Author: -N-

Olive Orchard

Living in a “Mediterranean” climate means living in a dry, temperate climate.  Locally, we have a number of olive orchards which produce local oils that are tasty and delicious.  Here is a tribute to them.

Besides commercial uses, olive trees are often used as decorative trees in one’s yard as they do require a lot of upkeep in terms of water – but the downside is a messy yard as the olives drop.  Most people never consider using the olive fruit for anything at all.

I tried to simplify everything in this painting – trunks, field, crown of trees.  At the same time, I tried to work on contrast and failed overall.  It’s really a talent to get something dark enough on the first take!  The trees on the left look like one in the foreground in overlapped by the leaves of the one further distant.  And so on.  However, getting out the paints every day is the goal, and practice, not making a “completed” painting is the whole point.

Venetian Red and Wisteria

I have been looking for a lavender watercolor . . . and liked the color of Daniel Smith’s Wisteria.  So I bought it.  Lately, too, I’ve been reading a lot about Venetian Red.  I bought it, too.

Here are some sketches using the new colors.  The Wisteria works out quite nicely – it’s a good lavender overall.

It plays well with blues and other colors – but I’ll need to putz with it a bit more.  So far, so good.

Venetian Red is an interesting color.  It granulates, it ranges in value, and varies, it seems in transparency and opacity.

I threw a lot of colors into the stones and the buildings, all sorts of things.  Another new color to play with.

I spent a week up in Reno and came back with a stomach bug, so another week out of commission.  Not fun at all!  But painting is again on the horizon, and that is definitely good news.

A Tangle of Yellow

I went for a hike the other day at noon.  Silly thing to do in the heat!  Still, it was a great thing to do, moving from watery creeks to woodland and then into the heat of the chaparral.  Shade became a goal after a point, and under a tree I found this lovely bush.  No idea what it is, but it was quite lovely.