A Great Evening!

Sunday night. First of all, we (myself, my daughter and two friends), arrived at the reception for the Crockett Paintout, at Epperson Gallery. All the artists had framed their works, and they were beautifully displayed on the gallery walls. Here are mine:

I checked the sign beside my top painting... an award! Honorable Mention!

The paintings were being sold by silent auction. I checked the bidding... My painting, Carquinez Nocturne, was sold!  and for higher than the price I put on it!

Here I am with one of the happy new owners holding the painting! That's my daughter, Shanna in the pink shirt. I'm sorry about the glare on the painting. See my previous post for a better view. I don't know many of the other artists here in California, so I cruised around talking to people. They all were very friendly, and we had a great time!

After that, we went to dinner at a local restaurant called The Dead Fish. Well, by chance, it overlooks the very same view I had painted in the painting that was sold! We were seated in a sort of tent, at a table with a heater and a large candelabra, holding three very drippy candles. We were given bibs, and assorted dead things were brought to the table for us to eat, all delicious! We had to eat the crabs with our hands, and had butter all over our fingers. It's fun to be so messy in public! Then, as it get dark, the scene before us turned into the painting. (Well, almost... actually it was painted from the scenic overlook above the restaurant.)

Here is the scene from the restaurant.

Across the Carquinez Strait

Carquinez Nocturne
oil on linen panel - 8" x 10"

There's nothing like darkness to simplify a scene and add a sense of mystery. This is the view from a "scenic overlook." It was a nice little park along the road, and I had been there several times in daylight. Well it seemed like a perfect spot for a nocturne (night painting): just a few simple shapes and the sky--quick, easy.

Ha, what was I thinking? First, the sky was changing really fast. It got dark very fast. Then a police car came into the park: just checking I guess, he cruised through and left. I decided to leave. I finished it at home. But, I am really pleased with this one. The darkness and subdued color makes the lights shine. James McNeill Whistler, one of my favorite artists, is famous for his nocturnes.

It reminds me of flying at night. I always try to get a window seat because I like to watch the sparkling lights below. It's like a "Welcome Home."

This is my third painting for the Crockett Paint Out. Now, I'll be framing them all.
I hope you have a good weekend!

Would You Paint a Blue Car?

Burlington Hotel
oil on canvas - 11" x 14"

There I was, at Port Costa, looking for something to paint. And this big old yellow clapboard building with the sun shining on it was practically screaming, "paint me." It's colors were sunny and wonderful: yellow with bright blue trim! All the window blinds were at the same position. It appeared to be closed, but the sign said Burlington Hotel. It stood at the end of the street, so there was plenty of parking.

Well, I consider myself a landscape painter: as in trees, rivers, skies, natural stuff. I try to avoid putting in power lines, liter, cars... So I was disappointed to see cars parked in front of the building. Then, I looked again. They were blue cars! They harmonized perfectly with the trim on the hotel. So, I had no excuse, I had to paint it! I almost titled it "Three Blue Cars."

I had a lot of trouble with the straight lines, and had to fix that somewhat at home. Plan to carry a small t-square in my backpack in the future.

This is my second painting for the Crockett Paint-out. One more to go...