Donald Neff

Glorious!

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Last Saturday I joined the California Art Club along the Big Sur coastline for a plein air paintout. We were expecting a cloudy morning gradually clearing, but when I arrived just before 10am, it was sunny and clear and very little wind. It was a glorious day! The surf action was amazing with huge waves crashing against the rocky cliffs, in some places almost reaching the top.

We met at one of my favorite spots along the coast near Soberanes Point. It is easily accessible and a starting point for a number of trails along the coast and inland. Large and small coves abound with plenty of scenes to paint! I have painted here many, many times in all types of weather.

When I arrived, the parking area was almost full, however I only saw a few artists painting. That soon changed as within an hour or so, there were probably 30-40 artists lined up around the bluffs.

Enjoy this short video I took of the event including both eye level and above shots of the beautiful California Big Sur coast line. Turn the volume up and go HD full screen!

I spent a few hours painting, with a few breaks to walk the bluffs and visit with fellow artist friends, take pictures, and meet new artists. I had to leave early afternoon, but before departing, did a short drone flight over the area.

Generally, paintings I do during these paintouts are not my best, as they are as much a social event as a painting event. In this case, the painting turned out well, and I consider a ‘keeper’. After just a little studio touchup, you can see the results above. “Soberanes”, 8×16, oil on panel. I might even do a larger studio piece based on this one.

Glorious! Read More »

Morning on Metcalf Road

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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.

“Morning on Metcalf Road”, oil on panel, plein air

Metcalf Road winds it’s way in the hills south of San Jose. Close to my old home in the Evergreen area of San Jose, it was a favorite ride on my Harley if I just wanted to get away for a bit. Just a few miles from the sprawling Silicon Valley, it is totally rural with farmhouses, winding roads, and vistas of the California hills.

From the “studio tata ki te kokoru” is another plein air piece I did for the Los Gatos Art Festival in 2015, painted in the early morning along Metcalf visible in the foreground.

Morning on Metcalf Road Read More »

Out with the Old!

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…and in with the New!

It’s only a couple days into the new year, but let’s hope it goes better that last year!

I painted “Primary Swell’ some months ago, published it online in several places, but never quite satisfied with it. It was taken from a drone shot during a primary swell in Monterey Bay February 2021. I even had a buyer for it during my open studio event last October, but said let me work on it a bit more. You can read about the genesis of the painting here.

After pondering what it was lacking, decided it mainly needed more color and interest in the big wave, which should be the center of interest. I kept going around in circles, at least in paint circles, probably redoing the wave 3-4 times until somewhat satisfied.

So, in a symbolic gesture of getting rid of the year 2021, it’s out with the old, and in with the new. Below are the two versions of the painting, the older on the left, and the new on the right.

Click and move the slider back and forth to see the difference.

“Primary Swell, Marina”, 22×28, oil on canvas

Here’s to a better and more prosperous 2022!

Out with the Old! Read More »

Wishing You a Happy New Year and Prosperous 2022

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Everyone have a happy and prosperous 2022!  Lets hope we fare better than 2020 and 2021!

2021 Miniatures Holiday Sale Extended!

I have some great paintings left which haven’t sold this holiday season, so I am extending the annual miniatures sale through the end of January 2022.  Spend some of your Christmas gift cash!  If you are looking for a great keepsake for the new year, this is the biggest discount I ever sell my paintings, some up to 70% off. Price is for framed or unframed original as shown. Shipping is free in the continental US.

I don’t have a sophisticated sales system, so just email me at donald@donaldneff.com if interested in a painting. I can take credit card or check.  The sale will continue until January 31, 2022.

Just click here to see the sale.

Here are a few samples of wonderfully framed pieces in the sale–

Wishing You a Happy New Year and Prosperous 2022 Read More »

It’s About Time!

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I started this website in 2001, which was one of the earlier artists websites around. Things were a bit more primitive then and harder to put together. Being from a tech background, though, I used the then state of the art tools, and kept the same look over the years. Between then and now we got smart phones, iPads, and all kinds of other devices. Web site building also got a lot easier. But, my website stayed it’s cluttered self.

I have now launched a new site, much cleaner, less cluttered, and is mobile device friendly. You are looking at it now. I am still curating some of the paintings under the Works tab, and adding a few pages, but the bulk of the old site has been moved over. Please enjoy browsing around, and let me know if there are any problems.

For the techies, I used to use Dreamweaver to build the site, but it has gotten way to complex and costly for what I need in a simple website. So, I just built on my weblog which runs under a local/private copy of WordPress.

HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON!

It’s About Time! Read More »

Puzzled?

