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Julian III, California Landscape Painting

10/31/2009 1:02:17 AM

Julian III I have painted and blogged, many times, about Julian, a small town in the mountains north of San Diego. In each of my blog posts, I tried to choose a different topic about this favorite town of the people in San Diego, but what would Halloween be without a little scary story? Here's one about Julian Hotel. I never stayed there so I don't know how true the story is... Happy Halloween, everyone! Julian, California III A larger image of this painting is available on request. Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 13 x 6.5 [...]

Paris Café XXXVII, French Landscape Painting

10/30/2009 12:39:53 AM

Paris Café XXXVII I love everything about Paris... well, almost everything. There are a few places I'll never even consider going to. One of them is the Catacombs. I've heard enough about this underground cemetery where thousands of skulls and bones are stacked up. It sounds so creepy I don't need to see it. But it would be a perfect place to visit on Halloween if you're in Paris (it's been closed this year due to some vandalism). If I were there and my travel companion would like to go meet ghosts in the Catacombs, I think I'd pass. I'd rather be [...]

Lyon, France IX, French Landscape Painting

10/29/2009 1:12:51 AM

Lyon, France IX Many people, including myself, have probably been told to go to Lyon for fine food. It is considered to be the gastronomical capital of France. According to my friend from Lyon, the quality of food there easily surpasses the standards in other regions. Good news for visitors is that there is a wide variety of places, from expensive, reservation-required establishments to casual, family-run restaurants, like the one in this painting. "The so-called nouvelle cuisine usually means not enough on your plate and too much on your bill." "Without butter, without eggs, there is no reason to [...]

Lyon, France VII, French Landscape Painting

10/28/2009 12:45:12 AM

Lyon, France VII This is the same street as the one in yesterday's painting. In fact, it's the same bistro with a yellow awning but is only viewed from the opposite side in this painting. Again, what I tried to do here is to depict the twilight moment on a city street. This alley is in the historic Old Lyon. When people start thinking about dinner, bright lights start illuminating inside and outside of small eateries that line from one end of the street to the other. Many of these places call themselves "bouchons," a casual restaurant that serves traditional [...]

Lyon, France VI, French Landscape Painting

10/27/2009 1:42:07 AM

Lyon, France VI In an outside setting, the most significant source of light is, of course, the sun. We focus on the direction of sunlight to make a realistic, believable painting. What about twilight scenes? The sun is not above the horizon any more and we only feel the glow. In a city, there may even be multiple other sources of light, in addition to the diffused light from the sky, which could really complicate the way we paint. I challenged myself recently to make a series of city street paintings in the twilight. This one is a narrow pedestrian street [...]

San Diego 100 (#81) - Poway, California Landscape Painting

10/25/2009 3:51:43 PM

If you think there is a little train buff in you, head inland to Old Poway Park. Although we have Amtrak and a few others, trains are just not so common to see or ride in our everyday life in San Diego. So, it is a real treat to be able to see the vintage 1907 Baldwin No.3 Steam Locomotive up close and in person. It is even more fun to go for a ride as it blows smoke and chugs around the woodsy park. If you don't care too much about trains, Old Poway Park still is a nice [...]

More Paintings of La Jolla, California Landscape Painting

10/24/2009 12:33:31 AM

Following yesterday's post, I have three more paintings today of La Jolla, a beautiful coastal community in San Diego, California. I don't know where this name came from, but it is widely believed that the origin is Spanish words for "the jewel (la joya)." True or not, it doesn't matter. Anybody who's been there will agree La Jolla really sparkles with its unique charm. All Paintings of La Jolla Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper) Mat/Frame: No Purchase: Please send me an email for a special price/availability. [...]

La Jolla at Dusk III, California Landscape Painting

10/23/2009 1:09:56 AM

La Jolla at Dusk III This year La Jolla was listed as the most expensive housing market in the U.S. With miles of scenery of natural beauty, it would be nice to live in this small coastal community if affordable. But La Jolla is quite easy to get to from almost anywhere in San Diego. I enjoy La Jolla's varied coastline that includes rugged cliffs, sandy beaches, caves, tide pools, etc. Every time I go there, the experience is so different and I like that a lot. The land and sky can be so sunny and calm and the water, so [...]

