Illustration Friday---Memories

This painting brings back memories of driving on I-5 with my brother, and seeing a typical rain storm off in the distance, about to engulf this small farm... 

Lots of painting!

Last week we had a great 2 day workshop with Marla Baggetta and I came home with an almost finished painting the 2nd day. Happily I was able to work on it during our busy weekend, and it's about ready to take down to the gallery now.



This week we visited a new site to paint---Baskett Slough wildlife refuge which had lovely views of ochre colored hills, farmers fields, and a large marsh with geese & egrets contentedly posing for us. Everyone there agreed it was a super plein air location with lots of inspiration & we hoped to return again!



This weekend, my daughter decided to paint a picture for her boyfriend, since he was moving into a new house Sunday. She found a board in Brad's shop, painted the background, then found an image online which she enlarged with our opaque projector, drew it onto the board, then painted it with acrylics. As the "deadline" approached, she enlisted my help with painting the spokes on the bike tires. To say the least, her boyfriend was very happy with his new gift!



Inspired yet? I am! Off to finish another painting!!

Backyard visitors

The weekend before last we had a couple of morning visitors frolicking in the sprinkler. Happily they fluttered about for a while, so I was able to grab the camera, change lenses, then play stealth photographer! They didn't seem very afraid, so after some sneaky peering thru the azalea bush, I realized I could just sit quietly on a lawn chair & they pretty much ignored me. The female was a bit more shy, but the male was content to fluff & preen right on the clothesline nearby!


The shy female...


Bailing out of the sprinkler!



Enough with the pictures already!!

Oh, in case you were wondering, these are Western Tanagers!