Category: Three Rivers

House Oil Painting Commission

commissioned oil painting

I figured out that I could paint from looking at the photos on my computer screen. It is a little annoying that I have to keep waking it up, but I can deal with some annoyance.

As I worked on this, several parts were not visible. So, I stepped out my door.

Would you look at that! Poppies on the hillside, poppy paintings drying on the steps. Poppies everywhere.

It’s pretty handy to just look out the door at the configuration and colors of the hillside I am painting. There have been California poppies on this ridge since late February, so it doesn’t matter where I put them in the painting. They keep showing up (popping up?) in new patches up there.

Painting from back to front is the normal method for oil. That means the furthest thing first – the sky; the hills come next. That paper has a sketch of the various hill details that I made while standing outside. I leaned two jar lids against it on the easel so it would stay put while I used it for reference.

Halfway through the day, the mail came and there was my long-awaited photo! Stay tuned, because more will be revealed in the fullness of time.

Tomorrow, I’ll show you more of the beauty of Three Rivers in the spring.

Spring in Three Rivers, continued

Sometimes it feels as if Spring in Three Rivers lasts for about 20 minutes. This feeling causes me to not want to leave the area, not even to go to Exeter for a day to teach people how to draw, which is something I love to do.

With apologies to the writer of the song “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, I believe with all my heart that Spring is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Have a look at a few days last week of enjoying Spring in Three Rivers. It is just photography, not art, but it is always a source of inspiration to me.

Three Rivers

List from a (BUSY!) Central California artist

Today’s post is full of unrelated items, all of which are important. I have a profession filled with variety, all challenging, fulfilling, and fun. This calls for a list:

Tonight I will be demonstrating pencil drawing for the Tulare Palette Club.
The drawings for my upcoming coloring book are FINISHED!
I have edited a novel! The author wrote a very good story and is now seeking an agent.
I have edited a non-fiction book! It included using Photoshop on 128 photos, and now I am chipping away at the design. This is because. . .
. . . I am the Book Shepherd for the project. Every heard this term? It is a person who takes a book all the way through publication. I have experience here because. . .
The Cabins of Wilsonia is a completely self-published book. The website croaked, but the book is available here: The Cabins of Wilsonia
I’ll be starting a new oil painting commission soon.
The giant oil painting of the Oak Grove Bridge is in a time-out. The future of the bridge itself is in a decision making stage with three options. You may comment about it, indicating your personal preference (as long as it is Alternative #1, but of course I am entirely neutral on the subject) I hope to learn of the website soon.
Next week I’ll tell you more about the upcoming coloring book.

Now, if you have persisted to the end of the list, you get to see a few more beautiful photos of spring in Three Rivers. Thanks for stopping by today!

Something New Coming Soon

Something new is coming soon to Cabinart. This calls for an interview with Cabinart’s very own Jana Botkin.

Why do people say “very own” in front of someone’s name? Because they like to fill the airwaves!

Ahem. Let’s get on with the interview.

Interviewer: What is Cabinart?

(very own) Artist: The NAME of my ART BUSINESS!!

Interviewer: EXCUUUUUUSE me. So what is new that is coming?

(very own) Artist: Don’t rush me. First let’s review a few facts.

I work in pencil and oil and in acrylic when painting murals.
Real life has edges not outlines. Cartoons have outlines. So do coloring books.
Ink is one of the most difficult media to work with.

Interviewer: What is “media”? I thought that meant the news, talking heads, and spokes-holes.

(our very own) Artist: “Media” is the plural of “medium”, which is a word used for the material used to make art. Not the “ground” but the mark-making stuff: paper isn’t a medium; pencil or graphite is. Canvas isn’t; oil is. A wall isn’t; mural paint is. Get the idea?

Interviewer: Are you stalling?

(Our very own) Artist: Nope, just ‘splainin’ it to you, Lucy.

Interviewer: “Lucy”?

(Our very own) Artist: You know – that’s how Reeeky-Reeecardo said “explain” to Lucy!

Interviewer: You ARE stalling.

(our very own) Artist: Nope, just letting the excitement build.

Interviewer: COME ON, ALREADY!

