New Years Day painting on the beach

This was painted while at Christensen Cove looking across the Colvos Passage on the west side of Vashon Island.

Airstream

I took my sketchbook and watercolors with me on my walk today.

Leavenworth Golf Course

Blessed with good weather for most of the week this was looking south over the golf course. Done in a Stillman and Birn Beta sketchbook with a watercolor wash or two......

Leavenworth, WA.

Bodega Bay, Ca.

Driving up to the Bodega Head was fun... but the parking lot is small.... and filled up rather quickly! It was a bit crowded due to the Summer time visitors. I'll have to revisit again in sometime in the Fall.

So I decided to drive back down the hill and over to the Marina. Didn't find anything that caught my attention at Spud Point Marina but found a nice spot at the Porto Bodega Marina. I had set up my gear .... and it suddenly started to RAIN! Typical weather along this part of the coast.... So I packed up, parked and painted some studies from my car. 

(top) View at the entrance of  Marina - a boat parked in front of large lush trees. 

(bottom) Squeezed in one more study of a hillside behind one of the vacation homes.

(Gouache studies 4"x6" each in sketchbook) 

Well that was my plein air adventure along the northern California coast! 

I may try for another farm or maybe winery next paintout :)

California Poppies

Went for a hike and came across these Golden Poppies growing between these cluster of rocks.

(7" x 10" Watercolors on Watercolor board)

For the past month I would see these bright orange flowers blooming along the North Bay freeway. If you haven't seen or heard of this flower it's call the "California Poppy" but also goes by "Golden Poppy" and "Cup of Gold". It's the California State Flower.

Gone Fishing - Petaluma, Ca.

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! Here's a snapshot from a recent paintout at a fishing pond in Sonoma County.

The hike was pleasant and the pond was quite easy to find. It was so fun to see all the fall leaves in the background and the 2 families fishing on both sides of the pond. Already looking forward to returning and hiking to the opposite side of the trail and maybe paint one of the vista views.

Psychic Barber in West Seattle

I went with my husband to the Psychic Barber in West Seattle.  He's a great barber, but he's not really psychic.  As he tells it, he once shared a building with a psychic and they both had their signs in the window.  People assumed, and took it from there.  He became known as the Psychic Barber.  The psychic moved out, leaving the sign behind.  He took the sign with him when he eventually moved to a new spot.  He is closed Sundays and Mondays, and prefers you make an appointment.

This is a quick pen and ink sketch with a little watercolor splashed on.

C and P Coffee in West Seattle

I love this little coffee place.  It's in an old bungalow in West Seattle, right on California Avenue.  The inside is very interesting, especially the original tiled fireplace.  But I'm partial to old houses.

There were people singing and playing a banjo while I was there.  Always something going on.

And the coffee is good.

Here's a little sketch of the outside, front entrance from the side.

Go there:  candpcoffee.com

Pt. Reyes Vineyards - Summer Rain!

 

(Watercolors on 12" x 16" waterboard) 

Took a day trip up to Pt Reyes with my wife. It's normally about a 45 minute drive ... unless there's RAIN..... which makes it that much more dangerous when driving through Lucas Valley's curvy roads. Luckily it rained only the first part of the day... which allowed me to park and set up.

During this type of weather I'll have to find some coverage.... in this case my SUV trunk door! As for views, the options are limited by the fog and misty air. I walked around and scoped the area.... off to the distance I spotted a barn.... and a truck loaded with hay!

Usually around this time I have to work fast because of the summer heat.... but working wet on wet with these low temperatures requires some patience to allow the watercolors to dry. I've always had a hard time approaching misty skies and usually over-work the painting.... but I think I captured the atmosphere and how the day felt from Sunday's paintout :)

Waiting for Husband

I went with my husband to visit the man making him a very large machine for his woodworking business.  The man's shop is filled with stuff and boxes and more stuff.  I had to limit what I sketched, but I still think I overdid it.  It's kind of a jumble, but it makes the point.  

This machine is all straight lines and angles and today I couldn't draw a straight line if my life depended on it.

This is a pen and ink sketch with a little watercolor.

At the Water Tower

Occasionally at work, I drive the water truck.  I sketched it while refilling the tank.  A very quick and simple drawing using my fountain pen with Noodler's ink and a little water color.

