Landscapes
The central costal California landscape has always amazed me with the emerald green rolling hills in Spring with the California Live Oaks seemingly placed upon the hillside randomly. As I travel more, the uniqueness and beauty of other landscapes is always contrasted against that which I grew up with.
I have noted the paintings I have available.
Snoopy Rock, 11x14 2023. Oil on Board. Having been to the Sedona and Prescott area, I had wanted to do a painting of those red rock formations. When a friend suggested a painting of Snoopy Rock outside of Sedona AZ, I decided once I finished the Monterey Cypress Trees, Snoopy Rock would be next. It was a joy to paint.
Monterey Cypress Tree - Carmel Beach view, 11x14 2023. Oil on Board. When my mother passed away in October 2022, some close friends gave me a Cypress Bonsai in memory of her. On the first Mother’s Day after her passing, I visited her grave in Seaside and then went to Carmel Beach with its white sand to reflect on her passing and a future without her. As is common along the coast, the fog had just come in and I could barely distinguish the boundaries between the sand, ocean, and sky. The fog loomed off the coast like some specter struggling to overtake the coastline for the evening. The Monterey Cypress trees lining Carmel Beach, enveloped in the fog, seemed to take on the role of an old sentinel overlooking the beach - comforting. These trees had been there long before I was born and will be there well after I too shall pass. I was emotionally moved by these trees that can live up to 300 years and have spiritual meaning: ‘…a symbol of immortality as an emblem of eternal life after death…’ I felt compelled to try to capture these sentinels - their beauty, strength, and the comfort they bring me. (Available)
Monterey Cypress Tree - Lands End view, 11x14 2023. Oil on Board. (Available)
Monterey Cypress Tree - Mt. Tam view, 11x14 2023. Oil on Board. (Available)
Central California Landscape at Night - in Winter, 16x24 2013. Oil on Canvas. I painted this night series during a friend’s battle with ALS. I glazed them a bit too much which made them very dark – I was in a sad mood. When complete, I was tempted to paint over them, but friends talked me out of it saying they were beautiful with the right lighting. (Available)
Central California Landscape at Night - in Spring, 16x24 2013. Oil on Canvas. (Available)
Central California Landscape at Night - in Summer, 16x24 2013. Oil on Canvas. (Available)
Central California Landscape at Night - in Fall, 16x24 2013. Oil on Canvas. (Available)
Central California landscape - Lettuce field in Winter at night, 26x18 2017. Oil on Canvas. I decided to do another California landscape series, a few years had passed since my good friend lost his battle with ALS and I wanted to make a series that was a bit brighter and uplifting. (Available)
Central California landscape - Lettuce field in Spring, 26x18 2017. Oil on Canvas. (Available)
Central California landscape - Lettuce field in Summer, 26x18 2017. Oil on Canvas.(Available)
Central California landscape - Lettuce field in Fall, 26x18 2017. Oil on Canvas. (Available)
California live Oak Tree, Winter at night, 20x16 2019. Oil on Canvas. After doing the 2017 California landscape series, I felt I had not done the Oak trees justice, and I love the shapes of these trees, so I did another series with the focus being the trees. These are some of my favorites. (Available)
California live Oak Tree, Spring, 20x16 2019. Oil on Canvas. (Available)
California live Oak Tree, Summer, 20x16 2019. Oil on Canvas. (Available)
California live Oak Tree, Fall, 20x16 2019. Oil on Canvas. (Available)
Laguna Seca View, Monterey CA,16x20 1991. Oil on Canvas. I painted this while on location near Laguna Seca Raceway on Highway 68 near Seaside, California. It was warm and a little hazy that day. I was enjoying the weather, but I finished the painting in the studio.
Red Barn Hwy 1, Big Sur CA,16x20 1991. Oil on Canvas. This was painted while on the side of Highway 1 down south of Carmel, California. This is now a state park named Goleta State Park.
California Landscape #1, 11x14 ~1994. Oil on Canvas. Driving back to San Francisco from Monterey a little south of San Jose the clouds and landscape were inspiring.
California Landscape #2, 11x14 ~1994. Oil on Canvas. Driving down to Monterey from San Francisco in the spring is a visual feast of green rolling hills. This view is a creation of those memories.
Carmel Oaks, Carmel CA, 16x20 1991. Oil on Canvas. This was painted down Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley, California.
Soledad Chile Pepper Field, Soledad CA, 16x20 1991. Oil on Canvas. While driving around the Salinas and Carmel Valley I ventured a bit farther south to Soledad and came across this Chili Pepper field. The colors were amazing, and the warm summer wind was seductive. I love this painting.
Soledad Field, 11x14 2002. Oil on Paper. I conjured up this painting from a memory of the Soledad Chili Pepper field painting.
Cows, Jenner CA, 10x10 ~2004. Oil on Canvas. Staying up at Jenner one weekend, driving around I came across these cows.
Field, 11x14 2002. Oil on Paper. From a memory I had, I conjured up this painting.
Pauls Valley lake, OK, 11x14 2002. Oil on Paper. This painting is done from the memory of my time living on my step-fathers 23 acres out in the country of a small town in Southern Oklahoma. My brother and I would shoot snakes and try to capture turtles from this pond where the horses would come to drink.
Salinas River, 11x14 2002. Oil on Paper. Driving down highway 1, just past Moss Landing...look to the right when crossing the Salinas River. I have taken artistic liberty.
Red Clay Field, West Oklahoma, 8x10 2000. Oil on Canvas. This image is from a trip with my mother to visit my brother in Southern OK, To me the red clay is a trademark of Oklahoma.
Sorghum Field, West Texas,18x24 2000. Oil on Canvas. While driving through the southwest with my mother, we came across this field which neither one of us Californians knew what it was. Corn, we thought at first, but then later after a it of research we found out it was Sorghum. The colors were stunning as this was near sunset.
Largest Cross In the Western Hemisphere, Groom Texas, 12x16 2000. Oil on Canvas. While driving through the southwest with my mother, we came across this huge cross. Research later revealed that this was the largest cross in the western hemisphere.
J.T at sunset, 11x14 2021. Oil on board.
The Knaughty Tree, 33x33 2009. Oil on Canvas. For Vince.
Hollyhocks, 36x24 2020. Oil on canvas. My first pandemic painting. I had painted my Condo a Fez red and planted Hollyhocks against it that were quite red. I found the red on red very striking with the green leaves so decided to try and capture the beauty of what I saw and gift the painting to Mustafa who owns the Café across the street. He enjoyed seeing the Fez red color of my condo from his cafe. As I started the painting, the COVID pandemic hit, and the painting provided a stress reliving outlet during the initial lockdown. As the painting evolved, the flowers and leaves took on new shapes and colors, and the background gained a playful energetic texture – I let it go wherever it was going and ended up with what I consider a very enjoyable and somewhat meditative decorative piece. I can sit and just let my eyes roam around this painting from afar or step closer and get swept up by the sweet details. The painting is now hanging at Mustafa’s café - Café du Soleil.
White Sands Yucca, 8x10 2020. Oil on Board. For my mothers cousin Luann in Alamogordo NM. A thank you gift for making a 2019 October trip to the area with my sister and mother, very special. This image is from White Sands, where my mother, sister and I went for a day visit.
Bobs Landscape, 47x17 2014. Oil on Canvas. An abstract landscape as a gift for my friend Bob.