I hope it isn’t too shocking to you, my fine readers, to learn that the California artist sometimes goes out of the state. She has a penchant for the Pacific Northwest. (“Penchant” means a strong habitual liking.) She also blogs while she is away so that the bad guys on the internet can’t tell that she is gone. Tricky, eh?
While visiting these other places, she takes photos that she hopes to paint one day. She hopes to have a show called “Going Places” to show and sell these as of yet unpainted pieces of art.
And, while she is away, sometimes she gets on a weird roll and begins writing in third person.
How exciting – lots of these along the roads in Northern California and Southern Oregon. What are they??
Here is some of the Oregon coastline. Figures I’d show you a bridge, albeit a natural one. (“Albeit” is a cool way to say “although”.)
The hydrangeas are blue in the Pacific Northwest because there is so much acid in their soil. I was in blue flower heaven. The acid is also what makes them able to grow blueberries. Acid = blue??There was a TON of driftwood on the beach where we stayed. There were also many of these structures, probably built as windbreaks. That is Trail Guy on the beach, in case you were wondering who I went to Oregon with.Are these pebbles on an Oregon beach? They look like river rocks to me. This Oregon beach was difficult for walking because a beach walker was trying to not freeze to death, clumping along over rocks, or negotiating through driftwood. I loved it anyway.
I met some wonderful people in Mineral King WHILE they were buying 2 paintings from me at the Silver City Resort. That is always a thrill! They were so enthusiastic and appreciative of my work, of the area, of everything. Two days later, the cabin they were renting burned down in the middle of the night.
They escaped with their lives, for which we are very grateful. They did not escape with their possessions, including the paintings. I am still stupefied and horrified as I write this, but nothing compared to how they must be feeling.
It is good that I paint from photos (a studio painter composes much work first using the camera), good that I met the customers and know how to reach them, good that I can paint the same scene over and over again. These will be repainted soon for these good people who had a very bad experience.
Farewell Gap, 8×10″, oil on wrapped canvasMineral King Bridge, 6×6″ on wrapped canvas
Fridays are about Mineral King on this California artist’s blog. Just reminding you, in case you are wondering where’s the art. . . or perhaps you only tune in on Fridays. Welcome! (and Mineral King is a HUGE source of inspiration to this California artist, so it isn’t really off topic.)
Michael, aka Trail Guy, likes to go off trail, which is the only way to get up Empire. There is a great deal of interesting history up there.
The most visible rock outcropping on Empire isn’t really the highest point on the mountain. Bit of a poser, that outcropping.
The trail to Empire and to Timber Gap (and Sawtooth and Monarch and Crystal) is full of giant, giraffey steps. These aren’t the worst ones!
Just follow this drainage up to the bunkhouse, the road, the mines and the peak(s)
That’s Case Mt. in the distance.
Be careful, Trail Guy! I’ll just wait right here for you.
Waiting is never a problem with me. This weighed next to nothing in my backpack. I believe it enjoyed its adventure.
There are mine remnants all over the side of Empire.
This is a road, built in the 1870s. I am not making this up. There were horses and mules hauling wagons full of ore, right here.It was the 4th of July, and I amused myself by looked for a group of wildflowers that contained red, white and blue. Why do we always say it in that order? There are five other ways we could arrange those colors verbally, but they just don’t ring.
Did we really go up there?? Not me, but Trail Guy did. My inner slob prefers to sit and knit, take photos, and contemplate matters of consequence.
Last week I did a little painting of a California poppy. After it was finished, signed, photographed, varnished and dry, I added it to the growing stack of little paintings. (An artist who sells needs to keep up her inventory.)
Well, oops. Guess I already painted that poppy and forgot. SOMEONE needs a better filing system for her photos. Check this out:
California poppy, 4×4″ , oil on board, unframed
California poppy oil painting, 5×7″, oil on board
Do you prefer the softer colors of the upper poppy or the stronger ones of the lower painting?
