Vineyard at Sunset

"Last Light"

16"x20" Oil on Canvas

Another scene of the Firestone Vineyard at sunset. The Firestone vineyard  is acres and acres of vines rolling across the Foxen canyon with a spattering of oaks. In the center is their victorian house that is either just an office or the actual living quarters for family or foreman...not sure because I've only been there once but that was for a concert they had with David Crosby and Neil Young years ago.....yeah, it was a good one and I got to meet David Crosby and the rest of his band backstage. If you ever come out to the Santa Ynez valley you need to spend a day just crusing up Foxen Canyon. The canyon is beautiful and filled with dozens and dozens of vineyards. If you like wine tasting you can spend the whole day driving up through the canyon.
I think maybe just a few small tweaks and I'll call this one done. Having fun teaching myself to paint light this way.  

Firestone Vineyard

"Firestone Vineyard"

18"x24" Oil on Canvas

It was time to do another vineyard scene so I searched through my reference photos and found some vineyard shots taken at the Firestone vineyard in Foxen canyon. The main house on the vineyard is just off to the left of this scene. I didn't include it because it is a wonderful older house that I feel needs it's own painting using it as the main point of interest. I was told the house came from Santa Maria and was brought down to the Firestone location years ago. The colors are a bit off, I think, from my actual painting and this photo. The difference is due to my lack of being a better photographer....you could write volumes on taking good photos of paintings. This photo is close though. This painting would look good in a gold frame or even a nice dark wood frame.

I'm actually not a big fan of vineyard painting. I'm not crazy about the bright greens and yellows of the vineyard against the muted colors of the hillsides around here....I know, I'm crazy. Just a personal feeling about it and I'm allowed that. I'd rather catch the sublime colors of the landscape in the evenings or mornings on the central coast or try to get better painting the ocean. Still, I'd like to paint better vineyard scenes so more of these will happen. I think I'm in search of a way to paint them and marry them to my sublime look of the hillsides and oaks. Painting has so many challenges to it. The vineyards are now in their full bore growing time with lots of new green leaves so I will hunt down some new scenes to paint.

Nocturne....Night Trail

"Night Trail"

12"x16"

 Oil on canvas covered panel

I painted this scene about 5 or 6 years ago on a smaller canvas and decided to do a larger version. I didn't want to do a copy of my other painting becasue there were things I wanted to try out differently on this one. The nice thing about painting is over the years you get better at it so there were changes I made the included these. I really liked the original but when you look back at paintings you see things you wish you could change....so why not do another painting huh !? I'm glad I did this one. I like the larger size and I like my changes. One of these days when I get much better at nocturnes I'll do a really large one. Years ago I saw a nocturne show up in Los Olivos, CA and they had some very large pieces that were just awesome. Many, many years ago, Charles Rollo Peters painted a nocturne of our local mission here in Santa Ynez....maybe I'll give it a try on large scale....we'll see.      

Ted Goerschner

Ted painting in the Los Olivos Quick Draw

 Ted Goerschner

1933 - 2012

When I was painting with PACC down in Santa Barbara recently one of the members told me that Ted Goerschner had passed away right before Christmas. I was working on a painting at the time and was stunned to hear of his passing. The rest of my time painting was spent thinking about Ted. The one thing I personally know about Ted is that he was such a nice man and that I wish I had known him more than just that.

I first met Ted when we were both setting up our gear for the Los Olivos Quick Draw 2 years ago. Ted was represented by the same gallery I am in down in Pasadena, Galerie Gabrie. I'm positive Ted didn't know this since we had never met so I walked up to him and introduced myself. I had heard he was a straight forward no nonsense kinda guy and could be intimidating. It turned out he was super nice and I liked him instantly. 

If you have never seen Teds work that's probably too bad for you. You'd probably have to look it up online but I can tell you now you will only see pale images of Teds work. I had only seen his work for years online and thought it was good. Then, at our studio tour a few years back I saw my first Goerschner painting in person....hugh difference. If you ever get the chance to see one of Ted's paintings in person you will be in for a major treat...his color work was just awesome. Rich darks, intensive brights and a wonderful range in between. You really have to see one of his works in person to really get the full effect of a Goerschner painting. I have Ted's book on painting, "Oil Painting, The Workshop Experience", and in it he has the most killer dark greens in his snow scenes. Ted also had the most wonderful purple/violet color for distant mountains and a great violet tone used for shadows. Some guys make you drool with their painting and Ted could do that easily. Ted was a Master Painter for sure and he is going to be sorely missed by many.      

Studio Tour 2012

Linda's Halloween-themed table setting for the Studio Tour

 

This years 2012 Studio Tour has come and gone. Linda and I look forward to each years Studio Tour because we get to meet people who we can talk about the art with. Some of these people buy the work and we make new friends and meet old ones who have come by in the past. The best part is getting to hear their feedback on my work.

  The studio main wall

We had plenty of new work up on the walls and heard some great comments on the paintings. I had a large painting I wanted to show but didn't have time or the money to order a new frame for it so I made another floater frame out of oak. The frame came out great and we had some great comments on it.

My large 4 feet by 5 feet oak floater frame

With the economy the way it is we offered some smaller paintings which went over well. Half of my sales came from these little guys. People want an original and they want it affordable and I wanted to make some sales so it all worked out for us, the buyer and the Wildling Museum which sponsors this event.

Our good friend Holly Cline from the Wildling Museum who sponsors this Studio Tour. This is her last year as she moves on to bigger and better things. I am so going to miss Holly, she is a great person and has done so much for me and a lot of other artists up here in the valley...good luck Holly!!!!

