April 26, 2022
This month, I completed two paintings: Suffragette Alice Paul (4/12/22) and Moon Rising Before Sunset at Harbor Lake (4/19/22).
In 2020, I ran across a remarkable sepia photo of Alice Paul, circa 1915. I was quite taken with Alice Paul’s determined gaze, combined with her frilly outfit and slim waist. There seemed to be a dynamic tension between her fierce expression and her delicate femininity. I wanted to capture that. I cropped the photo and began my effort. Eventually, I decided to add color. I had learned through Wikipedia that Alice was known for her violet eyes. I used Elizabeth Taylor’s famously violet eyes as a model for the color. The background in the photo was so blurred and odd-looking that I decided to alter it somewhat.
Alice Paul lived long enough to play a role in the writing of the Equal Rights Amendment. In 1923, in Seneca Falls for the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the 1848 Woman’s Rights Convention, Alice Paul introduced the first version of the Equal Rights Amendment, which was called the “Lucretia Mott Amendment” at the time. In 1972, the Equal Rights Amendment, designed to guarantee protection against sexual discrimination for women under the law, passed both houses of Congress and was sent to the individual states for ratification.
On April 15th, I had an opportunity to join members of the California Art Club to paint a full moon that was expected to rise before the sun set. I had not tried painting a landscape in potentially dim light, but was excited about trying it. My painting buddy, Bridget, and I sat side-by-side, with half dozen other painters within a 20-foot space. It was challenging to make something interesting out of a lake shore lined with non-descript trees and other greenery.
My painting, “Almost Shirtsleeve Weather, was accepted for a show in the Thousand Oaks area. I’ll be at the reception on May 15th from 1-3pm.
March 25, 2022
” Two new paintings were completed in March: “Naked Coral Tree at South Coast Botanic Gardens” and “La Familia Ranch, San Luis Obispo.”
February 2, 2022
During this plein air outing in August of 2021, I was with my artist friend, Bridget Duffy. There was plenty of yellowed grass in the open fields, but the area around the creek had plenty of water, which turned it a lush green. In the distance is Morro Rock, in the middle-ground you see a Snowy Egret, which I think may be my favorite bird, because of its long, slim, elegant look and its intriguing movements. The Egret was not in this position. It was facing the two ducks and behind them far enough to be out of the scene, but I so much desired to place the bird I admired into this painting.
I abandoned this piece for several months to work on other paintings and then picked it up again in January. It was completed January 31, 2022. An artist friend of mine, Shelley Lawrence, described this painting as having some dreamlike qualities to it. I love that depiction and see that quality in it myself.
January 21, 2022
One of my paintings was selected to appear in the 2022 Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff Reference Catalog. (Click inside the box to scroll down through the paintings.)
CJAS_2022-Art-GalleryJanuary 13, 2022
Palos Verdes Library District Annual Community Art Show – November –December 2021
My painting, “African Mother in a Blue Dress, ” was given an honorable mention.
October 30, 2021
Our friends, Ray and Dale, accompanied us to the Anaheim Art Association’s annual show, where I had two paintings accepted: “Jane Goodall and an Infant Chimp” and “Soy Nativo de California.”
October 26, 2021
Our Torrance Artists’ guild art show reception took place on October 23rd. Our photographer took photos of the award winners. I’m pictured with my painting, “On the Beach.”
October 18, 2021
The Palos Verdes Library District Art Show 2021. November 10-December 31st., 10am-4pm. 701 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274. The two pieces of mine that will be in the show are “African Mother in a Blue Dress” and Chelsea on the Verge”.
October 19, 2021
The Torrance Artists’ Guild’s annual show is online now and will be available for viewing throughout October. I invite you to see what our artists have been creating. Please be sure to visit and vote for your favorite painting.
Torrance Artists‘ Guild Online Art Show Dates: Monday, October 4 through Sunday, October 31 (view through the Destination Art website at www.destination-art.net), with an in-Person Show Reception: October 23, 2021, 1-3pm (at the Torrance Civic Center Garden Rooms, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance, CA) There will be refreshments and live entertainment. A slide show of the online entries will be running on a large-screen TV and the winning artwork will be present “in person”.
I have two paintings in this show: “Children in a Tree” and “On the Beach” As the current president of this art group. “On the Beach” won an Honorable Mention award, so it will be at the show.