Sorry. That was just dumb. Sometimes I am just a real chucklehead. Honestly, I will try to come up with an appropriate title for this triptych, one worthy of the beauty of the scene.
Once again I ask, “WHY is a California artist painting the tulips fields of Washington?”
Because:
1. They are beautiful
2. I love them
3. It is my hope to one day have a show called “Going Places” and finally paint and show work from my (somewhat limited) travels. I take many many photos, want to paint them, and wonder how to find a market for those subjects. Perhaps putting them all together in a show would really make a great visual impact. (Perhaps it would look like a mess of unrelated images. Maybe I’d even get arrested for visual assault.)
Meanwhile, I will continue to slowly build up my collection of non-central-valley art.
Do you think a show of China, Washington DC, Washington state, North Carolina, Oregon, and Lake Tahoe would look like a mess?
Tulare County grows, sells and eats a ton of citrus. Probably several million tons. I learned to oil paint by using the subject of oranges over and over and over. When an orange would sell, I’d paint another. The last one was #103, I think. There were also a handful that I didn’t title or number in the beginning, so who really knows?
Tangerines and Lemons
A few years ago I was at some art thing with my dear friend D. I introduced her to another friend, one who sells ag real estate. D said, “Oh my goodness, you should be buying Jana’s orange paintings to give to your clients!” (She has been a great supporter and encourager to me in the 13 years we’ve been friends, always looking for ways to promote my work.)
Mr. Real Estate said, “That’s a great idea!” Now he and his partner have placed 3 or 4 orders for 6×6 and 8×10 paintings of citrus since then – mostly navel oranges, and some tangerines/mandarins/Clementines and some lemons. It is fun to do these – bright, simple, not too difficult. (I am THRILLED to paint simple things after Put-My-Parents-In-The Painting, THRILLED, I say.)
What else would you expect from a central California artist, daughter, granddaughter and niece of citrus farmers?
Big Fat THANK YOU to all of you who did my thinking for me to title this piece for the Madera Ag Art show! Here is the complete list. The winner is in red (and the title of this post). The runners-up are in teal. They (Sharon, Don and Sam) will receive a token of appreciation for their witty work.
Unnamed Barn, formerly known as Tulare County Barn, 10×10″ oil painting on wrapped canvas
Choosing was very very hard. I am clearly drawn to things that make me laugh or at least smile. After thinking more about it, I decided that focusing on the barn alone wasn’t true to the image. It is 1/3 barn and 2/3 hay. (If it is wheat, I don’t want to know!)
The submitted names are elegant, gracious, sensitive, picturesque, poetic, appropriate, and dignified. My sense of humor is dumb, unexpected, plebian, and lacking in refinement. The chosen title acknowledged the field and the barn, was dumb and made me smile.
Now, I hope the jurors of the Ag Art Show feel the same!
Vintage Homestead
Vintage Charm
Seasoned Valley Barn
Tools of the Ag Trade
A Loyal Companion to CA Ag
The Farmers’ Loyal Companion
Shadows of the Past
The Grey Ghost
Standing Tall
Forget Me Not
Look At Me
Structured Field
Grassy Barn
Serenity
Rustic setting
Rustic Patina
Rustic Serenity
Grandpa’s Office
Original Jump House
Reliving Farm Memories
A Voice from the Past
Ripe with Harvest
Where’s the Beef?
Acreage
Seasoned Farmstead
Zoological Storehouse
Historical future
Green Waves
Hay, A Barn!
Rustic and Ripe
New Crop, Old Storage
Times gone by
Waiting for Harvest
Field of Dreams
Field of Promise
Testimony of Time
Weathered Barn in Summer
Country Memory Maker
Casa de Bovine
Vanishing Breed
Barn Sweet Barn
Pure Country
Green Peace
Aged Rest
Quite Contemplation
Verdance
Rust Renewed
Spring Harbor
Spring Study
Barn Memories
Do you agree or disagree with my first choice and the runners-up? Talk to me!!
