I was painting after work today, and usually, it’s super windy and cold over by the bridge as the fog rolls in. But not tonight; instead, it was lovely, calm, and warm. The quality of light was exceptional. As far as Presidio painting sessions go, these conditions were as good as it gets. I worked on this one for about an hour until I lost my light, then finished it up at home.
Rolling rain clouds and sun were present over Corte Madera and Larkspur today. It was a lovely panorama from the Greenbrae overlook, with sharp blues and steel grays contrasting against each other. I wished I had more time to paint, but the storm was moving quickly; suddenly, it started hailing, and I had to run for my car.
It was a sunny day cast in a veil of thin fog. I hiked around the salt mash looking for a view to paint but the misty air made all the southern and easterly views blown out and a bit too contrasty for my tastes. That killed my painting options around the apartment so I drove up to the Ring Mountain trail head off Taylor road and found something north facing I could work with.
My brother wanted to go surfing out at Salmon Creek this morning so I tagged along to catch the sunrise. The offshore winds were really strong and stepping out of the car I could barely hold onto my painting panel. There was no way my easel was going to stand up in that wind. I came up with a pretty good workaround though, I clamped my canvas to one of the information signs next to the trailhead that leads down the cliff to the beach. That worked like a champ.
I rode up Indian Fire Road to do a little painting this afternoon. It was a fine warm day but that all changed when that evil shadow crawled down the mountain and draped me in its icy embrace. I might as well have been standing in a snow drift. I folded up the painting gear and sprinted for home but I couldn’t out run the chilly darkness. I was so numb it took a long hot shower to stop my teeth from rattling and my toes to thaw. This months water bill will be one for the record books.
From Indian Fire Road looking down Blithdale Ridge Fire Road and Camino Alto, Looking south towards San Francisco.
It stopped raining for a bit so I drove over to China Camp State Park and painted the view looking west from Buckeye Point.
Lunchtime plein air painting. Not far from the road over looking Baker Beach in the Persidio, San Francisco
A quick beach painting I made while my boys got ready for bed. Kids are jumping all over the place, time to eject. This is as far as I got.
Spent the weekend with the boys at the beach. Its fleet week and the air show was pretty inspirational. Here is a little watercolor I did of the Blue Angeles screaming past Crissy Fields.
Sitting at a desk too long. All my day dreams are about salty air and large swell rolling in. Need to find my way back to the water.
