Fall on it's way...

9 x 12 pastel on sanded paper

After a long summer of fog every day we're finally having hot weather. I welcome the change but I'm also aware that August is over now and Fall is right around the corner.

In a couple of weeks I have an opportunity to paint in the Sierras with Southern California artist Frank Serrano. If you're not familiar with him, check our his fantastic work HERE.  

So, to get myself in a Fall mood I sorted through my photos from last Fall in the Mammoth Lakes area and started this painting.

Morning Calm

8 x 10 oil on panel

It looked like another hot one today so I headed down to the shoreline and found a dead calm morning. The sky was very bright and filled with the warm yellow light you get in the early morning. 

This painting is available at DailyPaintworks

Popcorn Sky

8 x 10 pastel on sanded paper

With all of the coastal fog we've had this summer I've been taking treks up to our local mountain to find some sun. This last weekend I ventured into Mount Laguna, east of San Diego.

The weather was spectacular and although I didn't find the massive thunder clouds I was hoping for, there were enough around to make it interesting. In fact, I think I likes these little popcorn clouds even better!

BTW - this painting was selected as a 'Pick of the day' at DailyPaintworks.com where I have a digital gallery. You can find it here.

I also did this little sketch of some trees I found in a very unusual configuration.

5 x 7 gouache on watercolor paper

Oceanside Harbor

8 x 10 pastel on archival paper

I spent the morning with the San Diego Plein Air Painting Group down at Oceanside harbor. This is close to home for me an I come here often just to walk and clear my head. It's ironic that I've never painted here before. Go figure....

On this day I managed to bring everything except my easel. Just a minor problem! So I sat on a bench and did this in hand as a quick sketch. 

This painting is available at DailyPaintworks

Bone Dry

8 x 10 oil on linen panel

It's been so dry here for so long that its little wonder that we have so many wildfires going right now in the Southwest. 

This is a painting I did on location on Palomar Mountain. So much dry grass,,,,

Lambert Dome

9 x 12 pastel on sanded paper

I've been daydreaming about the Sierras lately so I pulled up a photo I took last Summer and did this painting to hold me over until I get back there this Fall!

This painting is available at DailyPaintworks