Leslie Landers

Looks like the weather will be great in Tahoe next week. I will be participating in what has become an annual event hosted by North Lake Tahoe Arts.

I love that the image used in the flyer for the artist reception features a piece by one of my painting buddies, Nancy Takaichi.  This year two of my rural Silicon Valley paintings plein air paintings will be on view at the Corison Gallery. I’ll be participating in a “QuickDraw” competition at the Thursday at the Farmer’s Market. All of the paintings the participants are brave enough to hang will be on view at next Saturday’s Tahoe City Wine Walk.

 

I will always have happy memories of painting this piece next to Penitencia Creek in Alum Rock Park. Even though it’s not that big (11″ x 14″) it is the largest plein air oil painting I’ve completed so far.

The sound of the rushing water and birdsong was wonderful and a beautiful white egret came by for a visit and for the fishing.

I will be bringing this piece with me for the Lake Tahoe Plein Air Event that I’ll be participating in a couple of weeks.

 

I’ve made pretty frequent trips into Alum Rock Park recently to paint.

Alum Rock Park Park is definitely worth a visit. I have come to learn that is is the oldest municipal park California with great trails along Penitencia Creek and up into the surrounding hills.

This painting received an award through the Los Gatos Art Association in August, 2018.

 

 

 

 

September, 2018 Update:  I’ve finished my painting from these studies.  “Indian Ladder Falls” is an 11″ x 14″ oil painting.

I’ve brought some of the beauty of Indian Ladder Falls back in my sketchbook and in my heart. My plan is to use the drawings above, the watercolor I recently posted and the gouache painting below as references for a studio oil painting.

I’ve already decided that the studio painting will be from more of an angled vantage point. My first watercolor of Indian Ladder Falls (painted onsite) has a composition that feels to head on and blocky.

This is a challenging project for me … how to thoughtfully plan the painting while keeping it fresh.

 

I’ll admit some bias. When I hear “The Poconos” I think dingy hotels with heart-shaped tubs. One week at the incredibly beautiful Skytop Lodge had me fantasizing about future visits.

I painted every day.

Skytop Lodge is a stunning property consisting of 5,500+ acres, a grand old stone hotel from the 1920’s, a couple of swimming pools, beautiful gardens and excellent gardens. The property includes a charming lake, the lovely Leavitt Branch River and three waterfalls. All I can say is Wow!

 

One of the fun things about working with watercolor is the way colors can be integrated wet-in-wet. I painted this quickly with rain approaching.

My favorite thing about the day painting in San Juan Bautista was the great lunch with painting buddies that followed. There is no better combination than good conversation, an umbrella-shaded outdoor patio and guacamole. Margaritas would have been a good addition if not for the drive.

Seven years ago I planted two Asian Pear trees after being captivated by the small impeccably tended tanashitate orchards near Nagoya Japan.  My visit to Nagoya was not tied to agriculture or tourism or skiing. At the time I was immersed in topics related to the semiconductor supply chain.

The Japanese tanashitate method constrains the height of the pear trees with bamboo poles and the fruit is given the protection of individual paper wraps.

While my Asian Pear trees are Nagoya inspired, my small garden uses the space-saving espalier method favored by medieval European monastaries.