My last post about painting there was Spring at the Old Mill.  And almost exactly a year ago, I painted two pieces in the Pomegranate Patio, The Pomegranate Patio.  A visit and paint-out there seemed appropriate for fall 2013.  In October last year, the pomegranates were everywhere but this year I guess they got ripe earlier and most were picked.  I had to add some of the remaining fruits to my view since some nice red ones were hanging over where I was sitting.  Now I'm looking forward to a spring visit.        

8 x 10" watercolor

Spring at the Old Mill

It was a beautiful day to paint with the group at the Old Mill, El Molino Viejo, in San Marino.   The last time I painted there was in October and the pomegranates were ripe.  I painted the trees from the Pomegranate Patio, posted in "The Pomegranate Patio".  It's such a lovely place to paint and was one of my first plein air painting experiences with the group.  I posted two watercolors in "The Old Mill" in September.

On our recent plein air painting day the pomegranates were gone but the yellow Lady Banks rose covering the rustic gazebo was in full bloom.  I'm adding a photo below of it.  I had planned to try painting it but changed my mind.  I settled on a view of one of the old entrances to the mill with the dramatic trees behind.  Just to the left of this corner of the building are some stairs up to the rose-covered gazebo.  While waiting for my watercolor washes to dry I decided to try a smaller (5x7") gouache piece of the view of the yellow roses through the trees.  The gouache dries faster than transparent watercolor so my plan worked well.  The Garden Club of America was also visiting at the mill so it was a busy morning.

8x10" watercolor

5x7" gouache

  

The Lake That Became a Park

A recent paint-out was at Lacy Park in San Marino, which started out as a lake.  It was a natural lake, fed by springs and streams flowing from the San Gabriel Mountains.  It was also a drainage area for the Old Mill which I've painted 3 times now.  But, oh my, by the early 20th century excessive water usage by the local settlers had turned the beautiful oasis into a dried up, stagnate, swampy mess.  As the community around the lake grew, in 1924 the city decided it would better serve the public as a park.  So, in the 1920's earth from the excavation of early buildings for Caltech was brought down (about 2 miles) to fill in the lake.  Rare plants were donated from the Huntington Gardens.  Looking on Google Maps it's interesting knowing the history of the park since it looks like a big lake in the center.

It started as a dreary day but the sun appeared in the late morning.  I like some sun for cast shadows and also to help my washes to dry.  There is a wonderful rose garden with arbors but without sun, it looked sad and shady.  There are fabulous palms but I had just painted some the day before.  I found an old 1920's-era building, the only structure around, and chose it to paint.  I really had fun with this piece and my viewpoint was next to the play equipment so it was enjoyable to hear the kids while painting.  I'll also post a view across a corner of the center lawn where the lake was which includes friends' easels.  In my last photo, the walking loops around the center lawn are lined with these El Camino Real bells.  The El Camino Real linked the 21 California Missions.

The Pomegranate Patio

The plein air painting group met at the Old Mill in San Marino, CA again.  It was really a mill, the grist mill for the San Gabriel Mission, built in 1816.  It was featured in my blog post in September titled "The Old Mill".

The predicted rain was delayed so we painters had a nice but overcast morning to paint at the mill.  One of the features of the property is the Pomegranate Patio.  In September I mentioned that the pomegranates weren't red and ripe yet.  Now in October, the ones in the sun look beautiful, but there is still some paler fruit on the shadier, north sides of the trees.  A few of the pomegranates were ripe enough to split open.  Several artists were drawing and painting the gorgeous lower fruit but I still felt like trying a wider view.  Here is my painting (8"x10"), photo of my view, and a photo of the beautiful fruit on the trees.

The Old Mill

What a lovely afternoon I had last Saturday with my plein air painting friends.  We met at the Old Mill, El Molino Viejo, in San Marino.  This wonderful old adobe building, from 1816, was the grist mill for the San Gabriel Mission.  I've painted at the Mission twice, featured in my post "Painting in San Gabriel".  The California Art Club maintains a permanent gallery at the mill and we painters were interested in seeing the current show as well as painting.

The weather was very hot here again but there was plenty of shade to find on the beautiful grounds surrounding the mill.  In the few months I've been doing plein air painting, this was my second visit to the Old Mill.  There are a lot of interesting views and gardens to find for subject matter.  I'll post my watercolor from my previous visit and my piece from this week.  Plus, a few added tidbits I like to share.

In March I painted the main entrance, 9"x12" including narrow borders.  Last Saturday I chose a back entrance and courtyard, 8"x10".

Some friends painting the same view I was painting.

One of the main features of the garden area is the Pomegranate Patio.  The trees have lots of fruit that's just not ripe enough yet.  I'll be back next month and looking forward to seeing some beautiful red pomegranates.