San Diego 100 (#52) - Julian, California Landscape Painting

10/22/2009 1:29:04 AM

It was a little chilly Sunday afternoon. A group of motorcycle riders arrived in Julian, a small mountain hamlet and a popular weekend getaway, about an hour northeast of San Diego. One by one, they neatly parked their bikes on one side of the main street. Some of them went to explore the town while some lingered to chat. I overheard them, in passing, talking about their next group ride. They share the same passion, get together, exchange ideas, and enjoy the camaraderie. While on the road, they have to deal with bad weather, bugs and all kinds of inconveniences. [...]

Motorcycle Riders in Julian (San Diego 100 (#48))

10/21/2009 1:29:55 AM

Julian (SD100-48) Gold-seekers settled and founded the town of Julian in 1869. The gold found here was never much but Julian carries a historic legacy to this day as the only gold-rush town in San Diego. Many old buildings from that era are still standing on both sides of its main street, and the inside of many shops and restaurants looks equally quaint. The apples are today's gold for Julian. Every weekend around this time of the year, this small town is bustled with visitors who come here from near and far to enjoy the atmosphere and eat the famous apple [...]

Autumn Leaves, Kyoto, Japan III, Japanese Landscape Painting

10/20/2009 1:36:01 AM

Autumn Leaves, Kyoto, Japan III In autumn, people living in Kyoto may be envied because they have so many top-notch spots for autumn leaf viewing right in their backyard. It is true but to be rewarded by gorgeous colors they endure hot summers and cold winters. Speaking from my experience, temperatures they experience in Kyoto can be pretty severe. In summer it is often brutally humid as well. Many days are painfully cold in winter. All this can be explained by the geography of the city that sits in a basin surrounded by mountains. In today's painting is the [...]

Autumn in Kyoto, Japan I, Japanese Landscape Painting

10/19/2009 1:33:10 AM

Autumn in Kyoto, Japan I When I was born, my parents and I lived with my grandmother for a few years. It was a big old wooden house built in a style of machiya, traditional Kyoto townhouse. Although I was too little to actually remember those days, family photos showed me how close my grandmother and I were. After our move to a different city from Kyoto, she continued to live in the same house, so we would visit her there often. Memories of those visits are of course more vivid and I cherish them to this day. As I grew [...]

San Diego 100 (#80) - Carmel Valley, California Landscape Painting

10/17/2009 4:19:49 AM

Carmel Valley (SD100-80) Before the current recession hit, rapid population growth added many new local communities in and around San Diego. They literally kept sprouting like mushrooms after the rain. Housing developments were happening no matter where we looked, and sprawling hills, farms or any open space seemed to have been converted very quickly to residential neighborhoods and office compounds. Carmel Valley in the northwestern corner of San Diego has so many new homes built within its boundaries in the last decade or so. I still remember just 12 or 13 years ago much of Carmel Valley was more rustic with horse ranches and farms [...]

San Diego 100 (#78 and 79) - San Elijo Lagoon, California Landscape Painting

10/16/2009 1:36:19 AM

It is said that as much as 90% of coastal wetlands have disappeared. For one thing, there is housing developments. And then, construction of freeways and railroad, pollution, erosion, new farming practices have brought changes to the original landscapes of San Diego's wetlands. Like Batiquitos Lagoon, just north of here, San Elijo Lagoon is one of the few estuaries that have survived to date. But not without tremendous conservation efforts made by concerned citizens and organizations. Covering more than 1,000 acres, San Elijo Lagoon is truly an oasis in the suburban San Diego. One morning, I had to stop my [...]

