Lookout on Bolsa Chica

[Saturday Painter]

Here is a piece I actually did in November. (Long time no post pics--work, and I have been throwing out lots of what I did do. Ack!) This one was done mostly PA but I had to finish at home. As the sun was setting the rising damp up the bluff from the wetlands below (I was right at the edge) left me frozen and everything so wet in just a few minutes that my paper towels turned to mush and I could no longer wipe brushes. I intend to go back a number of times as it is close to home and there are a great variety of interesting abstract shapes with just slight shifts in viewing angle--that and changing light. I wanted to go back today, but there were wind advisories and I thought it impractical, but the big gusts never happened, so I think tomorrow....

6x8 oil on linen taped to board
(IRL the browns and oranges are a little less red, but color as close as reasonable)

[RTT]

Interesting work with its strong abstract quality

[beejane]

I like the way you paint, especially plein air and more so in trying weather conditions. Your sky and background town( of what looks like a cityscape) are really well done. I like your brushwork and confident application. What I'm not sure about is what the center of attention should be. The horizon line to me holds the most interest, but the bold left corner land mass is rather striking and graphic, and I can't figure out what the brown is-mud, dried up something, or is it so far away it's just brown?

[Mick Sunderland]

Great exercise in selecting and rendering shapes in the landscape that works as it is or provides the basis for developing larger and/ or more detailed works.

[Saturday Painter]

Thanks Randy and Mick.
Beejane: You are right about a center of interest. I often forget about having one! Thank you. Yes, it is just mud, dried and otherwise--these are mudflats with a little bit of levee to support access roads, water and tiny/distant oil pumps which I did not include. The horizon silhouetted area is where there are coastline buildings and the Pacific Coast Hwy. Looking at it last night I realized that I wanted more colors in it that there are.