joybisART+Food

Back on Maui!

2010-09-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

Aloha from our favorite place away from home. We are back at Kahana Sunset in our condo with great ocean views. The beach is as wonderful as ever,and the snorkeling is right at our doorstep. Kahana Sunset offers some of the best snorkeling in west Maui without driving off the property. There is also have a covered area (the Keone Nui room) where you can stay out of the sun and read in the shade and watch the beach activities, it also provides a perfect place to watch the turtles that live among the reef. The are usually most visible at night while you are at the beach to watch the gorgeous sunsets. Earlier this week we were visited by a group of large rays that swam very close to the shore as the sun went down.

We have had a good ten days of re-decorating the master bedroom and also the home-owners meetings were this week. Warren ended his participation in the Board and his presidency of fou years. Now we only have vacation time planned. To prove the point Warren is off playing golf at Ka'anapali ( a 15 minute drive away) this morning.

If you are planning a trip to Maui check out my earlier blogs about things to do away from the beach.

Love this place!

2010-07-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

I am fascinated by sky; most artists are. I believe. It's always a challenge because it is ever changing. The English artist Constable made a great study of sky's and they were always beautiful. This painting is from my imagination. I just wanted to do a lot of sky, the water and the estuary seemed like a natural flow. It has a very tranquil feeling.

Plumeria

2010-06-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

These Hawaiian flowers are wonderful to paint. This is a 12 x 16 oil on linen, and I tried to capture the raindrops on the petals. They are hard to see on this small computer image, however!

Placer Arts League Show

2010-06-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

This 9 x 12 oil was accepted into the PAL Juried art show that runs from June 15 to July 30. The show is being held in the Lincoln Arts and Culture Foundation gallery in Lincoln. Hope you will stop by and take a look at some wonderful art.

These beautiful birds were great to paint, they live at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. The painting was done, with permission, from a photograph by Olivier Laud.

A newer painting

2010-03-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

This oil on canvas was done from a photograph of fall in Wisconsin. It is the first time I tried work work with oil on a sponge. It was messy!

LIncoln Hills Arts Association

2010-01-31T12:16:00.000-08:00

Lincoln Hills Arts Association took me to lunch last week as I ended my 4 year term as President. It was a fun time and they gave me a terrific vase shaped like a brush holder!

Here are a few pictures:

More on Maui

2010-01-21T13:44:00.001-08:00

Still more ideas of things to do when you are ready for a change of pace away from the shore. You can still get great views of the ocean Upcountry. O'o Farm is worth a visit they have gourmet organic lunch tours every Wednesday and Thursday. The produce grown there is used in their two restaurants in Lahaina, I'O and Pacific O at 505 Front Street.

How about a visit to the "Surfing Goat Dairy" ? The Dairy produces over 42 different cheeses. They offer five different interactive tours as well as cheese tasting.

Ali'i Kula Lavender farm is also a fun place to experience breathtaking views while you walk in the lavender farm. It's a bit like experiencing the Mediterranean in the middle of the Pacific!

Stop in to Tedeschi Vineyards and taste some Maui wine, the Tasting Room is open daily from 10-5 p.m. All of these places are listed in almost all of the literature you can pick up at the airport or at various stores on the island or visit them on line for directions.

Finally, since I am a "foodie" as well as an artist, try Kula Lodge for lunch. It sits at 3200 ft. up the slopes of Haleakala in a beautiful garden setting. Good food at reasonable prices, they cook pizzas outside in their pizza ovens. They have a great market selling local products and a gift shop, and the Curtis Wilson Cost gallery is on the premises.

I've completed two more paintings so more on recent art work next time!

Upcountry Maui

2010-01-05T18:32:00.000-08:00

The ocean and the beaches are wonderful but you miss a lot if you don't venture "upcountry". There are horse and cattle ranches in gorgeous scenery. Most of the vegetables not imported from the mainland are grown up in Kula and they are delicious. The cowboy town of Makawao is a delightful place to explore shops and restauarants. It looks like a town in the "old west". Shop at Alititudes and Hurricane for great womens clothes.

