Thrilled to announce that I’ve been invited to showcase three of my pieces in a new gallery in downtown Pacific Grove! They had a soft opening yesterday, and I’m sending them all my best for a successful journey ahead. I’m honored to be part of this vibrant new space!
I don’t think their website is up yet, but hours are Sat 10a-5p, and other days 10a-3p. Please stop by if you are near downtown Pacific Grove!!
The Carmel Art Festival in California is an annual event that transforms the picturesque seaside town of Carmel-by-the-Sea into a center of creativity and culture. Each May, this festival celebrates the magic of plein air painting, where artists capture the breathtaking coastal landscapes. seascapes, and charming architecture of the area in just a few days. Visitors are treated to the thrill of watching artists bring scenes to life, bidding on exquisite art at auctions, and diving into a variety of engaging exhibitions and workshops.
I’ve been part of this artistic extravaganza nearly every year since 2006. In recent years, participating has become more convenient since we now live locally, eliminating the need for travel and accommodations—though those adventures were part of the charm! Artists have about two days to create at least two world-class paintings ready for sale.
Check-in was on Wednesday morning, where festival officials stamped the back of our canvases to ensure all paintings were freshly created within the two-day timeframe.
After my canvas was stamped, faced with morning gloom, I was uncertain about my first painting location. However, being halfway there, I ventured on to Garrapata State Park near Soberanes Point. Despite the overcast skies, a little artistic imagination brought the scene to life.
Next, I headed to Ft Ord Dunes State Beach. I walk there 3-5 times a week as it is near our home in Marina. Last year, a painting I created there won the People’s Choice Award and was featured as this year’s festival poster. Although I didn’t expect to capture lightning in a bottle twice, I hoped for a bit of the same magic by painting close to last year’s spot, yet capturing an entirely new scene.
Thursday morning was gloomy again, so I stayed in the studio to touch up and frame the previous day’s paintings. By early afternoon, I was off to Elkhorn Slough to create another piece.
The festival is not just about art—it’s a vibrant celebration with live music, gourmet food, and family-friendly activities, offering a rich and inclusive cultural experience that showcases the artistic heritage of the region. Since I won People’s Choice Award last year, my painting was the festival poster for this year. Here are a few photos of the festival.
Here are my three pieces for the show.
31st Carmel Art Festival Read More »
Participating in the second Monterey Art Museum Block Party, 25 artists of the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters came out for a good time. I randomly was chosen for the same location as last year. This year, I painted a short pathway between two of the buildings in Plaza Del Oro Gardens. Below are some photos of the day.
Here is the painting I came up with. I think it’s a keeper!
Painting Old Monterey Read More »
I’ve joined artists, creators and makers across the country for the Artists Sunday, earth’s largest art event, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, November 26th, encouraging consumers to shop with artists. Think of it like Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, or Cyber Monday but for shopping for art!
I already have my Small Works Holiday sale on, so just click here to see the bargains!
November 26 is Artists Sunday Read More »
The quest started 10 years ago today as a simple idea. I didn’t even know if I would, or even could finish it. After all, it was a commitment for a year.
I didn’t know if it would turn out worthwhile, or just a stack of sticky panels for the scrap heap. I didn’t know if anything would be interesting or worth looking at.
I didn’t know I would eventually paint ghost towns in Silicon Valley, or haunted springs, or wild beaver sign in a metropolitan city, or the worlds largest homeless camp, or the world’s first ‘plein air selfie’.
I didn’t know it would snowball in scope and public interest way beyond my first simple idea. Little did I know it would be featured on NBCTV, and other TV spots, articles by major publications, multiple showings in various venues, and a book.
I didn’t know eventually strangers would walk up to me, give me a hug, and say I brought back their fond childhood memories of days gone by in the “Valley of Hearts Delight’.
Ten years ago today, I started a year-long quest to paint a different “Creek and River of Silicon Valley” each week en plein air, or on location.
At the time, even finishing the year successfully was not known, but I ended up with 60 paintings of 43 different creeks all over the South San Francisco Bay area. Discover about the quest, including a short documentary video, interactive map, and other information here.
The collection of 60 paintings is still intact and will be for the foreseeable future. I am still seeking venues both local, national, and international for showings, so inquiries are welcome!
La Quete – Ten Years Read More »
“The Carmel Art Festival in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, is an extraordinary celebration of artistic talent and the beauty of the coastal landscape. Every year, this renowned event brings together artists and art enthusiasts from around the world to showcase and appreciate a diverse range of artistic expressions. With its charming streets and stunning ocean views, Carmel-by-the-Sea serves as the perfect backdrop for this captivating festival. Visitors can immerse themselves in a vibrant atmosphere filled with creativity, as they explore the exceptional artworks on display, engage with the artists, and participate in various interactive events. The Carmel Art Festival is a true testament to the profound impact of art, fostering inspiration and forging connections between artists and the local community.”
— ChatGPT
This year is the 30th anniversary of the Carmel Art Festival, and instead of jurying in participants, they invited past award winners for the show. I have won a number of awards over the years, so I was automatically in, but it was certainly going to be a pretty stiff competition! As it turned out, about 40 past award winners opted in, so they juried another 20 artists for a total of 60.
I have been participating the the Carmel Art Festival about every year since 2006. There have been ups and downs both in sales, and awards, but is always a rewarding experience. This year, since we live near Carmel, I didn’t need to travel, stay in a motel, and had the convenience of my home studio where I could do final touchup and framing, etc.
