Five days of painting plein air should have built some skill and some confidence. I learned two things: I paint better alone, and I paint better when there is no sense of being rushed. So, I headed to a place called Lover’s Point Park in downtown Pacific Grove. I skipped the morning Rah-rah meeting—fun, painting […]
Painting Plein Air in Monterey, Day 5 PM
The fog came in thick. We had planned to go to Big Sur, and took the chance that the fog would have cleared. Nope. Our hope was to go the viewpoint just north of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, where a big deal painter named Bill told us to go in order to paint his […]
Plein Air Painting in Monterey, Day 5 (AM)
Day 5 was scheduled for painting at Rocky Creek/Rocky Point, and Rocky Creek bridge, which is shaped like the Oak Grove Bridge (but built 10 years later.) We drove to Rocky Point Restaurant, which is closed, but has a decent parking lot and some trails out to the point. Looks easier than waves. Better do […]
Plein Air Painting in Monterey, Day 4 (PM)
We were told that Carmel Beach was voted the Best Beach in the country. Or maybe it was on the west coast, or maybe “just” in California. It was tricky to find parking, and a place to paint sitting down in the shade. I found a low bench but was still able to peer over […]
Plein Air Painting in Monterey, Day 4 (AM)
Every moment is filled. There are too many places to see, too many people to meet, too many places to paint. So, today’s blog will only show the morning painting session on Day 4. Roomie and I skipped the morning announcements and found our way to the Carmel Mission. I love those 21 missions and […]
Plein Air Painting in Monterey, Day 3
Day three was a test of my gear: could I fit what I needed into my trusty red daypack and carry my 3-legged stool under one arm and the loaner pochade box in my other hand along a trail? Yeppers. We started at Garrapata State Park, along the bluffs on Highway One. We painted all […]
Plein Air Painting in Monterey, Day 2
After a fight with my stupid french easel on Day 1, a lovely lady lent me a pochade box, or maybe it is a box easel. All I had to do was find a tripod to set it on. “All I had to do”. . . ahem. The talking lady on the phone directed me […]
Plein Air Painting in Monterey, Day 1
On Day 1, we stayed at Asilomar. People needed to get accustomed to their equipment, the schedule, the weather, the whole situation, so it made sense to stay on the premises, which are walking distance to the ocean. Our room is so tiny that I am keeping my supplies in the trunk of the car. […]
Travel Thoughts
Today (writing on Sunday night) I drove 242 miles to Asilomar, a conference center on the Monterey Peninsula for Fall Color Week, a private painting retreat with PleinAir Magazine’s Publisher Eric Rhoads and about 100 strangers. I got lost on the way, because it is sometimes nay, always tricky to both navigate and drive. I couldn’t […]