Here is a painting that recently sold at the "Napa Valley Mustard festival" in Yountville California. My heart felt thanks goes out to our patrons of the arts, with your support we are able to continue our passion to bringing fine art into this world.

 
Upon my visit to Palm Springs I browsed through a visitor’s guide that I found
in my hotel lobby. Much to my surprise I notice that there is an air museum in
Palm springs that has a big collection of World War II Air Craft. 
 
On my way home I decided to stop in and take a look. I was amazed as to what
I had found.  When I walked into the first hanger there in front of me stood a rare
PBY Catalina “Flying Boat” and it is still operational along with all of the other
aircraft in the museum. Of course I had to pull out my sketch book and brand new
fountain pen that I purchased from a fellow vendor at the South West Arts Festival
from that weekend.
 

                                                                     My Sketch of the PBY Catalina

I also came across a B-17 next door. For a small donation of 3 dollars you
can crawl through this air craft with or without a guided tour, I have never
been in a B-17 before. 

 
B-17 outside of the hanger.


Looking around I could find just about every aircraft used in
WWII along with mural size paintings by world renowned artist, “Stan Stokes.”       
   
   
"USS Shangri-La, CV-38"                           painted by: Stan Stokes


Needless to say I had made a day of touring the museum and I decided to stay
another night. I will definitely have to return for an extended visit with my painting
supplies to document this treasure.
 
Please spread the word to all aviation enthusiast about the palm springs air museum,
they can really use the support to keeping this treasure open to the public through
these lean times. The volunteers are dedicated to this and were a delight to talk with.
Most of them are WWII vets who flew these planes.
 
Visit the air museum on line at:
http://www.palmspringsairmuseum.org

Even though the economy is looking lethargic right now the painting sales have been good for me lately. Weekend before last I sold an 18"x24" painting from my gallery in my Sebastopol Gallery) a 16"x12" painting from my Carmel Fine Art gallery in Carmel CA and another 12"x16" painting at the South West Arts Festival in
Indio CA. From the traveling I have been keeping busy.


Sold at Carmel Fine Art Gallery in Carmel


Sold at the Sebastopol Gallery in Sebastopol CA.


Sold at the South West Art Festival in Indio CA.

Have faith. Art is selling we just have to work harder and role with the times. Keep painting! For all you art enthusiast, thank you for sharing in our journey.

I just got back from a week of painting in Carmel/Monterey area with other fellow painters. We certainly got lucky with the weather, right now there are 3 storms approaching.


Asilomar Sunset                                     11"x14"


Asilomar Surf                                         12"x16"


Lover's Point                                          12"x24"




Phil Salyer and his cousin Beverly painting


Phil conducting an orchestra of waves.

Well here is a commissioned painting I’ve been working on for a while. The customer wanted a painting of his beach home’s view on a sunny day. Every day I attempted to paint it either started raining or the fog rolled in. On my last attempt the sun was out and stayed that way.

About a month ago Jasmine and I drove to San Diego and we visited a childhood mentor that inspired me to paint while I was growing up in Jamul CA. Her name is Elizabeth and she is an incredible watercolor painter who organized the Graphic Arts project in Jamul Chaparros 4-H Club that I participated in from 5^th grade through my senior year in high school. With her cheering me on, I won many awards with my watercolor paintings along with many other top honors.

Now 23 years later, I’m painting with Elizabeth again. She and her husband Ron took us down to one of her favorite painting spots in La Jolla at children’s pool. Originally this was designed as safe place youngsters can swim but now it has become a popular place for the sea loins. I gleefully painted as Elizabeth watched with pride and enthusiasm. To honor my early day mentor, I gave her the painting as my thanks for many years of her loving  support. 

        

I wanted to share with you a wonderful painting experience I had with a plein air group that met at Point Reyes National Sea Shore last weekend in October. Richard Lindenberg (from Novato, CA.) arranged this weekend paint out through the California Art Club. Forty artists stayed at the Limantour Retreat Center and a great time was had by all. We painted during the day and at night we shared laughs over dinner. Saturday night a group of us took a moonlit hike that was one of my highlights of the trip. The moon was bright as we could see all the stars above. Wow!

Here is a link to Richards Blog of our adventures. I think it is well done. http://richardlindenberg.blogspot.com

Here are two paintings that I started in Carmel CA. about three weeks ago and I have just completed the finishing touches in my studio. Both paintings are 18”x24” oil on canvas panel. It’s an ambitious size for plein air painting but it does have an impact.    

The owners of the property who wanted something to remind them of this beautiful place commissioned the paintings. It was a great pleasure to have free rein to paint what ever inspired me on this enchanted peninsula and I had it all to myself. Perhaps someday soon, I’ll be able to join the ranks of the great painters of Carmel by the sea as Brian Blood and Laurie Kersey.

A month without blogging. How did that happen? For the first half of November, Sterling and I were away at a workshop. Since coming back, Sterling has been working on two seascape commissions in Carmel and another one in Dillon Beach. Here are the Carmel commissions before Sterling puts the final touches on them in the studio:
  

While in Carmel, Sterling revisited Carmel Fine Art Gallery at 6th and Dolores. They are in the process of expanding and accepted two of his paintings, Majestic Cypress and Cypress Quartet. We are very excited to be in a Carmel gallery!

  

Stepping back in time, at ARtrails in mid-October, we sold a second painting from Sterling's January Carmel seascape series.. The first one was Variety of Rock. This one was Asilomar Rocks. Cypress Quartet was also from that trip. Three other paintings have sold since ARTrails: Moss Landing, On the River and Barbe's Back Barn. Barbe's Back Barn was one of the last acrylic paintings Sterling created before switching to oils about five years ago. The barn belongs to John Barbe, a neighbor of Sterling's dad. After considering it all this time, John Barbe decided to buy it.

Our last planned show this year is the FrogSong Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair this weekend at our studio, 8280 Old Redwood Highway. This will be a small show featuring artists from the cohousing community that we live in.