Just have to say that this landscape painter has had enough election coverage, emails, robo-calls, mailers, and well, all of it! It's time to go vote now. I'd vote early but the local news people say there are long lines and it's a bit warm out to be standing around in the sun for a couple of hours. Not to mention my knee not liking standing around!

Meanwhile I'm painting as usual. Have nothing to show you yet. Was working on an 11 by 14 from the equestrian area at Mission Trails Park. I say "was" because I'm stumped. In the middle of the scene there is a nice growth of cactus. I liked the cactus well enough when I started to paint the composition but as it went along I came to understand that this painting was all about the crunch underfoot of fall's dry grasses and plants... and not about a really green-as-spring cactus growth. So I had to paint it out and start thinking about Plan B... or what to put in place of that cactus.

Seriously, can we just go vote now?!

It's not easy being an artist these days! Seems like just when people really need some beauty in their lives to lift them up there's no money left. My collectors are thinking about the election and I know this because I get political email from them, on both sides of party lines:) But as a landscape painter it's wise not to let the economy and political circus going on around us get in the way of work. There is always the work.

Yesterday I accompanied my painter buddy to a "go see" at a gallery that was new to us. Actually we'd known about it for a good while but hadn't yet gone in to check out what they are all about. It's first class and was quite a treat for me to see a lovely and large painting by Clyde Aspevig, one of my personal favorite landscape painters. I always wanted to take a workshop with him, but alas, he no longer does them and to tell the truth, I'm too far down my own road as a painter. After we took a tour around and saw the paintings on view, my painting buddy introduced herself to the gallery owner. They has spoken by phone only. He said that he checked her web site and did want to talk to her but it was obvious that he was in the middle of a meeting with someone. She was to come back in about 45 minutes so we went for coffee.

My painter buddy was pretty excited because he told her on the phone that the gallery was moving into larger space and he would then be able to take on new artists. I was pretty floored because right now all you hear about is galleries closing! We went back at the appointed time and I helped her bring in the four pieces she brought with her... and whispered to call the very second she left;)

You haven't lived until you've have had your paintings scrutinized by a top gallery owner! There you stand feeling naked to the universe while his trained eye roams every inch of your work. GULP! It is the worst kind of torture! But my buddy made it through and is to talk to him at the first of the year, so he must have liked what he saw. And that's great news to all of us out there painting and giving it our all: there is more than an ice cube's chance in hell in this dreary and dismal economy someone somewhere is making it rain! Go Gallery Dude!! Chris, you totally ROCK!

I took another photo of my latest painting, "Torrey Pines Cliffs". I knew the color wasn't correct on it but couldn't figure out what the problem actually was. Finally got it! There, that looks right!

"Torrey Pines Cliffs", 20 by 20 inches, oil on canvas.

OK, have some updated information about the gallery of which I recently wrote. Ownership has changed hands and a new guy is at the helm. Actually it's Tom the framer and I couldn't be happier! Was quite sad to think that the gallery bit the dust so this reinvention is makin' me happy! All the best wishes to Tom and his crew;)

After the gallery debacle (see posting just below) I really didn't feel like going out to the opening for the local arts group where two of my paintings were juried in. I just wanted to go hide in a closet with a bottle of some adult wound-soothing substance like Absolute and one olive (a veggie). But that's not my style. Instead I met two artists friends for Happy Hour in Balboa Park near where the opening was. Happy Hour was too loud so we sat on uncomfortable stools shouting at each other. Therese brought photos of her newly stained and polished concrete floors (she pulled up all the carpeting!) So cool! And Denise showed off her new business cards that are the best artist's bus cards I've ever seen. Then we finished up the shared calamari appetizer and walked over to the opening.

About the opening... well what did I expect? It was the same-old-same-old that I remember from over 10 years ago which was the last time I paid dues and entered juried shows. The art on the walls has progressed ... a bit. Perhaps the jurors are a bit more enlightened as to what makes a truly good show and we have (thankfully) exited the ugly era of "juror as artist/author" making a "creative statement" with his/her selections. Now that would be true progress!!

