Tor House in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, is a historic stone home built by poet Robinson Jeffers and his wife Una beginning in 1919 on a windswept promontory at Carmel Point. Using granite boulders hauled from the nearby shore, Jeffers, working as an apprentice stonemason constructed the original cottage, completed around 1924, and later Hawk Tower, a Celtic-inspired structure overlooking the Pacific. Named for the craggy “tor” (knoll) on which it stands, the house served as both a family refuge and the place where Jeffers composed nearly all his major poetic works, inspired by the rugged coastal landscape.
Yesterday (Sunday) I was invited, along with three other Monterey Bay Plein Air Artist members to paint while the Tor House Foundation held a garden party. Although having driven by the Tor House many times but never been inside, it was quite a treat to participate in the event!
Here’s a few pictures of the Tor House…
We arrived a little before the party started, and after looking over all the property, we all settled in a spot to paint. Some of my fellow artists painting…
I am mostly a scenery type artist, but also wanted to include a bit of the old stone buildings, so picked a spot out of the way showing just the edge of the house and a large boulder. It also had a view of the Pacific Ocean with Point Lobos in the far background…perfect! A few shots of me painting. (Some photos complimentary of Jackie Bleisch.)
The party was well attended and quite lively with bagpipes, chamber orchestra, and other delights! Click on the videos to enjoy the music…
While I was busy laying paint to canvas, one of the docents came over and told me I was painting a historic rock. The Thuban Rock is the massive granite cornerstone of the house that Jeffers incorporated deep into the structure while building his home. Jeffers addressed this ancient stone in his poem “To the Rock That Will Be a Cornerstone of the House,” Long before Jeffers built Tor House, however, this site is believed to have been a sacred place for Native American peoples of the region.
The grey morning turned into nice sunshine, and I used some artistic license to make the lighting a little more dramatic and moved the bushes a bit.
After about three hours of painting, it was turning out rather well, so I stopped. Generally these plein air pieces reach a point that if you keep going, you may start to ruin the freshness of the moment. It was also getting windy and cold! I had a number of inquiries about purchasing the piece all afternoon as it was developing. Coming prepared, I framed it, and it was purchased by one of the docents of the Foundation!
Point Lobos has always been a special place. Spanish explorers called it “Point of the Sea Wolves” hearing the cries of the sea lions echoing off the cliffs. From the late 19th century on, it became a magnet for artists seeking its raw, untamed beauty. Landscape artist Francis McComas famously called it “the greatest meeting of land and sea in the world.” Photographers like Edward Weston and Ansel Adams also returned again and again, creating iconic images of the twisted cypress trees, wave-worn rocks, and crystalline tide pools. It became one of California’s first state reserves in 1933, preserving this wild sanctuary for future generations of artists and visitors.
There’s something profoundly satisfying about painting en plein air. I tell passersby I do it as much for the excuse to just sit there for several hours, feeling the breeze on your face, watching the light change minute by minute, and in this case, listen to the crashing waves, seagulls, and barking sea lions.
Wednesday was one of those perfect California coastal days, so I joined the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters at Weston Beach in the Preserve. Trying to get there early, fighting the slow rush hour traffic down the coast (yes, the Monterey area does have rush hour traffic!), I finally arrived at the preserve about a half hour after it opened. By then, the parking areas were almost full!! It was a busy day at the preserve with families, hikers, and nature lovers filling the trails and viewpoints, making the most of this glorious weather, and one fellow artist reminded me it was still spring break time for the local schools!
I only saw about three other artists painting. My guess is the park filled up so fast, many might have been turned away and had to go to other points along the beautiful California coastline. (Note to Al: perhaps schedule Pt Lobos more during off season and especially not during spring break!)
I had determined to try to get a ‘show worthy’ painting done. Spending about 2 1/2 hours, here is the piece as I finished for the day. I think this one is definitely a keeper.
I finally pulled it off and the secret’s out! I’ve dreamed for years of painting from this spot, simply because it’s so wildly unique. As far as I know, no one has ever set up an easel here before. In fact, only a handful of people have even seen this view, let alone tried to capture it on canvas. It took years of training and preparation for this mid 70 year old to accomplish it, but I have finally achieved it!
