Plein Air Mondays

Keeping it local this week, we painted in Los Gatos. It was a very HOT morning - I'm definitely going to have to invest in a better sun umbrella! (I've heard good things about Bestbrella)
#pleinair #losgatos #saramordecai #glenridge #toohot #landscapepainting

American Treasure: Gregory Kondos

Everyone should know his name, recognize his paintings. Gregory Kondos.

I took a week long Plein Air painting workshop from him last summer. I was blown away at his work and he was a very good constructive teacher.

Today I made a pilgrimage to Sacramento's Crocker Museum. (Which is a fantastic museum! HELLO?! San Jose! Come on, we can do better!)

Ok. The Crocker's current special exhibition is a Kondos retrospective. From across the room many of his paintings look like photos, realistic. Up close they are alive, dancing, juicy and expressive. Color, design, energy; each landscape is breathtaking.

GO! Show ends May 19.

Plein Fierce

Check us out! 700+ Plein Air painters all along the coast near Asilomar. Later, we became "Extreme Painters" when the wind picked up something fierce!

I always wonder if I've chosen the right view, the right spot to paint. Well not today! I arrived to the location a little early, walked around until something caught my eye, set up my gear and started in.

When I was nearly finished and took a look around me for the first time, I saw Randy Sexton, Camille Przewodek, Brian Blood and Jeremy Lipking were painting right next to me. I guess I picked an OK spot!

I have a Problem... Still

My dream palette/pochade arrived! Open Box M, 11x14. I had a piece of glass cut to fit and am ready to break it in! She's so lovely and smells really good too!

Day 2, Monterey Plein Air

Most beautiful day! A choir of barking seals, abundant sunshine and envious views. Lucky me, I'm here painting!

Pre Painting

The 2nd annual Plein Air Convention begins tomorrow so I'm down in Monterey a little early to do a bit of pre-painting.

My new Open Box M pochade came last week so I had a piece of glass cut to fit and put it to work today... It's great!

#pleinair #pleinairmagazine #monterey #openboxm #oilpaint