Fill-er-up!

 
6x8
Oil/linen panel
Plein air

This was painted underneath a freeway bridge on a rainy San Diego morning.  What caught my eye about this scene was the unique perspective of a high horizon line (this horizon line is above the viewers eye level) so you the view are looking up at the subject.  I was standing on a downhill incline underneath the bridge.  I love paintings that have a high or low horizon lines and it's also a chellenge as well to execute with composition.  On grey days colors to me are more saturated, more chromatic.  The yellows and oranges were so bold in this kind of light.  Looking forward to more rainy day paintings!

Alley Garage

6x8
Oil/Linen panel
Plein air

Painted on a nice, cool San Diego morning.  This alley is near our apartment.  So many interesting things to paint in my own neighborhood of Hillcrest.  I really like the old garages that populate the alleyways here.  In most cases I find them more interesting than the houses on the main streets.  Everything seemed to great for this little painting until the "art" police showed up.  Turns out the guy across the way was concerned that I would get hit by a car from where I was positioned.  I think he just didn't want me there, some strange and dangerous art guy minding his own business.  Maybe my brush strokes were a bit too loud for his beauty sleep.  The officers really enjoyed the painting and we chatted for a while.  After the two patrol cars left I eased back into my painting........ and all was good.  What I like most about this painting is the color in the shadows and the strong raking morning light.

Mini Bus

6x8
Oil/linen panel
Plein air

Painted on a Sunday morning in the neighborhood where my mother-in-law lives in Colombia.  As I was painting there was a sermon going on to my left.  And the building pictured in the painting doubles as a church and auto mechanic garage.  The mini buses down there are very colorful and each one has its own personality in the way they are decorated inside.  And all of them are tuned into a salsa music station for your enjoyment.  In fact most of the places I painted at there was usually salsa music playing in the distance.  But on this day I heard the sermon of an energetic priest.  That was a new one for me while painting.

Overpass

6x8
Oil/linen panel
Plein air

A view of the skyline of San Diego! Well, if it were not for this overpass pass blocking the view. Though it looks like I was positioned on the road, I was just off to the side. Cars, trucks and buses were zooming by. For whatever reason my love for painting freeways bridges still gets the best of me. More to come for sure! I love painting on clear, bright days because of strong and pronounced shadows. This makes for a stronger composition. This was a beautiful San Diego morning.

Mountain Farm

6x8
Oil/linen panel
Plein air

Green, green and MORE green. Green was a big challenge while painting in Colombia mainly because it's a tropical country. If one isn't careful with green the painting can go south in a hurry (done plenty of those!). The big challenge is to add some variation with temperature and value in order to seperate the greens. In real life, standing in front of this scene with eyes squinted, it pretty much read as one solid dark value with little variation in temperature. Not good for the painting. I didn't do much here with value, but instead wanted to seperate the greens using temperature and chroma.  This is a farm that we visited that belongs to the uncle of my mother-in-law.  He and his wife have lived on this farm for many many years.  No road leads to this place, only a footpath.  Such the serene and tranquil life.....

Pance

6x8
Oil/linen panel
Plein air

Well it's good to begin the new year with a batch of plein air paintings!  And actually I ended 2012 the same way I started 2013, painting outdoors and loving every minute of it. Thank God for vacations!! My wife and I spent 5 awesome weeks in Colombia for Christmas and New Year. We got back to reality (San Diego) last week. Though it's my fourth time in Colombia, this was the first trip that I was able to take my plein air gear. And I'm glad I did! I got a nice dose of inspiration. This first post was painted at a little mountain town called Pance, a popular destination because a river runs through the village and a lot of poeple like to swim and enjoy the cooler temperatures.  By bus, it's about 2 hours outside of Cali, Colombia (where my wife is from). What you don't see in this painting is the bus ride.  We were in a 25 seat bus (all occupied) and an additional 30 people were standing during the trip.  Incredible.  I was one of the unlucky ones standing and I was clutching my plein air gear the entire way up.  But it was all worth it.  This village had a lot of offer as far as things to paint.  I could have spent an entire week there.  More to come!

New Paintings

The following 15 paintings (below) are on view until December 8th at Bread & Cie Cafe. They are located at 350 University Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103. Thanks to all who attended the opening on November 12th! It was to chat see you and chat some art.

Pancho Villa

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

Sold

Rose Canyon

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Off Duty

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

Pt. Loma Cactus

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

Torrey Pines

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Harbor View

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Shoreline

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

Georgia Street Bridge

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Smog Check

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Call Box

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Sweet Tooth

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Bug In The Alley

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Torrey Pines

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Ash Street

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Windansea

6x6

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Newspaper Article

The recent issue of San Diego Uptown News has a little write up about my work. Thank you reporter Elena Buckley for your nice article! The issue came out on 12/10 but will run through 12/24. To see this article click this link http://www.sandiegouptownnews.com/ then click on "Arts And Entertaintment" then "Artist Profile". Or see a PDF version here then click your way to page 21. The issue is also available for free at corner newspaper kiosks. Hope you enjoy!

Arrivederci!!

