About a year ago a dear collector of my work was talking to one of my dealers in hopes of finding a particular painting. There was some confusion because I used to title my paintings with whatever title hit me at the moment. It's difficult, I think, for the landscape painter to come up with titles... at least it is for me! I tended to title them by what was depicted with titles such as "Big Oak", which surely could describe many of my paintings.

My dealer gently explained how my lack of imagination when it came to titles might cause confusion. Oh, I said... and the light bulb in my head went on! And so the title challenge began!!

I readily admit it: sometimes I'm "title challenged." My muse is out to lunch when it comes time to give a painting a title. But I'm trying harder these days. So here are two new paintings with their unique titles: "Trees by the Lake", and "Morning Mist." I checked my new data base and amazingly, I have not used these titles before... I think;)

"Morning Mist", 6 by 8 inches, oil on stretched canvas.

"Trees by the Lake", 9 inches by 12 inches, oil on stretched canvas.

I just want to know the answer to one question: how can an artist feature that their painting is "a California plein air painting" when they live in some other state and haven't been to California in, like, years or ever!? Or they are in China for gosh sake!

Interestingly, in the April 7th issue of Forbes Magazine there was an article entitled, "Pump and Dump" which was a behind the scenes look at how art dealers in China manipulate the market for legitimate Chinese artist's work. The title of the article says it all!

Seems like winter is back because it's raining and cold out this morning. Wish the weather would make up its mind what season it is. This is southern California for gosh sake!!

Meanwhile I've been painting in the studio, safe from the vagaries of weather patterns. Have two new paintings to show you here on the blog. The big one was inspired by a the early dawn light falling on an old twisted tree in Banner canyon on the way to Borrego. The light that morning was breathtaking and I hope that I did it justice! The tree was all lit up and bits of light bounced around falling on other trees and shrubs and all that is in this painting. Problem is with putting a photo on the web and the great variation in computer monitors, especially those flat screen ones. It loses the rich dark colors. Oh, well, I tried:)

The second painting is a view off Deerhorn Valley Road over to Madre Grande mountain. This area was particularly ravaged by the last two wildfires and is wild and wonderful.

"Dawn at Banner Creek", 16 by 20 inches, oil on canvas.

"View from Deerhorn Valley Road", 11 by 14 inches, oil on canvas.

It's hot out with a mini Santa Ana blowing hot air off the desert onto the coast. This landscape painter doesn't like it one bit! It's too hot to be standing out there painting... or maybe I'm a wimp. So I'm comfortably installed in my home studio painting up a storm at a very comfortable temperature. I dunno... maybe I do my best work in the studio.

Was reading the most recent newsletter from the California Art Club by Jean Stern about the rise of plein air painting on location and the decrease in popularity of larger more fully realized studio paintings. She wrote that studio paintings have always been the natural end product informed by smaller studies done on site. She felt that too many local painter's groups focused attention on small studies and ignore larger works completed in the studio informed by the small studies. She makes an excellent point.

Here are two more studio paintings for your entertainment. Think I'll be working in the studio for a time to see what comes of it:)

"California Coast in Spring", 14 by 18 inches, Oil on stretched canvas.
Sue: I received your message:)

"El Capitain Resevoir", 14 by 18 inches, oil on stretched canvas.

My arthroscopic surgery of the left knee yesterday went smooth as silk and my knee is much better already. (See below for info on car accident of 3/13... or not:)

Painting is underway and I'm in the mood to add some larger paintings to my output now. Still love those minis and that 9 by 12 standard size, but am roaming in the 14 by 18 and 16 by 20 inch territory of my supply of canvases garage stored in the garage. So who knows what's going to happen next on my easel!

Meanwhile, here is an good ol' standard size 9 by 12, fresh off the easel of a lovely morning view out at Howard's ranch.

"Morning Mountain View", 9 by 12 inches, oil on stretched canvas.

I'm painting at a feverish pace! Paint's a flyin' as I try to get much done before that knee surgery Thursday morning. Will be glad when it's over. Meanwhile I'm keeping busy with what always keeps me busy: brushes and paint;)

Here's the latest landscape painting fresh off my easel, of Lake Hodges. It's a beautiful lake surrounded by graceful eucalyptus trees. I should paint there more often. It always brings a peaceful feeling to be there... don't know why. Some places just do that, don't they? You get there and sit a while and after a few minutes your cares fall from your shoulders. Know that feeling?

"Lake Hodges", 11 by 14 inches, oil on stretched canvas.

It's amazing how resourceful a person can be. While this landscape painter is awaiting surgery on my smooched left knee this coming Thursday, I'm getting in as much painting time as possible. There's not too much else to do as my mobility is limited. But, as I've said before, a girl's gotta paint!

Luckily, between half finished canvases stacked up in the corner of my studio and a little bit of driving and sketching out compositions on canvas while I sit in the car trying hard not to make a big mess, some work is getting done.

Here's a new one just off my easel. And if I forget later, please remind me that when we move it should be to a house all on one level!! Grrrr! Stairs!!!

Next Thursday, May 15th, my knee will get some surgical attention and I'm really looking forward to that. This left knee is cramping my style!! I can't stand to paint outside, I can't hike into scenic locations, it's difficult getting in and out of the car, etc. Can't wait to get back to work, as I once knew it.

Meanwhile I continue to paint in the studio, and that's OK but I miss the freedom of the great outdoors, being with my painting buddies, breathing in the fresh air, and especially above all, watching the light change the mood of a scene.

Here's the latest painting from my easel (the indoors one). One morning a couple of weeks ago I was driving down El Monte Road that runs next to El Cajon mountain hoping to get a better view of the mountain. It was overcast and I didn't really think the trip would yield much of anything usable. Then the clouds broke for a little while and the wind really picked up moving the grasses all around. It was a very dramatic moment and lasted for only a short while. Luckily I was able to grab up a painting panel and sketch the structure of the composition and then take a couple of photos for reference in case I needed them. Here's the result for your amusement.

"Spring Grasses, El Monte Road," 6 by 8 inches, oil on canvas mounted to panel.

"Where there's a will, there's a way," as the old saying goes, and that's especially true of a devoted landscape painter like myself. This knee that got banged up in the car crash of 3/13 (see below for details) needs some surgery but in the meantime, a girl's gotta paint! The surgery is scheduled for 2 weeks from now and you know me... I can't sit around the house because I'll get cabin fever;) So I try to go out and find scenes that look "paintable". Then I capture as much as possible in my sketchbook and with my camera. I rough out the composition on a canvas and make color notes right there.

When I get back to the studio I have a wealth of information to be cobbled into a painting. As I've written a while back, it feels like I'm testing my visual memory... a sort of visual "pop quiz." That's my kind of fun!!

Here's a new painting fresh off the easel for your entertainment. We were on a drive down by Hamul just before the turn off to Otay Lake when I looked at a pasture on the left. The morning had been overcast but the clouds were moving fast. Just as we approached the clouds broke and beautiful morning sunlight flooded the scene. I had to capture it as fast as possible. I knew it wouldn't last!

"Spring in the Meadow", 9 by 12 inches, oil on stretched canvas.