Fresh Air

Most Monday’s, I paint outside painters affiliated with the Los Gatos Art Association. I met Rebecca when I first joined the group. She’s the group’s heartbeat. These Hollyhocks and hydrangeas were painted in Rebecca’s backyard a couple of years ago. I pulled this painting out of a group of paintings with happy memories on a recent cloudy and added in a few more hollyhocks just because.

The eastern foothills of San Jose is home to a delightful iris grower managed by Nola. They have graciously hosted a group of painters from the Los Gatos Art Association each spring during peak bloom. You can visit too and you are able to order your favorite iris varieties online. If you can manage to choose amongst them.

There’s a sparkle that happens late in the afternoon. In this painting from Shoreline Park Lake in Mountain View, I have tried to capture the movement of the windsurfers and glint of the sun.

I was expecting the beautiful spring greens but not the profusion of lupine flowers along the path at Rancho Canada del Oro located in the San Jose Foothills.

Quail Hollow Ranch Park is a fun destination for painting and experiencing rural life in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I’ve painted horses, barns and farm equipment at Quail Hollow. In this piece, I’ve turned my attention to the small pond on the property.

Sparkling dynamic skies mark our early spring days. This painting catches such a moment at Shoreline Park in Mountain View.

This plein air painting is all about capturing the action of springtime in Los Alamitos Creek in San Jose.

Before my area was known for technology companies, it was called Blossom Valley. There are a few of these heritage orchards that remain. This one is full of plum trees with their spring blooms.

I love oak trees. While painting this one, I focused on bring out the tree’s warm orange and red tones.

The early morning light lit up the otherwise drab gray brown reeds. In this plein air piece, painted at Vasona Lake Park, I put myself to the task of catching the effect and of seeing a familiar scene in a new way.