Foggy Coastline - And Happy Thanksgiving!!

Foggy Coastline, 9 x 12, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2018

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This is another plein air piece from my California trip last month. The fog cover over Spanish Bay was pretty thick all morning, which made for a nice study of atmospheric perspective. This gorgeous ocean view is right along the famous 17-Mile Drive... a delightful place to breathe in and contemplate!

Wishing you a HAPPY and BLESSED Thanksgiving!!!

Hidden Beach - Painting on the West Coast

Hidden Beach, 9 x 12, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2018

Available - click for more information 

I know I have been missing in action for a couple months, and I am happy to report that all is well with me! Thanks to those who checked in! Once I finished those large commissions, I got my house and studio back in order, and I took a break! We traveled some, had a long visit with our daughter and her children, and just enjoyed life. 

This is a painting from our trip to Carmel, CA, one of our fall excursions. Hidden Beach is a small cove, off the hiking trail at the end of Point Lobos. It was a bit of a hike to get down to, and I had a fabulous quiet morning painting the waves and rocks in a lovely patch of shade. (The bright sunlight can be challenging and I forgot my umbrella, so that shade was a welcome surprise.) Very few hikers ventured down the path, so I had the "beach" pretty much to myself. It was awesome. 

Here are some other art-making moments... You will be happy to know that even though I was taking a break, my studio was in full use!

Craggy Shore and a winter group show in Austin!

Craggy Shore, 30 x 40, oil on canvas, L. Daniel © 2018

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This painting is an enlargement from a small plein air study I did a year or so ago. It was the perfect subject for our current group show, "In Depth", at the Davis Gallery here in Austin. For this exhibit, each gallery artist was asked to consider the 5th element of art - space - as we created works to be included. I always get a sense of HUGE space when I stand at the edge of the ocean. In this scene, the rhythmic pattern of the rocks and water disappearing into the distance helped to tell the story of that vastness.

Below: this painting ended up in the gallery window for the show! YAY! Here is a shot taken from outside after the opening reception. The show is up through February 24th. If you are anywhere near Austin, please drop by!

Also in the Davis Gallery show: 

Beach Cove Overlook, 18 x 36, oil on canvas. 

See blog post on this piece. 

Free to Roam, 18 x 18, oil on canvas.

See blog post on this piece. 

Bay Pine

Bay Pine, 8 x 6, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2016

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Our last morning in Spanish Bay was gorgeous, but I only had a short window of time to get out and paint. To go or not to go? That definitely was the question. Painting with a ticking clock in my head has its challenges, but sometimes it's perfect for a quick little sketch. Since I had considered painting this sea view several times AND it was close by, I decided to give it a go. What a delightful morning I had! I LOVE those Monterey Pines and when that sailboat showed up, I knew I had made the right choice! 

Sea Spray

Sea Spray, 9 x 12, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2016

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A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to paint in Carmel, California. My husband had meetings in Spanish Bay, so... there I was, and I just happened to bring my paint kit along! ;) The famous 17 Mile Drive was right outside our hotel, so I got out early to study that glorious, rugged coastline. What I didn't anticipate was how many tourists would be stopping by that same spot, and how many people would ask to take my picture. It was pretty funny. I can only imagine the number of family slide shows I ended up in! 

I finally asked one of them to take a picture with MY camera too... so I could have a picture for my own slide show! Here I am on my rock in full painting mode... a beautiful morning with no winds. Pretty idyllic!

See that little Sea Gull in the top right corner sitting on the rock? He watched me paint the entire time I was out there. He was great company!