PCH at Torrey Pines

"PCH at Torrey Pines" is 30 x 40 inches, oil on canvas. I particularly enjoy the idea of viewing the landscape as seen from a car, it feels like more of a contemporary take on an otherwise classic tradition of california painting. Like a drive to the beach after a long day at work, the golden hour. This one of my favorite San Diego spots, it's where Carmel Valley Road connects to the Pacific Coast Highway in Del Mar, Torrey Pines State Beach is to the left over the old bridge in the background (for some reason, the water in the background seems more yellow in this picture than it actually is in the painting). I really liked this view with the palm and that old house, I've painted it on location before. Because there's allot of atmosphere looking toward the bright sunset sky, depicting the color of everything in shadows was tricky.

Urban Landscape Award

As mentioned in my previous post, I attended the California Art Club's 98th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. It was a very exciting evening, I got to see allot of old friends and meet some new ones. There was a bunch of great artwork in the show, and I feel very honored that my painting, "Looking Inward", won the award for Urban Landscape, sponsored by Art Ltd. Magazine.

That's Christopher Slatoff (left), myself, Peter Adams (CAC President), and David Gallup

"South Rock, Laguna" 10 x 12 inches, oil on canvas.
In contrast from my urban landscape work, and to keep the blog updated with new paintings, this is "South Rock, Laguna", 10 x 12 inches, oil on canvas. I executed it on location with my painting pal Bill Wray a while back, then finished it in the studio. I've got a handful of plein-air pieces that I'll post here in the future.

Pictured below is "Above Torrey Pines Beach", oil on board, approximately 20 x 28 inches. This is one of my favorite areas here in San Diego, I enjoy hiking along the trails at Torrey Pines State Reserve, and do a little bit of plein-air painting there when I get a chance. It's a departure from my typical studio work, but I enjoy getting out and soaking in the sun when I can. It's only a ten minute drive from my house, and a big reason why I moved to SD. Doing plein-air painting helps me keep an eye for color and forces me to work faster... and as a studio painter, I often feel cooped up, it's nice to get outside.