2019 Artist Open Studio

PASTEL: Calla Lilies in Pacific Grove

Calla Lilies in Pacific Grove  pastels  22" x 26

Calla Lilies on the Coast  8" x 10"  oil 

My friend and I decided to paint along the coast in Pacific Grove, CA in Monterey County.  It was such a beautiful day and we were delighted to find a big stand of calla lilies which someone had planted near the water.  We set up our easels and painted. 

< Here is my plein air painting / study from that day.  The calla lilies were thick and in full bloom as was the purple Pride of Maderia.  The sea was brilliant blue and there were large black cormants sunning themselves on the rocks.

It was a lovely day and I never forgot those pretty white calla lilies on the coast.

So when a pastel show was announced at our Carnegie Arts Center, I thought I might try working from my plein air study and create a new painting from that day.  The finished painting is above and below you can see a few shots I took in progress as I worked on this pastel painting.

Study for the final painting

 

< Here is a small study I worked up to get ready for the larger pastel painting.   Now for sale on Daily Paintworks.  

 9" x 10"   Callas and Butterflies in Pacific Grove

Pacific Grove is famous for its Monarch Butterflies so I added butterfly stamps around the border and colored them with the Pan Pastels.  

I have been wanting to try out my new Pan Pastels so here was my chance!  I bought a large sheet of Uart sanded pastel paper and cut it to fit a frame I already
 had.  

My idea was to have a painting within a painting.  Like you might look out a window to the scene.  I wanted to try some mixed media techniques as well  using stamps and a Versa stamp pad with the pan pastels.  

I wanted the area around the central square to be soft and dreamy, mystical and magical surrounding the more in-focus center.  So I began by taping around the central square to form a frame.

<  This photo shows the beginning stages of working the outer frame with the soft pan pastels and the sofft sponges.  Sofft sponges are specially designed to use with the pan pastels.  They are in the shape of standard artist's paint brushes so are so nice to work with. 

< Here I am starting to work the central section.  I wanted some of the leaves and lilies to overlap into the border for added interest, so I needed to plan it out a bit.

Close up.  Working with large sofft sponges

Let me know how you like my pastel painting and wish me luck getting into the pastel show!

My painting was accepted to this National Juried Competition along with a 2nd pastel painting.

On display at the 
THE FINE ART OF PASTELS
March 28 - May 26, 2019
Carnegie Arts Center
250 N. Broadway, Turlock, CA  95380

Also accepted is my pastel
"Carmel Mission Sanctuary"
Which won an award in another
show (shown in photo)

Crow Show

 Crows are fascinating birds and sooooo smart.  They really catch my imagination and I love painting them!

The Sparrow Art Gallery in Sacramento is reviving the tradition of hosting a show on crows. I am pleased to have a painting in this show.  It is a mixed media work entitled  "Six Rowdy Crows".  I painted 6 paintings on water color paper, cut them up and glued them to a canvas which I had painted with mixed media.

The Sparrow Art Gallery is located inside the ARTHOUSE on R Street, first floor in Sacramento.  1021 R Street.   phone: 916-382-4894. 

The show runs March 10 through April 6, 2018.
Open Tues-Fri 10 am - 6 pm
Saturdays 10 am - 4 pm and Sundays 11 am - 4 pm

2018 Open Studio

Haggin Museum Visit

I had the opportunity to visit the Haggin Museum in Stockton, CA yesterday.  The museum has been newly renovated and is just beautiful!  Here are some photos I took of some of the rooms and a couple of my favorite paintings... so many from which to choose!  

The blue wall is spectacular!  It really shows off these beautiful paintings.

Here is the painting on the left on the blue wall above.  "Banks of the Saone, near Chatillon"  about 1901  by Jan Monchablon  French, 1854 - 1904
That pink skirt just plain sparkles and draws attention!

Another of my favorites is by George Inness 1825 - 1894 
called "Old Homestead"  c. 1877


If you get a chance to go to this museum, I highly recommend it!
First Saturdays in each month are free admission too!

I am warming up my paint brushes!

 

2017 Artists Open Studio - A Great Two Days!

 I want to thank Henrietta Sparkman for hosting us in her studio/yard.  She is such a lovely lady and so generous with her time.  Sharing the studio tour with us was Carol David, Chloe Fonda, and Corrine Robson who all make wonderful art!

It was a wonderful weekend!  The weather was near perfect and I met so many nice folks.  Everyone had an interesting story to share.

And a grateful thank you to Vickie Ellis, Diane Woods and Linda MacDannald for all their help!  We could not have had this event without them! 

Here is my display on the fence!
I had to be so careful of Henrietta's newly planted garden!  I sold several of these paintings!

2017 Artists Open Studio Tour

STANISLAUS COUNTY
ARTISTS 
OPEN STUDIO TOUR 

Saturday APRIL 22nd 

and 

Sunday APRIL 23rd  2017

11am - 5pm

This year I will be making a change.  Instead of opening up my own art studio in Turlock, I will be joining Henrietta Sparkman at her Modesto studio.  We are # 20 on the map.

