New Painting!

"Jean's Hydrangeas". Watercolor on paper, 12 1/2 x 22

It's been too long! Very busy with other activities and neglecting my painting. I also broke my radius but was able to finish this painting today---one that I started weeks ago before the accident. I've always been intimidated by hydrangeas, just because of their profusion of petals. I just decided to go loose and see if I could suggest hydrangea and carry it off.

Book Cover Design

Book Cover Design for "Stone Window" by Ann Robinson

Book Cover Design for "The Iliad Poems" by Anne R. Dick

Book Cover Design for "Penelope of the Mind" by Anne R. Dick

Book Cover Design for Point Reyes Poems" & Friends & Family" by Anne R. Dick

Book Cover Design for "Space & Love" by Anne R. Dick

The past 6 months were busy for me designing book covers for 2 local writers, Ann Robinson and  Anne R. Dick. They were all book of poetry and all were wildly different from each other, hence the different approaches to the art direction for each.
I loved doing them all, but perhaps my favorites were "Penelope of the Mind" and "Stone Window". Both of these had their unique trials and tribulations, but both came out better for having pushed through all the bad ideas, wrong turns, etc. The clients were very happy and that made all the difference int he end.

"Low Tide" Watercolor on Paper, 12 1/4 x 15

My husband and I discovered this Open Space park in Santa Venetia, Marin County, and fell in love with what this small park packed: birding, waterways and lots of what I call "funky Marin". It was low tide, which brought out the funkiness of the environs even more. My husband actually pointed this dock out, with the beautiful aqua boat, and said, "This is right up your alley". Indeed it was. Everything was askew and off-kilter, but the aqua boat seemed wonderfully grounded there on the lob-sided dock.

Newest Painting!

"Caffé DiVino", watercolor on paper, 19 x 14

This scene is of an old café in downtown Sausalito, Ca. I happened to be on Caledonia Street one day and fell in love with its rumpled and care-free look, made more sweet by the red bike.
I actually went to Caffé DiVino one evening and heard a great jazz trio. It's small, but very convivial with just the right amount of old Sausalito flair!

"Autumn Joy" 16 x 20, watercolor on Aquabord©

This is a wild one! Done very quickly, as you can see, with lots of saturated, dropped-in color and more intense color on top. I used my Incredible Nib © to lift out areas and used my toothbrush to add fun spatter effects on the bottom. My husband wasn't so sure about this looser approach, but I loved doing it!

New painting!

"Quince at Dusk" 9 3/4 x 14 3/4, watercolor

I started and completed this small painting today. I adore flowering quince, and this is the season here in northern California for this exquisite bush to be blooming. To me, it's quintessentially Asian, and I tried to keep to the spare and delicate format the Japanese are known for.

New Painting!

"Quince Blossoms", 5x5, watercolor on Claybord©.

Another little flower painting to add to the growing number of 5 x 5s of just flowers! It's a lot of fun and quite relaxing to do. I realize this is not the season for Quince, but I perused some old photos I had of these gorgeous blossoms and had to paint one.

New Painting!

"The White Barn", 10 x 13 1/2, watercolor on paper

It felt like the time was right to paint this barn--stately with its red-centered tractor wheel and overgrown purple sage. This barn actually exists at Gospel Flats farm in Bolinas, California. It's a spot I've come back to for many of my paintings, as it's so rich with inspiration at every corner. Everything screams to be painted!

Little Gems

Four New  5x5s!

In preparation for the Open Studios coming up, I'm painting more little florals. They're each only 5 x 5 and come with a black frame---ready to hang or set on a desk or bookshelf! A lovely Mother's Day gift at $60

New Painting!

Old St. Hilary in Spring, 11 3/8 x 8 3/8

Nothing like the upcoming Marin Open Studios to get me back into painting! I've been wanting to do a smaller and more sweet (if I can say that) version of one of Marin's most picturesque churches: Old St Hilary. I remember getting down on my stomach to get this shot, hoping the bright wildflowers would be a great foreground. I'm hoping I captured this charming church in the untamed landscape that its a part.

New Painting!

"Luna" 16 x 20, watercolor on paper

This is a portrait I'm working on of Luna, my pastor's dog. She's a darling Border Collie who loves walks, pets, scratches behind the ear---all the things dogs love. The problem with Luna, and what makes her special, is she has a neurological disorder that leaves her unable to walk. Her owners, David and Dee Cobia, have a four-wheel harness that they put her in and she's able to touch the ground and gently "walk" while David or Dee pull her.

A few weeks ago, I met them at the Marin Civic Center and took photos as she glided around the lake. Some children seemed a little frightened by her rig, but one young man was given the reins and walked her a bit. Once kids find out she's just like other dogs in attitude, they warm up to her immediately and she loves the attention!

Luna was given a two-year life expectancy, but here she is, six years old and as happy as a clam. Thanks go to the Cobia's love and support of Luna! That kind of pet-owner bond keeps everyone happy!

New Painting!

Cow Parsley, watercolor on paper, 13 3/4 x 13

Finally, something a little new....It's inspired by some Cow Parsley I saw while my husband, dog and I were hiking by the ocean. I love how sturdy these plants are and how beautifully white they are against the darker landscape.

