Leslie Landers

The blooms are fleeting. The weather was mixed. Still, such joy to paint in my fragrant backyard.

This time of year there are as many days that are foggy and cold along the pacific coast as there are days in the sun. This day spent painting at Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove was pure magic. Sparkling sunshine. Visiting dolphins. Painting buddies. An expert with advice to offer. Here are three of the day’s gouache sketches.

 

I haven’t done much painting in gouache and most of what I’ve done has been filling in color charts. This was so much more fun!

I am not sure how much I will incorporate gouache into my plein air painting going forward. After this magical day, I do see it as a great way to capture a moment, a feeling and a hue that is specific to a place and time without a bunch of cleanup and inconvenient drying time.

This plein air watercolor was painted on site at the West Bluff Picnic Area in Chrissy Field. A terrific place for views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco Bay. Being next to the warming hut meant my friend and I had hot coffee to enjoy while painting in the bracing breeze.

Yesterday didn’t seem like it was going to be a promising day to paint outside. My friend and I thought we’d be scouting out a spot under one of the overhangs near the Ferry Building. Instead the rain stopped just as we entered the city and we had a couple of terrific hours of dramatic clouds and sparkling sunshine on the other end of the city.

 

Officially spring is a month away and it has been a wet winter in California. Still yesterday was all blue sky and crashing waves. What a perfect day to paint and enjoy the company of friends. Lucky me!

Garrapata State Park is located on California Highway 1 about 7 miles south of Carmel. There are beautiful up into the canyon and down to the water. I’m going to have to get back when the spring flowers hit full force.

The watercolor perched on the wood stove in my studio was purchased recently by a person who found my website and this painting via the magic of Google. It is so meaningful when a painting of mine makes such a connection.

I love and appreciate positive feedback from family and friends. Still, it is so encouraging to receive affirmation from a person I will likely never meet. My smile will last for days.