Momiji, Kyoto, Japan I, Japanese Landscape Painting

10/15/2009 1:58:02 AM

Momiji means Japanese maples. But, written in Japanese character, it is also read koyo, which means reddening of autumn leaves. So in essence, what the word momiji refers to is more than specific tree species. It means, more widely, leaves turning colors to red, yellow, orange, crimson, etc., etc... It is also about admiring, celebrating and marveling at the show of incredible autumnal colors. Although subtle, I feel the word even connotes a mix of emotions the Japanese people may have - awed as well as helpless - about the ephemeral nature of happenings around us. Momiji, Kyoto, Japan I Click here for a [...]

Montmartre, Paris II, French Landscape Painting

10/14/2009 1:38:00 AM

Montmartre, Paris II This is a street scene commonly seen in the Montmartre district in Paris. Just another day under a bit gray sky, everything seemed to be sitting quietly in the scene except the letters on the building: Tartempion. I didn't know this word so I looked it up in a dictionary: it means "average Joe" in French. Speaking of average, I remember this quote by Ethel Merman, an American actress and singer: "As far as dramas are concerned, it's considered passe for playwrights to turn out anything the average person can understand." ...This makes me think... If this is true in other forms of art, do today's [...]

Autumn Leaves, Kyoto II, Japanese Landscape Painting

10/12/2009 8:01:45 PM

From late October through early December, a spectacular display of autumn colors can be enjoyed somewhere in Japan. Leaves turn colors, starting in the northern island of Hokkaido, and the koyo zensen (red leaf front) gradually moves southward, which the Japanese people watch closely as if it were the weather forecast. It is important to know how fast it's moving when they plan a viewing trip, whether near or far, so they won't miss the peak time. Kyoto is one of the most popular spots as there are so many temples, shrines and gardens there to see autumn leaves. Their peak usually happens towards [...]

San Diego 100 (#77) - Rainy Day, California Landscape Painting

10/11/2009 8:07:34 PM

When children start thinking about what to wear for Halloween, we know we will soon have the first rainy day in a long time in San Diego. It will be the official start of our rainy season, which will last until spring comes. But this only means we will keep our umbrella in our car "just in case" because it is only a little wetter than the rest of the year. After months of almost no rain, it is always a big surprise when we actually have a wet day sometime in October or November. And we have to look [...]

Lecce, Italy II, Italian Landscape Painting

10/11/2009 1:14:11 AM

Lecce, Italy II Situated in the heel of the Italian boot, Lecce is an elegant town known for its unique Baroque-style architecture. A fan of flamboyant Baroque features on buildings, I was excited to be in Lecce, the town also known as "Florence of the south." It was raining hard and the streets were quiet, so I was able to stop wherever I wanted to marvel at intricate carvings and rich decorations on many buildings. Totally absorbed, I didn't even notice a young man in a business suit was walking with me under my umbrella. He spoke very fast in Italian and I understood so little. Before I even realized he [...]

Napoli, Italy IV, Italian Landscape Painting

10/10/2009 1:45:52 AM

Napoli, Italy IV A look into one of the narrow alleys in the heart of the Spaccanapoli neighborhood reveals nothing but mystery. This is a historic neighborhood in Naples where dozens of small streets like this are dark even in the daytime. I see a lot of laundry hung by clotheslines above the streets, but is it the only reason the sunlight is blocked here, I wonder? Naples gives me a kind of culture shock, which is definitely different from what I feel in other places in Italy. The mystery I think I saw in this street may hold a key to [...]

Procida, Italy VII, Italian Landscape Painting

10/9/2009 2:12:50 AM

Procida, Italy VII (detail) When approaching the island of Procida by boat, we first saw this harbor view. It was beautiful and exciting, but the thought of painting it was, at first, a little bit daunting. All the buildings, although colorful, looked old with weathered walls and they seemed to be piling up on top of one another. We could see scooters and people busily moving about near a main square (where the church is). On the water, fishing boats and pleasure boats were bobbing and seagulls were floating... Painting all these little elements individually would have captured the unique character [...]