Take a moment to watch the short video and follow the adventure. Be sure to turn the sound up and watch to the end!
A few weeks back in my “Aah Feel Good” post, I was out with the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters (MBPAPA) at Garrapata State Park, right along that wild Big Sur coastline. It was classic coastal fog, socked-in so bad that some moments you could barely make out the ocean crashing below the cliffs. My piece turned out solid enough to probably be a keeper after a little studio touchup.
Now, the California Art Club was having a paint out at the same location, and it was bright and sunny!
Quite a few fellow artists showed up. I am not sure the count but there had to be at least twenty artists scattered along the cliffs. It was also great to reconnect with some artist friends I hadn’t seen in years. Here’s a few pictures of the group painting along the coastline–
On the drive down Highway 1, I was contemplating: Should I just paint sunshine right over that foggy version and finish it off? Or start fresh? I polled a bunch of my painter buddies on-site, and every single one told me: “Don’t you dare! That foggy one’s already good—leave it alone!” So, I set up at the identical viewpoint, grabbed a panel the exact same size, and went for it: Garrapata Twins! One moody and atmospheric in the mist, the other bursting with golden California sunshine.
Here’s a few pictures of me out painting (one photo courtesy of Nancy Takaichi)–
The new painting, I think is also a keeper after some TLC in the studio. Here is a snapshot–
After touching up both, I am tempted to frame the pair as a diptych, fog vs sunshine. Here is a shot of both them stacked in the studio.
What do you think? Diptych or not? I’d love to hear your take!
Update—
I had a few short videos I’ll add after publishing this post.
…so goes the iconic James Brown Song. It had been quite some time since I had been out painting on location, way too long, and going out felt good!! It had also been quite awhile since visiting the Big Sur coastline, not far from my home.
Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters was having their usual Wednesday paint-out at Garrapata State park, one of my favorite spots to paint, so joined them. The forecast promised a partially cloudy day, and it was around the house here in Marina, but as soon as I got to Garrapata, here is what it looked like—
In some directions you couldn’t even see the water, just hear the crashing surf! Quite a few had shown up, maybe 12-15 artists, and we were all hoping a little sun would peek through the fog, which as expected it did towards noon time.
By the time I was packing up to head home, it was somewhat sunny, but the fog was starting to roll back in!
I spent several hours on the piece, which I think is a keeper after maybe a little studio touchup–
untitled, 8×16, oil on board
The California Art Club is having a paint-out in the same area in a couple weeks. It will probably be time for a return visit!
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Many of you know I recently traveled to Sapporo, Japan, for the very special occasion of my son’s wedding. I won’t turn this into a full travelogue, but of course, I couldn’t resist packing my acrylic paints. Between family gatherings, wedding festivities, and endless toasts, my paint kit stayed in the hotel until the final days of our visit when most everyone had left and I could finally sneak away to paint.
Our hotel, by design, was adjacent to Nakajima Park, which is one of my favorite spots in Sapporo. I’ve painted there a number of times over the years. Usually, we visit in the spring when cherry blossoms turn the park into a pink paradise. This time, though, it was early autumn. Only a few trees were beginning to show a slight color and most of the landscape still a sea of green. Paintings with mostly green are a challenge for artists, as it is difficult to bring out the variations of color to make a pleasing piece.
I set up in the Japanese Garden and started a piece, but after about half an hour, I was tempted to give up. The composition felt flat and dull. Still, I decided to push through. After over an hour or so, the painting started to come together—still unfinished, but promising. I reluctantly packed up and headed back for more family activities. Here are a few photos from that day.
The next day was rainy and blustery, so couldn’t go out to paint, but the day after that was nicer. After another hour plus session, I finally think I got a keeper. Below are some photos.
Here is a quick snapshot of the painting.
BTW, in my recent studies on how AI can improve your paintings, I asked ChatGPT for several examples on how it would paint the scene. I think I like mine better!
One comment made after one of my last posts on AI is that everything will turn out the same, as you have the same instructor, a computer.
Not quite.
