Leaving the Winery

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"Leaving the Winery"

Oil, 8" x 10" on canvas panel.

$350 unframed.

I spent the weekend at a wonderful plein air painting event at Falkner Winery that was hosted by Segil Fine Art Gallery and the Pasadena Art Gallery Association. It was wonderful, especially because I was also able to spend the weekend with my parents.
I met some wonderful artists and gallery owners and the scenery was very fun to paint. I don't get out to do these events very often but I am definitely going to add this to my goals for 2010! I really need to get out more often.

Really Big Reds

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"Really Big Reds"

Oil, 8" x 16" on canvas panel

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Good news to share! I found out today that three of my paintings were juried in to the Segil Fine Art Gallery 2009 Holiday Small Works Show. Exhibition dates are December 5 through December 31, 2009, and there is an artists' wine and hors d’ouvres reception, Saturday, December 5, 5-7pm. I found out that some of my favorite artists friends are also in the show ... Julie Hill and Marian Fortunati. I am so honored to be in this show with them! For more info. go to http://www.segilfineart.com/.

I am heading to Temecula tomorrow for a wonderful painting weekend. I finished this painting this week as we are allowed to bring one completed painting for the show. I think it fits the theme! One of my favorite galleries, Segil Fine Art (in conjunction with the Pasadena Art Gallery Association) is hosting the Second Annual Fine Art Invitational at Falkner Winery. This year's event will be from 10am - 4pm on Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8; coinciding with the winery's Annual Fall Barrel Tasting Festival. Please join me for this spectacular two day event with over 30 plein air artists painting the beautiful Temecula wine country. For more information on Falkner Winery and directions go to www.falknerwinery.com.

Technology Struggles

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"Two Cats on the Beach"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

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I am posting this painting I finished awhile ago because I lost the charger to my camera and the battery has died. I also just got a new laptop and have not transferred data so I am using two computers at the moment. I have decided to go with a mac and I love it ... I can't believe I have waited so long to "cross over to the other side". Plus I am taking advantage of the free mac classes and they are wonderful!!!
So, I will post a new painting tomorrow as soon as I buy a new charger for my camera!

Reflections All in a Row

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"Reflections All in a Row"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

$200 unframed.

I spent all morning and afternoon painting in my studio. At about 2:00 I went outside to take a picture of my painting and was stunned ... it was 92 degrees. I had no idea! Our house is 94 years old and the old plaster walls serve as a great insulator from the heat. Somehow I had imagined it was a 70ish degree day and I was a bit sad that I had missed an entire lovely and warm day!
Weather aside, I like this painting. The reflections were really fun to paint. I also worked on a wine themed painting that I am going to try to finish tonight. I have lots to do and I am really motivated to finish all of these paintings!
I will be in Temecula this weekend for the plein air paint out at Faulkner Winery. Should be fun ... although I hope the weather cools down a bit!

Thinking Out Loud

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"Sailing On By"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

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Today is one of those days where all I want to do is hug my kids.
This past weekend a terrible accident happened on the football field as our high school was playing in a game against a school in Palos Verdes. One of my son's closest friends was knocked unconscious on the field and stopped breathing. Fortunately there were two doctors in the stands that were able to keep him alive as an entire stunned group of players, fans, parents and coaches waited for an ambulance. Sadly, he suffered a blood clot in his brain. He quickly underwent a very elaborate but successful surgery. Although he is critical we are all praying for a full recovery.
I can see the pain in my boys faces as they wander around the house, searching for an explanation of "why" and "how could this happen". I tear up every time I think of his parents and siblings as I can't even imagine what they are going through.
Of course I can't stop thinking how much I hate the fact that a beautiful teenage boy can be fine one day and in a life threatening situation the next. As a mother of three boys who are very serious about their sports, I can't imagine what I would do if anything like this happened to one of my own.
So ... say a prayer. And please, hug your kids today.

Christmas in Newport

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"Christmas in Newport"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

$200 unframed.

I thought it might make sense to try a boat painting with some lights ... for those of you that haven't seen the Newport Beach Christmas boat parade ... it is really fun and quite festive! So, even though this boat probably does not have enough lights to compete with the other decorated boats in the parade ... you can get the idea here.
And oh yeah ... Happy almost Halloween!

Getting Ready

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"Getting Ready"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

$200 unframed.

I need to paint some holiday paintings to get ready for client Christmas cards, gifts, etc. so I thought this might be a good start ... of course now all I want to do is turn on Christmas music and start baking! Perhaps I should have tried a Halloween painting first!
But at least I am starting these early so I will have time to print cards, gift tags and all of my other fun ideas for the holidays ... watch for more to come!

Sailing Past the Marina

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"Sailing Past the Marina"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

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I have been out of town for almost two weeks ... I spent over a week in Hawaii for business and three days up in northern California visiting our freshman son in college. I am exhausted but so happy to be home again!
Now it is time to get back to my studio. Sorry that I have been posting so little but I find it hard to paint when I am on the road! New paintings tomorrow, I promise!

Along the Coastline

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"Along the Coastline"

Oil, 6" x 6", on canvas panel.

$200 unframed.

This is my last full day in Maui. I head home tomorrow and then off to Northern California to visit our "college Student". I am so excited!!!

Along the Beach

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"Along the Beach"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

$200 unframed.

While I have been in Maui I have been able to take an early morning power walk along the beach in Wailea. I love my morning ritual and thought it might make sense to paint my morning view!

The Pool at the Grand Wailea

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"The Pool at the Grand Wailea"

6" x 6" on canvas panel.

