Alvarado Adobe Museum

Fran and I were painting in the same courtyard next to the Alvarado Adobe Museum — one of the museums we visited during our research on the history of immigration to San Pablo & Richmond over time. The mayor came up to visit with Fran. It was a beautiful peaceful spring day with the sound of all the fountains in the background. The garden courtyard took me back to what it might have been like in an earlier more rural time. It was the last painting in my series for the Immigrant Neighborhoods up-coming show and a perfect painting for the end.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11"

marilynhill.com

Mira Flores, Oishi, Sakai & Maida-Endo Nurseries

After being granted permission to paint at the greenhouse site through the Richmond Redevelopment Agency we were joined by Ellen Grailing a photographer who has been photographing Mira Flores for many years. She showed us places to go and places not to go. I was excited.

The roses appeared to be lifting the greenhouses toward the sky. It was raining and the paint kept running together creating a rather Zen effect on the painting. When we were done, I must have put the painting on top of my truck where it proceeded to fly off into the anon. I recreated it here.We could do many paintings here if it were possible. There was wonderful stuff everywhere.

A Mini Historical Note
"According to Donna Graves, who wrote the historical component of the 2004 “Historic Architecture Evaluation: The Oishi, Sakai and Maida-Endo Nurseries,” the site contains “the only extant cut-flower nurseries begun by Japanese Americans before World War II in the entire Bay Area, and [is] the last remaining of Richmond’s community of Japanese American flower growers.”
To find out more about the Japanese flower growers



Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11

marilynhill.com

Richmond Farmers Market

Fran and I caught the Richmond Farmers Market last Friday. The people were gracious, and curious — the weather was very cold. It was a grey day but I put in a blue sky. I think I was hoping the sun would come out. I liked the zig-zag composition this scene made with the vertical column of the back of the truck. Also the vender had some very engaging oranges hanging from her tent. I was beginning to play with the idea that maybe a brushstroke could hold up a table of onions

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11

marilynhill.com

Little Pink Home, 22nd near Market

The residents in this little trailer park seemed happy to see the sun, work on their homes and picnic in the street after so many cold rainy days. Karen, Fran and I were painting Saturday. The neighborhood treated us like visiting dignitaries — taking our pictures, bringing us food, and sharing their artwork, their stories and their animals with us. It reminded me why painting outside so important to me.

I took one look at this little pink trailer among all its neutral colored mates and decided I must paint it immediately. It's the first time I used a magenta in the shadows.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11

marilynhill.com

El Chalatec, Hellings & San Pablo

While I was painting this, an old guy came up and was impressed that I was working so hard. I said I was doing it for fun. His answer was that it was to cold to be fun. Of course, that was for sure. I ended up doing a lot of the painting back at the ranch.

Recently I've been studying the paintings of Jean Michel Basquiat, a young artist with a short but powerful career in the 80's. I also attended the last day of the Japanese Print Show at the Palace of Legion of Honor. Towards an upcoming workshop my painting are becoming increasingly experimental - therefore not always my strongest – but still intriguing to paint. You can see the beginnings here and of the above influences.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11"

marilynhill.com

Golden State Textiles, Rheem near 23rd St.

I was attracted by this white building with the decorative front and dark space within. The owner first thought I was going to paint on the building and was very polite in suggesting the police might not be happy since the city needs to paint over graffiti. Once we established that I was to paint a picture of his storefront all was a go. This was a nice spot. The painting came out a little cartoony but I've been exploring the idea of signage as symbol which fits right in. (Does the stuff we buy or sell become symbols of our culture??? Will we be remembered by KFC or Quarter Pounders???)

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11

marilynhill.com

Sopitos, 23rd St. near Market

Larry and I painted Sopito's. He was across the street and I, as usual, was right next to it. For me I think it was about the color, the umbrella + reflection and the palm tree with the fuzzy trunk. The sky was white.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11

marilynhill.com

Tacos, San Pablo

Only Larry and I made it out this day. It started raining about half way through so we needed to pack up early. I finished up with photo scrap. The taco truck is very beautiful well painted and well kept. The mural on the back of the truck with it's blues and greens was a wonderful foil for the orange truck.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11"

marilynhill.com

Quarter Pounder, San Pablo

In this version of the same building, I decided to eliminate the building altogether except for the strip at the top, and just paint the signage. It's also a larger painting which made the rendering of the signs a litte easier. I've been experimenting with textures for some time and decided to have the sky speak to the sign by splattering the upper right corner. It does make the painting a bit more expressionistic and abstract. I like it a lot more.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
22 X 15

marilynhill.com

Giant Burger, San Pablo

It's been cold and rainy, and I usually photograph in the sun — so now a big pile of paintings. I couldn't wait to paint the big Giant Burger sign on Market and Rumrill. The sign seemed to lift out of the tree foliage although it had a post of its own. In this version I put a lot of foreground in the painting as a kind of lead up to the restaurant. Afterward I realized the sign would take on a bit more flight if I put more sky in, so in the next version that's what I did.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11

marilynhill.com

Urban Ore, Berkeley

I loved painting here—the rhythms and patterns abound. The day was beautiful. Karen and I were the only ones showing up for this feast of objects. People were very entertained that we were painting there.

