San Luis Obispo

Day One-

 I drove straight to San Luis on Sunday.  One tank of gas later, I arrived at the art center to get my canvasses stamped.  Then it was time to pull out the map once again and find my host family.  It turns out they live high on a hill in a beautiful castle.  Well maybe not a castle, but a beautiful home.  I was exhausted upon arrival.  I had a two page list to help me pack for this event.  There is no way I could remember all the parts that include, tools, painting gear, framing gear, food, clothes, maps, camera, computer, homework, etc.

Monday morning I awoke early to a very foggy day.  I decided to go to a spot I was familiar with from a previous trip.  I spent about four hours painting at the first location. Then I spent the rest of the day driving around scoping out new spots.  There is not Internet access at my host home so I found a coffee shop for this entry.  It is Tuesday and guess what? Its foggy again.  So I am off to paint another lavender and grey painting. Send some sunshine my way.

I have returned to grad school. This is my second week so the time I normally spend painting landscapes is now full of assignments. Though I am currently painting tedious exercises, I am happy. I know in a short time I will be doing much more complicated pieces and that the school is going to push my limits. I am taking two online classes and one in the city. Tomorrow will be my first class in SF and I will be catching the 5:30 bus to get there. Below is my assignment # 2 which required us to do a value study only using black and white. Of coarse a little color did sneak in. Above is an ocean studio I did last week.

Last Friday I taught a workshop in my Petaluma studio to a wonderful group of artists. During the week I teach art at a private school to 3rd through 8th grade students. On Fridays I teach painting lessons to adults in my studio. One of my students told her friends in Walnut Creek about my class and a group arranged to come last Friday. It was lots of fun. I was nervous about teaching a larger group of adults but everything went so well that we are planning another workshop next month.