Watercolorist, Sherri Reeves, has her studio on the main street and there are several art galleries, one of the best is Viewpoints which has paintings from George Allen and Ronaldo Macedo.

Eat lunch at Hali'imaile ($$$$) or at Farm Fresh Bistro ($$) in a courtyard near Viewpoints. Excellent food at both places with fresh ingredients grown locally.

Take a drive "upcountry" on your next visit to Maui!

upcountry

2010-01-05T18:31:00.007-08:00

upcountry

2010-01-05T18:31:00.005-08:00

upcountry

2010-01-05T18:31:00.003-08:00

upcountry

2010-01-05T18:31:00.001-08:00

Here today, Gone to Maui

2009-12-15T11:58:00.000-08:00

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a very happy new year!

We are escaping the rain and cold and dreary weather and are leaving for Hawaii to celebrate the holidays. Maui is our destination where we will be joined by some wonderful long time friends who now live in Arizona. Hopefully there will be time to paint and read and relax. And, of course, sample some of our favorite restaurants, especially Lahaina Grill!

More later.....

San Francisco Dining

2009-12-02T13:45:00.000-08:00

One of our newer favorite places to eat in San Francisco is Chez Papa Resto a 4 Mint Plaza. (between Market and Mission)It is very conveniently located if you are shopping in the San Francisco Center at Nordstrom or Bloomingdales because it is right across 5th street.
They are open for lunch and dinner every day except Sunday. There is outdoor dining when the weather permits!

The menu is Provencal and the food is delicious and fairly priced. The service is friendly.
We recommend it the next time you are in the City.

Back in touch!

2009-11-13T13:52:00.000-08:00

Travel and minor medical problems have prevented me from painting and sending out my blog. I've missed doing it and am glad to be back .

The painting I've uploaded is one done last month. I call it "Christmas Goose"

Will Travel for Food

2009-09-08T15:55:00.000-07:00

Our recent trip allowed us to experience some great food, Here are a few suggestions for London and Barcelona.

We love La Genova in London, a small Italian restaurant frequented by Tony Bennett and the late Pavarotti. Fresh home made pasta with a variety of sauces, most made by the owner/chef Rinaldo Pierini. Located at 32 North Audley Street, London. You can make reservations on their web site.

We also recommend Patterson's at 4 Mill Street, Mayfair. London. You can make reservations on Open Table or on their web site also. Great contemporary cuisine.

Our favorite this time was MAZE, a Gordon Ramsay restaurant located at 10-13 Grosvenor Square, London, with access also through the Marriott hotel. This was one of the finest meals we have ever had! The menu consisted of small plates, a tasting menu. There were 20 choices each one was so flavorful and absolutely delicious. Our waiter gave us a menu to bring home and a tour of the kitchen!

In Barcelona we found two gems. For absolutely delicious fresh seafood, try Botafumeiro. It's been there since 1975. The decor is as good as the food. This was a wonderful dining experience. As we entered we walked past the "bar" all set for more than 12 diners. Our waiter told us that this is a favorite with the locals as they can chat with each other as they enjoy the fresh catch. Botafumeiro Gran de Gracia, 81. Barcelona. www botafumeiro.es

The best tapas were to be found at Paco Meralgo, our menu was in English and had too many choices, but we really enjoyed the shrimp in garlic butter, grilled asparagus, cod salad with tomato and olive oil, steamed mussels and the tomatoe bread. I could go on and on. It was wonderful! Our waiter spoke good English and also sang while he worked, Paco Meralgo Mutaner, 171 Barcelona.

In Barcelona, of course, the best time to dine is after 8:00pm hard to adapt, but we tried!