Tulips in the Rain

Roozengaard Gardens during the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. 11X15 watercolor on Arches 140lb cold press paper by Megan Seagren.

 



The Seattle Watercolor Meetup Group went to Roozengaard Gardens during the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in April. The day was dismal and rainy, but the tulips lit up the region with beautiful color. I painted this while hiding out under the food tent.

Black Point - Old Dock (Novato, Ca)

(8" x 10" watercolors on 140lb. waterboard)

Took a drive down Hwy 37 and set up at the Black Point boat launch. Followed a hidden trail that led to an old dock. While sketching my layout... my tripod cracked and my portable stool broke!!!

Luckily I also packed a beach chair.... and ended up painting on my lap. The winds picked up and my umbrella kept flying away... luckily I always tie down my umbrella just in case this happens :)

Other than all the mishaps... I  had a great time here!

Old Lakeville Road # 3 - Petaluma, CA.

I drove along Lakeville Highway and turned into Old Lakeville Road # 3.

That's right.... there are three roads to choose from but # 3 is the longest road...with great landscape views of barns and farm animals.

i immediately pulled over to admire the ponies! But just behind, I noticed a large group of sheep beginning to come up and over the grassy hillside.

So I started setting up along the fence and comfortably between two eucalyptus trees.

 The sheep were long gone by the time I finished up this painting, but sure was nice they kept us company throughout the afternoon.
 (9" x 12" gouache on watercolor board)

Yakima Canyon Aspens

After many weeks of low winter light, I'm eagerly anticipating the bright, clear days of spring, and remembering the wonderful Yakima Canyon workshop given by Catherine Gill last April. I painted this view of the Yakima River from a path leading down to it from the lodge where we stayed.

Yakima Canyon Aspens

South Lake Union

Several times this year the Seattle Watercolor Meetup Group met aboard the Virginia V, a paddle-wheeler docked at the Wooden Boat Center in South Lake Union. I painted this impression of Capital Hill from its deck, whilst chatting with my fellow watercolorists.

With the Seattle Urban Sketchers

My first time meeting up with the Seattle Urban Sketchers.  It always seems they meet on the weekend I have to work, or some other big event in my life is happening, and I can't make it to their gathering.

But this time, it was meant to be.  It was my off-week, the husband's out of town, and they are meeting in a park in West Seattle, not far from where I live!  I've been looking forward to it all week.

The weather was perfect, not too hot, not too cold.

Jack Block Park is an interesting place.  It's sort of industrial, being right on the edge of the working Port of Seattle.  But, it also has on of the best views of the Seattle Skyline/Waterfront.  I was a little overwhelmed by the enormity of the view.  The hardest part for me is always figuring out what to draw.  I sat with a few other people that were going to draw the skyline, so I thought, what the heck, I should give it a whirl, too.

Can't say mine is anywhere near accurate.  I wanted to get in a little of everything, and my paper was not long enough, so I jammed things together a little.

After I did the skyline, I walked around the park and enjoyed the fresh air, then I did a quick semi-blind contour drawing of some sketchers.  These are the type of quick sketches I really enjoy, because there can be some very interesting surprises.

You can see some of the other sketchers work at:  http://seattle.urbansketchers.org/

Sunset with a Full Moon

I saw a lovely sunset with a full moon rising as we returned from a day trip to Canada for birdwatching... As my husband drove and the light was fading, I managed to paint the feeling of the scene somewhere near Mt Vernon. Obviously, our gray northwest doesn't look this colorful, just call it artistic license!

Sodo Lunch

Lunch at Mac's Smokehouse in Sodo.  This gentleman really enjoyed his BBQ, he was raving about how good it was (as he watched a game on TV).
This is my quick semi-blind contour drawing with watercolor.

Pan Africa Grill in West Seattle

After being snowed in for the last several days, we went out for dinner at a place we've been wanting to try for a while now.  In West Seattle on California is a relatively new restaurant called Pan Africa Grill.  As we pulled up there were the most appetizing smells emanating onto the street, and the place was pretty crowded (a good sign).  The atmosphere was enticing, the walls were painted a deep rich orange, the art on the walls was very interesting.  Best of all, the food was fantastic!  The granddaughter even liked it, although she thought a few of the dishes were too spicy for her. 

Here is a quick sketch I did before our dinner arrived, of my husband and our granddaughter.  She's writing in a journal about a story she wants to tell (that's all we could get out of her).