SMART Train

Last Friday I attended the ground breaking ceremony for the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) Train at the Petaluma station site.  During the proceedings I did a small sketch of the crowd listening to a speech by Sonoma County Supervisor Valerie Brown.  Note the two men wearing hard hats and safety vests in the drawing.

Ponytail Palm

This afternoon while I was waiting for my wife to get home, I did this watercolor and ink sketch of a potted "ponytail" palm. I used a new watercolor sketching kit, based on the one that Sonoma County artist Richard Sheppard showed me during the Healdsburg sketch crawl.

Calistoga Plein Air

This is really old news but...back in October (when I was not keeping up with this blog), I participated in the 1st Annual Calistoga Plein Air Paint Out competition.  The weather was perfect, I had a great time painting and met some really talented artists.  I look forward to taking part again next October.

"City of Calistoga", Oil on Panel, 9x12 inches

On the first day of the two-day event I painted this view of the Calistoga City Hall building.  I spent more time trying to "fix" the palm tree behind the bell tower than on the rest of the painting.

Third Place ribbon

I won third place for this painting.  I was very excited to receive the award.

"Pioneer Park", Oil on Panel, 11x14 inches

On the second day I painted this gazebo in a city park, not far from the City Hall building.

Bodega Head Cliffs

Watercolor and pencil on paper

Here's a small watercolor sketch I did a while back of the cliffs at Bodega Head.  I've tried to show the effect of late afternoon winter light by contrasting the long dark shadows against the bright foam of the surf.

Hogbacks

Late yesterday afternoon I did these two quick drawings in my 3.5 by 5.5 inch pocket sketchbook of the "Hogback Rocks" at Wright's Beach, .  The weather was perfect for plein air painting, considering the time of the year.

Winter Shadows

Duncan's Landing Shadows, 3.5 x 5" sketchbook, December 2011

Duncans's Landing Cove, 11x14", Oil on Panel, January 2009

Duncans's Landing is on of our favorite spots along the Sonoma Coast of northern California.  We have stopped here many times over the years to watch the ocean waves crash on the rocks, or just read and relax here.  By now I have done more than a few sketches and paintings from this spot.  One feature that I have returned to draw and paint is the cliff and beach of the small cove at Duncan's Landing.  Above are two of my attempts to capture the deep winter shadows that are so characteristic of the northern California coast at this time of the year.

Happy Valentine's Day

"Starfish in Love", Chalk on kitchen blackboard

Radio

India ink, reed pen and chalk on wove paper

Often, while painting in my studio, I enjoy listening to the radio, especially whenever I can tune in a good classical music program.  The radio in this drawing is one that I currently have packed away in our earthquake kit.  I also have a vintage Westinghouse transistor radio that I use.  There is a picture of it at La Vie Graphite, from a blogger who shares my interest in radios, as well as manual, portable typewriters, fountain pens (and other writing instruments) and journals.  I really enjoy looking at the photos on his site.

Coffee

Pen and ink drawing in sketchbook, 5.5 x 7 inches

I like to grind coffee beans in this old hand crank coffee mill.  I found it on eBay a few years ago.  Made in Germany during the 1950's; it continues to serve me well each day.  I did a pen and ink drawing of it one of my sketch books.  I didn't leave enough room on the right side to show the knob on the end of the hand crank.

Studio Chrysanthemums, (transplanted to a new home)

Oil on Canvas, 11 x 14" Sold

This still life is one of my favorites.  I had a good time painting it too.  It only took about two hours to finish; which is very unusual for me. (See post for January 27th).  This painting is also unusual because I didn't set up an arrangement of the objects on the table, but just put the potted chrysanthemums down on my work table, next to my painting tools and supplies, and started painting. Overall, I think it turned out alright.  

A year ago last February it received a second place award in a National Arts Program competition in Santa Rosa.  (Apparently a few other people liked it too)!  

Last week this painting went to a new home where perhaps it will become the new owner's favorite painting.

Quarry Rocks and Pool at Spring Lake

Oil on Panel, 8 x 10"

Here is a small oil study that I did of a small pool of rainwater, found along an out-of-the-way path inside Spring Lake Park.  I chose this subject because of its interesting combination of colors, shapes and textures found in the water, rocks, uprooted tree stumps and wildflowers.  I managed to include the sky in this close-up view by showing it in the reflection of the pool.

Keep Drawing

All last week, since taking part in the latest sketch crawl event up in Healdsburg, the importance of keeping a regular sketching habit has been on my mind.  To that end, I have started doing some sketches of whatever I happen to see around me.  I'm not especially looking for interesting subjects; rather, the important thing is to keep drawing.

A few days ago I did a small pen and ink study of some plant containers outside on our deck.

A minimal studio

A drawing with minimal hatching