Photos: Porch Garden

Photos: Artwalk, Downtown LA, 5/10

Photos: A Day at the Beach

We headed to the beach over the weekend. We were headed to Malibu, but the traffic was a bit heavy so we stopped off at Santa Monica.

It was a bit chilly and cloudy, as you can see from the photos, so we headed over to a local watering hole in Venice.The sun finally came out, and life was good. We made some new friends in Venice, and before we knew it, we ended up at a drum circle on Venice Beach, and I thought, this is what a day at the beach is all about.

Photos: Hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains

Yesterday I went took part in a guided hike in the Santa Monica Mountains. The hike was sponsored by the National Park Service, and the goal was to find local wildflowers in bloom. While the guided hike turned out to be more for hardcore botany enthusiasts, it was great to get outdoors, and we learned some things along the way.

The photo above is one of my new favorite local plants. This is a yucca plant, which comes in many different forms. It is closely related to the agave and the lily, and actually is not a part of the cactus family. These plants grow long flower stalks, and after they bloom, the original plant dies.
These photos are from the Mishe Mokwa Trail, which is close to Mailbu. The drive alone was beautiful, as we drove all the way through Malibu along the ocean, and then turned inland to the mountains. It was pretty amazing that we were only an hour outside of Los Angeles.
The vistas were incredible. We were about 2,000 feet above sea level.

Looking forward to going back soon!

New Painting: Runyon Canyon Sentinel

Runyon Canyon Sentinel, oil on canvas, 2009, 22 x 22 inches

I first visited Runyon Canyon shortly after moving to LA. It is an incredible resource, an easy hiking trail centrally located in Hollywood. Within a few minutes of hiking on the trails, you can see amazing views of the downtown skyline, and the ocean to the west. On clear days you can see all the way to Long Beach. It is really breathtaking, and intensely beautiful.

It was in Runyon Canyon that I first got a sense of what the natural environment is like in this area. It is dry, with little rain. We are entering the rainy season now, and it is raining as I write this—-a welcomed interruption here. The lush plants in Los Angeles are watered, and palm trees, found in the wild only near abundant water sources, are no exception.

When I was hiking in Runyon Canyon, I saw this palm tree, and it immediately struck me; I knew I had to paint it. My paintings are about my observations, and my associated experiences and thoughts. This palm tree has layers and layers of dead leaves, suggesting that it has been here, watching over the entrance of Runyon Canyon, for a long time. It is a sentinel, testifying to the history of Los Angeles, and to our future. Like innumerable others, this palm tree has become deeply rooted in the new, natural environment.

Behind the palm tree, a narrow cloud delineates the course of the jet that preceded it. Both elements contribute to this depiction of natural beauty.

New Painting: Sunset from Mulholland Drive

Sunset from Mulholland Drive, oil on canvas, 2009, 19 x 14 inches

Mulholland Drive is a road in Los Angeles that loosely follows the ridgeline of the Hollywood Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains. Famous for having some of the most exclusive homes in the world, Mulholland Drive is also surprisingly accessible. The road was created as a scenic byway, and there are scenic view points perched along the road. The east stretch of Mulholland Drive reveals sweeping views of downtown LA, while the western stretch displays vistas of the San Fernando Valley.

My friend Lisa was in town from Boston the night of this sunset, and we witnessed the sun go down over the Valley. There is a quality of light in LA--Magic Hour--that is stunning and unique to the area. It never ceases to bring a smile to my face.

New painting: "West Hollywood"

West Hollywood, oil on canvas, 2009, 30 x 24 inches

This painting, the first in the Natural Beauty series, has been completed for a few weeks, and I finally had the chance to photograph it. This view is from Santa Monica Blvd, near our apartment. To see this painting in its earlier stages, click here and here.