WHERE I LEFT OFF

2009-09-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

WHERE I LEFT OFF

Blogging from a cruise ship proved to be difficult and expensive. Our journey to ports in Italy and France was wonderful. Can’t praise the cruise line, Oceania, enough they were very attentive to everyone’s needs and often met us on the dock or pier with cold towels and ice water when it was very hot. The food in the Grand dining room was varied and good. The two other restaurants, Polo Lounge (steaks) and Toscana (Italian) were fabulous

TIP: Don’t go to the Mediterranean or Europe in August! It’s hot and crowded as that is the customary month for all of Europe to take a vacation. May or September is a better choice.

We enjoyed Sorrento and the trip to Pompeii was extraordinary. Amalfi and Positano were very beautiful and we were able to get an overview of the Cinque Terre region by boat. We anchored at Portovenere and then took a small motor launch along the rocky coastline to view the “five lands”. We spent several hours ashore at the village of Monterosso al Mare. It was fascinating to watch the young men and women diving off the rocks into the beautiful blue ocean. (see photo). The following day our visit to the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel in Rome was a once in a lifetime experience.

The following day I encountered a medical problem that required me to spend part of each day in the ship’s medical facility, so our trip ashore in Florence was cancelled. However, we picked right up after Florence and spent part of each day exploring. Portofino was a special favorite. As it is with everyone who visits, I am sure. The colorful houses look as though they are painted afresh every day, they are so pristine. (see photo)

Another favorite was Monte Carlo. Here we took a small “train like” bus that toured the city. We saw the Casino, the Royal Palace and spent time in the Cathedral where Princess Grace was married and is buried. There are gardens and parks every where, it is the most beautiful gorgeous place! We did not sail until 11 PM and so we had dinner on board looking down on the yacht harbor and city lights as night fell.

TIP: Shore excursions are expensive from the ship. Try going on your own and taking a taxi (maybe with another couple) you will see as much or more and it is les expensive.
Our final ports of Marseille and Palma Mallorca were interesting, but failed to compare with Portofino and Monte Carlo/Monaco, until we arrived and disembarked in Barcelona! We fell in love with Barcelona, BCN as it is affectionately called. Our three days in this city of artists, art and architecture was a highlight of our trip. The contrast between the old and new is amazing, and yet it all blends together. Gaudi and Picasso!

Now back at home and looking through hundreds of photos and so many paintings in my head and heart.

CRUISING ITALY, 2009

2009-07-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

Life aboard the “Insignia”

We have now been sailing for 4 days, currently we are having a day at sea as we travel around the “boot” of Italy. We will anchor in Naples/Sorrento tomorrow. Today, we spent time at the pool, games and other activities had been arranged for those who wanted to do something other than read in the shade. An eight piece band played our kind of music and several guests were doing line dancing o the deck.

In the meantime we enjoy being aboard this ship with its great crew. Our ship is smaller than all of the cruise lines we have come across in the last few days. It’s crew of 400+ and less than 700 passengers means excellent service. They are extremely attentive and we could not ask for better service. The food is great, and we have 4 options for dining.
That’s the good news, the bad news is that we are eating everything they offer! Chef Jacques Pepin has created several great menu choices.

So far have visited Dobrovnik, Croatia and Corfu, Greece. Both were interesting, our tours took us into Dubrovnik old town. We walked the streets and enjoyed the day, but it was very crowded and hot and we were pleased to get back to the ship for a shower and dinner.

The following day we were in Corfu, we toured the old city, some of which survived the bombings in WWII. We were a part of group with a bus and tour guide. We also visited an old Benedictine Monastery and enjoyed some wonderful views.

Now we are through the Straits of Messina heading for Naples, we should anchor at 8 am tomorrow morning. It was fascinating to see the pilot boat come along side of our ship and balance on the side of his boat until he was grabbed by some of our crew and taken on board. He exited the same by about 10 minutes ago, while all of us up on the decks cheered.

We are scheduled on a tour to Pompeii tomorrow at 9 AM that will last about 4 hours and then we hope to have some time to look around in Sorrento.

More later…..

