Crystal Springs Experiment, 8x10 inches, pastel, available.

I experimented with a new substrate for this painting... It is a pumice gesso painted onto masonite. The texture is far to rough to take a definitive line, hence the interesting foggy look of the painting. The rough texture of the substrate helps the warm undertone to shine through. I am undecided about the effect. I am planning on trying a few more, maybe thinning the gesso so that it does not have such a strong texture.

Crystal Springs Morning, 3.5x3.5 inches, pastel, available.

I find that working small helps me to abstract the landscape, and focus on the quality of light rather than careful detail.

Morning Lake, 10x10 inches, pastel, available.

Early Morning is a special time to paint, especially reflections that are still because the fresh air is unruffled by the day's wind.

Bright Creek, 6x8 inches, pastel, nfs.

This painting was done in a creekbed by a busy road in Sierra City. The painting came out surprisingly peaceful for all the racket.

One Wave, 6x8 inches, pastel, $250 unframed.

Cattle Pond, 12 x 13 inches, pastel

These cattle ponds are common scenes on the coast by Half Moon Bay. I like the tranquility and calm anticipation of the scene.

Yosemite Icon, 6x6 inches, pastel, $250 unframed

My blog has been quiet for a few days, and that is because I was in Yosemite painting the fall colours. Here is a small painting that is just what one would expect from such a trip.
Please check out my website for other paintings that I did during my foray into the high country.

New Baby Sketch, 5x5 inches, pastel

This is a painting I did from photos of a friend with her new baby, we estimated at the time that the baby was about on his 10,000 breath of air. I did a larger work from this sketch.

Morro Rock, 3x5 inches, pastel

I love the color harmonies here. This painting is an excerpt from a larger painting that I cut down. It was greatly improved by cropping it.

Nightfall II, 5x6 inches, pastel.

Here is another take on a sketch that I pasted in below.
It may be shaping up. I might try one in an orange red palette.

Beach in Fog, 6x8 inches, pastel.

This small painting is a bit of an experiment. I am looking for the visual tension that I love in Wolf Kahn's work. I want the painting to be about atmosphere and the air between me and the subject.

San Gregorio Farm, 6x8 inches, pastel

This painting was done in San Gregorio. I like the painterly spunkiness of it. I visited this small town as a young child to buy candy from a general goods store that also at the time carried saddles and grease for a tractor and cattle feed. They still have candy bars, and live music on Sundays, but no cast iron pots or spurs.

Nightfall, 6x6 inches, pastel

Blog Painting # 1. This image has been hovering in my mind, so I put it down to see what it actually looks like. I watched this scene while painting another painting, and it has been haunting me. I will try a few other variation sketches.