Somewhere in El Cerrito

View from El Cerrito Hillside  acrylic on canvas 24 by 36

This was done in El Cerrito sometime this summer. I think it was near the Nature Area. We went back there today and I did another one that looks similar.  Karen

End of Fairview Dr., El Cerrito

Loads of gel were employed in this 16 x 20" acrylic. The incoming fog made it easy to manipulate the thick layers, as it took a long time for the them to dry, and this allowed me to try out things such as the right value for the sky.

I finished it in my studio from memory, and almost two weeks later, I believe it really gives a feeling for El Cerrito. I think of a dark poem by Melissa Hansen, The Suburbia of our Discontent:

..the view of houses
lonely and forgotten
for she is alone
in a group of
the same...

Overlooking the Bay

Finally had some clear sunny weather so we have gone back to the cemetery and also painted in a new place in El Cerrito. Both locations gave overlooks of the bay so I have been working on paintings with similar formats.  So unused to the sun that at the El Cerrito location I had too much and went home  and drank 3 glasses of orange juice.    Both paintings are 24 by 36 acrylic on canvas    Karen

Wildcat Creek Bridge

I don't know why it took me so long to paint this. I started to feel cold and looked at my watch and it was 4:45 pm. So I packed up and started to leave when I saw a real Wildcat. It crossed the road about 50 yards from the bridge. While painting, I had to dodge two wet dogs. I was right next to the creek. One got me and the painting, but not too much damage. I had a hard time with the rock wall of the bridge. It ended up a little muddy, I think. But the color was kind of mossy green and tan. I darkened it at the end and that helped the trees. I used some masking for the highlights of the water as it flowed over the lip of the bridge culvert. I didn't know how else to keep that white.

Larry Hatfield