I updated my screen saver today with new images and information about my upcoming shows, including the Steinbeck Museum’s “My California Views”, “Best of Plein Air” (LPAPA, Laguna Beach) and the Spring Show at Viewpoints Gallery in Los Altos.

I update my screen saver monthly with new plein air images and show information.  Click here for download instructions.  Once you install the screen saver, new images are updated automatically monthly, when you connect to the Internet.

Wow, what a day today. I happened to be looking for bills to pay on my desk, and came across two letters. They were the SASE (self-address, stamped envelop) letters I’m used to receiving from juried shows that I enter. Of course, I’m naturally excited to get these, but more often than I’d like to, disappointed by the results. I remember one of my favorite teachers and artists (Camille Przwodeck) say that she had a stack of rejection letters, that in the end, become a measure of how far you’ve come.  That’s a great attitude to have about shows, and being accepted in general.  Do it for yourself, first.

The letters were both acceptance letters! I couldn’t believe it, two in ONE day. Both were for national shows I’d sent slides to before (at least twice), and rejections each time. Wow. So, can’t help being pleased with myself today. Please excuse the gloating, if that’s what it is. I’m just happy.

The Old Veteran Oil on Linen, 9×12 Will be shown at: “My California Views” at the National Steinbeck Center March 11 - May 29, 2006.  The reception is March 10, 5:30-7:00pm at the museum.

Asilomar Dunes #2 Oil on Linen, 9×12 Will be shown at: “Annual Best of Plein Air” juried show at the Laguna Beach Plein Air Painters Association gallery March 4 - April 3, 2006.  The reception will be held Saturday, March 4, 6:00-8:00pm

The Verde Artist Guild held a paint-out today on the grounds of Stanford University. More than 30 artists attended! It started out a bit foggy, but thankfully cleared up quickly. The area includes beautiful fresh-spring grasses, grand eucalyptus and oak trees. Given the slight fog in the atmosphere, it was a great day to practice arial perspective. We struggled somewhat with the sun going in and out of the clouds, but in the end, everyone created some great work.

Congratulations to Cynthia DeBenedetti! She’s been accepted into this years annual National Oil Painters of America show.

Here’s another page from my sketchbook.  This was done in the small village of Aurel, France.  I took in the scene, and looked for a combination of shapes and values that lead my eye.  The arrow drawing on the right is the desired eye path, and the end point, which I assumed to be in the window of the lower-right.  A center of interest that is centered on thirds (top-third, lower-third, both vertical and horozontal).

In the bottom drawing I drew the composition and kept notes on the scene. It was really striking.  This is something I can take back to the studio and paint.

Here’s another example of a sketch I do (before I paint!) to figure out the design/composition, and how the eye moves within the painting.  The asterisk represents the start point, and the arrows represent where I believe the eye will be lead.  The top-left composition is based on a triangle.  I think the eye will start at the top-right building (because it sits higher than the lines below it), the eye to follow down, and then lead back up either via the distant hills or the bottom of the hill line.

This weekend I’m headed up to Alta to paint the Sierras. I’m staying with Sam and Phil, close friends that have us up at their home on Alta lake a couple of times a year. I hope there’s snow at the lake, as there are compositions ready to be painted everywhere! I also may head up to Blackwood Canyon, just outside Tahoe City. I completed a series of autumn Aspen paintings there this past Fall. Can’t way to see it in Winter. Maybe I’ll paint the same location/composition to compare. Might be interesting, much like Kevin MacPherson’s great project.

If I can figure out how to blog and post new images from my cell phone using Flickr, I’ll try and update my blog remotely.