"Goleta Painters"

Weathered

Beginners luck Elwood painting… It was one of my first landscapes, and has been a drive for me to work harder ever since.

Somethin fresh n new up next!

I am finally getting more comfortable with landscapes, and feel like this painting was a real breakthrough for me.

I wanted it to be pretty loose and just wanted to sort of work on style more than anything. In doing so, I sort of… glamorize(?) the spot a little bit. I have come to understand that this is in no way something negative while trying to depict nature! In fact, I believe most painters from the past used certain techniques, and changed small elements of what they actually observed to make a piece more visually pleasing.

And so, that’s a concept I’d like to explore a little bit in the coming weeks.
I think it is completely possible to have a recognizable, natural, painting of a place–while still pushing it to that next level.

Good news! I found my camera after days of searching! So here’s the “lost” painting.
A little different view and a little different take on my last Bridge to Nowhere.

The bridge to nowhere has quickly become one of my favorite places to paint.
Nowhere have I found–in Santa Barbara–a place as peaceful and less traveled as this.

The opening of the Mike Dolas show was a lot of fun, good people, and a ton of Mike’s best work.

Mike was there to talk with those who attended, and as always he was his lively self, making sure everyone was going to stay happy.

“So Mike, it looks like you forgot to put up my favorite piece!”
~“Oh, I don’t know, they just call me and set these things up… I just don’t know anymore!” he says with a smile.

Well all I can say to that, is, I’m glad someone’s calling him up to have these shows!
As mentioned in my last post, it will be running until April 28th at Montecito Frame & Gallery (2173 Ortega Hill Road, Summerland, CA 93067) and you can be sure I’ll head on over there a few more times before it’s gone!

Mike Dolas on Flickr
Read more about his LAST (2006) show: Montecito Journal

Not quite sure what this land is called, but I’ve called it The Bridge to Nowhere my whole life –

Going for a little bit of a different style now, and working on an idea that I’ve been kicking around for a while. More to come from this spot!

Last week I got a call from Michael Dolas (friend and contemporary of Norman Rockwell); he wanted to invite me to his latest show at the Montecito Frame and Gallery (2173 Ortega Hill Road Summerland, CA 93067). I was so excited to hear about this show that I’ve been telling everyone I talk to. So here it is, for you guys too! If you live in the area I highly recommend seeing this show, and even going during his hours (3-5pm April 3rd, 2010) to meet the guy, if you can!

As Mike Dolas would tell you,
~Stay Happy!