Three Rivers, Tulare County, central California, is GORGEOUS in the spring. Here are 4000 words worth of photos:
Looks as if Michael is leading horses to water.
He didn’t have to make them drink.
This is just an average morning, out on an average walk, on an average spring day.
My yard only looks like this for about 12 seconds a year. Good thing I had my camera!
(Don’t move here – the unemployment is awful, the air is nasty in the fall, and we are all fat.)
Watching out the window through the rain, waiting for visitors to pull into the driveway.
1. It was overcast with rain imminent. I waited inside by the fire with my knitting for the first hour. Finally moved out to the studio and listened for the sound of cars and car doors while putting color in reproduction prints of Crescent Meadow.
2. Kaweah Kitty stayed in the house by the fire.
3. I told EVERYONE to watch their step. I don’t think saying those words would have prevented yesterday’s mishap. Sort of reminds me of how people say “Be careful!” AFTER you trip. Ummm, thanks?
4. Rosa, the successor of Ruby, came by with her human.
5. Mostly people came in groups, this time a few families including some children, and there were no Bobs.
6. It rained all day. It was cold. I stayed by the fire in between arrivals of guests.
7. There were 29 visitors including 1 returnee from yesterday, 1 locally known artist and 1 musician from a nationally known band (whose wife told him he needed to get a job before he bought a painting!)
Hoping the musician finds work so this painting will find its home.
Zeke’s only appearance of the day was when the sign was uncovered in the morning.
1. It was sunny and clear and not hot and very beautiful
2. There were 81 visitors (not counting the sheriff, fire and ambulance crews)
3. People were mostly in groups, only a few women by themselves, more men than yesterday but proportionately about the same. (3 were Bobs)
4. Many commissions to paint later
5. Kaweah Kitty remained very popular.
6. Learned 3 new words – luthier, autodidactic, aberration (which I already knew but did not know it also pertains to distortions under the magnifying glass)
7. Six of my drawing students came by! (Linda, Maggie, Wendy, Anne, Sara, Cathy) Perhaps there were some future drawing students also. . .
8. A lady fell (see #2). Learned later that she broke her hip. Until then, she was enjoying herself. Major Bummer.
9. The final visitor of the day walked up the driveway with her boot heels clicking on the asphalt. From inside the studio I thought the sound was one of my cats barfing.
Some therapeutic knitting and comforting chocolate consumption took place on Saturday evening. These photos are to help me remember the beautiful parts of the day.
The ever-popular and always present Kaweah Kitty thoroughly enjoyed the visitors.
The very popular flowering quince.
The gregarious Kaweah Kitty in the painting workshop.
Just the facts, Ma’am.
1. It sprinkled when I removed the cover from my #13 sign to open for the day.
2. There were 30 visitors.
3. Most of them were women. (I think there were 4 men, and 1/2 were named Bob.)
4. 5 women came by themselves; the rest came in pairs or groups.
5. I knew 2/3 of the visitors; the other 1/3 were new to me.
6. Kaweah Kitty was very popular.
7. My flowering quince were very popular.
8. There were people from Porterville, Fresno, Visalia, Three Rivers, Santa Clara, Sandy Eggo, and Minnesota.
Friday was overcast.
Remember the chairs? Our experiment with sequoia trees engraved and painted has not yet been perfected, but the painted trees definitely dress up the chairs.
. . . begins today! You can get tickets at the Three Rivers Historical Museum. The Tour runs today, Saturday, and Sunday from 10-5. My studio is one of 22. (Actually it is probably #13, but since I am not superstitious, this does not upset me.)
The flag is from First Saturday. There will be a different type of marker at the base of my driveway for Studio Tour. The weeds will be taller too.
The blooms got knocked off the tree by the snow. The snow got knocked off the tree by Michael. Hopefully Michael won’t get knocked off by anything or anyone.
If you are lucky, there will be a welcoming committee.
Happy Birthday, Elder Sister!
This photo was taken in my yard on March 15.
This photo was taken in my yard on March 18. I live in Central California (I am a California artist, remember?) at an elevation of 1000 feet. One thousand, not 10 thousand. Three Rivers, California.
How does this apply to art, California Artist?
So glad you asked that question! When working from photos (and Jack White said all realistic artists either work from photos or they lie about it), it is sometimes a temptation to work from something that is unusual or peculiar. Problem with that approach is that a drawing or painting of something peculiar looks as if the artist doesn’t have a firm grasp on reality.
People are still convinced of the truth of photographs in spite of Photoshop.