Many of the faces were the same but a bit older. The artists still wear too much black to openings and look like sales help in department stores to my eye. And there is always a barely 20 young woman in a too a dress that's uncomfortably low cut (ooops! she popped out!) and too short to let her sit down;) And sure enough, the guy artists bump into each other cause they are looking at her. It did make me laugh and is fun to watch, I must confess!

I left rather soon after getting there and taking a once-around of the show. The larger of my two paintings wasn't at all well lit so that was disappointing. But the other looked rather nice in the grouping of small paintings.

Seriously, I only went for the calamari!

I had a gallery representing my painting. For about 8 weeks. It was a local San Diego gallery run by two lovely young people who, it seemed, had come into some money. My painting buddy and I tried to help them out by referring the very best San Diego artists. You see right now this thing about the economy is pretty ugly... and a lot of really good artists have lost their galleries. So there was a veritable wealth of artists without gallery representation.

The whole saga started when my painting buddy called saying that she had a lead on a new gallery. So we went over and talked to the owner and decided that, what the heck, nothing else was going on in the art world right now, so we'd give it a try.

They framed up 9 of my paintings taken in on consignment... the framer was top shelf. They had an opening and a ribbon cutting ceremony. Business started walking right in the door and the outlook was rosy! I even sold a couple of things.

Yesterday a little after 11AM my painting buddy phoned with urgency in her voice. "Did you see that email?" No, I had not so I ran to the computer instinctively knowing that it probably wasn't good news. The email stated in just two sentences that yesterday was going to be the last day the gallery was open: the gallery was closing permanently. I was SHOCKED!!

Maybe you know and maybe you don't but there are scores of stories about how galleries close their doors and artists never get back the work or compensation for it. A truck simply pulls up in the night and ushers away all the contents of the gallery. So my buddy and I drove over there (OK, so I might have been speeding) and were relieved to find the gallery doors were open. Whew!

We parked right up close and loaded up our vehicles as fast as we could. That's what happens in the world of consignment art: if the gallery goes under... you run in and grab up your stuff. You never know when an angry owner or bill collector is going to wrestle you down for your own art.

Once my own work was safely in the car I went after my other friend's mixed media work and got them out. One other painter I know also had work in the gallery but my car was overloaded so I called her and left a couple of messages telling what happened and to get over there right away. My painter buddy loaded her van to the max and managed to squeeze in everything.

The owner shouted out nasty words about how she was going to sue us for the unpaid bills for framing. So after the art was secured we went back in and "made nice" while we negotiated the final framing bills. Never burn any bridges, I say... not only is it bad business, it's bad Karma.

I feel drained today. Too drained to paint and that's a real low point for me. But hey, I have my art back and it is nicely framed. Things could be way worse. I'm going for coffee. I'll be back on Monday.

This landscape painter is working a bit larger now and I really do like it. Just about finished with this one of Torry Pines Cliffs, below. If you scroll down you can see it in the beginning, the middle and now at the end.

The cliffs are interesting and every year there is at least one person who looses their life while walking at the base along the beach. The face of the cliffs looks so formidable one can hardly imagine how fragile they really are. Check out this link to read more about it: http://www.torreypine.org/geology/geology.html

I think that's what interested me the most about the cliffs: they appear so strong and permanent but are constantly changing due to wind and water.

We move here to southern California from the west coast of Florida over 16 years ago. Seems like yesterday as time flies away. The light today was as perfect as fall light can ever get. We awoke to see the ocean a deep blue and a razor sharp horizon at its edge. Morning stars were going with every minute that past. A perfect morning.

I remember when we moved her we commented how bright it was. We kept on saying that it was the brightest light we had ever seen! The light here is like no other, I think. Of course I'll readily admit to not having traveled to every corner of the world but to enough places to know some really amazing light when I see it. I love this light here in southern California... a landscape painter's dream.

This landscape painter hasn't regularly entered juried shows in ages. Back around 1995 or so I did enter them for a couple of years. Got in a lot and then it came to be that I was invited to exhibit in as many shows as I could handle. Then I took a really long break while the work simmered on the back burner.