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Looking for last minute gifts? Would you like a Donald Neff painting in the form of a jigsaw puzzle?? Some of my most popular prints are now in puzzle form! Choose from two sizes! Fine Art America is having a 20% off on puzzles and other items. Order now so you can get it before Christmas!

Just click here to order!

Puzzled? Read More »

Remember Roy

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Roy’s Beach, 12×24, oil on gallery wrap canvas

I never met Roy.  But from now on, will certainly remember him.  

One of the greatest satisfactions an artist can have is when a painting has extra special meaning to the collector.  Besides just being a nice scenic painting to hang on a wall, if the place has some special significance to the purchaser, it also means something to the artist.

Last February I painted a scene of Ft Ord Dunes State Beach.  We frequently walk among the dunes near our new home in Marina, CA, and we always pass by the scene.  The late afternoon sun on Monterey Bay and the beach are just stunning. The painting sold almost immediately online.   You can read about it here.

During my Open Studio event last October, Allen Crane, a lifelong resident of Marina, stopped by and told me he really wanted that painting, but it sold so fast he missed his chance to purchase it.   I told him I could do a commission piece similar to the painting, although I wouldn’t paint the exact same thing. We settled on making it more of a sunset scene. 

He then told me the story of why he wanted the painting…well, I’ll let him tell you in is own words:

Roy and Allen Crane first moved to Marina in the fall of 1964 after their father, Donald, retired from the US Army. Roy absolutely loved walking, very briskly, on the beach – Ft Ord Dunes State Beach was his favorite starting point for his daily walks. He always had a sighting to share – of whales, or porpoises, of the squid boats or flocks of pelicans following the curve of the waves. Nobody else seemed to see as much activity on the waves as Roy did, then again, not everyone walked for miles, daily, on the beach either. Roy passed away in his sleep at his childhood home in Marina, on Sept.22, 2020. A few days later, Allen held a memorial for his brother on this beach (he calls it Roy’s Beach) attended by friends and neighbors from all over Northern California.

Allen Crane

During the painting of this commission, and many times before and after, we walk by the very same scene, and we see the porpoises, squid boats, and pelicans just like Roy and Allen had for so many decades.  It’s still there, and to be enjoyed for everyone many more decades to come.  

Here’s a few photos of Roy’s Beach—

Now, every time we walk there, I will…

Remember Roy.

Remember Roy Read More »

Late

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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.

“Late”, 18×24, oil on canvas, Creeks and Rivers of Silicon Valley Studio Versions 

In 2014, after spending a year going out once a week in my quest to paint “The Creeks and Rivers of Silicon Valley”, I was just a little melancholy. So, I determined to paint some larger studio versions of my favorite pieces done on location the past year. Hence, a new series was born.

On this 340th day of posting a brief diversion from the virus news is another nocturne. I have been posting a few nocturnes of Silicon Valley, AKA Santa Clara Valley, painted from the hills above my home in San Jose. This might look familiar, as it is a studio piece of the plein air work I posted a few days ago.  

From the “Studio bei der Bucht”

Late Read More »

Victorian Lore

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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.

“Victorian Lore”, 24×12, oil on canvas, plein air. 

Alum Rock Park in the foothills just east of San Jose was founded in 1872. With its dozens of mineral springs, it became a nationally famous health destination. Stone grottos were built around 20 springs, along with bath houses, hotels, saloons, a zoo, and other facilities over the years. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, San Jose residents and others could take the trolly from downtown east to commune with nature, partake of the mineral baths, and other attractions.

All that is gone now except the stone bridges, and grottos. The park has basically ‘returned to nature’.  

From the “ny studiekarantæne”, I originally painted this for the Los Gatos Art Festival plein air event. The painting is of one of the remaining foot bridges across Penitencia Creek in the park built in 1913. It didn’t sell at that show, so I touched it up later in the studio. It’s also part of my vertical water series I add to occasionally you can see here– https://pin.it/5Mbc7D2

Victorian Lore Read More »

Holiday Sale!! Magnificent Miniatures!!

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Looking for a totally unique custom gift for the holiday season which will last a lifetime? These little paintings make great holiday gifts.. This is the biggest discount I ever sell my paintings, some up to 70% off. Most prices are for unframed original, however if the frame is shown, it is included. Shipping is free in the continental US.

I don’t have a sophisticated sales system, so just email me at donald@donaldneff.com if interested in a painting. I can take credit card or check.

The Holiday Gallery is on Pinterest. Just click here to view images and prices. This sale will continue until Dec 24.

Here are just a few paintings in the sale. Click here to see all of them, plus prices and sizes.

Holiday Sale!! Magnificent Miniatures!! Read More »