Cable Car on Hyde Street 2

Cable Car on Hyde Street 2

8x10 original oil painting

SOLD

My mom and sister were visiting recently and we made a trip to San Francisco to ride a cable car.  It's a very popular attraction for tourists and since it was a beautiful day, the lines were long.

When the cable car was first introduced in San Francisco in 1873, it was state-of-the-art public transportation. Through the early 20th century, the system expanded until buses were introduced and support for the cable car system waned. The cable cars were almost shut down in 1947.

This composition shows the Powell-Hyde line with its views from Hyde Street, with the San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz in the background.  The line, one of three still in service, begins at the Powell-Market turntable and runs over Nob and Russian hills before ending at Aquatic Park near Ghiradelli Square.  It's still worth the price of admission just for the view, even if you really don't have anywhere to go.

New Website Design

I've redesigned my website and it's almost finished. I still have more paintings to add to the site. Take a preview look at my new site at www.katherinemcguire.com  Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions for the website.

This semester I've been taking "Web Design II" at Canada College from Professor Khazar.  It's an excellent class, I highly recommend it.

Nob Hill, San Francisco

Nob Hill, San Francisco

6x8 original oil painting

SOLD

Nob Hill is an affluent district of San Francisco centered at the intersection of California and Powell streets.  It is one of San Francisco's original "Seven Hills."  Because of the views and its central position, early on Nob Hill became an exclusive enclave of the rich and famous, including Leland Stanford, founder of Stanford University.

Driving in San Francisco may be challenging, but it's nothing compared to parking.  Carry plenty of quarters, give yourself extra time to find a parking space, and always curb your wheels when parallel parking on a hill (unless you like tickets).

Although this piece may appear to be about parking, actually I was attracted to the composition because of the sloping angle of the street against the tall building in the background.  The unusual way the cars are parked provides a focal point for the composition.

San Francisco Street 2

San Francisco Street 2

8x10 original oil painting

SOLD

Steep rolling hills, a dense eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture and stunning views of the Pacific and Bay, make the roughly seven mile square that is San Francisco, one of the world's most visually interesting cities.

I have long been drawn to street scene compositions. I have always been intrigued by the juxtaposition of the natural and the man-made. I find that the contrast of the tall buildings, and the long shadows that they cast, with the softness and color of the natural elements, like trees and bushes, brings both tension and harmony to the composition.