After exiting eBay (story below) I thought again of juried shows. It can be a pain entering them: waiting to hear if you got in, entry fees, and never knowing in advance what the juror is looking for. All the while you hope and pray that they take good care of that expensive frame that shows the work off to best advantage!

With the proverbial gun to my head, I "made myself" hop on board the juried show express train. (Too many metaphors but that's the kind of mood I'm in... sorry about that!) I re-joined the San Diego Art Institute and entered the first show on their schedule. I just missed an opportunity to enter the Regional which can be an excellent show with nice money awards. So last week I drove on down to Balboa Park and dropped of my two entries. Then I kinda forgot about it.

Well, yesterday I received the call that BOTH of my paintings got in! Now let me express again what a crap-shoot entering these things is. The jurors show up and sort through all the assembled art work in an effort to put together a cohesive show that hopefully interests viewers. 

Being a juror is an unenviable assignment and I never want to do it! You have no possibility of making all involved happy. Those who are not selected will be upset, even angry at you and sometimes question your sanity... to your face... at the opening! Everyone at the opening will try in vein to figure what you had in mind: a theme, a style, a feeling, a whatever. Second-guesses and Monday morning evaluations are fair game.

I haven't a clue why the juror selected my two paintings and probably never will. But here they are, below. If you are in the area Friday October 17 between 6 and 8pm, please stop by and check out the show. And if you are a mind reader and figure out what the poor juror had in mind, be sure to tell me;) I'm just glad these paintings got in!

"Canyon in Spring", 6 by 8 inches, oil on canvas on panel.

"Yesterday's Pastures", 16 by 20 inches, oil on canvas.

This landscape painter is in the studio these days working out the many assorted problems associated with larger painting projects. Out on location the spirit of the view and moving light hastens the work along. Decisions about composition and color palette are made on the fly. Back in the studio, planning out and bring a large painting to a successful completion presents a whole different set of logistics.

Here's an example of work on my easel at the moment. The subject is Torrey Pines Cliffs, 20 by 20 inches, a very dramatic view. Sorry about the glare in the middle and the dark edges but I took the snapshot in the studio and not in daylight. As you can see, it's coming along... and I'm really enjoying painting this one! Lots of opportunity to play with color. Below is the same painting with only the drawing in place. And don't even ask: I never, ever use a projector or trace... where's the fun in that!

This landscape painter has sold some of my paintings directly to collectors on eBay for the last three-plus years, totaling over 350 paintings of various sizes. Over time I came to understand what interested collectors most. It always amused me when a painting I wasn't overly fond of found a big audience and lots of bidders. My interests in subject matter grew as I came to see my work through collectors' eyes.

eBay worked for me for a number of years and collectors had confidence that however they saw a painting on their computer monitors, the real thing would please them even more. A 14 day money back guarantee encouraged people to take a chance. I thank all who bid and especially those who won auctions for my paintings. We had a wild ride together!

Lately the bad economy has tightened all of our belts and made us collectively uneasy. eBay is not the place to be for me and my paintings at the moment. I've closed my eBay store and am limiting my exposure to those high eBay fees that cause some folks to dub it "Feebay".

It's as though the universe was writing on the walls when the last auction bidder won a nice 9 by 12 inch painting for a very low price and then didn't pay. Oh, well... it's probably past time to move on.

Recently I've been working on larger paintings. That requires an investment of time and effort such that the resulting painting is really too big and detailed to be offered on eBay or over the internet: you have to see them in person to appreciate them.

If you found me through eBay please know that I will likely list some "buy it now/ or best offer" auctions every once in a while for smaller paintings. Feel free to make an offer if you see something you like. Really, a girl can't just give up all that eBay fun cold turkey!

The last eBay painting... a crazy-low final bid, bidder didn't pay.

Hey, check it out: my new web site is up and running. And all the words were spell checked too;) I really like this web site because you can find available paintings and buy them!

Locate the web site at: www.DianeWeintraub.com