Ginkgo

 It's been too long since my last post!  Too many changes for all of us in the past year plus.  I need to get back to my happy watercolors!  Yellow is an energetic, warm color and is supposed to help people feel more optimistic and cheerful.  I did a previous post about yellow, Yellow!  This more recent watercolor landscape was painted for our Saturday group.  In December 2019 I noticed the several ginkgo trees along Huntington Drive had startling bright yellow leaves.  Perfect for a watercolor.

5" x 7" Watercolor

   

February at Lacy Park

It was such a pretty day at San Marino's Lacy Park in February.  It was also the last paint-out with our Friday group before we went "on hold".  I was very surprised to see two people I knew that day, one neighbor and the other a business owner.  They were both out walking the park's loops.  Lacy Park's center used to be a lake that I mentioned in my 2012 post The Lake That Became A Park.  So naturally there are two walking loops surrounding the park's center grass area.  It was fun to see two friends who weren't there to paint as I was.  

8" x 10" Watercolor

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

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

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

Roses!

I did a recent post about the azaleas blooming at the museum.  Today is a watercolor about the roses at Lacy Park.  With the park in San Marino on the paint-out schedule for April, I was planning to paint some roses in the arbor area where there are hundreds of rose bushes.  I was looking forward to trying maybe a closer look at some flowers.  On my visit last year, I painted the arbor structure from a distance, Park Roses.  Much to our surprise, the rose garden was completely off limits to visitors, barricades blocked the entrances.  We heard that a they are rebuilding the arbor supports which are badly deteriorated from age, weather, and termites.  Outside of the arbor,  I found some shade on one side with a view of some roses so I was happy.

8" x 10" 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

Second Visit!

The Friday paint-out group enjoyed Mission Nursery in San Marino so much that we wanted a second visit.  It was a few months ago when we were there and I painted Mission Nursery.  On this recent visit, I had some choices to make...as always I guess!  Since I painted from across the street on the west side last time, I thought maybe I would try a piece from inside the nursery.  One artist mentioned this to a worker who did not look pleased so we decided against that.  The aisles are narrow.  There is a greenhouse inside too which would have been all right but I wasn't up for humidity and so much green.  OK, outside on the front sidewalk there was a small tree for some shade and I tried a gouache piece looking into the front of the nursery.  Another choice was whether to add my fellow painter, Harold.  Instead, our group member, Shinji quickly posed for me inside the nursery behind some flowers for sale so I could include a figure.  But whether or not to add the red metal fence in front of the business.  I decided against it but still a little unsure!

7" x 5" Gouache

The greenhouse...lots of green, and humid!

Lacy Park Roses

I've painted at Lacy Park in San Marino quite a few times now, and one of the groups was there again last month.  I see the last plein air piece I painted at the park was over a year ago, Lacy Park Saturday.  That day the roses weren't blooming yet from their winter pruning so I was planning to try a view of the extensive rose garden I knew would be in bloom.  

There is a pretty rose arbor and I considered a view from there but decided to sit under a tree and paint looking toward the arbor.  It's lucky I wasn't closer since it turned out to be the day the gardeners were doing a lot of leaf blowing around the arbor.  Next to me was a large bed of pink and white roses beside one of the walks.  In the morning the park is very busy with various classes and many people walking with and without dogs.  A YMCA summer youth group was there when we were and it was "Wheel Day".  I wish I had my camera out when a swarm of scooters and bikes whizzed by.    

8" x 10" Watercolor

  

Mission Nursery

I've been able to paint at a few local plant nurseries and it's always a fun experience.  I see it's been almost a year since I painted A Nursery! so I was happy to have another nursery paint-out opportunity. This time we were in San Marino at Mission Nursery.  Although it's been on its corner for many years, it's still sort of a hidden treasure.  A lot of plants and color are packed into the relatively small space.  It's a lovely getaway just to browse.  Because I didn't want to block any aisles with my painting equipment I chose a view from across the street.  I loved the bright green of the building and red of the awning.  Since the group enjoyed painting there, it's on our schedule again.  Next time I'll probably be squeezed in an aisle.  

5" x 7" Gouache

Evelyn's Patio

Our wonderful Saturday paint-out group sometimes paints at a member's home or a member's friend's house.  A few Saturdays ago Evelyn, our friend and fellow painter, said we could paint at her house!  We're always up for new locations and Evelyn's San Marino home is very lovely, just asking to be painted.  The morning started with delicious treats Evelyn was kind enough to have for us.  Of course since this is pretty far from the usual paint-out circumstances we felt pampered.  Sitting and chatting could have interrupted a lot of painting time.  I was thinking of trying a gouache piece of the front of Evelyn's Spanish style home but didn't find shade with a view I liked.  I headed to the back yard where there was a pretty patio with a large oak tree to sit under.  Perfect!     

5 x 7" Gouache

Mid-Century

The leader and organizer of our Saturday paint-out group had a "house painting" project for us last weekend.  An old friend of hers asked her to paint, in watercolor of course, her home in San Marino.  We all thought it would be fun to meet there to try our hand at painting the house.  We always enjoy new subjects.  I didn't know what kind of house to expect to attempt.  San Marino has a very wide variety of home sizes and styles.  I've been on two past paint-outs where ornate Victorian houses were the subject and I was overwhelmed with the details.  So I was happy to see that it was a simple Mid-Century modern.  I thought gouache would work well for this piece.  I loved the tree shadows on the stucco which moved quickly with the sun.    

5 x 7" Gouache

Cool Mid-Century details