View my watercolor "Nachi Roofs" at the Cupertino Library
2019 - earlier
A MEDITATION ON PERSPECTIVE (12"X15" FRAMED, 2019)
This was done en plein air at San Jose's Buddhist Church Betsuin. I was intrigued by not painting to the edges of the paper, not touching the masked rectangle, and creating a shape of the painted area that enhanced the subject - the feeling of walking deep into the perspective, like an invitation from the temple.
LOS ALTOS GRILL (6"x6" unframed, 2019)
A beloved icon in Los Altos, California, this is a small color study in preparation for a larger painting.
MEXICALI GRILL (3"X5" UNFRAMED, 2019)
Changing the color palette to give this a more lazy, Spanish feel, this was a small color study done in preparation for a larger piece.
SOLITARY IN KOYASAN (12" x 15" - FRAMED & GIFTED)
This was painted from a picture I took in Koyasan, Japan.
The temples formed a beautiful negative shape in the middle
which invited in this solitary woman in a kimono.
ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH, LOS ALTOS (11"x13" FRAMED, 2019 - SOLD)
A complementary palette brings out the form of this beautiful church tower and makes it glow.
RELAXING AT THE ROSICRUCIAN (12"X15" FRAMED, 2019)
The brilliant mosaic of the water fountain reflects into the pool as a visitor lazes on the steps beyond.
REFRACTION IN ASPARAGUS (12"x15" FRAMED, 2019)
The shift of the stalks in the water is what drew me to paint this
from a photograph in a book.
WALKING THE BRIDGE (11"x13" framed, 2019 - SOLD)
The mostly neutral color scheme of the bridge brings out the warm spots of color in the stone enhancing their historic.
STRIPES AT THE SFMOMA (16"x16" FRAMED, 2019) - SOLD
The bright backlight coming in through the doors made the photograph I took almost black and white, so I had the liberty of playing with colors bringing out the interaction between the neutral stripes of the crosswalk and the bright stripes inside the museum.
CHINATOWN, SAN FRANCISCO (12"x15" FRAMED, 2019)
A quick and loose painting of San Francisco's Chinatown
with the historic Empress of China building.
RAIN IN SAN FRANCISCO (12"x15" FRAMED, 2019)
From a photograph taken from my car as I was waiting at a red light, this loose watery painting is reminiscent of rain.
RUSSIAN RIDGE HIKE (14"X18" framed, 2019)
The meandering trail through the luscious greenery drew my eye as I painted this en plein air sitting on the side of this hiking trail.
FORTUNE COOKIE ALLEY (11"X17" FRAMED, 2019)
Painted in monochrome, this is the narrow alley dotted with bright red Chinese lanterns that leads to the historic fortune cookie factory.
BIRTHDAY HIKE AT TOMALES BAY (12"X18" FRAMED, 2019)
In May every year, I drag the family to do a 10 mile hike as a birthday present to me. This stunning cluster of buildings is Pierce Point Ranch at the head of the Tomales Bay hiking trail, my favorite hike in the world.
GRANITE ROCK, SANTA CRUZ (15"x19" FRAMED, 2019)
I was drawn to this very fascinating structure with shapes and shadows. Little did I know that it would start a series of paintings of aggregate crushing machinery units in other cities.
SHAMROCK MATERIALS, PETALUMA (15"X19" FRAMED, 2019)
I saw this whizzing past on the freeway,
and took a picture to paint from.
MILPITAS MATERIALS (16"X20" FRAMED, 2019)
So far, this appears to be the last of the trilogy.
CAREFUL UP THERE! (16"x16" FRAMED, 2019)
I've always watched workers precariously balanced on structures in construction sites and doing their work like ants on a hill.
The golden color of wood stud framing against the blue of the sky while the structure is still open to the elements
has intrigued me, and I have always wanted to paint such a scene.
ARCHITECTURAL ABSTRACTION 15"X19" framed, 2019)
The triangular shadows shapes falling on this portion of the Sunnyvale Heritage Museum were so striking as created miniature jogs on the horizontal wood siding.
ORCHIDS FROM SHARON (12"x15" FRAMED, 2019)
My lovely friend Sharon visited a very frazzled me at my booth during my first Silicon Valley Open Studios weekend, carrying this beautiful pot of orchids.
SHADOWS IN A VASE ( (12"X16" FRAMED, 2019)
The bright and dazzling spot of reflected sunlight in the shadow of the vase drew me to paint this arrangement.
SHY IN THE SUNLIGHT (6"x6" FRAMED, 2019)
A study of a single sunflower from the arrangement on the left, focusing on all the shadow shapes that make it what it is.
MISSION SANTA CLARA DE ASIS (15"x19" FRAMED, 2019 - SOLD)
This was painted en plein air at the stunning Santa Clara University campus, full of beautiful Spanish architecture. A light drizzle for a few moments was startling before I realized that this was, after all, a watercolor.
CHINESE GATE AT OVERFELT PARK I (12"X15" FRAMED, 2019)
Painted en plein air, I chose this asymmetrical profile of the gate against the backdrop of the trees.
CHINESE GATE AT OVERFELT PARK II (13"x13" FRAMED, 2019)
This much looser version of the same gate was attempted later in my studio - I feel the values better set off the shapes.
HIDDEN AT HIDDEN VILLA (12"X16" FRAMED, 2019)
Painted en plain air at Hidden Villa Farm in Los Altos Hills, this Hostel was hidden in the shadows of a tree and the forest beyond, and I almost passed it by. What drew me were the strong horizontals of the steps, the railing, and the gable vents.
MARYKNOLL (12"x18" framed, 2019)
So many architectural gems at Maryknoll, it was hard to pick just one. I must go back and do more.
BLUE AGAVE CLUB (16"X16" FRAMED, 2019) - SOLD
A different style from my usual, I first did this drawing in pen and ink, and then lay loose watercolor on top en plein air.
HOFN BOATS, ICEland (13"x13" framed, 2019 - sold)
Painted from a photo I took in Iceland, I remember this day
when we were walking around until our
restaurant reservation near this boat dock.
REFLECTIONS IN NEW YORK (11"x13" FRAMED, 2019)
Painted from a photo taken from a taxicab on the streets of Manhattan, I painted this in my hotel room the same night.
HAKONE GATE, SARATOGA (15"x19" FRAMED, 2019 - SOLD)
The cerulean blue of the sky peeks from other parts of the painting, unifying the whole.