Big City

From The Hill, 9" x 12", $650

Los Angeles is my home town. I grew up there, went to college and finally made my escape in the mid eighties. After making Santa Barbara my home for the past twenty-four years, I feel the pull back to my hometown. I'm inspired by the unique light that the air pollution creates; the chaos of the sounds, shapes, textures; and the multi-cultural Angelino buzz. 

This painting, among others, will be on display at Gallery 113 for the month of April. Stop by on First Thursday, April 5. 

Gallery 113, La Arcada, 1114 State Street, Santa Barbara.

Malibu Memories

Malibu Magic Moment, 9 x 12

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley. A Valley Girl. When I was a kiddo my parents would gather my brother and I up in the station wagon and head through Malibu Canyon to the beach. Nearly through the canyon, it was with great anticipation that we got our first peek of the ocean. Was it foggy or clear! Oh, how overjoyed I would be if I could see the clear blue sky. I have decades of memories of epic sunny beach days from Santa Monica - Station 8! - to Zuma Beach.
Years later, my high school friends and I would pile in a car and head to Zuma ( hey BC's!). Those days were bitchen. We use to say bitchen, not awesome.
When I was in college at Cal State Northridge, I would go to Malibu alone to read, study, and photograph. I found the late afternoons to be particularly moving. The long shadows and warm late-afternoon light always lured me to stop the car and watch transformation from day to evening. This was long before I learned to paint. I was simply seduced by the transformation.
It was with great joy that I had the opportunity to return recently to my old stomping grounds and paint the late afternoon at the Malibu Lagoon. There is now a lovely path through the creek area affording this great view looking Southeast towards Santa Monica.
I'll be back.

Serendipitous Surf Story

Get on down to the Faulkner Gallery before the end of March for the Surfrider Foundation Benefit show by SCAPE. I've got a painting hanging in this fun show. More importantly, I encourage you to see two gorgeous paintings created by my friend John Rindlaub. His works, "Christy's Beach" and "Twilight at Hendry's Beach" have won three awards between them. That is crazy great! Congratulations, John.
At the show John saw my painting, "Barns With A View", and thought the scene was familiar. So he checked out his photo archives and discovered that knew the scene and -- this is the serendipitous part -- he took this snapshot while driving (don't tattle on him) and caught ME the day I was painting. What are the chances that he would take a picture of me painting this scene last summer, and the resulting piece hanging alongside his award-winning pieces in the Surfrider Foundation Benefit show?

Barns With A View, 12 x 16, oil, $950

Can you see me in the shadows?

Hanging Dirty Laundry

The Gardener's Garment, 8 x 8 inches

When I asked this Carpinteria homeowner if she minded if I included her blue panties in my painting, her reply: "Why, they aren't mine, they belong to the gardener!" Okaaay. Thats all I need to know.

On view now at:

Winter Quarters Art Exhibition

Chris Dentzel Gallery, 828 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, (805) 962-5030

 facebook page.

Magic Malibu

Veiled Full Moon, 9 x 12 inches

It can be difficult to extract myself from the beautiful surroundings here in Santa Barbara. Its a big world out there and there is much to capture on canvas. Fellow artist, Thomas Van Stein, and I chased the illusive February full moon down to Malibu as an incoming storm approached the South Coast. We hoped to catch a glimpse of the moon. A glimpse is about all we got.

This painting is on view now at the Chris Dentzel Gallery: facebook page.

Good Times, Great People!

The receptions at Dentzel Gallery were great fun. Thanks all for attending!

The Gallery will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 - 5 for the month of March. Stop on by and see Chris Dentzel's charming gallery space and enjoy the works by Filiberto Lomeli, Thomas Van Stein and me. Our Daily Bread is just across the street. A great spot for soup (the chicken pizole is my favorite) and a sandwich, or coffee and scones.

Moonglow, 10 x 10 inches

Winter Quarters Art Exhibition

Chris Dentzel Gallery, 828 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, (805) 962-5030