2009-07-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

Leaving London

Our last day was spent out of the city at Hampton Court Palace, once the home of Henry VIII. We arrived to see a reenactment of Henry’s wedding to his last wife, Katherine Parr. The tour includes visits to the kitchens, where actual cooking was ongoing. The weather was great, and we reluctantly left to get back to the city for dinner. This was at “MAZE” a Gordon Ramsey restaurant adjacent to the Marriott Hotel at Grosvenor Square. It was some of the best food we have ever experienced, very small plates but each with intense flavor. The place was hard to get into, so we opted to sit at the bar. Our waiter/bar tender was delightful and gave us a tour of the kitchen and gave us a copy of the menu to take home. No, Gordon Ramsey was not there!

The next morning we were up early to catch our plane to Venice. We flew BMI which is like our SWA but without the organization. Took us almost an hour to check in!

We arrive in Venice a half hour early and were taken by bus to the pier where we embarked for our 14 day cruise, on Oceania Lines “Insignia”.

Venice never disappoints, we spent the next day visiting St. Marks Square and the Rialto Bridge area. This time of the year is not the best time to visit, there were 4 cruise ships docked. Ours was the smallest only 650 passengers, and a crew of 396. The other ships were huge probably with 2000 passengers each, all of us visited the same places so it was very crowded, but we took lots of pictures and did a little shopping. We were glad that we had visited Venice in 2005 in May rather than late July. But, no matter when you go, please go because it is unlike anything else in the world.

We sailed from Venice at 5 pm and headed off in the Adriatic Sea. Next stop: Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Email is difficult and expensive so can’t write everyday.

More later on…..Joyce

Ancient History

2009-07-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

We spent yesterday at two famous historical sites in London. First stop was on Horseguards and the Churchill Museum. It was terrific and we spent a interesting time looking and listening to all the exhibits. The Museum includes the rooms used in World War II for cabinet meetings when Churchill was Prime Minister. They lived down in these basement rooms day and night
to avoid the bombings.

Leaving there we headed for Parliament Square and lunch at a pub "Westminster Arms". The square is familiar to us all with the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben on one side, and Government offices on another, and of course Westminster Abbey. We toured the Abbey with an audio tour narrated by Jeremy Irons! Great voice to walk around with! We were lucky enough to get into a small prayer service which they have every hour; it was in a cordoned off area next to the tomb of Edward the Confessor.

Nearby was Poets Corner where the tomb of Chaucer is across from the grave of D.H. Lawrence. It is a spectacular building part of which dates back to Benedictine monks in c960 and was the place of William the Conqueror's coronation in 1066. The actual date of the church as it is was 1245. Loved it all as I am a history nut!

I thought of how well my pen and ink and watercolor artists' friends would and could record all these sights!

We exited back in Parliament Square to a heavy rain storm and were soaked by the time we got on the Tube back to our hotel.

Dinner was at The Ivy and delicious restaurant in the West End. It is a bustling place with some great English food and drink! Enjoyed our dinner and dessert - "Sticky Toffee" pudding. More later.......

The Cotswolds

2009-07-23T00:56:00.000-07:00

We started off early to travel out of London to the south west. My second cousin lives in the small town of Nailsworth. Again, we were impressed with the British transportation system. We started off in the Tube, we were going out but thousands of people were coming into the city early in the morning. The escalators go underground 4 or 5 stories and sometimes more! Caught the Tube to Paddington rail station and then took a train to Nailsworth. About 95 minutes later we were met at the station by Muriel and Harold. They took us to see their new home, an apartment rather than their old house which had large gardens. Their new flat is lovely with huge windows overlook the beautiful green countryside. Lunch was at an old house restaurant near Tetbury. Their was also time for some shopping! At 5:00pm were were headed back into London. A wonderful day, and no rain! Dinner tonight at our hotel.

