Virtual Paintout - Amsterdam!

Thanks to Bill Guffey for restarting the Virtual Paintout!  For September the location to virtually find our view to paint was Amsterdam.  Using Google Street View it seems that every single street, as well as canal, in Amsterdam has been photographed.  Of course I could still be looking around such a beautiful city.  I'll never be there in person so I always love the push from the Virtual Paintout to be there virtually.

Watercolor 5" x 7"

Watercolor 5" x 7"

Curtin House

A few Saturdays ago we painted at the Pasadena Museum of History which is on the grounds of the Feynes Estate.  I haven't painted the main entrances of the Feynes Mansion since it looks difficult and a little uninspiring to me.  The Curtin House is also on the grounds which I painted over five years ago, Another Museum!  I've always loved the quiet courtyard in front of the house and the pretty bird bath fountain.  I tried it again in gouache this time.  A man who lived at the house turned the fountain on for us.

5" x 7" Gouache

South Entrance

In May one of the paint-out groups visited Central Park where there is a wonderful view of the landmark 1887 Castle Green Hotel.  On my previous visit I painted the buildings lining Raymond Avenue instead of the hotel, Central Park View.  To me the ornate hotel has so many floors and details that I usually get lost with my painting.  On this visit I decided to try more of a close-up of the bottom few floors with the park rose garden in the foreground.  The sun finally came out on our initial cloudy day.

Watercolor 8" x 10"

Some of the Friday paint-out group

VIRTUAL PAINTOUT - U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

Who knew that the Virtual Paintout for September 2017 would be the last one until August 2018?  It was a surprise to me when Bill Guffey, the paint-out's creator and host decided to go on hiatus.  It was only supposed to be for three months but turned out to be eleven months.  I know Bill needed a break and some time off.  I missed the paint-out.

I was very surprised when my monthly check of the website announced the return for August.  The U.S. Virgin Islands sounded like a wonderful place to see via Google Street View.  The U.S. Virgin Islands include St. Thomas,  St. John, and St. Croix, a lot of area to check out for a painting spot.  I found these islands really interesting to see.  I know I won't ever be there in person.  I happened to go down Strand Street where the picturesque Hotel St. Croix is located.

7" x 5" Watercolor

Lake Flowers

Last month we returned to Echo Park since it is Lotus blooming season.  They are so beautiful that we can't miss visiting to check out the flowers.  On my previous visit, last year, I painted The Park Bridge.  Besides the lotuses, there are also water lilies, and this time we noticed some tall red and yellow flowers out in the lake.  I should have taken a close-up photo so I could identify them later.  We found some shade with a view of flowers, the boathouse, and some of the many palms.

Gouache 7" x 5"

A pink blob of invasive apple snail eggs

Water Tower 2

It's been two months since my last blog post.  I've been painting as usual, so I guess it's time to post some of the paintings.

The Saturday paint-out group recently visited one of my favorite places to paint, Pasadena Water and Power.  I decided to try the view I painted on my previous visit, Water Tower, but this time using gouache.  My small area of shade seemed to diminish even faster than it did last time so I painted quickly.  There are so many interesting views, and it's a nice, quiet place to paint.

Gouache 5" x 7"

Looking through the fence

Geraniums!

The weather for our paint-out last Saturday turned out to be overcast.  In Southern California we usually have May Gray days and in June, it's June Gloom.  We painted at Alhambra Park where it was sunny on our previous visit, Alhambra Park.  One very bright spot at the park was a beautiful planting of geraniums surrounding the Veterans Memorial...appropriate for this Memorial Day weekend post.

7" x 5" Watercolor