Saturday, July 14, 2012

Mission Santa Ynez Bluffs


"Mission Santa Ynez Buffs"
36" X 48" Oil on Canvas
Mission Santa Ynez is located on a piece of land next to Solvang on one side and these bluffs on the other. Below the bluffs are the fields that the missionaries and Chumash Indians grew olives. It's a beautiful overlook towards the east end of the valley and a great place to sit in the shade of the pepper and sycamore trees there and wonder how many people had done the same long, long ago. Lets see if you know your mission history....did you know that the Calfiornia missions were built within a days "walk" from each other going up the coastal road which would later become Hwy 1?? Did you know that I live right next to a small creek called adobe creek and the mud from there built guess what??? Have you ever tried to dig adobe when it is hard and dry like it is in my yard???....I'm veering off the path (....and you don't want to try an dig dry adobe....ever!).
The painting looks good here but my camera loves and sucks up yellows so I had to back off the intensity here which has made my trees look a little dull unlike the rich, vibrant greens they are....sorry about that, life is always a trade off.

2 comments:

Marian Fortunati said...

Hi Ron!
This is really a beautiful piece. One day I wish you could teach me how to do grasses like you do... Well there is just so much you could teach me..

Anyway, I hope all is well with you.

Ron Guthrie said...

Hi Marian,
You paint really nice grasses! I know, I've seen them in the shows we have been in together. Thanks for the compliment though. Trying to paint like crazy before Fall gets here. Hope to see you soon Marian!