During a competition/show like this, you have a number of days to create paintings which are then sold or auctioned off. At the start of the event, the painting surfaces, such as canvases or panels, are stamped or marked to verify that all artwork is created within the designated time frame. After checking in Wednesday morning, and having my canvases stamped, I headed down the Big Sur Coast for my first painting. I had spotted a scene last week near Rocky Creek Bridge while on a Harley ride, which looked inviting to paint. It was overcast, but clearing, and hoped the coastline would be sunny. Well, it wasn’t, but the fog drifted in and out, sometimes totally blocking the scene, but occasionally the sun did break through which gave me enough to complete the painting.
Next stop was Ft Ord Dunes State Park, a familiar location, not far from our house, which I walk by 2-3 times a week on our coastal dunes walking. I did a studio painting of the scene several years ago, but never a plein air on location. It was still overcast, but the sun peeked out occasionally.
Last stop for the day, was Del Monte Beach, where I started a nocturne of Monterey Bay with the town of Monterey in the background. Again, I did a studio painting of this several years ago, but never a plein air.
It was an exhausting day, but I got 3 paintings near completion.
It was foggy and overcast again, so I spent the morning touching up the prior day’s pieces. In the afternoon, I ventured out, and went to Pacific Grove to paint the coastal ice plant…always a favorite among collectors. I only got about half done with the piece, and eventually decided not to put it in the show. I’ll go back at a later date and finish it as I liked the scene, light, and colors.
We had to deliver our just completed paintings to the festival by 2 pm, so I spent the morning framing, photographing, and prepping the three pieces. Here are the three paintings I entered in the show. Click on each one to see a larger, more complete version.
After delivery to the show in downtown Carmel, it was home to get ready for the afternoon and evening activities. Returning to the show, found out I was honored with People’s Choice award for the Ft Ord Dunes painting, and it sold right away! The collectors run a gallery in Texas, and since I spent my formative years in Texas, we immediately made a connection!
That evening, a VIP event was hosted with wine and small plates served. I had invited a few friends/collectors to celebrate with us, and it was a delightful evening.
The next two days of the show were fairly uneventful as I only stopped by occasionally to see how things were going. All-in-all, it was a great event, and a great, but tiring time!
Stay tuned. Next show is at the John Steinbeck Museum!
2023 Carmel Art Festival Read More »
At first I thought it would be a good challenge, a little out of my comfort level, but maybe some fun. Later on, wondered what I might be getting myself into!
I volunteered to paint with the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters at the Old Monterey Foundation Downtown festival in conjunction with the Monterey Museum of Art Block Party and the Monterey History and Art Association’s Jo Mora Day, yesterday, April 15th. Downtown Monterey is checkered with old buildings, adobes, and secret and not-so-secret gardens, some centuries old.
We were supposed to paint around Old Town Monterey, and then display the paintings in the afternoon at the block party. Architecture, buildings, etc. is not usually what I paint, nor do I consider my self proficient at it. As a son once said many years ago, “Dad, your buildings suck, but you are getting better”. As we got closer to the event, the instruction sheet says they will assign us a location to paint! Uh-oh!! I don’t even get to choose where to paint!!!
Arriving for check-in on a cloudy morning, my assigned spot was Casa del Oro Garden. I had actually not been to this garden, but as it turned out, there were several spots appealing to me to paint. I chose the old adobe wall and gate behind the Pacific Hotel, and close to Debra Nichols, Membership Chair of MBPAPA. About 15 MBPAPA artists were participating.
Since it was overcast, but supposed to clear, I took my time the first few hours, painting everything but sunlight until the sun came out, and then finished the painting in a little over 3 hours. They also opened the gate, showing the inside garden, which I decided to paint in, and enhanced the piece. It was probably too late to start another painting, so left it at that.
The festival coordinators didn’t specify if we should frame the paintings or not, but I only had one frame in the studio for the size of the canvas, so framed it. As it turned out, the painting and frame seemed to really go together, and later on a number of spectators remarked as such.
Dropping off the piece at the festival for display, it was quite an active event! The downtown block party was jammed with people, display booths of all sorts, food galore, and live music.
My piece won first place, and also sold! Maybe I should start painting more architecture!
Painting Old Monterey Read More »
I was honored last night with First Place in the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters Member show, “Coastal Passions” at the Pacific Grove Art Center, Pacific Grove, CA. The show was quite strong, with a lot of great paintings, and it was the first time I have shown with this group. I painted the piece during the California Art Club paint out last January. You can read about it here, plus a video with some great drone shots of the California Coastline.
The show runs until October 27. Please stop by!
Honored that two of my paintings will be part of the upcoming “Coastal Passions”, conducted by the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters. The show will run 9/2/2022 – 10/27/2022 with a
Reception: 9/2/2022 7-9pm at the
Pacific Grove Art Center – Gill Gallery
568 Lighthouse Ave
Pacific Grove, California
More info can be found here– https://www.mbpapa.org/event/164031/coastal-passions-mbpapa-all-member-juried-show
Flattered that my painting, Misty Merced, is being used in advertising the upcoming Yosemite Renaissance show.
Also, some of the exhibit dates have firmed up as follows–
Yosemite Gateway Art Center – March 18 through May 29, 2022
Kings Art Center, Hanford – June 25th through July 30th, 2022
Carnegie Arts Center, Turlock – August 9th through October 1st, 2022
Yosemite Museum Gallery, Yosemite National Park – TBA – We look forward to returning to the Yosemite Museum in Oct. 2022!
Circle Gallery, Madera County Arts Council – TBA
