Got my covid shot yesterday so today I was mess. Felt like I had a really bad hangover, couldn’t think straight. By the end of the day I was feeling a little better so I though I would have a go at a vineyard painting. Totally forgot I was wearing sunglasses and didn’t realize my mistake till twilight had past. 1hr
Before dinner I rode the four wheeler over to the lookout and painted the view back towards the Sheehy and Miller plots. Classic late Sonoma summer weather. It was hot, windy and dry as a bone up on the ridge. Too bad it’s only May. Well, Its looks like it’s going to be one hell of a long fire season. 1.5hr
Had a nice Mother’s Day with mom but I was late out the door again and didn’t have much time to paint. The sun had already set so I ran up behind the house, set up as fast as I could and painted the dam. The wind was really blowing tonight, my panel was nearly ripped from the easel. Another 40min color study.
Quick post sunset half hour color study. Looking west towards Healdsburg from Alexander Valley.
The neighbor’s security detail thought I was an intruder so they called me in and I got a visit from my uncle while trying to paint this quick twilight study. It was nice to catch up, I haven’t seen him since the fires last year. Its a little annoying to be reported for painting on your own property but it’s also nice to know the neighbors are looking out for you. In their defense I do look like a creepy hobo when I’m painting. That said it was distracting, I only had about forty minutes of light to paint and the security snafu shaved off some of my working time. Que cerra cerra.
Walked down the hill to catch the last rays of light and the evening commute here in San Anselmo. Standing over by Play Well looking east towards United Market.
Today would have been the kids third day back in school but this is 2020 so the school was closed because of bad air. The glass fire up in Napa is still raging and the smoke is now pouring into the Bay Area. Smoke means interesting landscapes though so I found my way to the El Camino Avenida overlook in San Rafael around sunset and painted the view looking back towards Red Hill and San Anselmo.
Climbed up on my roof to clean the gutters but painted the view instead.
Finally got away from my desk but I only had an hour before the sun set, so I quickly drove to the other side of San Anselmo, parked near the bald hill trailhead, walked a few feet past the gate and just started painting. The temperature started to drop, it’s the first time a while I needed a jacket while painting.
Drove over to China Camp after work to paint the smoke from Napa and Sonoma. It made for a rather dramatic sunset as in blew in toward Marin. Good luck to all the family’s and fire crews in the path of the fires. Stay strong.
