California Bound!

A week from today I will be in my absolute favorite place to be - the central California coast! l'm excited to be returning to a place I feel I truly belong. I haven't decided on my painting spots yet because the possibilities are so numerous and my time there so short. 
There is some kind of magic to the land there. The sights and scents and light of even the most mundane scenes, remains imprinted in my memory like a series of movie stills. These encapsulated images float into my mind frequently with such detail and clarity that if I closed my eyes I'd swear I was right there. In all my travels, I've never experienced this phenomena anywhere else. There's something else too I haven't seen since early childhood. The images from my earliest memory of what I saw around me when I was outdoors, are filled with a soft hazy golden light. The air hasn't looked like that to me since my pre-school years. I thought my eyes had changed. But on my first trip to the central coast three years ago, I was amazed to see that light again! It's there all the time. I haven't been able to capture it yet,but I dream of being able to spend my days wandering the rocky coast and mountains chasing that golden light in paint.

Cayucos Sunset - oil on canvas panel - 12x16
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Eucalyptus Trees - Oil on canvas panel - 11x14
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From the Back Burner - Day 11 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

The gymnastics I went through today to photograph my challenge paintings, would have done Bela Karolyi proud. The light has been throwing so much glare on the paintings that the colors don't show up properly. Today I found myself balancing atop a chair, while clutching the tripod and trying to shoot the work flat on the ground. Still no luck. So until I set up a new photography station, I won't be posting these paintings on my web page.

For today's challenge painting, I chose a photo from my absolute favorite place to be - the central California coast. It's a different experience for my east coast eyes, to see the sun set over the ocean. Another thing that fascinates me is the way the waves come in from way far out with a lot of space between them and over such a far reaching expanse of sand, that you can walk way out and still be only ankle deep in water. At sunset, the show is especially spectacular. It's like walking through liquid jewels in a dazzling light. Magical! What I would give to be able to spend months out there!

West Coast Sunset - oil on canvas panel - 11x14
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Here is yesterday's challenge piece. Please contact me if you are interested in either piece.

Afternoon Shadows - oil on canvas panel - 7x9
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From the Back Burner - Day 18/19 - 30 Paintings in 30 Days

 This challenge painting took two days to finish. It's a painting I've had in mind for a while.Two years ago, I had just made my first and so far, only trip to Monterey and Carmel. After a day of touring these two spots, my husband and I had just enough time to stop briefly in Pacific Grove. This beautiful town has stayed vividly in my mind ever since. The waterfront is a painters dream with rocks, jewel-toned water and carpets of flowers everywhere. Craft style houses, my favorite architectural style, line the coastal roadway. The late afternoon light on that day was warm and inviting. Another California Paradise!

Pacific Grove - oil on canvas panel - 12x16
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