The next project for my class was supposed to be a close up of some orchids. It was to be based on one of Ron's photos, and it was a very pretty photo, but for some reason, I didn't find it inspiring. So I looked through my photos for something to paint, and I found one of a wild iris that I liked. I figured that painting another flower wouldn't be straying too far from the rest of the class. Wild iris is not one of the most common wildflowers in California, but I come across them here and there on my hikes and it is always very exciting when I do. This one was in Tilden Park, just over the hill from Berkeley, and it was my son, Christopher that showed me the spot. This was the first time that I have ever used a nearly black background for a painting, but it works for this one.
The next class project was a pelican. Ron supplied two photos, one like this, and one with his wings spread and scratching his bill with a foot. I liked this more dignified pose. I did this quite quickly and finished it up in one class, although we were supposed to spend two classes on it.
Meanwhile, at home I had been keeping busy with some other paintings. A few weeks ago, we spent a morning at Coyote Hills Regional Park with our daughter-in-law and grandkids, and I took a few photos as we walked around through the marshes. One of a pair of mallards was especially interesting because of the waves that they created as they swam through the still water. So I chose to paint it and focus on those waves. I think it came out pretty good.
It seems that lately I have an urge to try a wide variety of subjects in my paintings. In looking through my photos, I chose this one because I am attracted to tiny towns in the middle of nowhere, and because this one has a story behind it. Last summer, we were in far western Colorado, and wanted to see some wild horses. Maybell is the only town for many miles around, and there is not much more to it than this store. The woman who sold us sandwiches told us where to go and her parting comment was "if it doesn't rain". We didn't give that a thought since it was a beautiful sunny day, but as we approached the wild horse range, there were dark clouds approaching. We got out into the range on several miles of dirt roads, when the sky opened up and it poured rain and hail. The roads quickly turned slick as ice and after a thrilling ride sliding all over the road, we were very lucky to make it back out to the pavement in our little rented Toyota Yaris. We didn't see any wild horses, but that was enough excitement for one day.
Looking through photos for something to paint, I thought of painting one of the shots I took of a horsemanship clinic that Maureen did recently. The clinic was about working with cattle, and there were lots of good shots of riders cutting out steers, but one shot without any cattle caught my eye. In the foreground was Chris Ellsworth, the clinic instructor, riding a borrowed horse, and three of the clinic participants. It was a pretty location -- the Brown Ranch on Tassajara Road in the Blackhawk area, and I think it worked out pretty well as a painting.
