A Painting A Day by Laura Wambsgans

"Desert Evening" ©

2009-07-09T20:50:00.001-07:00

It's amazing how different a mountain looks throughout the day. In the morning they are pale and distant, midday flushed in sunlight all of the ribs and gulley's are washed out and finally in the evening they glow with the last of the sunlight.

Oil on Canvas, 18" X 24"

"Sunlit Oaks" ©

2009-07-08T18:29:00.001-07:00

This location is half way between Sand Canyon and Sierra Highway on Placerita Canyon. The light playing in the Oaks was what captured me and lead to the painting.

Oil on Canvas, 16" X 20"

"Rancho Oso" ©

2009-07-07T22:10:00.001-07:00

Not much time to paint at the ranch this past weekend, just this little study of this wild tree. No one knew exactly the type, maybe a Cottonwood that had a rough life. Other then the Santa Ynez River, the creeks and streams had dried up for the summer. It's a lovely valley especially in the evening.

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

"Trestles Trail" ©

2009-07-02T20:59:00.001-07:00

The trail to Trestles surfing beach runs along side the San Mateo Riverbed, so thick with trees and brush the river is buried. I was tempted to find a way down into the riverbed when a local explained that it might not be safe for a lone painter. Being on my own, I opted to wimp out and stick to the trail.

Tonight I am packing my paints for a long 4th of July weekend at Rancho Oso, in Santa Barbara on the Santa Ynez River. Yes, the kids are packing horses and tack, they'll ride, I'll paint. What could be better?

Oil on Panel, 12" X 16"

"Cottons, North" ©

2009-07-01T16:46:00.000-07:00

I am standing on the beach at Trestles, looking at Cotton's and in the furthest distance, Dana Point. It was a very gray day, without many people wandering the beach. Standing at my easel I watched a pod of dolphins cruising the coast, while thinking about why I live inland. This painting was entered in the San Clemente Plein Air Competition last weekend. It's hanging right next to the first place painting, nice company.

Oil on panel, 9" X 12"

"San Juan Creek" ©

2009-06-30T16:18:00.001-07:00

Looking at this image, painting the piece feels like a year ago, yet it was only one week. Untethered to the computer, painting all day everyday for a week as a participant in the San Clemente Plein Air Competition, I enjoyed every second. We were allowed one painting from any place within Orange/San Diego County. Looking for sunshine I found the Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano. This park is laced with equestrian trails, Sycamores, Oaks and dry riverbeds surrounded by mountain ranges. A stunning location for artists. Standing on the deck of the nature center I had a birds eye view of the "San Juan Creek".

Oil on panel, 11" X 14"

"Trestles Trail" ©

2009-06-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

I am heading for San Clemente for the "Paint San Clemente" plein air competition. One of my goals is to become proficient enough to do well and attend many of these events that occur around the country. Last year I painted "Trestles Trail" and I still remember the day as if it were yesterday. I have posted it because my brushes are officially packed, along with my paint and panels. I will take my laptop and see if I can't post from the hotel, you never know. This year I am taking my bike, hoping to be able to travel further on the trails with my gear then I could on foot. It's pretty exciting!

Oil on Panel, 8" X 10"

"Sierra Morning" ©

2009-06-17T18:24:00.001-07:00

The last 2 days I have been painting this piece and it's getting close to the finish. I photographed it on the easel, any closer and the shine from the lights washed out areas, because of the size of the canvas and wet paint. I miss painting the tiny 5" X 7" daily's regularly but have to be disciplined and paint larger till I have all of the inventory for my November show. A note to artists, this image is from the http://www.wetcanvas.com/ reference library. A great resource for artists that is created by artists, without worries of copyright issues.

Oil on Linen, 24" X 20"

"A Quiet Place" ©

2009-06-15T19:09:00.001-07:00

It's not often that we quiet our minds. Cell phones, iPods, TV's, computers, life banging away at our brains. I needed a break and decided to get "quiet", painting a very "quiet place".

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"Pacific Sunset" ©

2009-06-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

The San Clemente plein air competition and art show is coming up soon and it seems my mind is focused on the ocean. I can't wait to paint the rolling waves, wet sand and clouds glowing with the last of the sunlight.

Oil on Linen, 11" X 14"

"Spring Storm" ©

2009-06-10T15:26:00.001-07:00

Sunday during the studio tour I attempted to paint this painting. I wanted people to see what it is like to actually paint in oil, since the tour was all about a peek into our world. Now that I am looking at it online, I think that it would be improved by breaking up the strong dark diagonal shape of the foreground and working a bit more in the clouds. We have had clouds for the past couple of weeks and I have just sat and watched them graze in the sky.

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

June 15th - The image on the easel is "Spring Storm" after tweaking the painting. Once posted it's easy to see a paintings faults.

"Sycamore Shade" ©

2009-06-08T20:20:00.001-07:00

This is the larger painting created from the small blog a few days ago. My main inspiration was the play of the sunlight within the leaves, branches and trunk. Even with the weekend art events breaking up painting time I worked very hard to stay on track and not loose the light.

Oil on Linen, 24" X 18"

"Rancho Camulos" ©

2009-06-05T21:33:00.001-07:00

Raymar panels are high quality and I just received a shipment of the double primed linen panels. In order to really compare the support I painted this little view again of Rancho Camulos in the morning light. Since I had just painted the same view plein air on a Fredrix Linen panel (my current favorite) it was a good test to see the differences. I knew how the paint moved and worked into the Fredrix and the Raymar was quite different. I did appreciate the smooth finish of the Raymar and how the paint seemed to stay fresh and lively.