12x12
Oil/masonite
Studio painting

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Cruiser

8x14
Oil/masonite
Studio painting

Sold

Colombian Village

12x12
Oil/masonite
Studio painting

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Fire Hydrant

6x8
Oil/linen panel
Studio painting

Campsite Host

6x11
Oil/masonite
Studio painting

Harbor Morning

12x24
Oil/masonite
Studio painting

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Palm Reader

15x24

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

Laurel & India

4x8

Oil/linen panel

Studio painting

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Lumber Yard

12x16

Oil/linen panel

Studio painting

Lopez Canyon

8x24

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Pennsylvania Street

6x11

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Pernicano's

12x24

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

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Sailin' Away

5x7

Oil/linen panel

Plein air

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Three Amigos

12x18

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

Hillcrest Sunrise

8x13
Oil/masonite
Studio painting

Sold

Well, finally got around to doing some new paintings and they are currently on view. There are 15 paintings at Bread & Cie Cafe in San Diego, California. The cafe is located at 350 University Avenue, 92103. The show started on November 3rd and will be on display for all of November. Click on the cafe link to see store hours. They also have excellent edibles for your dining pleasure!

Silvia

12x16

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

Live Wire

14x18
Oil/masonite
Studio painting

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I always thought this perspective (even though only a portion of it is showing) of my old watering hole would make a good painting some day. I finally got around to it. This place was a every weekend destination when I first moved to San Diego 15 years ago. Wow, how time flies. I always was fascinated with the sign and found it a delight to paint. This painting will be in the San Diego County Fair starting in mid June.

Scholarship News!!

Been having some luck lately! In late March I was notified by Oil Painters Of America that I'm the recipient of their Shirl Smithson Scholarship for 2008. I believe they hand out four per year. The scholarship is good for up to $500. I'll be using the scholarship to attend a 3 day portrait workshop by Jeff Watts in late June in Encinitas, CA at Watts Atelier. It's been a while since I've had instruction from Jeff and I'm very excited to attend this workshop.
Also....
Last week I was awarded a scholarship from the Scottsdale Artists' School. The scholarship is good for one workshop. I'll be attending a studio landscape painting workshop with Matt Smith, one of my favorite landscape painters. This 3 day workshop is in late April, and of course will be in Scottsdale, AZ.
Wooohooo!

A Little Exposure..........

The April issue of Southwest Art magazine is featuring an article about James Lightner's book Land Of Sunlight - Contemporary Paintings Of San Diego County. This book was released last summer. Luckily, I was one of ten artists chosen to have a painting printed for this article. The painting chosen was Alcazar Gardens. I'm thrilled for my small contribution for this article. I hope you get a chance to check it out.

Ginger

10x12
Oil/linen panel
Life study

It's been a while since I have posted a portrait because it's been a while since I have painted one. This was a joy to paint and it felt good to see my friends at the Tuesday portrait group. Life and work have a way of interrupting these pleasures! But we all know this difficulty.

'60 Chevrolet Conversion

12x16
Oil/masonite
Studio painting

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Thought I would have some fun with this one! This car is a 1960 Chevrolet Wagon which was converted into a ambulance. The lights were a later addition and the inside was revamped for emergency use. The original ambulances from this time were higher in the back to accommodate equipment and people. This painting will also be at a gallery I'll be showing at starting next week and I'll post those details soon. It was painted from picture reference taken in Denver when I was home for Thanksgiving. It was asking to be painted!

Point Loma Horizon

8x10
Oil/masonite

Plein air

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Painted above I-5 at Presidio Park looking west.

Breaking Wave

8x10

Oil/masonite

Studio painting

This was painted from photo reference taken at Pt. Loma National Monument, just below the light house. Tide pools galore when the water is out and many cliffs to explore and get lost in. This particular area is a short distance past the tide pools and requires a short hike which starts above the cliffs and zig zags steeply to get to these beauties. A risky trek to take because one false step could spell danger. I've done some plein air studies there also which will eventually become studio paintings.

Panchoy Lane

6x8

Oil/linen panel

Plein air

Here's a little side street in east county, San Diego. Definitely an unexplored area waiting to painted. This area was a lemon grove mecca back in the day, hence the name of the town is Lemon Grove. Some areas still have that farm community vibe with old shops and the railroad running through. Been doing little 6x8's and 8x10's lately and plan to use them for some larger studio pieces. I love doing these small ones. 30 to 60 minutes and that's it, just enough time to work from the gut and not get so caught up in details. This was executed in front of my good friend Ed's house looking east. Been wanting to do it for a while now and finally got a chance.

Bridge Belly

6x8

Oil/cotton panel

Plein air

The belly of the bridge. It's amazing how orange it was. Marian Bear Park is the place, even for freeway bridges. I said it before, but every time I go there to paint I can't seem to get myself out of the parking lot and onto the many trails the park offers. So much beauty there. Tons of oak and sycamore trees. Gruppe would love it. Oh yeah, and the occasional rattle snake.

Tunnel Vision

9x12

Oil/linen panel

Plein air

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My first plein air in a long time, but damn it felt good! Trying to shake off the rust. A grey day for sure. The top is interstate 5 heading north to Los Angeles with a frontage road running underneath it. I pass through this tunnel a lot and finally got around to painting it. This location is at Laurel and India. Would like to paint the other side of it sometime. I'm heading to Colorado for Thanksgiving and I'll be taking my paint gear. The last time I was there I saw my hometown with artists eyes. It's unbelievable how much there is to paint, things like old silos, abandoned gas stations, run down shops and dead cornfields with the Rocky Mountians in the background. Should be a fun time!

Artist Member In The CAC

Amidst all the chaos in my personal life and the recent passing of my father, there was a moment of good news. I was recently selected as an Artist Member in the California Art Club. Formerly a Painting Patron, being an Artist Member has the extra perk of eligibility to submit artwork to CAC exhibitions (Gold Medal, CAC Gallery, etc.) From what I understand about 300 applications were submitted and 20 artist were selected. This process happens every two years. I'm very excited and look forward to submitting work for future events. Congratulations also to Jeff Yeomans, Meadow Gist (both San Diegans) and also to William Wray (all under Links to the left).