Plein Air Painting at Crystal Cove.

"Wading into the Ocean"  6 x 8 oil on canvas by Terry d. Chacon

Sunday April 14, 2011 a group of plein air painters (members of PAAR Plein Air Artists of Riverside) went to Crystal Cove.   Crystal Cove is another favorite beach spot to paint.   Getting away from the Inland Empire heat and spending a day at the beach is always a welcome pleasure for me.   Crystal Cove is a noted historic beach located between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach.   Please read more.    http://www.crystalcovestatepark.com/historic.htm

Every time I go to this beach to paint I say I am going to paint people.  There are so many to paint that it gets very confusing and sometimes I don't like my paintings because I put so many people in them.  So today I thought I would lesson the load and structure of the paintings.   The above painting represents a mother and her two children.   I spotted them down in front of me and saw her taking them to the beach.  I quickly sketched them in and started the painting.   The kids only wanted to go out so far and then they would go back to their tent set up for a while, then she would walk them back in.   I wish I knew who they were as I would thank them for cooperating......Most of the time you see a person once, sketch them in, get as much information as you can in a short amount of time and then they are gone.   

Terry painting at Crystal Cove Aug. 14, 2011.   As you can see I still had my sweatshirt on.   It was a little cold at the beach when we arrived, but really starting warming up when the sun would come out.   Then it would go away and the sweatshirt went back on.    I really don't know how people were playing in the water, it was way too cold for me.

"Life Guard Tower"  9 x 12 oil on canvas by Terry d. Chacon

When we first arrived in the morning the light was very beautiful and the bluffs were in full shadow.   I liked the tents that people were setting up as they were getting ready for a day at the beach.   Notice the white tent in the middle.   As I was painting, this tent disappeared.   Evidently they set it up too close to the life guard tower and had to remove it.  So glad I had enough information on my canvas to keep it in the painting.   Not a lot of people on the beach at this point, surely nobody was going in the water as it was still a little chilly.   I especially liked the way the sun was peaking around the back side of the bluffs lighting up the ocean.   A lot of people climb on those big rock formations out in front of the bluffs, I tried to put them in but they just didn't read right so took them out.   Maybe next time I can get up closer to capture the rock climbers.   One little boy who stopped by to admire my painting, asked me if I saw him on the rocks.  I told him I sure did.   He got a kick that the rocks were in my painting.   I guess he thought he was the only one on the rocks.....haha....

Some other artists from PAAR and David Solomon from Laguna Beach.   David came out to have lunch with us and then invited us back to his studio.  

Here is David with his masterpiece.   David has been a friend for many years. It is always great to see him and pick his brain about being a professional artist.  David has lived and worked the art scene in Laguna for forty years or more.   Look him up he is fantastic.   http://www.californiawatercolor.com/artists/david_solomon/biography/

So after a glass of wine and some great art talk my friend Louise and I headed home.

This photo is for you David.  It's the one you took with my camera and I promise to email it to you.  Thanks for a great time as usual, hope to see you again soon.

UNTIL NEXT TIME:  Please enjoy the art!    Terry d. Chacon

Please don't forget that you can now order prints and note cards of my artwork on Fine Art America.   Several have been ordered and they are getting rave reviews for their quality.   Check them out.
http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/terry-chacon.html  Don't see your favorite, let me know and I will add it to the collection.