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Maui is great. The weather is beautiful and I found about one hundred things to paint on my power walk this morning. Things are busy so all work and no play but that is ok. I love my client! Only one wish for today ... go Dodgers!

Hawaiian Palms

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"Hawaiian Palms"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

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I am in Maui! Yippee!

Hawaii Reflections

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"Hawaii Reflections"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

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I am heading to Maui in the morning for a week. And for the record, this is business. For most of my adult life I have worked full time as a corporate event planner and I have an incentive group of 200 people that I am responsible for next week. Amazingly enough, I have been working with this client for 20 years!
I am bringing my paints with hope that I can get an hour away here and there to do some painting. Keep your fingers crossed that I will be able to paint in Maui!

The Church at the Grand Wailea

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"The Church at the Grand Wailea"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

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First off, I have to apologize for the quality of this picture. It has been raining in LA all day today and I still haven't figured out how to take a photo indoors that looks half decent. But since it rains only about two days a year here, I think this is a short term problem.
For those of you that have been to the Grand Wailea on Maui, you will recognize this adorable church! I will be there in a few short days. Mahalo.

A Day of Reflections

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"A Day of Reflections"

Oil, 12" x 12" on canvas panel

$650 framed.

This past weekend was simply amazing. It was all about art and I loved it!

The weekend started out with the Pasadena ARTWalk and it was a great show. The positive feedback I received was overwhelming and the sales were great. One of the paintings I sold was "Castle Green". It turns out three people wanted to buy it. I think I am going to try to paint more urban scenes ... maybe less boats?

The painting posted here is the painting I worked on while I was at the ARTWalk. It was a blast to paint and it led to very fun and interesting conversations about my palette knife painting technique...

After spending all day at the ARTWalk, we participated in the South Pasadena Preservation Society House tour. Actually ... our "house" participated. It was one of the homes on the tour. Saturday night we hosted 120 people as part of a progressive dinner and Sunday we opened the house (all three floors) to tours. I made some wonderful new friends and I think met some new fans of my artwork. And yes, my house is so clean ... I am ready for the holidays and it is only October!

We also attended the California Art Club opening on Saturday night of the exhibit "City of Trees" in which my painting "Library in Bloom" is on display. We could only stay a short time but it was amazing to see my painting hang amongst so many other wonderful paintings. What a fun night!

One of the things that came up many times this weekend is whether I would consider teaching a palette knife workshop. It sounds very interesting but I am just not sure if it makes sense. Anyway, I practiced teaching my youngest son and here is his first painting. I did help him and re-work it, but his first attempt at painting with a palette knife is amazing!

"Michael's First Painting"

6" x 6", oil on canvas panel.

You Too Can be a Famous Artist!

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"Must Be A Sunday"
Oil, 10" x 8" on canvas panel.

$350 unframed.

Today's post will address how important it is to have a website for your art.

I was driving out to the Women Painters Luncheon today and had a lovely conversation on the phone with my younger sister. (She lives in Virginia and we don't get to spend enough time together!) She shared with me a very adorable story. Her daughter, Erin (age 11) has to do a report on a "famous artist" and apparently she has selected me as her subject. Now, I know my newly developed art career is going well, but I do not think that I can be considered "famous" in the art world ... or even her middle school art class! Of course, when Erin explained to her teacher that she wanted to use me as her subject for the "famous artist" report, her teacher questioned just how famous I was. So naturally ... my niece insisted that they take a look at my website.

They pulled up my site (right there in the classroom) and ... her teacher decided my art looked good and approved the selection! Yippee!

Of course now I need to come up with some good research material about my "famous" art career. Hmmm ...

You might recall that Erin's art was featured on my blog back in August as I spent an afternoon painting with my nieces and nephew while we were at our family reunion. Go to http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/2009/08/lake-oconee-house.html to see their adorable art!

New York Harbor

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"New York Harbor"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

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I am still painting east coast boat scenes. The weather has finally cooled off in Southern California so perhaps that has me in this funny painting mood. But I like this one ... click on it for more detail. I will be painting and working on commissions tonight ... while cheering the Dodgers in the playoffs. Go Blue!

Newport, RI

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"Newport, RI"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

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I thought it would be fun to try to paint some East Coast destinations this week. And I like the way the colors came out in this one.

Lahaina Boats

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"Lahaina Boats"

Oil, 10" x 8"on canvas panel.

$300 unframed.

I had fun painting this one today. I have used this reference photo probably ten times for paintings and I love how they all look so different! This photo is taken in Lahaina Harbor in Maui. I am heading there next week for a week long business trip and I look forward to getting more great photos!
I received some great news over the weekend. My painting titled "Library in Bloom" posted in my last post was juried into the California Art Club exhibition "South Pasadena: City of Trees". I was thrilled to learn that my blogging friend Marian Fortunati also had a painting selected. We had lunch after I dropped off my painting and we both lamented that the art was so good and we didn't have a chance. Thank goodness we weren't judging!

Library in Bloom

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"Library in Bloom"

12" x 12", Oil on canvas panel

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I just finished this painting for the California Art Club "South Pasadena - City of Trees" competition and show. It is not often that I get to show off my hometown and the beautiful trees that are found everywhere in South Pasadena. There is a full weekend of art events scheduled this weekend in South Pasadena so click here for more information.
Don't forget I will be participating at the ARTWalk in Pasadena next Saturday, October 10th. Click here for a great article about the event!

I do need to thank Laurie Allee for the inspiration for this painting. She has a wonderful blog titled Glimpses of South Pasadena. Be sure to check out her amazing photos!