October 2007

Seasons of Martis Day 2

Today was the official start of the Seasons of Martis Plein Air event. The forecast was for snow overnight and throughout the day, so I wasn’t so excited about getting up early for the sunrise. Below is my car in the morning….

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Around 9:00 the sun peeked out, so I thought…better go! I headed out and checked in for the show at Northstar Ski resort, and then made my way to the Martis Wildlife viewing area, which I had scouted out yesterday. It was cold and overcast, but not too bad. There were already a number of the plein air artists out painting. I set up and started painting. After about an hour, a new wave of snow came in and, it got bad enough, we just had to pack it in. I didn’t mind the cold or snow, but it was impossible to paint with all the melting precipitation all around, let alone see anything in the ‘white-out’.

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Check out the snow on Richards jacket…what a die hard!!! Also notice you can’t see any mountains in the background…they were completely whited out.

We were close to Truckee, so I went in for some lunch. The Squeeze In Cafe was great…a wonderful omlette was so big, I brought half of it home. It was still snowing, sleeting and cloudy, so I retired back at the motel for some rest.

About mid afternoon, the sun poked back out, so I headed for the Truckee River to start another painting. I paint the Truckee often, and it sells well in the gallery, so why not capitalize on my strengths! I painted for a couple hours, and my back really started acting up so I got out a camping chair to sit on.

While I was painting, the owners of the property from across the “restricted bridge” dropped by. we briefly chatted and I learned they knew the owner of the gallery I show at in Tahoe City. Seasonally they post “Keep Off” and “Don’t Park” signs, but me and my Ford Explorer ignored it. The owners slowly drove around my easel in the road, checking their house, and went merrily on.

I had painted a number of paintings from this spot over the last couple years. In fact, my demo oil painting is from here. Finally, as some of you know I have been fighting back pain off and on for over 30 years. it got the best of me, and the sun was starting to fade behind a new wave of snow showers. Time to pack in and have a relaxing evening.

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Off to Tahoe

I am off to Lake Tahoe today to participate in the Seasons of Martis Plein Air show. Although my four hour drive from San Jose to Lake Tahoe are somewhat routine, arriving and being at Lake Tahoe is never routine. Every time I come here the colors are different.

I awoke at 5:30 this morning, but didn’t leave the house until about 7:00. Arriving at South Lake Tahoe around 11:30 I delivered the Cave Rock painting to Village Art Gallery.

The painting depicts some docks, dock houses, and boats below Cave Rock. It’s a small town, and the gallery owners knew (or know of) the owners of the dock…I don’t know much more than this other than it is “Middle Eastern Oil” money.

(I have something more to great say about the great service at Tahoe Framing, but will leave that for another post.)

I then proceed to the north shore to deliver some miniatures to James Harold Galleries. Today was a high wind day, and the Lake had some colors and contrasts I hadn’t seen before. My smaller paintings have been selling well there this year, and Hal, the gallery owner handed me yet another check.

I checked into my motel, and then proceeded north over Brockway Summit towards Truckee and the Martis Valley to check out painting sites.

Truckee, California is a small railroad town in the high Sierras created by the transcontinenal railroad. It is probably more famous recently by the promptu performances by Paul McCartney in some of the local bars….how how I wish I was there. then…haha.

After driving around, and enduring the 40 mpg gusts in the Martis Valley, I settled on doing a quick study of some great turning aspens more sheltered and close to Brockway Sumit. I had been painting no more than 45 minutes when some of the other participants in the event showed up. Below are a couple shots of the day.

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After awhile, the wind was gusting, the light fading, so I packed it in for the day.

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Off to Seasons of Martis

I am off tomorrow to participate in the Seasons of Martis plein air event. Information about the event is in the previous blog and on my website. Looks like we will get a little snow Thursday and Friday, so it should make the painting interesting. I have never painted a snowstorm before, but it might be fun trying. It is supposed to be sunny Saturday, so may have to do most of my serious painting then. I might try to post to the weblog as we go along as my motel has high speed internet support.

I am also dropping the new Cave Rock painting mentioned in prior blogs at the Village Art Gallery in South Lake Tahoe, plus a number of new miniatures at James Harold Galleries in Tahoe City. It turned out quite well–

The Red Boat, Cave Rock, Lake Tahoe

“The Red Boat” * 48×36 * Oil on Canvas

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