Oils

There is so much to see and paint in a harbor scene like this and there were times while I was painting this plein air piece that I felt I might have bit off more than I could chew. I powered through and think I have captured a sense of late afternoon in Eureka’s Harbor as the light hits the multistory Queen Ann Mansion from the 1880s that overlooks the scene.

Exhibited …

2026 – Redwood Art Association, Humboldt Open plein air painting event.

I really enjoy painting in Trinidad. For this plein air piece, I found a rock to sit on as I looked at the curve of the shore and the distant rocks. As I was working out how I was going to approach the scene, a seagull popped onto the rock observing me intently. I am sure there was hope I’d be sharing food, instead the gull became the perfect model for my plein air painting.

Exhibited …

2026 – Redwood Art Association, Humboldt Open plein air painting event

I painted this standing in the middle of a maze of sunflowers at Organic Matters in Eureka. As I was painting, I was striving to catch the play of light and shadow.

Exhibited …

2026 – Redwood Art Association, Humboldt Open plein air painting event

Sue-Meg State Park in Humboldt County is one of my most favorite places. It’s also a place I don’t feel enough Californians see. The landscape here is dominated by towering cliffs and stone sea stacks. These structures are formed by uplift as the North America Plate rises in geologic time to then be erroded by wind and waves. I painted this on a morning with fog repeatedly coming and clearing.

Awarded …

2nd place, Redwood Art Association, Humboldt Open plein air painting event. John Hewitt awards judge.

As I set up my painting gear on Little River Beach in Mendocino my friend, Marianne, stood at the shore contemplating the scene. For my painting: her appearance adds needed balance.

We are joining sailors in a low-key race on a sunny day in Half Moon Bay. My focus is depicting a sense of exhilaration and sunshine while emphasizing repeated shapes and colors.

The coast south of Half Moon Bay offers an endless supply of great painting spots and they are different every time you visit. On this visit, I focused on just a few rocks and the interplay of the waves.

I was drawn to the serpentine shape of the river from my elevated painting spot at Big River in Mendocino County. It was fun watching individual and small groups of paddlers as I took in the scene.

This scene was painted on location at Quail Hollow Ranch, nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The warm morning light reflecting off the horse trailer initially drew my attention, and I was captivated by the interplay of light and shadow. As I continued painting, a rider on horseback passed by and I decided to add them to add life to the setting.

In this piece, I’m seeking to convey the feeling of unsteady unpredictability along with the beauty as the tide comes in on the rocky shores of Bonny Doon, CA.