...day twenty-three???

"Silent Moment"

22" x 30" watercolor and prismacolor

This was an ambitious work for me. It is physically harder to paint this large-- it requires a lot of bending and it took many hours of solid work. My back is complaining! 

But I was inspired. 

I drive through this area every day. Every. Single. Day. How lucky am I?! 

These large cedars live at Daffodil Hill. The young walnuts are absolutely this beautiful in their fall splendor.

This painting will be spending some quality time with my photographer, then will be entered into the Lodi Spring Show....Giclee prints will be available. 

It is already posted on Fine Art America.

...day twenty-two?

"Shakeridge Vista"

This is a watercolor on Yupo. The more I work on Yupo, the more I like it :)

This little painting took two sessions. I initially set it aside after the first session because I was frustrated with my results. Then I remembered that I have Viking blood. I still didn't like it until I laid in the foreground. Now I LOVE it! 

The conifers set off the warm spring colors of the deciduous foliage. I can almost hear the gentle breeze and smell the volunteer daffodils.

...I love Amador County...

...day twenty one...

"Morning Prayer"

I think this one deserved two days of work. Yes, I know...I paint pine needles and leaves. It is somewhat of an addiction, but it makes me glow! This is watercolor, prismacolor and ink on a quarter sheet of Arches 140.

I called my good friend Lulu Kelly tonight. 

It was good to hear her voice and to chat about our art. 

...my angels are singing...

...day twenty...

This one doesn't have a name yet, and it needs more work. This morning on my way to work, I drove through a misty cloud. I don't call it fog up here, it is too rare and beautiful. So far I am liking how the trees on the left are so softly defined. I love the way the sunlight pierces the live oak branches, and I think the ponderosa pine on the right is coming along nicely.

...I love Nature's many moods...

...day nineteen...

"Wild Vines" 

watercolor and prismacolor pencil on Arches 140

This small painting started out to be foggy and turned into something totally different. The reference is a smoky evening scene, with rosy gray hills in the background. I guess I just had too much colorful fun with this :)

...day seventeen...

"Mountain Lion Study"--graphite

You probably know that I have had a close encounter with a mountain lion. In an effort to overcome my fear, I have read everything that I could about them. So now, instead of being afraid to get out of my car at night, I am constantly watching for them, hoping to catch a glimpse! 

I am committed to using only my own photo reference materials in my art work. So being able to photograph a lion has been on my radar for years. Today, I went to the Folsom Zoo. They have FOUR!!! I was so excited! 

This graphite study is in preparation for a major piece...can't wait to start. This female was watching the keepers feed the bears, you talk about razor focus....

...mountain lions avoid FiddleSong Farm....

...day sixteen...

"Fiddletown Coos"

These two shaggy characters live in Fiddletown near the post office. When I saw them today I remembered my new friend in Scotland Fiona Haddow. She paints "coos". So I thought I would paint shaggy fur on Yupo...for fun. And it was :) I didn't know that Highland cattle came in black, but this little guy is adorable.