Day 185 Piedmont, Italy Hay Bales

I painted Piedmont, Italy Hay Bales (watercolor and ink, 5 x 7") on the airplane home from Italy from a picture from Martha's camera that we took on the very last leg of our trip from Milano to Torino through the Piedmont district to visit cousin Maria Grazia.

Days completed: 102

Days missed: 83

Days to go: 180

Day 167 Giverny

I was able to sit down at the end of the path looking down a row of flowers at Monet's home. Unfortunately, I lost my paintbrushes and I ended up painting with a twig!

I had gone into the gift shop and looked at prints of his paintings. He painted what he saw and often tucked his house in the background. So with that in mind and a twig in hand, I painted Giverny (watercolor and ink, 7 x 5").

Days completed: 85
Days missed: 82
Days to go: 198

Day 166 Warren on Serpentine

I painted Warren on the Serpentine (watercolor and ink, 5 x 7") in Hyde Park, London.

Days completed: 84
Days missed: 82
Days to go: 199

Day 165 Prince Alfred, London, UK

I painted Prince Alfred Building (watercolor and ink, 7 x 5") after we got breakfast and were walking around Bayswater. After walking to Hyde Park, we bought tickets to the Big Red Bus to ride around and see all the sights in London. I felt a little like Gilligan because our 2 hour tour took over 4 hours. A lousy dinner and then all asleep by 8:30 p.m.

Days completed: 83
Days missed: 82
Days to go: 200

Day 164 Napa Dogwood

A successful flight from SFO to London Heathrow included Napa Dogwood (5 x 7", watercolor and ink). The flight included many small children and very little sleep. We took the Express train to downtown London and walked to our hotel to drop off our bags.

Days completed: 82
Days missed: 82
Days to go: 201

Image to be posted later.

Day 153 Marlis's Eastern Sierra Hillside

I painted Marlis's Eastern Sierra Hillside (watercolor and ink, 5 x 7") in my last oil class for the summer. Marlis had some beautiful photos of poppies and lupin on an eastern Sierra hillside from a few years ago.

Days completed: 81

Days missed: 72

Days to go: 212

Day 131 Colony Club Cypress

I parked in front of Mullin's yesterday before clinic and painted Colony Club Cypress (watercolor and ink, 7 x 5") from Harold. The day before, Kevin had been telling Clay and me how in the old days before the Ritz went in, the courts were under that tree and covered in bird droppings.

Days completed: 79

Days missed: 52

Days to go: 234

Day 130 Tulips

I painted Tulips (watercolor and ink, 5 x 7") from the photos I took from the flowers at Lisa Specter's Music School this spring.

Days completed: 78

Days missed: 52

Days to go: 235

Day 112 Venice Beach

Venice Beach (watercolor and ink, 5 x 7") was painted from the driver's seat in Harold, my Honda Odyssey, on Thursday as I killed an hour waiting for Claire at tennis practice.

I used salt and high contrast in the foreground, but I think the detailed foreground detracts from the focal point which is the ocean, cliffs, and gulls. I would like to try this painting again just sort of "blurring out" the foreground.

Days completed: 72

Days missed: 40

Days to go: 253

Day 104 Romeo's Pier

I painted a quick sketch of Romeo's Pier (watercolor and ink, 5 x 7") before walking the dogs at the bluffs today. At first I had the structure its funny green color, but, as I finished, the light changed it to very grey so I added the grey quickly.

Days completed: 70

Days missed: 34

Days to go: 261

Day 45 Pink Flower

Betty wanted to see a redwood forest while she was in California so we took her, Dee, and Fran to see the Purisima Creek redwoods for their last day here. Fran took a picture of this Pink Flower (watercolor and ink, 5 x 7") for me from which to paint.

Days completed: 45

Days to go: 320

Day 43 Sea Horse

I painted Sea Horse (watercolor and ink, 7 x 5") from a photo that Frank took yesterday at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Days completed: 43

Days to go: 322

Collection of Frank Baker