STREET SCENES

Dusk- Looking North

North Bay View - Near 30th Place

A quote I rather like.

“This twinned twinkle was delightful but not completely satisfying; or rather it only sharpened my appetite for other tidbits of light and shade, and I walked on in a state of raw awareness that seemed to transform the whole of my being into one big eyeball rolling in the world’s socket. Through peacocked lashed I saw the dazzling diamond reflection of the low sun on the round back of a parked automobile. To all kinds of things a vivid pictorial sense had been restored. Water in overlapping festoons flowed down one sloping street and turned gracefully into another. With ever so slight a note of meretricious appeal, narrow passages between buildings revealed treasures of brick and purple. I remarked for the first time the humble fluting – last echoes of grooves on the shafts of columns – ornamenting a garbage can, and I also saw the rippling upon its lid – circles diverging from a fantastically ancient center.

I walked up, and I walked down, and I walked straight into a delicately dying sky.”

 “The Vane Sisters” – Vladimir Nabokov – American Fantastic Tales.  

The Strand House

Sketches

Some quick sketches in Yosemite and Palm Springs. These are small paintings and have taken me about 20 to 30 minutes.

Wawona Meadow

Wawona Dome

Palm Springs - San Jacinto Mts

Up Hill -  Down Hill

16th Street

I don't think I will ever get tired of painting these streets down to the ocean --- maybe it is because they lead to the beach and Pacific. The childlike joy of seeing the waves always makes me happy - I'm guessing it's the same for most of us who have childhood memories of happy days spent playing in the sand and waves!

I particularly like 16th Street for it's beachy colors. I have painted it a few times - playing around with lose and tighter painting techniques - also the shadows on the road. - The streets in Manhattan Beach have been constantly changing over the years with a large amount of construction work. The houses are an eclectic mix of old beach cottages and 3 story modern town homes.

Older Sketch

Study

El Porto uphill

Sidewalk Sketches

Morningside Parking Lot

Side walk sketches in my small 8x5 Moleskin watercolor sketch book.  The parking structure on Morningside is really interesting if you ever bother to look up and see the patterns of the iron or steel supports - painted in this case a lovely turquoise to go with the beach side theme. Looking up is always a good idea - people miss so much by just looking ahead. I guess I am used to doing this especially coming from London where there is so much fantastic architecture to look at. When I visit with my kids I am constantly telling them "look up".

Painting in progress.

Sketch

Downtown -Manhattan Beach blvd

I thought the shadow on the street was really interesting - and then all the colors of the different restaurants and bars makes for a colorful little sketch. Some great eateries along this little parade - "Rock n Fish" a family favorite - and the great beach bar "Shellbecks" on the corner.