Miller Knox From Crest Avenue

We stopped under a tree at the begining of the paved road leading all the way to the top. I had a big aluminum easel and wasn't going to make it anyway. This was the view and I had a big canvas, 24 x 36". I did not even come close to finishing during the first three hours. I placed it in my living room and stared at it every day during dinnertime. Eventually I realized what was wrong. The water was flat and there was not enough to interest the eye land-wise. So I returned the next Saturday and worked on those two things. I missed Karen to tell me when I was done, so I may have worked on it more than was needed. Also, the wind kicked us around. The acrylics dried on contact, and the wind was so strong that when I squeezed the bottles of Golden liquid acrylic, flecks of paint decorated the palette. My studio easel was weighted down with a two gallon water bottle and a backpack, and it still got overturned!

RFD No. 1

It was a warm and lonely day painting by myself. I spent at least an hour walking around in Point Richmond. I kept looking at the fire house but it was difficult to find a place not blocked by cars and vans and not in the sun. I decided to do only part of the building.

Larry Hatfield
10.5 x 14.5" Watercolor

Belated Crest Ave View

The top of this hill at the end of Crest Ave in Point Richmond offered a 360 degree view, but I chose this water treatment plant. Karen and I were besieged by a helicopter that circled about ten times before it decided our easels were not weapons of mass destruction. I am having a lot of fun moving oil paint around and scratching the canvas. I might not sell this  14 x 11" painting because I love the palette and resulting color harmony.

Point Richmond

We  hiked up the hill from Crest Ave and there was a spectacular view in all directions on the top. I found a place facing west toward San Francisco.  Rebeca was facing east.  All of a sudden a helicopter started flying around  us lower and lower. they must of thought we were up to no good.  The finally left and we were able to paint. My canvas is 24 by 30 which is the largest size I have used outside. I am happier with the large size and will try even larger.  When my easel is staked it  resists the wind pretty well.

Pt Richmond Overlook

I wanted to divide the picture in half and knew with the fence stretching across the middle of the page I was asking for compositional trouble. I went into it knowing full well,... hoping I could somehow attach the foreground grass to the light boat—creating an L shaped composition. Anyway this is what I came out with. I think I was somehow captured by the idea of a boat in the trees.

Marilyn Hill

14 X 11" July

Watercolor on Paper

View of Chevron(?) from Crest Avenue, Point Richmond

Standing under the shade of a large tree, I decided to concentrate on the vast industrial complex to the east of our spot (I presume that it's Chevron and other chemical plants). The pattern of train lines and freeways was fascinating and speeding cars were so tiny and fast I decided to leave them out. The industrial colors were also quite beautiful when viewed from this distance and I really enjoying applying the paint on this day, without worrying about it looking fake. I may add more to this because I didn't complete the hills on the horizon and far distance but I suspect that I might overdo it again and am tempted to leave this as it is.

End of Crest Ave, Point Richmond

We drove up Washington and took a left on Crest Ave. I had spied a trailhead that I thought would let us look at the town from above without trampling on anyone's front lawn. We parked at the end of Crest Ave, but it was such a hot day that Karen and Fran decided to stay in the shade of the trees at the beginning of a steep uphill trail that leads to an incredible 360 degree view of Point Richmond, Richmond, Pinole, and Miller Knox Park. I had picked a great spot but it turned out to be full of poison oak, so I moved higher and ended up with this view of the Chevron Pier and the San Rafael bridge.

Point Richmond and Mare Island

 

Both these paintings incorporate parking lots. Mare Island was a very quiet place. We wanted a more urban view but actually it felt so abandoned that it had no real city life. Point Richmond has a lot going on but it is hard to find a spot to paint that is closer to activity of the town so I ended up with an overview.  They are both acrylic.