Honorable mention award winner.
October 11, 2021
I had two paintings accepted for the Anaheim Art Association show. The in-person reception is on Oct. 30th. My two paintings that were accepted for the show will be on view until Nov. 7th at 250 E. Center Street, Anaheim CA 92805 . These paintings are “Jane Goodall with an Infant Chimp” and “Soy Nativo de California”.
September 23, 2021
My painting, “African Mother in a Yellow Dress” was accepted for an online art show put on by the California Art League, with the theme of Light and Shadow. I became a member of this group when they accepted my painting, “Child’s Play” for their spring 2021 show, which had the theme: “Sublime”.
The current show will be available from October 1st through December 31, 2021 on the California Art League web site, www.californiaartleague.org. After that date, the exhibit will be in CAL’s archives.
ARTISTS’ RECEPTION: There will be a virtual (on-line) reception on Friday, October 8, 2021 between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. on Zoom Video. All participating artists are invited to attend. Each exhibiting artist will be given approximately 1 minute to talk about their work. Details will follow.
September 15, 2021
I had one painting accepted to the Carlsbad-Oceanside Art League’s 69th Open Juried Fine Arts Show. That painting is “Almost Shirtsleeve Weather” and can be seen in person from Sept. 1st-Oct. 3rd at
Carlsbad-Oceanside Art League,
300 Carlsbad Village Drive
Suite 101,
Carlsbad, California
June 15 2021
People’s Choice Award Winner
In addition to winning First Place in the Destination Art annual show, with “Almost Shirtsleeve Weather”, I won The People’s Choice Award in the same show for my other painting, “Child’s Play”.
June 12, 2021
TAG Award Winner
My painting, “Righetti Ranch Road, San Luis Obispo (off Orcutt Road), won the People’s Choice Award for the month of June, 2021 in my art group’s competition among members. The group is called the Torrance Artists’ Guild, and I’m its president this year.
This painting was done “en plein air” and is part of a series of scenes in the San Luis Obispo area. Other paintings in the series include “San Luis Obispo in January After Rain,” San Luis Obispo Barn on Miossi Ranch,” “Chamisal Vineyard in San Luis Obispo,” “Wolff Winery in San Luis Obispo,” Pismo Beach Butterfly Preserve,” Greengate Farms, San Luis Obispo,” “Montaña de Oro State Park,” and “Morro Bay Inlet”.
May 24, 2021
The Destination Art Emerging Artists first place winner was Tricia Alexander, with Almost Shirtsleeve Weather. The artist judging the artwork was Desmond O’Hagan, of Denver, Colorado, who is a familiar figure to Southern California artists, as he frequently offers workshops here and at other locations across the country.
The show is online and in person through June 12th. Destination Art is located at 1815 West 213th Street, Suite 135, Torrance CA 90501 (You may reserve your time and date for an in-person viewing by sending an email to LocalArtists@destination-art.net) For online viewing, go to https://www.destination-art.net/
May 8, 2021
California Art League’s show “Sublime” accepted “Child’s Play” and “Almost Shirtsleeve Weather” for their online show. The show runs from May 5th to June 5th.
May 7, 2021
I had “Child’s Play” accepted to the Ode to Spring online show at the Huse Skelly Gallery. It begins on May 8th. See it at https://www.huseskellygallery.com.
I had two paintings accepted for the Associate Artists 2021 Exhibition at Destination Art. The show goes from May 3rd through June 12th. The paintings are “Child’s Play” and “Almost Shirtsleeve Weather”.
It is in the gallery and online.
Destination Art
1815 West 213th Street, Suite, 135,
Torrance, CA 90501.
April 16, 2021
I had two paintings accepted to a show with the theme “Models in Motion.” They are “Joshua at Play” and “Child’s Play.” Please visit the exhibit at www.sfvacc.org any time between now and Friday, April 30. This will be exclusively an on-line exhibit.
April 13, 2021
My painting, “African Mother in a Blue Dress” won the People’s Choice Award this month in my art group’s monthly competition. The group is called the Torrance Artists’ Guild.
This painting was part of a three-painting series of African mothers and their infants. The other two paintings are “African Mother in a Yellow Dress” and African Mother in a White Dress”. Later, I expanded my series to include mothers and infants who were not African.