Oil on Raymar panel, 8" X 10"

"Sycamore Shade" ©

2009-06-03T18:29:00.001-07:00

Quickly I painted this little sketch to take to painting group this evening so that I could paint a larger piece of the same view. I have most of the idea worked out, as I wanted the viewer to feel as though standing in the shade of the Sycamore looking out over the valley and hills beyond. I am hoping in the larger piece to really develop the tree trunk beautifully. We'll see....

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

* it's taped to a piece of cardboard for easy transport and viewing.

"Another Sunset" II ©

2009-06-02T21:36:00.000-07:00

Painting from the small (5" X 7") panel, I worked out this larger version. Working on stretched linen after several paintings on different surfaces, was such a pleasure.

Oil on Linen, 20" X 24"

"Morning Walk" ©

2009-05-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

The way the light dances around in the trees carries my feet forward on my "Morning Walk".

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

"Another Sunset" ©

2009-05-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

Just to be sure the new panels were as great as I first thought, I pulled out another one and had a go at it today. Yes, they truly are super! *For artists: They are "Primed Art Panel" from Mister Art online. I had previously purchased the Houston Art Panels but they are no longer available from the company to artists directly since Speedball purchased company.

Oil on Panel, 5" X 7"

"Heading Home II" ©

2009-05-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

This morning I still thought the little "Heading Home" had promise, so I walked back to the spot and looked again with my "artist" eye. Using that memory and the little study from yesterday I painted a larger version of the view. Tomorrow I'll fix edges, soften and harden where needed and add thick paint with color all over the canvas.

Oil on Canvas, 18" X 24"

2009-05-25T21:45:00.001-07:00

This small painting was an experiment, working on a new surface for me. It's a gessoed panel that is ultra smooth, like glass. Wow, this panel will be added to my inventory of blank canvases and panels. Having a lot of blank materials to paint on may be a continuation of what I learned carving stone. If you have several stones in your inventory, you can work fast without fear of not having another stone to carve and it frees you up to try an idea, knowing there is always another stone waiting in the wings. The same seems to be true for having a nice selection of blank canvases and panels.

This painting is the view of my walk home from Sierra Highway. It's being cleaned up and trees seem to be disappearing, so construction is on it's way but for now it's raw and wild.

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

2009-05-24T19:12:00.001-07:00

Last evening I visited the reception for "On Location In Malibu" at the Frederic R. Weisman Museum of Art on the Pepperdine University campus. The paintings truly capture the colors and light of Malibu. Well worth the time and effort to visit, whether your an artist or collector. Thinking about that exhibit and wanting a few more "ocean" themed paintings for my San Clemente show I painted "Seaside Play".

Oil on linen panel, 12" X 9"

2009-05-22T20:14:00.001-07:00

Working on a large commission today, I took a break and played in the reflections of a tiny harbor near Fort Bragg.

Oil on Linen, 12" X 16"

2009-05-19T21:04:00.001-07:00

Rancho Camulos near Filmore opened their property to artists today. We painted barns, an old truck, gardens and the distant mountains. Spending the day amongst the orange groves and Spanish buildings it was easy to imagine the Rancho in it's prime. My painting found a home with one of the lovely docents, so I photographed it quickly still on my easel. Of course it's an odd angle and the wall to the right is reflecting on the canvas but you can see the general idea. All round it was a wonderful May day.

Oil on Linen panel, 11" X 14"

sold

2009-05-18T21:51:00.001-07:00

After a weekend of showing work in Sierra Madre it felt really good to be back at my easel, almost like it had been weeks rather then 4 days. I have a commission canvas to be painted next but thought I should get my brushes tuned up by painting something smaller and chose a familiar view in Sand Canyon where the San Gabriel mountain range ends. Tomorrow I'll be painting at Rancho Camulos near Piru and can't wait for the morning to come.

Oil on Linen, 14" X 18"

2009-05-11T18:45:00.000-07:00

Last year I painted a small plein air piece of this view. Anticipating my return I pulled that little piece out of a pile and explored the road along the cliffs once again. I believe that is a huge benefit to painting out, you have wonderful references that bring back everything as real as if you were at that very spot once again, from the sound of the sea to the cool ocean air.

Oil on linen, 14" X 18"

2009-05-10T21:30:00.000-07:00

If you look back at 1/9/09, the original "Hopland" was posted. I took that painting and looked at it with a critical eye and attacked the canvas. I took out the vineyard as the color fought with the rest of the painting, I added to the sky, changed the mountains, added color to the trees and softened the cows. Actually I practically painted the piece top to bottom again. I like this much better.

Oil on canvas, 16" X 20"

A Painting A Day by Laura Wambsgans

"Desert Evening" ©

"Sunlit Oaks" ©

"Rancho Oso" ©

"Trestles Trail" ©

"Cottons, North" ©

"San Juan Creek" ©

"Trestles Trail" ©

"Sierra Morning" ©

"A Quiet Place" ©

"Pacific Sunset" ©

"Spring Storm" ©

"Sycamore Shade" ©

"Rancho Camulos" ©

"Sycamore Shade" ©

"Another Sunset" II ©

"Morning Walk" ©

"Another Sunset" ©

"Heading Home II" ©

"Heading Home" ©

"Seaside Play" ©

"In The Harbor" ©

"Rancho Morning" ©

"Valley Below" ©

"Ocean Cliffs" ©

"Hopland Pasture" ©