GREETINGS FROM LONDON

2009-07-21T08:09:00.001-07:00

We arrive on Sunday July 19 after a ten hour flight from San Francisco. Settled into our room at the Marriott Grosvenor Square and took a short nap before going out for dinner. "The Living Room" restaurant was in a group of places to eat in Heddon Street near Regent Street, it was just OK, or maybe we were just jet-lagged!
Next day feeling rested we headed out to do a little shopping and just enjoy being here. London is so cosmopolitan, much changed from when I grew up in England. Every nationality is represented with more turbans, veils and skin colors than can be imagined, at least on Oxford Street, where red double decker buses are lined up end to end on both sides of the street, picking up passengers and dropping them off from all the neighborhoods. London taxis filled up the side streets as we walk back to our hotel, on Duke Street near Grosvenor Square and the US Embassy (Impressive statue of Gen. Eisenhower is out in front).
Dinner last night was superb... at Pattersons on Mill Street in Mayfair. This was 0ur second visit and it is wonderful. Great service and the presentation of the dishes is beautiful.

Today we were off early by the London Underground transportation ... the Tube. A great system and it moves tens of thousands of people every day. This morning we were going to visit the University of Richmond, an international American institution. Our grand daughter has been accepted there starting in September. This was a 45 minute Tube ride and then we took a taxi. The University is perched on a hill overlooking the Thames. A charming senior student working through the summer gave us the tour. We were impressed! Small class sizes and nice amenities, we even looked at a dorm room, basic, but OK.

We walked back down the hill into Richmond, great scenery along the way. Had lunch overlooking a park at a place called Austins that said it was established in 1726! Though heavy rain was forecast we only had a couple of showers as we made our way back via the Tube into London and our hotel.

GREETINGS FROM LONDON

2009-07-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

The Saga Continues

2009-07-11T07:57:00.000-07:00

Our home is still a construction zone as we await approval from the insurance company for the estimated $40,000 repairs. All from a leak in a GE refrigerator! Since we leave in a week for a month in Europe we hope the repairs can be completed while we are gone.

The Italian porcelain tile has been found in Las Vegas, but the mold has evidently been changed and it is 1/8 to 1/4" larger and since it is laid in straight lines to emulate a wood floor, most or all of it will have to be replaced, not just the area taken up for the mold problem. This will be a very messy process so we would have had to move out of the house anyway!

Hope to be able to "blog" as we travel.

Chicken Little

2009-07-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

You've heard the phrase" The Sky is Falling", well that seems to be what is happening at our house in the last month. A leaking valve in our refrigerator caused water damage and mold. So we have been through decontamination and are now into the restoration phase. It will be another month befoe things are back to normal, we believe.

This rooster was painted from a photo I took in Hawaii, where chickens often run wild.. the ultimate "free range chicken".

Because of the flood, (see picture) my studio has been off limits for several weeks, so no new paintings to post.

SUNFLOWERS IN PROVENCE

2009-06-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

This recently completed oil was from a close up of a photograph of a whole field of sunflowers.

Painting has taken a back seat for now, as I cannot get to my studio due to mold containment!

A leak in a water line in our refrigerator caused major damage to kitchen cabinets and counter tops and the need for mold decontamination. It's been going on for almost a week.......

On a Personal Note

2009-06-09T13:55:00.001-07:00

We had a wedding in our family last week!

Here I am with our daughter and my granddaughter

(the beautiful bride) dancing to "Play that Funky Music, White Boy"....but with dignity and grace - right?

Painting "Lake Tahoe"

2009-06-04T12:45:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken while I was working on "Lake Tahoe" a few months ago.

I paint every week with ten or twelve other artists in a workshop headed by Tom Proctor. Having other painters to bounce ideas off of is helpful. It also allow us to learn from others and correct our mistakes!

Lincoln, California

2009-05-21T15:08:00.000-07:00

This was one of the first oils I did on board rather than canvas. It is a scene very near our home in Lincoln. This was done in winter when the pond was full, in the summer months no pond - it drys out!

My preference is still to paint on canvas, I like the texture and the feel much better.