Each large language model (LLM) has its own “upbringing.” Much like children growing into adulthood, they’re shaped by what they’re fed. Behind the scenes, teams of human trainers pour in oceans of text—books, articles, websites, conversations—then refine the responses with feedback. The result? Each AI develops its own quirks, voice, and way of seeing the world.
Curious to explore this, I decided to run a little experiment. I chose a scene I know well: a coastal view I painted back in 2017 for the Carmel Art Festival. That painting went on to win the Plein Air Magazine Award of Excellence—so the place carries special meaning for me. The subject is Soberanes Point on Big Sur’s rugged coastline, beloved by artists everywhere and one I return to again and again with my brushes.
Below is the scene and my painting from that day.
Vertigo!, 24×12, oil on canvas
I presented a photograph of the scene to two different AI models: ChatGPT (which helped ignite today’s AI revolution) and Google’s AI Studio. The last time I tried Google’s tool, it glitched and couldn’t produce a painting at all. This time, however, it worked.
Both AI models used a similar color palette, and included many colors I use on my palette. However, the results couldn’t have been more different. One leaned toward a dreamy, impressionistic style. It emphasized more bright colors I normally wouldn’t do, but other artists use to great effect. The other was more literal, almost like a photograph with artistic filters applied. To my eye, the Google output felt less inspired, something I might achieve just as easily in Photoshop.
My painting is somewhere in between what the two AI models produced. While not being as bright as the ChatGPT version, it was a more literal translation similar to Google AI. Of course I did do some cropping and editing, as I wanted the point of interest to be the ocean and light behind the nearer rocks. I also moved the rocks around a bit, adding more to the right side to help balance the composition.
Below, I’ve shared the edited versions so you can see for yourself.
The biggest surprise? ChatGPT actually refused to take on certain aspects of the task—a hint of where the tangled question of AI copyright begins. That, I’ll share in my next post.
ChatGPT Results
Here’s how I’d approach developing this coastal plein air oil painting, step by step, with suggested colors:
Palette Choices
Sky & Water
Ultramarine Blue
Cobalt Blue
Cerulean Blue
Titanium White
Touches of Alizarin Crimson (for violets)
Viridian or Phthalo Green (sparingly, for water depth)
Sunlit Hillside
Cadmium Yellow Light
Yellow Ochre
Sap Green
Viridian mixed with Yellow Ochre (for spring greens)
Raw Umber + White (to dull greens where needed)
Cliffs & Rocks
Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber
Yellow Ochre
Ultramarine Blue (for shadow planes)
Alizarin Crimson (for warm accents in rocks)
White (to modulate value)
Foreground Vegetation
Sap Green
Cadmium Yellow Medium
Viridian
Burnt Sienna (to warm greens in sunlight)
Touches of Cadmium Red Light (for warm sparks among foliage)
Development Process
Block-in (thin washes / transparent earth tones)
Sketch composition with Burnt Umber or a mix of Ultramarine + Burnt Sienna.
Indicate big shadow masses of cliffs and hill.
Keep it thin and transparent.
Establish Values & Light
Lay in the sky first: Cerulean + White near horizon, deepening with Ultramarine higher up.
Indicate water masses with broad strokes, reserving lighter passages where sun reflects.
Middle Ground – Hill & Cliffs
Lay warm ochres and siennas into sunlit cliffs.
Mix cool violets (Ultramarine + Alizarin + White) for shadowed rock faces.
For hillside greens, alternate warm greens (Yellow Ochre + Sap Green) with cooler mixtures (Viridian + Blue).
Foreground Rocks & Shadows
Deepen shadows with Ultramarine + Burnt Sienna (rich dark neutral).
Add sharp edges and angular brushwork for the rocky forms near bottom.
Accentuate contrast between warm cliff planes in sunlight and the cool shadows below.
Final Accents & Movement
Bright foam of waves: Titanium White with a touch of Cerulean, applied with broken brushstrokes.
Add warm sunlight accents with Cadmium Yellow Light glazed thinly over cliff faces.
Foreground grasses with flicks of Sap Green + Cad Yellow + touches of Red for sparkle.
Google AI Studio
Painting this en plein air, I’d start by establishing the broad shapes and values.