Retired Road Guy had the camera with him while his former road crew worked on the bridge. Rumor has it that he joined them for an hour or so, wearing shorts instead of green pants and his signature straw hat instead of a marshmallow head. Rumor also has it that he actually enjoyed the work!
How could he not have fun working with a couple of marshmallow-headed clowns such as these?
This is a HUGE yellow machine. It doesn’t have a steering wheel. The road crew isn’t very fond of it. That may be why Supervisor Kirk is at the helm. Is it a helm? What’s a helm?I am not kidding when I say this is a HUGE yellow machine. Good thing the bridge was replaced with this strong new one!
One side almost completed, one more to go.
See those guys clustered around the smaller machine? It broke. Guess the other side will have to wait.
Announcement:
Tomorrow, Saturday, July 21 is the annual Mineral King Preservation Society Picnic in the Park. It takes place at noon in front of one of the cabins at the end of the road. (Look for the signs, follow the people.) Bring your own lunch and chairs, lemonade will be provided. The program has 2 parts – one by Steve Jones who will tell of his memories backpacking and camping in Mineral King. (Never met him before, don’t know a thing!)
The second part will be Retired Road Guy and the California Artist discussing the Mineral King Bridge project. They will be asking the crowd to share their memories of the bridge, and rumor has it that they may even tell what they REALLY think about it.
Guess you’ll have to attend to learn the rest of the story!
Do you have any Mineral King Bridge memories you’d like to share with the blog readers or me?
I stole that line from Lily Kreitinger, an online friend with a wonderful blog. It means that I have a guest post today on another wonderful blog (not Lily’s – yet!) Today you can find my writing at my friend Cheryl Barker’s blog. We are also online buddies.
Wild Blue Flax
Why are you reading and talking about all these blogs? I thought you were a California artist!
As a self-employed artist, I work in silence and solitude. Instead of feeling isolated, I listen to podcasts while I paint. They inspire and motivate me to try new things with art, life and business.
I also read other people’s blogs because they broaden my world, and give me a chance to interact with people outside of Tulare County. When I really like someone’s thoughts and writing, and if I have something to say or a question (I ALWAYS have questions!) then I comment. There is a sense of community among the regular commenters and interaction with the blogger himself or herself.
Sometimes I follow the links to those commenters’ blogs, and it is like an interwoven web. (Hmmm, could that be the internet? or perhaps the world wide web?) I think I found Cheryl through Stuff Christians Like, a very goofy and fun blog.
So who is this Cheryl Barker?
Cheryl posts about:
Faith. Family. Friends. Serving God. All of these things are important to me. Being a writer is one of the ways I live out my faith and serve the One who first loved me. My prayer is that you will be refreshed as you join me on my journey. Be blessed!
In the summer she adds some light-hearted things that she calls “Summer Photo Fun”. I’m into photos, and I love to have fun, so lucky me, she asked me to participate!
Head on over there to see what sort of buffoonery I’m engaging in today – share the link with your friends that might enjoy Cheryl’s blog, comment if you are so inclined.
Unnamed Barn, formerly known as Tulare County Barn, 10×10″ oil painting on wrapped canvas
The names have poured in (38 at the time of this writing). I will accept more today, but starting tomorrow I will have to squinch my eyes shut, put my hands over my ears, and loudly recite, “LALALALALALA”.
Then, I will pick one. Or a group of names. Or make up a new one from bits and pieces. Or narrow it down to the top three and put it out for a vote.
Then I will enter the Celebrate Agriculture with the Arts in Madera, informally known as the Ag Art Show. This is an online process with yet another user name and password. The poor old geezers back in the day when this barn was built just had to slog along with pencil and paper and the U.S. Postal Service. Those old guys probably only got to have passwords when they were kids, out playing games in barns like this one!