Very Own Artist: You are shouting at me. Do I detect a hint of impatience in your tone?

Interviewer: With that sort of evasive non-answering of questions, you could run for public office.

(our very own) Artist: No thanks. I have a business/career/job/jobs. (artist and editor – Did you know that?)

Interviewer: No more diversions or red herrings! What is coming soon?

Our Very Own Artist:

A coloring book of original designs, based on the landmarks and scenery of Three Rivers and Sequoia! (yes, including Mineral King!)

More will be revealed in the fullness of time. . . stay tuned!

coloring book

More Poppy Peeping

This poppy peeping trip was up North Fork Drive out of Three Rivers. It was with one friend in a Mustang convertible that her Mom bought on her 88th Christmas. (No, my friend isn’t 88 – it was her Mom who was 88). It was a great top-down day, and sometimes I just stood on the seat to get the right photos. Handy set up.

There were poppies, (early) redbud, lupine, the North Fork of the Kaweah, sycamores, oaks, and cows. Lovely time, truly enjoyable companionship, beautiful drive.

California poppies poppies Three Rivers

Poppy Peeping

When the poppies are out, there is no time to be wasted! Get out and see them, now!

2008 was a spectacular poppy year for all the foothills in Central California, and it was a source of great inspiration to this Central California artist.

2016 is looking almost as good.

A few friends and I took a drive up Dry Creek Road for some poppy peeping on February 26. Have a look:

Who can resist a ride in an open-top red Jeep toward the siren pull of those golden hills? Not these bandana-headed chicks! (“You look like you oughta be somebody’s wife somewhere”. . . a little Meryl Haggard, in case you were wondering)

California poppies poppies

Spring in Three Rivers at Kaweah Lake

This is my favorite photo of the whole day. This is one of 3 types of lupine we saw at Kaweah Lake.

This is another type – bush lupine.

Some sort of clover was very abundant and quite fragrant.

This road made me wonder how Three Rivers might be today had Terminus Dam not been built in 1963. The road would meander near the river, and perhaps the river would be more accessible to the public, at least down at that elevation. Most of the river is locked up by private land, and trashy trespassing becomes a real problem every summer.

Visalia, down the hill, would have had massive flooding for many years. It probably would not have the population that it has now, if the dam hadn’t been built.

Like Scarlett, I’ll think about it tomorrow, because today is springtime in Three Rivers and there are wildflowers to gawk at.

Three Rivers

Spring in Three Rivers

Trail Guy and I had a road trip planned, although it pains me to leave Three Rivers in spring. However, life interfered, and being prudent, flexible and spontaneous (don’t hurt yourself laughing), we decided to spend spring here in Three Rivers.

Have a look at an excursion to Kaweah Lake.

That is Alta Peak in the distance, and in a month or so all this lake bottom will be underwater.

My great-uncle used to lament all the “drowned wildflower seeds” resulting from Terminus Dam, built in 1963. Hmmm, looks like those seeds were resurrected.

The flat slick rock on the right side leading down to the water is called “Slick Rock”. Duh.

The jagged rocks in the distance are called “Castle Rocks”. Nice name.

Three Rivers

Walking in Three Rivers

I love to go walking in Three Rivers, particularly in February, my favorite month for weather. It is really green this year. Muddy too. Thank you God, for rain!!

I got all excited about this beautiful moss. My sister from Oregon looked at me as if I were loopy.

Moss AND lichen, oh my.

Green. GREEN! THANK YOU, GOD, FOR RAIN!

There are horses running around in one of my favorite walking areas. I’m not very horsey, but they are beautiful creatures.

This color combination is really beautiful: a reddish horse with a blond mane.

This mare was not pleased with my walking buddy’s walking stick. She looked downright hostile.

Anyone know the right horsey description for this color of horse?

Water! February is so beautiful, especially in a wet winter in Three Rivers.

Three Rivers

Snow in Three Rivers

In Three Rivers, February has the capability of bringing snow or wildflowers or both. It has long been my favorite month for weather.

The morning after it snowed, several hundred feet in elevation above my home and studio. . . I had to walk a couple of miles to see snow sticking on the ground.