I rode a horse, thank you Kathi and I’m embarrassed to admit, I can’t remember your horse’s name … Jack? Great pleasure to ride, even if only at walk, after a two year (I think) break. I look forward to the next time. Don’t think I lost too much. The trot will tell me more.

And I got the paints out again. The persimmons on the shelf beckoned. I made a mess and had a ball. It’s amazing how I get so deep into it that I can’t see what I’m doing at all. And then I step back and sometimes am pleasantly surprised. Other time, not so much.

To beginning again in 2012!

So Fine Art America is a site that I give digital images to, and they offer prints of those pictures to the world-wide webful of humanity. I find the site rather clumsy in its organization, but they have so many images, I understand the dilemna. They will print a picture on a greeting card or canvas, even give you framing options. I’ll betcha many artists are also buying prints and cards from them to sell at shows. I can’t quite figure out if it is a good deal, but it certainly is a great service for me. I doubt I’ll make too much money this way, but every little bit helps! And  it’s nice to make them available.

Take a look and let me know what you think. I will continue to upload images and feel free to suggest pictures you like. I can make most paintings available, even those I’ve sold. I just have to ask the owners if that would be OK. I will also continue to figure out the site so that my work has a better chance of being seen by more people.

I’m considering having cards made of some of my vegetables. Anyone interested in cards?

But first I felt the need to tackle these pears a second time, as a warm-up exercise maybe?

I have been working with the gouache in ways that I’ve never tried before now. The landscapes inspired by our drive into the wild back roads of Mount St. Helena I’m looking at as studies for a larger oil painting. The gouache is great at finding good color and value as reference. It reminds me of wood block or silk screen prints.

I also added the foreground to this painting from several weeks ago…the freshly dragged riding arena, which were such a fun element to the rest of the lovely creased fields.

I’ve been working small, on watercolor paper cards. They are fun and quick and I don’t care too much if they turn out as originally planned. I keep learning from them, about color and value. In all cases, I worked on three at a time, showing you just the one I like the best. I find that works well, allowing for drying time between colors.

The last image is of a plein air landscape I started last week at my friend Patti’s house has an amazing view, looking down onto the Petaluma plain. I didn’t get very far but loved the colors and shapes. I don’t think this medium works for me as well in this circumstance. I might try adding some pastel on top of this one. But next time I stay at Patti’s I’ll probably take oils, though I sure love the water clean-up!

I was blown away watching Stuart Shils doing a monoprint. It’s worth watching if you have some time. I’d love to have the gouache be as sticky as that ink appears and able to be pushed around like that.

I have tried again today in an attempt to further my exploration with gouache. I admit to being rather disappointed last week tackling peppers one day, delicata squash another and not even bothering to post. I’ve looked at video on-line to learn how to better use the medium and not been particularly inspired by what I saw, as I want to work more spontaneously. The tutorials I watched showed the capability of the medium in very tight pieces, not at all what I want to explore.

Though this painting is fairly representative, it certainly lacks the drama the hillside can sometimes show when the light and clouds are at play. It was a flat light day, a day anticipating rain, anticipating change. I’m not unhappy with these results. I’ll post some prior attempts.

The largest of the 5 I worked on, probably the furthest along.

Oh what a great day. I signed-up for a plein air class at Pepperwood Preserve taught by Marsha Connell. It was today, such fun. I choose to work in gouache so that I could make the most of my time there.

Lunch Break

Marsha's demo in progress

It’s so spectacular a landscape it is very difficult to leave, especially since the day morning was quite socked in with fog. It only became clear as we began packing up to leave. In some ways dealing with the fog was great. The effect of atmospheric perspective was exaggerated so.

We couldn't see this mountain when we started

Looking south toward eastern Santa Rosa

I don’t think I am finished with these. I’ve been told to try an oil-based varnish. It will protect the painting and I would be able to work on top. I may even work on top of these again.

Need lighter values in the distance

Not so good

I see some areas I like in this one

Thank you Marsha and Pepperwood for a thorough day off!