Tuesday, September 25, 2012

View of the Bay, San Francisco

View of the Bay, San Francisco
orginal oil painting 10x8
SOLD

I was painting in San Francisco and I wanted a photo of a street scene with Alcatraz and Angel Island in the background. I drove around until I found this spot on Hyde Street and then I waited for the Cable Car to crest the hill, into the sunlight. It actually took quite a while. The cable cars don't run that often. It turns out that people driving in cars don't like it when you're standing in the middle of the street to take photos, but I was happy with the composition.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Kalorama Street, Ventura

Kalorama Street, Ventura
original oil painting, 24x30
SOLD

The opening reception for my show at the Buenaventura Gallery was a lot of fun. We had about 200 people come through the gallery that night.  I want to thank everyone who came by to say hello and show their support. I'm also grateful for all the help from the staff and volunteers. I'm very proud of my new paintings and I think the show looks really nice in the solo room at the Buenaventura Gallery.  

The painting of Kalorama Street is in the show. We use to live in the Sea View condos off of Kalorama Street in Ventura.  I always thought the street was unique and interesting, it has Mexican Fan Palms growing out of the street. At some point the city must have widened the street and paved around the palm trees. There's an ocean view at the end of the street, a mixture of houses, churches and apartments. It has a Southern California feel to it - wide street, lots of palms trees, a fog bank and warm sunlight, colorful plants and a 1960s style apartment building.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Mission and 2nd Street, San Francisco

Mission and 2nd Street, San Francisco
original oil painting, 24x30
SOLD

I took the photo for this painting, after I had been to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art with my friend Alicia.  We were on Mission and New Montgomery Street waiting for a bus, when I pulled out my camera to capture this composition.  I liked the F-line rail car with the Ferry Building in the background.

This painting is 30x24, the largest size oil painting that I've done to date.  I used my t-square to get the vertical building lines parallel in the background.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Underpaintings by Ann

 
A couple of weeks ago my niece Ann was visiting from Wichita.  She likes art and likes to help me in the studio.   I had some drawings from photographs on canvas panels and I asked her to do the underpaintings.  She used a thin wash of Transparent Red Oxide paint and divided the painting into three values, a dark, middle and light tone.  After the underpaintings dried, Ann also helped me lay in the sky on a few paintings.  The above photo shows Ann finishing the sky in a painting of the flower fields in Santa Paula.  Thanks Ann!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Red Van on Opal Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz


Red VW Van, Santa Cruz
original oil painting, 8x10 SOLD

I can't resist painting old Volkswagen vans. I ride my bike past this little yellow house and red van on the weekends on my way to Capitola.  It's at the corner of Opal Cliff Drive and Court Drive in Santa Cruz.  They had this old red van which I really liked, but recently they got a newer red van.  Luckily I got a photo with the old van on a day with wispy cloud formations in the sky.
  

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Poli Street 3, Ventura

Poli Street 3, Ventura
original oil painting, 16x20  SOLD
available at the Buenaventura Gallery, Sept 11 - Oct 6
Reception: Saturday, September 15, 4:00 - 7:00 pm

The painting in this view is from the corner of Poli Street and North Catalina Street.  The street is lined with old Mexican fan palms, queen palms and 1920s Spanish style houses.  Ventura High School, which was directly behind me, casts a big shadow in the foreground.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Chill Out Cafe, Santa Cruz


Chill Out Cafe, Santa Cruz
original oil painting, 10x8 SOLD
available at the Buenaventura Gallery, Sept 11 - Oct 6
Reception: Saturday, Sept 15, 4:00 - 7:00pm

The Chill Out Cafe is on 41st Avenue in Santa Cruz.  It's a charming Santa Cruz hangout, full of locals eating breakfast burritos.  I've wanted to paint the building for a while because of the barn red color and it's popularity among surfers.