Wondrous Whitewater

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It was fun to do a bit of armchair traveling to Pacific Star this week by using my iPad to take me there. Also fun to dabble with watercolors again, my first love in the realm of paint. There is a Chamber of Commerce event up there this week, so I look forward to being on site and maybe even painting while everyone else is schmoozing. Stay tuned. By the way, my posts are going to get even spottier in the coming days as I gear up for my 3 week trip to France. I cannot post from my iPad, but will do my best to post to my Erin Dertner Studio page on Facebook. Check that page out between July 2-22 and see if I reveal anything of the wonders I'll be seeing and painting!

Spring is in the Air

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The weather is absolutely out of this world today. It must be 80 degrees out there and we are pinching ourselves, well and maybe fanning a little bit too. We just aren't used to this, but are reveling in all the sunshine, light and color that is prevalent in every direction. I actually sat inside my house to paint this scene because it was too hot outside! The view from my upstairs deck has recently improved due to the topping of some bushy trees so I was cool as a cucumber but still painting from real life. The headlands are blanketed with flowers of every color but from my house I could see yellow blooms and roses. Wow.

Kelly Street Path

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Isn't this a path that universally beckons? Whether it's the end of the street I live on, or a beach on the coast of Sweden (!), we can all picture ourselves skipping out to the edge to fill our lungs with the sea air and wonder of it all. Many of you have walked out here with us after dinner but if you haven't, what on earth are you waiting for?

Surf's Up

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Besides my mother-in-law's birthday, I think I've had a bit of 'painter's block'. I hit the Mendo Paint Out so hard and got so much feedback that I've honestly been reluctant to pick up my brush. I'm not much different than the horse with the carrot held at arm's length, always hoping for more, for better, for excellence. I took my mother-in-law up to Pacific Star today but there was a lot of noise there due to erecting a tent for a Saturday wedding, so I came home instead and found this photo on my iPad from an earlier visit. It was fun to paint a more active surf than what I saw on sight today, so it almost felt like I was there, but a bit better. Hopefully.

Heeser Drive Vantage

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After Portrait Group today I was zipping home to gather lunch stuff and just had to pull over to do this little painting. I drive by this point every single day and though I've looked north from this spot, have never looked west like I did today. I have condensed the stand of cypress trees, but if you come visit you simply must wander into this natural cathedral. Many a wedding has been conducted there and many a happy tear has been shed at the wonder and majesty of God's creation right here in my own backyard.

Poppies, Poppies and More Poppies

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You're right to think that I'm stark raving mad about poppies as I have done yet another version of the fields and view at Pacific Star Winery. This one has been sitting quietly on my studio shelf, patiently waiting to be revised and refined. It was the last painting of the day and was executed in a mad rush, so it needed sensitizing before it was willing to show its face. I am happy to report that I like it much better than I did when I first painted it and hope you like revisiting the poppy theme!

Captivating Cove

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Every now and then I do a classic seascape without any structures and this is yet another one of our fabulous views. This spot is in between Albion and Elk and is one of those 'Aha pull over NOW' spots. Sometimes those views come without even a square inch in which to park the car and must be shot while in motion but thankfully this one had a pullout. It's pure delight to wander aimlessly along this coastline for no other reason than to absorb the grandeur and I wish I'd mark my calendar to do it more often. Maybe if you come to town for a visit, we'll have an excuse!

Westport Bound

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The sleepy burg of Westport has to be one of my favorite galivants along this stretch of the coast. This particular ribbon of highway and its views are akin to the west coast of Ireland and take my breath away each and every time. Thankfully, Lee and Doreen have revitalized the old hotel and have made it a very special place to land once you've endured all those curves and scary cliff edges. Dinners Thursday-Saturday nights, high tea on Saturday afternoon and brunch on Sunday make Westport and honest-to-goodness destination nowadays. 

The reason I've been rather sporadic lately is that my cold has been hanging on AND we moved into the house next door. Never a dull nano-second around here, so I also get to escape when I paint these visual vacations.........

November Drama

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Took my buddy Jennifer out to Pacific Star Winery today because the weather was unbelievable and we just had to be outside. I rarely do seascapes, but that location is so outrageous in every direction that I just had to give it a try. It's a subject that has to be interpreted rather than drafted exactly because the water is always moving and sometimes the rocks are hidden. It was fun and challenging at the same time and such delight for the soul to hang out in that inspirational environment. Hurray for Indian Summer!