 

 

The little gems ready for browsing....

One of the reasons behind the Studio Tour is to allow people a view of what happens in the creative process so I like to show the tools of the trade and answer as many questions as I can about painting as well as show my work, the finished result. I had people stop by who are beginning painters and seasoned ones as well. They always enjoy getting answers to questions they might have, tips I offer and the rapport of artist to artist. It's fun! I have parents bringing their college and high school students to see a working artists studio and it is fun to answer their questions and ask about their classes and their art experiences so far.

 My plein air easels and the "promo" table...yes, if you don't like talking about yourself you can always let that table do some of it for you but you need to do it too.

Notecards, my book, business cards, show flyers etc....promote yourself because no one else is going to do it for you !

Also...make credit card sales!! Right now it is easier than ever for an artist to accept credit card sales. You used to have to go through a difficult process of getting a merchant account which cost a lot of money monthly. Not anymore. Nowadays all you need is a smart phone and a little adapter that slides into it's earphone jack. There are a few of these companies offering it...we use the Square. Worked great and easy to get...in fact, the device is free when you sign up with the service which charges on a per transaction basis or monthly depending on how much you sell monthly.    



 

 My best helper!

Having Linda to lend a hand in all of this is "priceless". She handles sales, food, helps set it all up and take it all down too. She also helps answer questions since she now can do all of the art speak, haha.

Overall, it was a good show. Great people, good art, sales...and pumpkin pie! 



26th Annual Quick Draw Los Olivos

I was invited again this year to particpate in the Quick Draw event up in Los Olivos. This is a really fun event (nervous fun for painters) and we had a good time last year. Some really good artists in this event and a fun day spent in a small country town. I was so nervous last year it took most of the fun out of it for me personally but Linda had a good time, haha. They had this really cool BBQ going on too, BBQ'd tri tip sandwiches....oh man!

I met some really cool artists, some who had driven very far just to be in this event. I've always been involved in other art things going on the same day they did the Quick Draw before but managed to get there in time to see who painted what. Big crowd and pretty fun to see these artists go from nothing to a finished and framed painting in 1 hour. After that they auction the paintings off which is almost as nerve racking as doing the actual painting under a time limit. If something goes wrong or isn't working out you don't have the extra time to correct it...Then you have to stand there and watch your goof being auctioned to a very large crowd....ugh!

Anyway....if you are up around Los Olivos California on Saturday the 18th try and stop by. I'll be the guy with the large beads of sweat pouring down his forehead whispering little prayers to the art gods....On Friday the 17th they are having a preview wine & desert show too....you can see all of the details here.
    

Los Olivos Quickdraw

August is going to be a busy month. I was fortunate to be invited to paint in the Quickdraw event in Los Olivos on Saturday, August 20. The event will begin around 10am and will be followed up with a live auction and then paintings by the artists on display at St. Marks In The Valley Episcopal church right down the street from the Quickdraw. This event usually draws a great crowd and is the highlight of art events in Los Olivos. Los Olivos is very laid back and has all the charm of a small town life. There are plenty of wine tasting rooms and art can be seen at Gallery Los Olivos, Youngs Gallery and the Wildling Museum. It's a cool little town. 

 Ted Goerschner and Marylin Simandle painting it up

There are some real favorites of mine in this event, Ted Goerschner, Richard Greene, Joe Mancuso, Joe Milazzo, Marylin Simandle just to name a few. I've met Milazzo and Richard Greene...nice guys. Many of the other artists I know very well and have much repsect for.

Gordon Luce starting to add detail after block-in

In the past they have also had Gordon Luce and Mark Greenaway whose work I like a lot too. I'm not sure why they are missing this years event.

Here is some more info on the event....

The day will feature live music, a silent auction, and more Quick Draw artists' paintings offered for sale nearby at St. Mark's In The Valley Episcopal Church. The Los Olivos Rotary will be offering lunch for sale too!
Come early and spend the weekend! Friday night a special preview Wine & Dessert Show will be held 7:00-8:30 p.m. at St. Mark's. Pre-sale preview tickets can be purchased http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1832329547 for $20.
Tickets at the door: $25

Participating Quick Draw Artists

Vicki Andersen, Betty Carr, Howard Car,; Gwen Cates, Jim Farnum, Julie Fish, Priscilla Fossek, Ted Goerschner, Richard M. Greene, Ron Guthrie, Gary R. Johnson, Sheryl Knight, Lee Kromschroeder, George Lockwood, Joe Mancuso, Joe Milazzo, Vel Miller, Linda Mutti, Richard A. Myer, Cathy Quiel, Camille Renga-Dellar, Ray Sevilla, Marilyn Simandle, and BJ Stapen.

Click here for all of the details on the event....

Summer Above Los Olivos

"Summer Above Los Olivos"

8" X 10" oil on panel
I finished this one just now while enjoying the Pacific storm that rolled in yesterday starting as light drizzle but was pouring all night and this morning. Hopefully Lake Cachuma will fill to it's top with this good chunk of rain we're getting. This hillside is just north of the tiny town of Los Olivos, CA. I drive up there a lot in summer to check out the colors and see what nature has created for artists to have fun with....nature never lets us down.
I had to run down to take Linda Christmas shopping down in Goleta yesterday and was only too happy to find out they now have a Hawaiin BBQ restaraunt there. Yummy! Guess where I'll be stopping on my way down to Pasadena in the future???

Christmas is almost here so in case I don't post anything before then I want to wish everyone who reads this blog a very Happy Christmas and a much better New Years than last year, hahaha.