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I recently returned from a one month road trip to California and back with several stops in between. The four main reasons for the April trip were to paint in Laguna Beach for an upcoming show, attend the 2nd Annual Plein Air Convention in Monterey, California, to paint for and attend the opening of "Powered by Nature: Seven Women", an exhibition featuring myself and six of the best women artists working today, and to paint in Zion National Park for an upcoming exhibition in November. 

I took three days to drive out to Laguna Beach, the first of my painting destinations. The weather was perfect for plein air painting. I finished three major pieces there. Two of them are shown below. On the left is "Sail Away" (9x12) and on the right is "On the Rocks" (10x20).

The Plein Air Convention was fantastic...about 700 artists in attendance. It was a great opportunity to learn, meet new and old friends, network, check out and stock up on art supplies and paint together. Below is a shot of just a few of the artists who descended on beautiful Asilomar Beach on the last day of the convention and on the right is the painting I did..."The Rolling Sea" (6x8). 

Following the convention, artists Cindy Baron, Becky Joy, Kim Casebeer, Shanna Kunz Hernandez, Christine Debrosky and I stayed together in Carmel-by-the-Sea for a few days, to paint together and create some new plein air pieces for our exhibition, "Powered by Nature: Seven Women" which opened on April 19th at Mountainsong Galleries in Carmel. The show runs through May 19th. Here's a link to a great article that Fine Art Connoisseur wrote about the show:  http://www.fineartconnoisseur.com/Mountainsong-Galleries-Present-Works--Powered-by-N/16240534  The show also features Lori McNee, who was unable to join us there. 

Kim Casebeer and I spent a whole day painting together at Garrapata State Park, south of Carmel. The waves were spectacular and the water the most beautiful indigo blue with an icy turquoise color on the underside of the waves. We were treated to an incredible sunset...the reward for a "hard day's work at the office" (wink, wink!). 

My painting, "The Power and the Glory" (6x8 oil) still on the easel, and the view from my "office" close to the edge of the cliff at Garrapata. This piece is available through Mountainsong Galleries in Carmel. Photo on the right by Gary Huber. 

Here is that spectacular sunset...we took lots of photos! Thanks so much to Gary Huber for this photo of Kim and me. Look at the beautiful light on the ocean...incredible!

(L to R) Cindy Baron, Becky Joy, Christine Debrosky and Shanna Kunz Hernandez on the cliff at Point Lobos taking reference photos and deciding where to paint. You can see the poppies that were blooming along the path on the left...and the poison oak was plentiful too. On the right is the painting I did at China Cove in Point Lobos State Park..."China Cove" 12x12 oil. Also available through Mountainsong Galleries.

Another day at Garrapata State Park...my subject on the left and the finished plein air painting on the right. "At the Cliff's Edge" 9x12 oil available at Mountainsong Galleries.

And here we are on opening night of "Powered by Nature: Seven Women." (L to R: Becky Joy, me, Kim Casebeer, Cindy Baron, Christine Debrosky and Shanna Kunz Hernandez). On the right, some potential collectors looking at my work. This was such a memorable trip for us all...we are definitely going to meet up again in the future to paint and spend time together...and have another exhibition! Thanks very much to Mountainsong Galleries for hosting "Powered by Nature: Seven Women!"

Here are a couple more plein air paintings I did in California...the left is "Last Light, Pacific Grove" (6x8)...a quick 30 minute study in a brutal wind at sunset) and the right is "The Source" (11x14).

From California, my husband and I traveled on to Zion National Park in Utah for a couple of days so I could paint for an upcoming exhibition this fall. The spring colors there were amazing...neon yellow-green against the red of the rocks...gorgeous! Here is one of the pieces I did there...not quite finished on the left side but close enough that I can finish it up in the studio. On the right is the view of my subject...you can see how massive the cliffs are compared to my easel!

On the way back home, my husband and I took Scenic Highway 12 through Utah...that is an area we will definitely be returning to...such a variety of landscape and so many places to explore! Can't wait to get back on the road again for the next painting adventure. Plein air painters are so privileged to be able to spend time outdoors in nature, capturing on canvas the beautify and magnificence of the landscape...and sharing it with the world. There is no end to the inspiration that awaits out there...