I am a animation storyboard Artist, currently working on Star Wars Rebels.
I couldn’t sleep so I drove over to the bay to paint. I set up on the north side of the estuary looking south across Corte Madera Marsh State Marine Park, aka the running trail behind Trader Joe’s. While I was roughing in the underpainting, the high school running team passed by on their morning loop and then the sky exploded into a brilliant wash of pink and lavender. It was a lovely sunrise.
The wind woke me up around four this morning and after a fruitless effort to go back to sleep, I grabbed my painting gear and rode over to the marsh inlet. I painted until the sun crested the trees and couldn’t see anymore. After a short stop at the bakery I headed back home and finished this up over coffee.
After my morning coffee I stepped across the street to paint the salt mash. I like how shadows from the trees off to the right cut across the landscape early in the morning.
Freezing and windy, that about sums up this mornings painting session. It’s was as if an invisible hand flipped a switch on the weather. The morning started out pleasant and then the temperature dropped and what was a light breeze turned into a roaring gale.
Twice my painting nearly flew off the easel. At one point my pallet caught the wind just right and flipped over upon itself, splattering the oil jar across my working space. What was my reserve jar of medium was then carried away by another tempest and emptied itself into the hillside. I painted till my hands turned blue then called it quits and ran for coffee.
Lunch painting. Looking north behind the track by Kent Middle School next to Corte Madera Creek
This mornings painting of the salt marsh across the street. About 2hrs.
My internet was down so I stepped across the street to paint while I waited for it to return. I set up next to the College of Marin soccer field in the heat of a bright mid day sun. The after school soccer program was in full force to my right. It was funny to hear the difference between the 7rd grade girls soccer practice and the boys. One was was nothing but cheers of positive encouragement and the other team swore like sailors.
I’m not sure where the boarder between Kentfield and Larkspur is but it’s probably about where I painted this. This is the view standing by the College of Marin soccer field looking east towards the hospital. Lots of dog walkers.
I’m back in Larkspur so instead of smokey vineyards now I get to paint smokey salt marshes. Here’s the view looking north towards Kentfield, from the parking lot across the street from my apartment. It’s nice to be painting in Marin again.
This was a quick one. I only had about an hour. As soon as the sun set I got swarmed by mosquitoes and had to bail. I guess that’s what you get when you set up next to a marsh.
This morning I drove out to the creek behind my uncle Jim’s house and painted the view looking west. It’s still very smokey in the valley which adds a lot of depth to the landscape but it was painfully hot so I didn’t have much fun today. We are in the middle of a heat wave and I being a fool, forgot both my hat and water. By ten thirty I had had enough. 1.5hr