Hawaiin Flowers

2009-05-14T15:49:00.001-07:00

This colorful flower is popular in California as well as being abundant on the Hawaiian Islands. This oil on canvas was from a photograph taken on Maui. It is a companion piece to the "Plumeria" that I painted earlier. Both were done on 12 x 12 canvas. The actual painting is 8 x 8 leaving a plain white canvas border as a 'mat'. In the frame is looks triple matted!

These paintings and others along with note cards and prints will be on display for sale at Art in the Park"

S.F. Golden Gate Bridge

2009-05-09T07:12:00.001-07:00

This oil on canvas was done from a photograph taken last year. I added the fog for atmosphere! It makes a very nice note card, which will be on sale at Art in the Park in Lincoln Hills next Sunday, May 17.

We spent two days in San Francisco this week and found a great new restaurant - Chez Papa Resto. It is a very typical French bistro with excellent food and a great ambiance. Easy to find, it is at 4 Mint Plaza ( across from the Old Mint in SFO). In good weather they have outside tables, great for lunch!

Another day was spent in our old home town, Los Gatos. It seems to be thriving as usual and we enjoyed our visit and dinner at a new place called Cin,Cin. It is very popular , especially at "happy hour" which is from 3:30 to 6:30. Great menu of small plates.

ART IN THE PARK - MAY 17, 2009

2009-05-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

ART IN THE PARK

Sunday, May 17 at the

Sports Pavilion in Sun City

Lincoln Hills from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Original art, prints, note cards and

many other crafts! Food and music too!

Tibetan Terriers

2009-04-27T12:00:00.001-07:00

Came across these two cuties during a rainy day visit to the Lake District in England. I wished I could have packed them up and brought them home. Searching the Web, I did find that they are available in the U.S. ...maybe one day!

Cotswold Memories!

2009-04-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

In the Cotswold region of south west England is the village of Bibury. The setting is so picturesque and it is purported to have a row of houses that are the oldest in England.

This oil on canvas is done from a photograph we took that day.

Abbaye de Senaque

2009-04-16T15:14:00.001-07:00

This painting was from a photograph I took while in Provence. We were lucky enough to be visiting

when the lavender was in bloom, fields and fields everywhere. The monks in this order at Senaque have taken a vow of silence. It is a very peaceful place, even with hoards of us tourists swarming the grounds. We were staying about an hour away in the lovely bed and breakfast called Chateau Talaud, an 18th century provencal chateau located near Avignon and the Luberon. Our hosts suggested we visit the Abbaye and we are so glad we did!

Easy Week-End Recipe!

2009-04-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups potato chips
1 lb. lump crab meat*
1/3 cup tartar sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tablespoons butter - thinly sliced into 6 pieces
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Heat broiler. In a medium bowl, finely crush the potato chips. Add the crab meat, tartar sauce, mustard and pepper and stir to combine. Form the mixture into 6 patties and place on parchment or foil-lined backing sheet. Top each with a pat of butter and broil until browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges. * Costco has good canned crab meat.

This is a quick recipe that takes about 10 minutes. Made from scratch it would take 45!

Recipe from "Real Simple" magazine

Plumeria

2009-03-30T13:36:00.001-07:00

A friend took some photos of flowers at a resort on Maui and sent me copies to paint. This is actually an 8" x 8" square inside a 12" x 12" canvas. On the original the leaves and flowers go off the edge into a two inch mat, creating the look of a framed watercolor.

San Francisco Weekend

2009-03-18T14:13:00.000-07:00

Just returned from a wonderful visit to one of my favorite cities: San Francisco! Barely two hours away, we are lucky to be able to visit several times a year. We met up with our daughter, Tina and granddaughter Marina who was there for a "Pulse" dance convention.

We enjoyed a dinner at Bouelvard Restaurant. 1 Mission St. ( at Stuert). The chef is Nancy Oakes and the dishes were fantastic. If you are ever in the City by the Bay be sure to dine there

What I'm Working On Now!

