Poli Street at Sunset, Ventura

Poli Street at Sunset

original oil painting, 10x8

$225

I have several shows coming up soon. In April, I will be part of a group show called "City Streets" at Studio Gallery in San Francisco.  This summer I'm in a show in Ventura called "Staycation" and Friday my Santa Cruz paintings will be hanging at the Plantation Cafe in Menlo Park.  Check my website for details.

The painting above shows a street scene in Ventura, looking north on Live Oak Drive at the corner of Poli Street.  The focal point of the composition is a 1920s spanish style house that has two bronze monkeys on either side of the front entry.  Although you can't see the bronze monkeys in the painting, I believe they were original to the house and they're pretty cool.  The palm trees on the right side add a nice vertical element to the composition.  Like a lot of people who did not grow up in California, I am always fascinated by palm trees. 

I'm trying to push my colors and values a little bit.  Sunset is the perfect time to see the biggest difference in values, so I'm trying to convey the warmth of the light with some pinks and oranges in the street and the darkness of the shadows with a mixture of ultramarine blue and cadmium red light.