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This year I decided to put my art into more exhibitions and art shows than ever before.  My children are almost grown up, the last one is 17 and applied to 12 universities, she will be moving out late this summer.  I wanted to make myself busier than ever because I will miss her terribly, she is flying from the nest.  Then again, I felt my art is ready to become more exposed to the public.  I have spent a decade refining my skills and after winning two handfuls of awards, gaining art collectors who have purchased my works, my confidence has grown.  My art has evolved and matured like I have, hey I am getting a bit weathered, like an old oak tree.  Standing strong and withstanding all the elements.   I do love painting oak trees!

 

With that said, here are my current exhibitions, although I have FOUR more events I will be appearing in in April, May and June which will be an art fair, 2 juried art shows and a plein air competition, along with booth spaces to sell my art.  I will add that information below the current announcements.   There will be many more exhibitions and shows this year posted at a later date when I have secured the acceptances. 

 

"Spring Symphony" 20"W x 16"H, Oil on linen $950.                    "Mission Arch Light"  8"W x 6"H, Oil on linen $200.

San Clemente Art Gallery  has a Spring Judged Art Show, it is now running through March 31, 2011. 

 

"Limestone Oaks - Irvine Ranch"  16"W x 12"H, Oil on line $450. 

"Lift Up Your Spirits - Mission San Juan Capistrano"  10"W x 8"H Oil on linen $300.

The next show where the above paintings have been juried into is at the SOCALPAPA Art Gallery in Newport Beach, CA.  Called the California Impressionists: Then & Now.  Begins, March 2, runs through June 12, 2011.  This art gallery is located at the waterfront side of the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum.  

 

 

"Veil of Oaks" 6"W x6"H, Oil on linen panel, $150.   "Santa Margarita Lake"  14"W x 11"H, Oil on linen panel.  $400. 

Sorry for the smaller images here.

 

The two above paintings are in a juried art show at Ironstone Vineyards called Spring Obsession.  Show begins the weekend of March 5-6 in which I will be appearing at the event. I will have a display booth in the Heritage Room of the winery showing additional works of my art for sale.  Hours are Saturday, 10am-5pm.  A special art reception is being held that evening from 4pm to ?.  Sunday show hours are 10am - 3pm.  The exhibition runs through Mothers Day May 8, 2011.  

 

Future Shows:

April 9-10, 2011  I will be offering my art for sale in a booth at the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary`s Spring Fair & Art Festival, 9am-4pm each day.  29322 Modjeska Canyon Rd., Silverado, CA 92676.    This is beautiful place located between two canyons tucked away in the old ranch country off Santiago Canyon Rd.   We will be next to a creek, wildlife, oaks, sycamores and country loving folk!

 

April 16, 2011 - Several of my 6" squared works of art will be in the next Randy Higbee 6" Squared Exhibition & Sale 2011.   There will be a reception at Randy Higbee Gallery, hours approx 5pm-8pm.  Show runs through May 6 or further.   

 

May 20-22, 2011, I will be offering my art again in this 1st Semi-Annual "Paint the Parks" event co-ordinated with SOCALPAPA, OC Parks and The Irvine Ranch Conservancy.  Held on the grounds of the Katie Wheeler Library Gardens, 13042 Old Myford Rd., Irvine, CA 92602.  Juried Show reception is Friday, May 20th, 6-8pm.  Outdoor Art Show is May 21-22, 10am-4pm daily. 

 

June 18-26, 2011 The 10th Annual Paint San Clemente Plein Air Competition sponsored by the San Clemente Art Gallery.   This will be my 8th year participating.  I will also have a display space showing my art for sale in the Art Fair. 

Quick Draw - June 18th
Art Fair, June 25th & 26th, 10:00am - 4:00 pm
Gala Evening, June 25th, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Show on display in gallery until August 4, 2011

 

Any new art shows will be posted individually on another blog when the information is available.  I certainly hope to meet you at any of these events, let me know if you are coming to visit.  

"Spring Symphony in Bommer Canyon"  20"W x 16"H, oil on hand stretched, hand gessoed linen by Esther J. Williams.  This was actually from last year when I visited the Bommer Canyon, one of the Irvine Ranch Conservancy lands in March 2010.  The flowers were abundant then.  I painted a burnt red oil sketch of the scene on location on this large linen canvas and drew it in my sketchbook, along with many detailed notes on the lighting, colors and atmosphere. My time was too limited there to be allowed to paint it on location.  I took high resolution images and went home in hopes of finishing it, but it got pushed aside due to other pressing projects.  When I did a new year cleaning of my art studio, I rediscovered this large piece and went to work on it within a week.  Funny how things happen, I procrastinate and it took a week because I wanted to read some new techniques on art by a great artist Thomas Buechner who wrote "How I Paint, Secrets of a Sunday Painter".  In his book he talks about many things in delivering the paint on your canvas, how to arrange the composition and lead the eyes to the center of interest and more.  I was glad I read it, it acted as a guide to me to push me into a new direction.  I also have been reading the Edgar Payne book on Composition of Outdoor Painting.   I could not wait to start the painting, but then I saw a hike I wanted to go on with the Irvine Ranch Conservancy, so I went on  nearly 7 mile hike this past Sunday to Dripping Springs in Limestone Canyon.  I nearly died of exhaustion, I was out of shape from the winter holiday season!  The head field person wanted to call a ranger to truck me back the last 3-1/2  miles but I told her my pride wouldn`t allow it, I kept hobbling along.  I am getting bad knees and hip joints in my mid-50`s.  It was all worth it, I got to see the early spring flowers popping up all over the canyons, I smelled the unique flavor of the oaks in the air, the new wild oat grasses, the wild sage brush and so many other delights to my senses.  I took all of that and banked it in my mind to place that freshness into this painting as if I had been there in Bommer Canyon again on that spring day. The green colors were all over the canyon hills that day.  But for the sake of not over doing it with the greens in the painting, I painted complimentary colors, lke red and oranges in a imprimatura layering to provide a middle tone to place my upper layers of color over.  I used larger brushes and some galkyd-lite to make almost a watercolor effect in this bucolic setting.  I started with warmer colors, even though you could not see burnt oranges and reds in the grasses, I did it for the painting`s sake and the viewer`s emotions.  I really like this effect of color transition and will use it again and again.  I can`t wait to see more spring flowers on another hike I will go on this Sunday in Fremont Canyon which is a flower photographer`s hike!  Only 3 miles and slow paced!  I will definitely paint something from that visit or ask the Irvine Ranch partners I know to be taken out there so I can paint it en plein air.   I feel lucky to be alive and to be an artist.  The price of this is $950 framed.  I will be entering it into a Spring Judge Art Show at the San Clemente Art Gallery, downtown San Clemente, CA.