La Penita Hillside

Here’s a painting from our recent trip to La Penita, Mexico, painted from the roof of the Flatmo’s house, where we stayed. This is one of 12 pieces I painted for an exhibit at the Xaltemba Gallery in La Penita — the show included the work of the seven artists in our group, who were all from Eureka.

Last Night at O-H’s

24″ x 36″ oil on canvas
PRIZE WINNER in Redwood Art Association’s 2008 Fall Exhibition
O-H’s shut down last year. They were at the same location, on Summer Street in Eureka, for more than fifty years, but the economy did them in. The restaurant was a steak and potatoes sort of place so I rarely ate there, but I went to say goodbye on the last night they were open anyway.

“Eureka Books”

“Eureka Books” 30″ x 40″ oil on canvas
BEST OF SHOW award in the Redwood Art Association’s 2009 Spring Exhibit.
This painting features the grand re-opening ceremony at Eureka Books, a local antiquarian bookstore owned by friends of mine. I was intrigued by the subject because it featured multiple perspectives and sources of light. I was also drawn to the organic forms of the figures against the geometric shapes of the architecture.

Daily Paintings

All my small, daily paintings are now posted on lindamitchelldailypaintings.blogspot.com or atlostcoastdailypainters.blogspot.com. The Lost Coast is a joint blog with four other local painters (Amy Stewart, Kathy O’Leary, Rachel Schlueter and Susan Fox). The paintings on the site are listed for auction on eBay.

“Sailboats, Humboldt Bay” oil on board 5″ x 7″ SOLD

“Irma Hotel, Cody, Wyoming” oil on board 8″ x 10″ SOLD

Cody, Wyoming

oil on board 8"x10"

oil on board 8"x10"

“Cody Sky over Trail Town” oil on board 8″ x 10″ SOLD
This is my favorite painting from the time we spent in Cody last October. It’s overlooking ‘Trail Town,’ this trippy place at the edge of town, near the rodeo. There are scores of historic saloons, stores, livery stables, wagons, etc., many of them moved to this location from all over the west.

“Sky over the Rodeo” oil on board 8″ x 10″

“Eureka Boardwalk”

“Eureka Boardwalk” oil on board SOLD

“Woodley Island Sunset”

“Sunset from Woodley Island” oil on linen SOLD
I painted this one in July, at the end of a very productive day on Woodley Island. I started painting just after sunrise and worked until right before the sun went down. That made for a very long day, considering the season, but I got three pretty good paintings. My plan was to study different light effects on the bay, based on the time of day. The most interesting light (not surprisingly) was early morning and late afternoon, but I got a decent mid-day painting, too.

“Sabrett’s”

“Sabrett’s” oil on panel 7″ X 10″ SOLD

This image was taken from the top of one of those double-decker tourist buses, somewhere in Manhattan. It was late in the day, but at least 90º and muggy, even though it was well into October. I found the vantage point from the bus very interesting, with all those foreshortened elements. I’d like to work more on that idea – maybe get up in some buildings or on roofs and look for more dramatic compositions.

We were on the blue rather than the red bus – or was it the other way around? – anyway, this particular tour was a few bucks cheaper and it was leaving immediately. We were all eager to get off our achy feet at the end of that long, hot day, so we jumped on the bus just before it pulled away.

The tour director was this wiry little man who looked like he’d just tumbled out of a bed at the local homeless shelter. He told corny jokes that had nothing to do with New York while the bus whizzed by notable landmarks. Occasionally, he’d point something out, in between punch lines. “Oh, yeah, over there – that’s the Art Student’s League. It’s been around since – I dunno. A really long time. Speaking of long times…”

Still, we were off our feet. And the perspective was interesting.

“Waiting for the A Train”

“Waiting for the A Train” oil on board SOLD

“Tourist in Times Square”

“Tourist in Times Square” oil on linen