2009-03-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

My art group, Lincoln Hills Arts Association, is having a "challenge" in April. The theme has to be "transportation". I am doing a moody sky scene of the RAF over Britain during WWII. This is a tribute to British statesman and artist, Winston Churchill.

Another project is a scene of the Golden Gate Bridge from a photo taken from the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. Now to get back to my easel......

Workshops

2009-03-11T13:40:00.000-07:00

Currently I'm taking a 4 week workshop with Silvio Silvestri, a wonderful plein air painter.
Each session is 3 hours. Silvio sets up a still life and then does a demonstration. The class then can try to recreate their own painting. It is done 'alla prima', painting wet into wet.
The first week we painted pears, lemons and tangerines. Yesterday he brought a gorgeous bouquet of fresh flowers.

Nothing I have done has been good enough to display on my blog! However, every teaching workshop is a wonderful learning experience and much is taken away to use in other work. Check out Silvio's blog and see how good he is at Silvioscorner.blogspot.com/

Recently Completed

2009-03-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

This 18 x 24 oil was a a wonderful piece to paint. I could be free with color and brush strokes. The original photograph was shot by Chris Reynolds of the L.A. Times some years ago. I am grateful to Chris for his permission to capture it in oil.

Plein Air Painting

2009-03-03T07:44:00.000-08:00

This is the 8 x 10 done on location at Fleming Beach on Maui

2009-03-03T07:19:00.000-08:00

Last September, while in Maui, I had the great opporunity to participate in a 3 day plein air workshop with Ronaldo Macedo. Ronaldo's work is shown in Lahaian Galleries among others.
The days started at 8 and ended after 5 pm. We painted in a beach park, at the harbor up in the mountains and on the beach. At each location Ronaldo did a demonstration and then we wer expected to complete a painting.

For a "studio" painter this was a challenging experience. Working with only 6 primary colors and learning to mix paint was a great learning experience

My first attempts at plein air were dismal; but on the last day I did one that I was pleased with and I believe Ronaldo was too. If you are every in Maui in September check out his website, maybe the timing will be right for you to paint on Maui. He also is at the Gallery on Friday nights

Yummy Letter Link

2009-03-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

In my last post I mistakenly gave an e-mail address for the link to Yummy Letter. It should be http://www.yummyletter.com/ This link will allow you to read the latest edition and also the first three issues .

San Francisco Restaurant Scene

2009-03-01T12:04:00.000-08:00

If you travel to San Francisco, a good source of places to eat is in a new newsletter. The Yummy Letter is posted weekly by Grace Ann Walden. She also leads walking food tours in various parts of the City. The newsletter is free! To subscribe go to newsletter@yummyletter.com

Topping for Pork Chops

2009-03-01T11:39:00.001-08:00

Tired of the same old pork shops? Try this!

Onion Jam

Slice 2 large onions and add to 2 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan.

Add salt and pepper and 1/2 tsp each of thyme and rosemary.

Cook over medium heat 3 minutes.

Add 1 tsp. sugar and 1/4 cup of orange marmalade or apricot jam.

Mix well and add 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.

Cook on low heat for 2 hours.

Serve with pork chops .

Lincoln Hills Fine Arts Show

2009-02-23T10:35:00.000-08:00

Over 200 pieces of art were on display for two days this past weekend at Orchard Creek Lodge in Lincoln. Despite the economy and a rainy Sunday we had 30 sales. Attendance was good, and we received many comments on the quality of the art displayed. Pen and ink, watercolor, oils bronze sculpture, wood turning, ceramic and glass pieces were part of our inventory.
"Best in Show" was awarded to Judith Huth for her stunning oil of a glass vase filled with purple and yellow blooms. Six hundred and tweny nine votes were tabulated in the "Popular Vote" which was awarded to Allen Adler for his amazing photography.

New Painting - Lake Tahoe

2009-02-17T14:43:00.000-08:00

This 11 x 14 oil was done from a photograph I took last summer . The shape and formation of the rocks was fascinating and challenging to paint.

