Farm near SLO

                                            14"x18" Oilon linen canvas

                                                      Sold

Here's hoping this blog attempt goes smoothly.  My late friend, George Gibson, and I spent a nice day painting at this location.   I was up on a rise looking down,as you can see, George was a little bit to my right doing his usual masterpiece.  Cows are curious creatures, and they kept nosing up behind us like they were supervising our work.  Sort of satisfying.  One other day, though, three Charolais ( I think that spelling is right) bulls silently came up behind us.  Our first inkling was when the ranch manager came up on a four wheeler and shouted "I'll chase them off".  We turned around and  saw three really large animals that obviously were not cows.  He did chase them off, but we painted with one eye over our shoulder (a neat trick!) for the rest of the day.            Mike 

Gull Cottage

                                                    20"x24" Oil on stretched linen
                                                                  SOLD


Almost everyone seeing this painting thinks the subject is a lighthouse.  Actually, it was an old farmhouse with an elevated  water tank above it, located in Cayucas, Cal.   It is now a well known gift shop called " Gull Cottage", and is a favorite painting spot.  I believe the ruins at the foot of the cliff are what remain of an early  experimental wave or tidal action power station.  At least, someone told me that, a while back.   Erosion is an enemy here, the owner showed me where she had lost some or her back yard.      Mike  

In for Repair

                                                      8"x10" Oil on linen on board
                                                     Click here to buy this painting

One of my favorite subjects.   This is an old repair shop in Morro Bay that has been painted by just about every plein air painter that has seen it.   I prettied it up in this sketch, which I don't usually do.  It's actually  a very faded ivory color, and in bad shape, warped and empty.  Thats how I would normally paint it.  I sent it back in time to better days for some reason I can't explain.  Nostalgia, again?
I still don't know if I will be posting for the next few days, as I mentioned yesterday.  Should know tomorrow.                   Mike

Farmhouse on Santa Rosa Creek Road

                                                   8"x10"  Oil on linen panel
                                                  Click here to buy this painting


I have painted this scene many times.  It is an old farmhouse that has now been converted to a bed  and breakfast, and the owners are very nice people who welcome artists.  In addition to the bed and breakfast operation, there are still persimmon trees and other crops growing on the property    The road is one of the many beautiful country roads on California's Central coast.

Noyo

                                                       9"x12"  Oil on Linen on board
                                                                        Sold


Noyo is a harbor located in northern Cal. and is very picturesque and paintable. I was about halfway into a sketch when this small boat obligingly pulled up in front of me and laid up to the wharf.   In my painting,  I happily put it back to where it was just approaching..   A fun day!                  Mike