FIVE ARTISTS: Henrietta Sparkman, Carol David, Chloe Fonda, Corrine Robson, Rhett Regina Owings


Henrietta works in a variety of media creating fascinating abstract works of art.
Joining us at Henrietta's studio are three other artists:
Carol David (impressionist pastel figures and California landscapes),
Chloe Fonda (watercolor abstracts and monoprints)
Corrine Robson (hand crafted jewelry).
Rhett Regina Owings (paintings, embellished paper cranes, note cards & prints)

$10 tickets/tour booklets will be for sale at our location:  2409 Sherwood Ave, Modesto, CA.
From McHenry Ave. turn onto Bowen then right on Sherwood.  
We will be open from 11 am - 5 pm.

Additional tickets are available at the Mistlin Art Gallery (Modesto), Carnegie Art Center (Turlock), Chartreuse Muse (Modesto), and the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce (Oakdale).

VISIT US AT #20 ON THE MAP

Painting a California Castle - Yes a Real Castle!

Today we went painting at Kasteel Noz in Merced County.  This place is amazing!  Casper Noz started building his dream castle in 1991.  It is nestled in the rolling foothills east of Modesto in the Central Valley of California.  You can see more of this place by going to their website at: http://www.kasteelnoz.com/

It was a beautiful day, not hot, not cold, and most of all, for an artist, not windy!  After taking a tour, we set up our easels in the court yard and began to paint.  I wanted to catch the light on the round towers before it changed.  The red brick was a pretty color and Cad Red Light and Alizarin plus white did well to paint the sunlit parts.  Adding blue helped create the shadows.

Casper seemed to like my painting and he bought it!  Imagine, the Lord of the Castle bought my painting.  I did manage to get a quick photo of it and the castle.  Scroll down to see my painting.

All in all a very fun day!

My view

On my easel almost finished. 

Here I am painting by my car.

   

Breaking for Lunch

More Painters

Standing Guard

5 Paintings in Monterey County Show!

I was delighted to learn today that one of my 5 paintings which had been juried into the Art Council of Monterey County's "Celebrating Artist of Monterey County" show has won an Honorable Mention!  We enjoyed the reception for the artists at the government office buildings.
The show is beautifully hung and 3 of my paintings are displayed right under the sign!

All paintings are for sale and the show will be up for one year in the Government Center Administration Building,  168 W. Alisal, Salinas, CA.  

"Carmel Mission Sanctuary"
pastels

I saw this lady walking down the aisle at Carmel Mission one rainy day.  She had a very large umbrella which she was using as a cane.  I was captivated by the warm glow in the mission and the refections on the well worn tile.  

Salinas Valley Lettuce Farm  -  oil,  9 x 12

< Also accepted to this show

Harvesting Radicchio   oil  12" x 16"

It is interesting to see these hard workers in the lettuce fields. 

Monterey Rec Trail  oil  20" x 16"

Above the Salinas Valley   oil   12" x 16"


See more work on my website:  www.RhettsStudio.com

I painted the trail along the beach in Monterey standing in a parking lot.  The eucalyptus trees are so beautiful along this path.  

23rd Fine Arts Festival Nov. 18 & 19th 2016

I am delighted to have been accepted to 

the San Joaquin Potters Guild's

23rd Fine Arts Festival   

Fri. Nov. 18th  4 pm-8 pm  and  Sat. Nov. 19th  10 am - 4 pm

Spanos Community Center at St. Basil's Greek Orthodox Church

920 W. March Lane, Stockton, CA

This event is free to the public.

www.sanjoaquinpottersguild.org 

I will have paintings, note cards, paper cranes and earrings for sale.

Come get some unique and fine art gifts.   

Monterey Artists Open Studio Tour Sept 24 & 25th 2016

My friend, Tamara Keiper, and I had a great time displaying our art at the Monterey County Arts Open Studio Tour.  We were at a beautiful house above Monterey Bay and I was lucky to be located in the dining room and kitchen.  I set up my display with my new paintings, cranes, note cards and a few prints.  In one corner I had my easel and incredibly I was actually able to work on a small painting on Sunday.  

Tamara worked so hard to the signs ready to direct folks to our studio and her husband and a friend helped by getting them put up. 

Carolyn was our greeter and helped us by getting folks to sign the guest book.  Tamara had a beautiful display of her work as well.  Be sure and click on the link to her website.   We had refreshments and a friendly group of people stop by and visit with us.  

A little of Tamara's display of wonderful paintings!

On Sunday it was really hot for the coast and we only had a few visitors.  We think they all went to the beach!  Not really a bad idea.  I want to thank all those who did stop by and visit with us.  It was a lovely weekend.   

I had my decorated paper lanterns on display too!

Just look at those Daily Paintings!

My easel set up in the corner!  Even got a painting started!

 

My Gift Box Note Card display

Some of my paintings on easels next to my multiple crane display rack.

I tried out my new display A frame.  I am happy with it.

More Daily Paintings on the other side. 

 Check out my website at:
www.RhettsStudio.com

My next events.... 
 Lodi Sandhill Crane Festival ... Nov. 5th and 6th at Hutchings Square, Lodi, CA
 and 
 the 23rd Fine Arts Festival, sponsored by the San Joaquin Potters Guild
  at St. Basil's Greek Orthodox Church  920 W. March Lane, Stockton, CA
  Fri. Nov. 18th  4pm - 8pm  and Sat Nov. 19  10am - 4pm