"Salt of the Earth"

2009-02-16T14:49:00.000-08:00

Salt has become a gourmet food item. Two of the stores I frequent, Whole Foods and Nugget, have big displays of various kinds of salt and salt blocks. Some have heavier grains, like Kosher salt, and other are finer and have flavors added. Two of the ones I have tried are wonderful, "gris" (grey salt) which is fine and very favorable, and another has blood orange bits added, terrific on seafood.

These are pricey so don't use them to salt the water for pasta, but rather add a very little at the end just before serving. Delicious - remember a little goes a long way as we should try to limit our salt intake!

Update on Framing

2009-02-16T14:45:00.000-08:00

Just one day after placing my order for a $100 frame; I was notified that it was out of stock. Searching other sources, I found one at Dick Blick for $57.21 including 3 day shipping! Both were gold plein air style frames. I received it this monring and am very pleased with the quality.

Mount Hood - Oregon

2009-02-11T13:54:00.000-08:00

Finished this 18 x 24 oil today and it came out well. Now I can't wait to get it framed.

Framing can make so much difference to your art, the wrong choice can ruin a good painting. I know, several years ago I did an still life of tomatoes on a cutting board and framed it in a formal gold plein air frame. It was too ornate and on the advice of an artist friend I changed it. The painting worked so much better in a simple "floater" type frame.

"Graphic Dimensions" - Pictures Plus is having a sale, so I ordered a frame for "Mt. Hood". It will still cost about $100 even at the sale price!

Recipe for a Winter Week-end

2009-02-06T13:00:00.000-08:00

Found this recently in a local food column!

"Easy Pot Roast"
1 3 pound brisket of beef
1 cup ketchup
1 package of onion soup mix

Method:

Place brisket on heavy duty foil. Coat with ketchup and sprinkle with onion soup mix. Wrap brisket completely in foil
Place on a baking sheet and cook at 350 degrees for 2 1/2 hours.

This is very good, and it nakes a lot of delicious sauce.

Winston!

2009-02-05T14:23:00.000-08:00

I'm adding quotes from Winston Churchill to my blog , since I was born in England and he is one of my heros.

Yosemite In Winter

2009-02-05T14:01:00.000-08:00

This 11 x 14 oil on canvas was recently in a local art show. The reviewer commented in the newspaper that I had "brought a magnificent snowy Yosemite winter to life". I'm flattered and pleased! This painting will be in the Lincoln Hills Art show on February 21 and 22. The original as well as note cards and prints are available.

Normandy Village

2009-02-02T12:32:00.000-08:00

This is a recently completed painting of a village in Normandy, France. .This scene greeted us as we drove in the French countryside. It has been submitted to the Lincoln Hills Arts Association show - February 20 and 21, 2009.
I have made note cards and 5 x 7 prints of this 16 x 20 original canvas.

2009-01-30T14:48:00.001-08:00

2009-01-30T14:42:00.001-08:00

What I'm Painting now

2009-01-30T14:29:00.000-08:00

Recently I saw a good photo in the Sacramento Bee of Mt.Hood and the Oregon countryside. It was by Christopher Reynolds of the LA Times. I e-mailed him and asked for permission to paint his photograph. He was very accommodating and gave permission. He sent me a good copy to download and I started it yesterday. I am doing it on an 18x 24 canvas, this is larger than I have been doing lately but this is a great expansive landscape.

I finished an 11 x 14 oil of Lake Tahoe from a photo I took last July. Here in Lincoln we are getting ready for our 6th annual Fine Arts Show, and the Lake Tahoe painting is going in along with "Yosemite in Winter" and "Normandy Village"

Getting Started!

2009-01-30T14:25:00.000-08:00

This is my first blog. We had friends over for dinner last night and I used recipes that were easy to prepare ahead of time; shrimp cocktail (they didn't eat salads) and Chicken Tetrazzini - chicken with pasta in a cream sauce, topped with cheese and baked. Yummy! Took me a couple of hours in the afternoon and I was able to relax with our guests before dinner.