Paintings 110 & 111, Surfer's Beach I and II

I am off to a good start this year.

I went down to Surfer's Beach this afternoon and painted a couple of watercolors for a gentleman who came to my open house in December 2011. Surfer's Beach I and Surfer's Beach II, both 7.5 x 11", watercolor.

I need to rename how I am going to keep track of my paintings: I'm going to list them as numbered paintings that I have painted and blogged, hoping to reach my original goal of 365 Paintings.

Day 196 Big Sur

I painted Big Sur (watercolor, 5 x 7") from a photo while I was waiting for Harold to get his oil changed.

Days completed: 104

Days missed:

Days to go: 169

Day 168 Norman Cows

At the end of our all day tour of Nornandy and the beaches, I was able to steal ten minutes to paint Norman Cows (watercolor, 5 x 7").

Days completed: 168
Days missed: 82
Days to go: 197

Day 117 Oak at High Noon

Oak at High Noon (watercolor, 5 x 7") is painted from a photo by Pete Zell. We were at the Giants vs. Phillies game at AT&T Park Tuesday night watching the awesome HMBHS Cougars Marching Band play the national anthem.

Days completed: 75

Days missed: 42

Days to go: 248

Day 111 Snowy Sunset

I painted this Snowy Sunset (watercolor, 5 x 7") last night while I was waiting for Claire at her "playing party", i.e., piano recital without parents.

Days completed: 71

Days missed: 40

Days to go:254

Day 101 Nevada Sky

I painted Nevada Sky (5 x 7") from memory also. The day was so gray, but a rainbow appeared in the clouds.

Days completed: 69

Days missed: 32

Days to go: 264

Day 100 Nevada Sunset

I painted Nevada Sunset (watercolor, 4 x 6") from the memory of the sunset the night Clay and I went down to pick up dinner in Yerington last Friday.

Days completed: 68

Days missed: 32

Days to go: 265

Day 93 Santa Cruz North Harbor

Collection of Warren and Jeannette Jolley

I painted Santa Cruz North Harbor (watercolor, 5 x 7") this morning looking out the window of The Captain's Quarters, the house that the Jolley's rented for the week to celebrate Warren and Jeannette's 60th wedding anniversary. Warren's family owned a house a block away from The Captain's Quarters when they married, and they went there for their honeymoon.

Even though Warren's family eventually sold the house to the Baptist Church who bulldozed it and put up a parking lot, Warren and Jeannette have many memories of visiting this beach and sending their own kids here with Grandma.

Days completed: 67

Days missed: 26

Days to go: 272

P.S. I would like to thank all my regular visitors for your gentle encouragement urging me to get back to my painting and blogging.

Day 91 Devil's Slide Path

I painted Devil's Slide III (watercolor, 5 x 7") while watching Warren's swim meet at San Mateo High School. (Swim meets have a lot of down time.)

Days completed: 66

Days missed: 25

Days to go: 274

Day 90 Flower Fields III

Flower Fields III (watercolor, 5 x 7") is the third painting in a triptych from Day 77. The three go together in a mat with three openings. I have painted this triptych in classes with students and have sold it before, too.

Days completed: 65

Days missed: 25

Days to go: 275

Day 84 Tulips

I painted Tulips (watercolor and ink, 7 x 5") from some photos that I took of the garden at Lisa Spector's Music School and Coastside Photography. This building's steps are painted purple and pink so I want to do a couple more watercolor sketches and then paint an oil of it.

Days completed: 64

Days missed: 20

Days to go: 281

Day 77 Flower Fields I & II

I painted these sweet little watercolors from photos that I took about ten years ago when I painted the Montara flower fields plein air with Rebecca. Flower Fields I & II (5 x 7") were painted while I was watching Warren swim at Terra Nova.

Days completed: 62

Days missed: 15

Days to go: 288

Day 72 HMBVFD Bell 2

Here's another sketch HMBVFD Bell 2 (watercolor, 5 x 7") in which I have added part of the fire house and a ribbon of hills behind the Pride of Madera.

I started work on the oil today and put the ribbon of hills right under the thing the bell hangs on. I hope the volunteers like it when it's done.

Days completed: 61

Days missed: 11

Days to go: 293

Day 71 HMBVFD Bell

I painted this first sketch of the HMBVFD Bell (watercolor, 5 x 7") from memory. I am preparing to do an oil to donate to the volunteers' crab feed in June. (Usually the painting is wet because I wait until the last minute.) I love the Pride of Madera flowers in the landscaping.

Days completed: 60

Days missed: 11

Days to go: 294

Day 69 Virginia

I painted Virginia (watercolor, 5 x 7") as a demonstration painting for tonight's watercolor class at the Lutheran Church. All my students painted so well tonight!

Days completed: 59

Days missed: 9

Days to go: 297

Day 67 Cunha Tree

I see this tree, Cunha Tree (watercolor, 5 x 7"), every morning when I drop Claire off across from the library.

Days completed: 58

Days missed: 9

Days to go: 298

Day 63 Carlmont Diptych

I drove a bunch of kids to the swim meet with Carlmont yesterday and took my paints with me. The first image Crystal Springs (watercolor, 7.5 x 11") is the view I remembered on the drive over. The second Carlmont Hills (watercolor, 7.5 x 11") is the view from the bleachers at the pool. The kids all swam well, and I got my paintings done.

Days completed: 63

Days missed: 6

Days to go: 302

Day 61 Old Barn

Old Barn (matted watercolor, 6 x 4") is from a photo that Fran just emailed me.

Days completed: 56

Days missed: 5

Days to go: 304

Day 58 Bike Trail

I painted Bike Trail (watercolor, 11 x 14") yesterday afternoon, such a beautiful afternoon.

Days completed: 54

Days missed: 4

Days to go: 307

Day 57 Daffodils

I painted the Daffodils (watercolor, 7 x 5") that Jasmine picked.

Days completed: 53

Days missed: 4

Days to go: 308