Sky: I’d lay in the sky with a mix of Ultramarine Blue, a touch of Cerulean Blue, and plenty of white, keeping it light and airy, especially towards the horizon where it meets the distant hills. A hint of yellow ochre or a very light peach might be blended in near the sun for a subtle warmth.
Distant Hill: For the large hill, I’d use a mix of Sap Green, Yellow Ochre, and a touch of Burnt Sienna to suggest the dry grasses and varied terrain, keeping the values lighter and colors more muted due to atmospheric perspective. The sunlit areas would get more yellow ochre, while the shadowed side would have more green and a touch of Ultramarine for coolness.
Ocean: The deep blues of the ocean would be built up with Ultramarine Blue, Prussian Blue, and a hint of Alizarin Crimson or Burnt Sienna in the darker, deeper areas to create that rich, cool depth. Near the shore and where the waves break, I’d introduce lighter mixes of blues with white, and possibly a touch of viridian for the shallower, more vibrant greens. The white foam would be a quick highlight with titanium white, perhaps with a touch of the water’s color mixed in for translucency.
Cliffs and Rocks: The prominent cliffs would be a mix of Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, and a touch of Dioxazine Purple or Ultramarine for the shadowed crevices. I’d vary the texture and color for the sunlit faces versus the shaded undersides, using lighter, warmer tones for the former and cooler, darker tones for the latter. The smaller rocks in the water would echo these colors but with more blue reflections from the water.
Foreground Vegetation: The immediate foreground plants would be rendered with more intense greens (Sap Green, Lemon Yellow, a touch of bright Cadmium Yellow), focusing on their distinct shapes and the play of light and shadow on their leaves.
Development: I’d work from general to specific, thin washes to thicker impasto. First, block in the sky, then the distant hill, followed by the ocean. Next, define the large rock formations, working from the general shape to more detailed highlights and shadows. Finally, I’d add the foreground vegetation and the whitecaps of the waves, paying close attention to the interplay of light across the entire scene to capture that bright, clear atmosphere.
I haven’t been out plein air painting since the Carmel Art Festival last May. Far too long. So when the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters scheduled an outing at Rocky Point, that wild stretch of Big Sur coastline just south of my house, I decided it was time to get back out there.
It was overcast on the 25 mile drive to the point and the first hour or so of painting, but the weather forecast was pretty accurate, and the sun came streaming out late morning. A pretty good crowd of a dozen or so showed up, quietly concentrating on their work. I spent about two hours on the piece.
Frequently when you are painting in direct sunlight, and bring the painting indoors, it becomes ghostly dull. Colors flatten and shadows lose their depth. True to form, that’s the way it turned out. Some artists use an umbrella to shade the painting and alleviate this problem. I carry one in the car, but it is such a hassle to set up, I rarely do. Many times it is just too windy.
Here is the painting after about two hours work. I’d say it’s a keeper with a little touchup–
Continuing my dive into experimenting on whether Artificial Intelligence can improve an artists work, I asked ChatGPT how to improve the piece. It gave a pretty accurate echo of what I’d already been thinking about improvements (shown below).
This is a lovely plein air piece—you captured a strong sense of atmosphere and the rugged coastline really well. Since you only had a couple of hours, you got the essentials in, but here are a few ideas for improvement that could help push it further:
Suggestions for improvement:
Value contrast: The mid-ground cliff could use a stronger dark/light separation to make it pop against the water.
Edges: Sharpening a few edges in the focal area (maybe where the waves crash on the rocks) would give more energy.
Color harmony: Adding a bit more warmth (orange, sienna, or subtle pinks) into the rocky areas could balance the cooler greens/blues.
Atmospheric perspective: You already have soft hills in the background, but pushing them slightly bluer and lighter would add depth.
Water movement: Suggesting more directional strokes in the water could give it more life and rhythm.
If you’d like, I can generate a new JPEG for you with digital adjustments that reflect these improvements (higher contrast focal cliff, enhanced warm notes, softened background hills, livelier water).
Below is the painting ChatGPT came up with. Although I like some aspects of it, the painting is probably a little too saturated and contrasty. It doesn’t really reflect what we were seeing that day.
I’ll touch the piece up in the next week or so, and return here with a final version.