Back in the olden days when a camera was a camera and a phone was for receiving calls in one’s home or office, photographs were taken on special occasions. One time some folks wanted me to draw all 4 homes their mother had lived in her entire life. I think two were in Los Angeles, and two were in Exeter. Three of the photos they provided me were of the houses in the snow! WHY? Because when unusual things took place, the camera came out to record the event.
It wasn’t typical back then to take pictures any time you desired. I used to be a bit of a maverick, keeping my camera in my car at all times. And not only did I keep one, but I kept two with me. One had color print film and the other either had black and white or slide film.
Why did you always have cameras with you, California Artist?
Great question, I’m glad you asked that one. It was because I had to be ready to record the beautiful things and moments and light of every day life, not the peculiar sights!
The customer asked for a mural, explained the nature of her business, and I said, “A mural of a trail would be just right!” (Sequoia Outdoor Sports will be renting camping and backpacking gear to visitors to Sequoia National Park.)
I brought several photos and paintings of trail scenes with me to meet the owner (John) and the manager (Carolyn) and see the wall.
John loved this painting.
Mosquito Lake Trail, 16×20″, oil on wrapped canvas, $350
John asked if I could substitute Sequoia trees for the red firs. I said yes, but. Yes, but there are no Sequoia trees at that elevation or in Mineral King. John said it wouldn’t matter to his customers, who will primarily be Europeans who come to see the Big Trees.
John is the customer. He is right!
Today a man stopped by to ask if I was tagging his building. He was joking. He is the leaseholder of the building. Then he said, “Is that the trail to White Chief and Mosquito Lakes?” Ummm, yes, sort of. In spite of the fact that I changed the background to be more congruent with a place that would have Sequoia trees, he knew the trail!
Three Rivers locals will recognize the incongruity but they will be polite. If John is happy and his customers are happy, then I am happy.
(Happy Birthday, Younger Sister!)
Here is Three Rivers’ latest mural on the building that is to soon house Sequoia Outdoor Sports. Right now I am thinking YIPPEE SKIPPEE! I usually really like my murals when I see the photos at the end of the day. If not, I go back and paint some more. If I can’t find anything else to do, then I decide that the mural is finished.
As of 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 15, 2012, this Sequoia mural is completed.
I know, close the car door. Better yet, move the car! (Is it immature to like your car even when it is a ’96 Accord with many miles, scratches and a few rattles?)
On Monday, I will show you the oil painting from which this Sequoia mural was painted. Sort of. It inspired this mural. I will study the photos of it over the (hopefully rainy) weekend and decide if anything can be improved. It isn’t as if I can get into my Accord and leave the scene – Nope, I live in this town. and I want this to be the best possible. (Don’t worry, I felt the same about the Exeter murals even though I’ve never lived there.)
One recent afternoon my husband called me into the living room to see something. I could tell from the sound of his voice that I should hurry and bring a camera. (25 years of marriage teach all sorts of non-verbal communication.)
Outside our living room we have a ladder leading up to the roof. I don’t know why. Michael wants it there, so there it is. He is a great husband – bit of a neatnik, loves to putter around the property, and an awesome BBQer, so if he wants a ladder outside the living room window, he may have his ladder there. (Why am I digressing into his good qualities? It is at the suggestion of my friend Jennifer in her blog.)
The raccoons like the ladder. The cats do too. This is Kaweah and Perkins. If Zeke was there too, all three might not have fit into the frame (or the ladder might have collapsed).
Isn’t it odd what amuses a California artist? Not much going on in Three Rivers (outside of planning for the studio tour or working on The Cabins of Wilsonia)
“Get a life”, I hear some of you thinking. (Yes, occasionally I can hear your thoughts.) Guess what? I have a life and I love it!
Of all the 22 studios on the tour, mine is the smallest and the most rustic. That’s okay – it IS called “Cabinart”. (And please excuse the First Saturday flag – this post is about the Studio Tour.)
Tickets are on sale for $15/person and available at The Art Co-op in Three Rivers and Arts Visalia Gallery in Visalia. They are also available online at Three Rivers Art Studio Tour
After March 4 the price increases to $20 per ticket.
March 23-24-25 will be a beautiful weekend to drive around Three Rivers and visit 22 artists studios. You can do it at your own pace and pick your own route. You can even spend the night, or two nights. Soak up some spring time green and wildflowers in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Meet many California artists, remember why you live in Tulare County (or perhaps why you don’t), enjoy a rural weekend, slow things down a bit.