Pears and Broccoli

On an early March morning, I discovered a blue wheelbarrow in a garden which was within a pear orchard in Walnut Grove, located in the Sacramento River delta area, south of Sacramento.  The cerulean blue of the wheelbarrow was a beautiful contrast to the early Spring pear blossoms in the background.  This painting brings back memories of that early Spring morning, painting among the brilliant pear blossoms sharing their light with the blue sky.  This painting has been showing at the Folsom Art Association show at the Harris Center, Folsom Lake College, this summer through August 31st.


The second painting was also painted in the early morning this last February at a junior high school garden.  The preliminary painting was begun on the morning of the school's first ever broccoli harvest.  Community volunteers and students came out to harvest the broccoli which was going to be utilized at the Davis School District central kitchen for student lunches.  By the end of the harvest days in February, 600 pounds of broccoli were harvested.

This painting of the Broccoli harvest was donated to The Village Feast fundraiser this month for the Davis Farm to School and Yolo Farm to Fork programs.  This fundraiser, The Davis Village Feast, is patterned after the "Le Grand Aioli," the food feast that is a summer tradition in Provence, France. (http://www.davisvillagefeast.org)  It was truly great food and conversation at this summer feast.  A good way to bring August to a close and begin to prepare for the autumn season ahead.

Spring Into Summer

This Spring I found myself painting almond blossoms up close here in northern California.  The blossoms gave a silvery cast to the early Spring morning sky.  The blossoms so delicate would give way to the beginnings of almonds on the sturdy branches of these trees that will be experiencing Spring and enduring the summer heat ahead.

As June leads into the serious summer months of July and August, I also decided to repaint an artwork that I had titled "Road Home."  This new revision, "Road Home Revisited," hopefully has a better perspective, better value ranges shown that the first attempt.  Always learning, new insights, perspectives, continuing to travel that road.

Winter or is it Spring?

Here in northern California, we just had some welcome rain; however, we hope for more before Spring blooms fully in April.  While we wait and hope for a little more of that rain, early Spring is showing itself.  As I drive around town this month, the fruit trees are showing their white and pink fragile petals.  The daffodils are giving way to azaleas and the deer, too, hear sounds of the coming Spring near the American River.  During this winter time, I also think back to last autumn's trip to Montana and the horses there were able to roam free near Glacier National Park.  One horse came close to me as if we were having a conversation.  It was one of those moments, I will remember.  Glimpses of wild nature, just like the two deer I saw moving through the brush near the river. Early Spring.