Painting on location in West Hollywood

I painted outside today for the first time in Los Angeles. I prefer to work from life, rather than from photographs or other source material. I have always painted outdoors while on residency, but I haven't painted often in public places in the States. It was so much fun, and many people stopped to talk while I was working. One tourist even took photos of me drawing, which I thought was funny. I had thought that it would be too hot to paint outside in LA during the summer, but we have been having a relatively mild summer. The normally bright blue sky was a little hazy today, because of the fires that are raging outside the city.

This image shows my easel set up on Santa Monica Blvd. near my apartment. The preparatory drawing I'm working on begins with the left margin of the photo, and ends before the orange and green sign. The large blank space on the right of the canvas is the cream-colored building across the street. Interestingly, the establishment with the orange and green sign is Barney's Beanery, a restaurant and bar, and a favorite of old Hollywood with celebrity patrons such as Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable and Errol Flynn.

This painting is part of my "Natural Beauty" series about Los Angeles, which is in full swing. I love it here, and I am excited to continue work on this series.