New T-Shirts & Onesie Designs!

Long sleeve Poinsettia T-Shirt

Hot off the Printers! I just picked up my Poinsettia t-shirts and Sleeping Bunny Onesies
for the big Cavallo Point Trunk Show this Saturday! This is my third year doing this fabulous show in the beautiful Mercantile of Cavallo Point. Leigh Vogan, the retail director, wants to feature only local artisans in this one-day sale. I will also be selling my hand-made greeting cards in convenient 4-paks for those hostess or teacher gifts you know you need this season and 2013 calendars, featuring many of my latest paintings.

The date is Saturday, December 1 from 11-4pm. Come for the shopping and stay for libations next door at Farley's!

I'd like to really thank the very talented, experienced and thoughtful owner, Kris Gregoriev, of Reflective Images .  I would highly recommend using her if any of you artists are thinking of having your artwork printed up on shirts and totes. She carries a wide variety of styles, including organic cotton!

Sleeping Bunny Onesie!

Third Annual Trunk Show at Cavallo Point!

It's Back! The Third Annual Trunk Show at the Mercantile at Cavallo Point!

When: Saturday,  December 1, 11-4pm
Where: The Mercantile at Cavallo Point, 601 Murray Circle, Fort Baker, Sausalito, 94965
Phone: 415-339-4740

I'm very excited to have been included with all these fabulous local merchants at the equally fabulous Cavallo Point Mercantile. This is my third year participating and I have more products to show the world! Long-sleeve t-shirts, calendars, greeting cards and onesies!!
Plus--if you go to the link above, you can scroll down and click to print a 15% off coupon.

This is a one-day event only! Come for the shopping and stay to enjoy nibbles and libations at Farley's next door.

Kate's Updates: New painting!

"Tools of the Trade" 15 x 16, watercolor on paper

The latest in my funky, West Marin-barn-farm-bucolic series. These implements were hung artfully on a barn door at Gospel Flat Farm in Bolinas, Marin County--the same locale that inspired my "Lucky Bobbers" painting. Once again, I used a lot of sepia, pthalo blue, prussian blue and my toothbrush (for rubbing away the color on the wood paneling).
I absolutely love this kind of tableau and I suspect I will find more such farm-funkiness this Spring and Summer as we begin another Art on the Farm year!

Kate's Updates: New painting!

Hung Out to Dry, watercolor on paper, 22 x 15

I just finished this painting today, and as usual, I'm not sure what to think of it! But I am very happy that it's done as this subject has been on my mind for a while.

These boots were hanging on an old barn door in a West Marin farm (Gospel Flats). This place was a treasure trove of funky, funny and odd juxtapositions of objects and animals, that every niche seemed to be filled with a would-be painting! What I love was the added touch of weirdness of the small, rusty scythe and the goat bell strewn with spider webs. For that I used the Zoltan Szabo technique of scraping a razor blade over the dry paper to make that spider web pop. I also used lots of dry brushing and toothbrush scraping to get that weathered look in the wood and the boot rubber.
Just a note: these boots were all actually a deep, army green, but I changed the palette a bit just to make it more interesting.

Kate's Updates: New painting!

"Majestic", watercolor on paper, 15 x 22

Another "Tree" painting, this time of a burned pine I saw in Yosemite last summer. Even with its branches bare and bark curled off revealing a charred "skin", I thought the tree beautiful.
The palette is obviously very limited, but I didn't want to interfere with the tree's starkness against the blue.

Kate's Updates: New painting -In-Progress

'Lucky Bobbers"  15 x 22, w/c on paper

Just finished last night! I'm not sure what to think; I think I like it, but it's a bit odd. I had a lot of fun painting it and it definitely gave me the confidence to try more complicated pieces in the very near future.

Kate's Updates! New Painting!

Half Dome, Late Afternoon, 15 x 17 3/4, watercolor on paper

This painting was "commissioned" by the Marin Poetry Center for their forthcoming poetry anthology. The theme for the anthology is "mountains" ....and being in a Yosemite frame of mind, I chose this famous icon to paint.

I was very nervous about painting this: What is my approach? Will the drama of the branches be too much or not enough? Would I get too fussy with the details? Will the color palette be too boring?

I actually prayed to God for help! I needed Divine intervention. I started the painting one afternoon and finished it a day later. (Good music in the background helped and yes, I believe God did take a hand in this)!

I also tried a technique I've never done before--using a razor blade! To add sparkle to some of the pine needles and the water darkening the face of Half Dome, I scraped a razor point very quickly across the dried paint. I have to thank the master, Zoltan Szabo for that advice.

Kate's Updates!: Yosemite Renaissance XXVI

"Yosemite Moss", watercolor on paper, 15 x 22

So exciting! I came home from a dog walk today and found a letter from Yosemite Renaissance telling me my painting, Yosemite Moss was an award winner ! This was one of those things I forgot about as the show went up in February and is now on a traveling exhibition around the South Peninsula. I never even knew I "was a winner" until today. Love when life throws a little bone to you like that.