July 2021

Hakone Pals

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From April 2020, for a year, I posted on Facebook a painting each day as a brief diversion from the lockdowns and other bad news this year. Neglecting my weblog, I’ll post in the coming days some of my better posts. Some of these paintings are still available.

“Hakone Pals”, 24×12, oil on canvas, plein air 

Over 100 years old, Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, CA, is one of the oldest Japanese estate, retreat and gardens in the Western Hemisphere. In 1915, two San Francisco arts patrons, Oliver and Isabel Stine, intending to build a summer retreat, purchased the 18-acre site on which Hakone now stands. Inspired by her trips to Japan, Isabel Stine modeled the gardens upon (and named them after) Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. 

Having visited Hakone in Japan, I especially appreciate the namesake, and the countryside there is beautiful views of Lake Ashi and Mt Fuji.

From the “Studio Keimusho”, another “Vertical Water” painting completed for the Los Gatos Art Festival of Hakone Garden. Look at the painting and can you guess why it was named “Hakone Pals”??

You can read more about this painting here–
http://www.donaldneff.com/blog/hot-hot-hot/

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Pigeon Point Lighthouse

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From April 2020, for a year, I posted on Facebook a painting each day as a brief diversion from the lockdowns and other bad news this year. Neglecting my weblog, I’ll post in the coming days some of my better posts. Some of these paintings are still available.

“Pigeon Point Lighthouse”, 24×12, oil on canvas

One of the prominent man made features on the San Mateo Coast of California, along the Pacific Ocean, is the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. Built in 1871, it is the tallest lighthouse on the western coast of the United States. It is still used for Coast Guard navigation, and a small overnight hostel is now housed in the old light keeper’s housing.

From the “Studio Bilangguan” is another ‘Vertical Water’ painting I did a couple years ago of the historic structure. You can read more about it here, and enjoy a short drone video of the area —
http://www.donaldneff.com/blog/pigeon-is-the-point/

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Misty Merced

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From April 2020, for a year, I posted on Facebook a painting each day as a brief diversion from the lockdowns and other bad news this year. Neglecting my weblog, I’ll post in the coming days some of my better posts. Some of these paintings are still available.

“Misty Merced”, 24×12, oil on canvas

Intersectionality is one of the new buzzwords of the SJW political crowd. This piece is an intersection of two series/themes I have been painting off and on the last few years, the ‘Misty’, and ‘Vertical Water’ paintings.

From the “Studio Kal?jimas” is another scene of the Merced River in Yosemite Valley, California with Sentinel Rock in the background. The painting I posted yesterday was done on location, and this one in the studio. You can see more vertical water paintings here:
https://www.pinterest.com/next…/the-vertical-water-series/ 

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Merced Reflections

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From April 2020, for a year, I posted on Facebook a painting each day as a brief diversion from the lockdowns and other bad news this year. Neglecting my weblog, I’ll post in the coming days some of my better posts.

“Merced Reflections”, 16×8, oil on panel, plein air

Several years ago I started a series called “Vertical Water”. I add to the series occasionally with both studio and plein air works. This one was painted en plein air on Swinging Bridge in Yosemite Valley, Feb 2017. It was quite cold, so I touched it up and finished it in the studio. That year was a great trip as I visited my painting on display in the Yosemite Museum, saw the firefall, and executed some good paintings.
From the “Studio Börtön”, you can see more vertical water paintings here:
https://www.pinterest.com/next…/the-vertical-water-series/
You can read about the trip and enjoy a short video here:
http://www.donaldneff.com/blog/fire-water-and-ice/

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Tuolumne

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From April 2020, for a year, I posted on Facebook a painting each day as a brief diversion from the lockdowns and other bad news this year. Neglecting my weblog, I’ll post in the coming days some of my better posts.

“Tuolumne”, 20×30, acrylic on canvas

Tuolumne Meadows, one of my favorite spots and campgrounds in the high Sierra Nevada mountains, is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, rock climbers, fishermen, and artists.

I still remember my first visits when I was a child of around 10 years old. One of the largest high-elevation meadows in the Sierra Nevada, Tuolumne Meadows at 8,600 feet has been also among the most visible to past pioneers, and present visitors and scientists.

Within Tuolumne Meadows, the Tuolumne River meanders quietly through its meadow channel against a backdrop of rugged mountain peaks and glacially carved domes. 

From the “Studio Garáž” is an old acrylic, but still favorite, I painted in the early 2000’s. I also produced limited edition prints of this piece.

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Tenaya

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Since April 2020 I have posted on Facebook a painting each day as a brief diversion from the lockdowns and other bad news this year. Neglecting my weblog, I’ll post in the coming days some of my better posts.

“Tenaya”, 9×12, oil on panel, plein air

What a magnificent scene! I still remember as a kid first visiting Tenaya Lake and over the decades regularly return to it both physically, and in my art doing plein air and studio paintings of the area.

One of the easily accessible alpine lakes in the high Sierra, Tenaya Lake is also one of the most spectacular. Named after Yosemite Ahwahneechee Chief Tenaya, it is nestled in a granite basin surrounded by soaring granite domes, peaks, and lodgepole forests. Along Hwy 120 (Tioga Pass Road), it is also a sports destination with hiking, swimming, and boating.

Yesterday I posted a plein air piece painted during a trip to Yosemite. From the “Studio Malliberejo” is another one from the same trip.

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