The trick and the difficulty was dealing with that very plentitude of stuff. I think the very nature of the place inspired humor in the approach. As a result the painting came out a little cartoony, but for me that was ok because it accurately represented the place.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11

marilynhill.com

Meeker Slough, Richmond

The weather was very dramatic this day, so the sky and the reflection of the sky was the number 1 focal point of the painting. The little houses were cute too. We left when it started to rain. I think I only appreciated the painting after I got it back to the studio and started distressing the surface with rain drops.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
11 X 15

marilynhill.com

Alvarado Park, Richmond

This bridge came out a little dark. But I still like it, and the shadows were very dark so this is about as accurate to color as I ever get. I'd like to give it another go and make this more of a color piece. I think I will also put this piece in the Marin Arts Show.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11

marilynhill.com

Indian Rock, Berkeley

I was inspired by a Japanese Print Collection in Bodega Bay and this Indian Rock scene was a perfect opportunity to try an idea of splitting the canvas and adding some abstract texture to one part of the canvas. I liked it so well I think I will enter it in the Marin Arts exhibit.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11

marilynhill.com

Warning on the Tracks

Saturday we returned to one of my favorite places to paint – the railroad tracks by Page and 2nd in Berkeley. The abstraction, yet not abstraction fascinates me. I love the combination of the very common public warning sign with the very personal grafitti. The painting is roughly rendered to capture the spirit of place.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11
marilynhill.com

Two Members of East Bay Landscape Painters Win Awards

Larry Hatfield

Marilyn Hill

Marilyn Hill and Larry Hatfield have in the last month both won awards for one of their paintings. Larry's watercolor Mt. Shasta from the North was shown in the El Cerrito Art Association Show and won both Honorable Mention and a Glen Gallery Merchant's Award.  Marilyn Hill won a Third Place Ribbon in the Valona Paint Out  for her watercolor Albany Dragon done at the Albany bulb just a little over a week ago.  You can still see her painting as the show continues at the Epperson Gallery at 1400 Pomona Street in Crockett until Sunday, November 7.  The gallery is open Thursday thru Sunday from 11 to 5.  Congratulations to both of you.

Albany Dragon, Waterfront Park

Valona Paintout, Epperson Gallery, Crockett
Reception: Saturday, 10/23/10, 5:00-7:00


Larry, Leslie, maybe Geri and I are painting in the Valona Paint-Out this week in Crockett. This year we were able to paint places other than Crockett if we chose; so I took our Monday morning painting session as an opportunity to paint the dragon in Albany Waterfront Park,--something I've wanted to do for a long time. I ended up coming early and so naturally didn't see anyone.
Anyway, come join us for the reception.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11"

marilynhill.com

FairmeadPark

I walked into the Park and I knew this heavily accessed telephone pole was definitely the next subject. After I painted everything I noticed the tree looked like a big wooky, caressing -- or -- stalking; the pink splats in the sky -- communications from above. Anyway, it was great fun trying to figure out which wires went where.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11

marilynhill.com

Angel of Tires, Port Costa

I attended the Port Costa Art Show this last weekend where Larry and I had some paintings. This was about a week after I painted the "Angel of Tires". I hung the paintings I had done of Port Costa. It was a charming small town event hosted by people who have lived in Port Costa for years and knew everyone in town. I found out the "ATE Theatre" painting I sold was actually of a sign from the State Theatre brought over from Benicia by a Bill Rich.

The Story of the Angel
Over ten years ago a man and his wife lived on the third floor along with their daughter. The baby had some kind of abnormality and she died while they lived here. The father asked Bill Rich if he could paint a tribute to the baby.

The inscription above the Angel, appears to be:

Rayla Marie
9/14/93. 1/21/95



Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
15 X 11"

marilynhill.com

Waggs & Whiskers, Appian Way & Santa Rita Rd

I was painting in a very active Saturday afternoon parking space in front of Waggs & Whiskers - people delivering and picking up dogs to be groomed. I like this little shopping area on Appian Way. The local residents are very loyal to the Central Market and Waggs & Whiskers. I think they have worked hard to keep a local market in that location. And the taco truck is always busy.