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Spring Travels, Summer Shows
It has been a painting spring for me. Trips to Pinnacles National Park, Big Sur and the Colorado mountains have filled my creative spirit and canvases.
Now, back in the studio, it is time to focus on those larger paintings. But first I'm very excited to tell you a bit about my travels and plein air paintings.
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Spring Flow, oil, 12x16 Pinnacles National Park.
I traveled to this park with another artist, my friend Maggie, during the middle of April. Water was flowing in the creek on the East side of the Park, where we enjoyed our first afternoon. I was attracted by the pattern of the river as it flowed away from the peaks and by the variety of greens in the foliage. The lupine here were budded but not yet in full bloom.
The trick to visiting Pinnacles N. P. is to find a time between the winter rain and the summer heat, when the wildflowers are blooming. Our timing was good. Exploring and painting for three days in and around the park, we found rolling hills of vineyards and pasture land with dilapidated barns. We also found a little restaurant at the Tres Pinos Inn that served delicious food. Our accommodations at an olive oil ranch served as an anchor for rest and reflection.
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I also painted Spring Surprise (11x14), near the park entry, where we found a large patch of Bush Lupine.
Spring Surprise has been selected by art juror Joaquin Turner for the 2024 Signature Exhibit of the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters.
Exhibit is on view from July 5th thru August 29th, 2024 at the Pacific Grove Art Center, Annand Gallery, 568 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove, California
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This area of our California Coast never fails to inspire me, even with foggy mornings. This was my twelfth year to share this late spring outing with the same 8 artist friends. We inspire each other and find new haunts to paint. Being close to our destination for painting allows us to see that time of day when the sun is just rising over the mountains and shedding warmth on the coast. | |
Of course we dress in many layers as the weather can be quite chilly. The wind usually comes up about 11am which gives us time for morning painting before our easels risk being blown over.
The week before this retreat, Highway 1 finally opened as far as Lime Kiln State Park, which includes the waterfall at Julia Pfieffer Burns State Park. I will be exhibiting this painting, McWay Falls (18x14), at the King’s Mountain Art Fair Labor Day weekend in Woodside CA.
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Big Sur Passage, 12x16
Looking north from Julia Pfieffer Burns State Park, on the Big Sur coast. The sometimes passable Highway 1 is along the cut across the way.
This is an afternoon painting with the sunlight on the water and cliffs, misty landforms in the distance. Again, I''ll be exhibiting this painting and others at the Kings Mountain Art Fair. I hope to see some of you there.
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A few years ago, I traveled with friends to Colorado in the fall to paint. This year, I wanted to visit early in the wildflower season, when the peaks are still white with snow. Richard and I wanted to test our (relatively) new Highlander hybrid as a Road Trip Artmobile. I had never seen the spires of Monument Valley, or been to Mesa Verde National Park. Our road trip took us to these remarkable areas. We were able to climb down into Cliff Palace and feel where the early Pueblo ancestors resided a millenia ago. The complexity of the architecture in the cliff alcoves was amazing, and the descriptions of life back then as shared by the park rangers were impressive. As the temperature rose, we took a ride on the narrow gauge railroad from Durango to Silverton. Then we headed to the cooler mountains, going from Durango's 6500' altitude to Crested Butte at 8800'.
I was not disappointed with the majestic scenes offered by the Rocky Mountains. Our base for 4 days in Crested Butte allowed us to access hiking trails through meadows of lupine and larkspur. We also found waterfalls plummeting down cliffsides from the snow melt up high. Beauty was everywhere.
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Mountain Larkspur, 12x16
I found this high country meadow backed by the snow capped mountains in Crested Butte, Colorado, at the start of the Snodgrass Trail.
We found this flower studded meadow on the way to a great hike to Judd Falls the day before I painted this.
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We went on to Rocky Mountain National Park, and our first morning there we watched numerous Elk, Bighorn Sheep, and Moose grazing in the wet meadows. We did 3 short hikes that day, and then I also accomplished several paintings over 2 days, as Richard took short hikes or read. (He had a surprise visit from a female moose at one picnic table.) Rain comes frequently in the afternoons in this high country, so I have a few more brush strokes to put on these paintings. Sprinkles, rain, then sleet, I have learned to pack up quickly! These paintings will be ready by our Open Studio tour in October, if not sooner.
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Santa Cruz Art League news | |
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Great News! My painting Dana Fork of the Tuolumne River (16x20) was selected for the annual Statewide Landscape Exhibition by Calvin Liang, a nationally awarded and respected artist who served as Juror for this show. Stop into the Art League gallery this summer to see many lovely paintings of our Golden State.
Statewide Landscape Exhibition: Santa Cruz Art League
Exhibit is from July 17th thru September 15th, 2024
Art Reception is on August 2nd, from 6-8pm
Location: 526 Broadway, Santa Cruz, California
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Now back in the studio, I am working to finish three new large paintings. One is of the wildflowers along the Big Sur Coast 20x30, another is a painting of Vernal Falls in Yosemite 40x30, and the third is a painting of the Cypress in Point Lobos 30x40.
I hope to see you again in the next few months. And thanks for your support,
Michele
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