Our Thursday group painted from the patio of one of our members. The sky in the west was heavy with clouds, and the coastal sage scrub and new greens seemed happy from our recent rains.
A decade ago, the hillside just below the cluster of homes might have been covered with the coastal scrub. Now, it is cleared and covered with low growing, fire resistant plants, in what is called a defensible space.
It was my week to set up the still life for our weekly online art group. I liked this one quite a bit because it was simple yet had so much pattern.
Mission Trails Park in San Diego has miles of dirt paths for runners—and for the artists who want to paint there, too.
I set this little still life up by the patio door and enjoyed painting both the indoor and outdoor settings.
I liked the contrast between the somber winter colors and the pink rose.
One of my favorite types of painting days is to get out into a great location with friends. If I can get into the moment and just paint what captures my eye, without thinking too much, then the day is perfect.
I had just finished a different painting when I looked over and noticed how the two pups were defending us from frogs—and how engrossed my two friends were in their work. My gouache and red pastel pencil were ready, so I turned the page in my sketchbook and jumped in. I like how I caught the alert dogs and the artists’ focus on their paintings.
I hope 2026 is filled with many such sketches for you, me, and all of us—Happy New Year!
This is loosely based on a friend’s photo. I loved the many dark, murky colors in the bouquet, and it was a perfect candidate for gouache on black paper.
Deliberate Sketching 