Procida, Italy VI, Italian Landscape Painting

10/8/2009 1:53:43 AM

Procida, Italy VI To me, selection of a subject matter is usually a one-shot approach. But when I am hopelessly taken with a particular scene, I paint it again and again. The first painting is naturally the most direct expression of my emotional response to it, but I feel I have more freedom in subsequent paintings as I get to know the subject better. So I play with designs, colors, forms, etc. Sometimes I even change the time of day or the weather with a little help of imagination (Read my related blog post Power of Imagination). A sunset scene at a small harbor on an island called Procida is one of [...]

Sorrento, Italy III, Italian Landscape Painting

10/7/2009 1:04:08 AM

Sorrento, Italy III The Sorrento lemon. In my previous posts (Sorrento I, Sorrento II), I talked about this juicy, fragrant citrus fruit from the sun-drenched Sorrentine Peninsula near the Amalfi Coast. I can't start this post without mentioning it again because it was this lemon that prompted me to make today's painting. When one sees this citrus trees everywhere in this region, no one will doubt growing lemons has been an serious business here. The quality and the demand of the fruit being high, and the taste unmatched, I heard the growers of this lemon follow the strict rules to maintain the IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) [...]

Lyon, France V, French Landscape Painting

10/6/2009 1:39:18 AM

Lyon, France V At the bottom of the hill of Fourvière is a small section that forms Vieux Lyon (the Old Lyon). Walking on a narrow street, admiring old Renaissance-style buildings on both sides, I could imagine how important this neighborhood used to be when it was a bustling trade center. It was obvious prosperity was enjoyed by the well-to-do. I was walking down the hill on this alley, not knowing what was at the end of it. A car came out of nowhere, and the sun hit one of the buildings behind it. Orange glow that I happened upon in the quiet air [...]

Quartier Latin, Paris II, French Landscape Painting

10/5/2009 12:44:54 AM

Quartier Latin, Paris II As the night approaches, this alley in the Latin Quarter neighborhood gets filled with people looking for a place to eat. Aside from tourists, many are youngish and they are probably students from nearby schools such as University of Paris. So a lot of eateries are casual bistros and fast food type restaurants. I enjoy feeling the energy of such a place in a big city, but what inspired me to do this painting was the light. When I see a tiny bright spot in a mostly dark plane, I almost always feel like it is begging me [...]

Del Mar 15th Street, San Diego I, California Landscape Painting

10/4/2009 2:02:14 AM

I would like to thank those of you who came to visit the Taste Art Stroll in Del Mar yesterday (Today's painting shows a main street in Del Mar, a venue for yesterday's event). I don't do an outdoor art fair like this often so it was great to see you all. I hope you enjoyed viewing some of my works in person and that you had a wonderful time, in a perfect weather, in the charming coastal town of Del Mar. Del Mar 15th Street, San Diego Click here for a larger view of this painting. Media: [...]

Portofino, Italy III, Italian Landscape Painting

10/2/2009 1:25:41 AM

I will be participating in an art fair this coming weekend (October 3). No, it won't be in Portofino but it will be in a pretty coastal town of Del Mar, 20 miles north of San Diego, California. Del Mar has a charming ambiance which reminds visitors of a cozy Mediterranean seaside village. Del Mar is also close to my home so I have done this art fair in the last few years and always enjoyed it a lot. I am returning as an exhibitor to this venue and look forward to having a good time again. Please join us if you're going to be near San [...]

Gondolier, Venice IX, Italian Landscape Painting

10/1/2009 1:40:15 AM

Anything that has gained huge popularity, or anybody who has attained an enormous success, usually finds a group of people who love to hate them. Venice is no exception. While many (including myself) fall in love with the place, some people scorn. They think it is just like Disneyland and is not worth spending their time and money there. At an art show several months ago, I met a couple. The husband commented on my Venice painting and added that he loved Venice. The feeling was not mutual with his lovely wife. She said, "Oh, I hate Venice. It's dirty and smelly!" Well, in Venice, there [...]

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