China Cove: Kaleidoscope of Color

China Cove, 10x8" oil

I had the thrill of painting in the stunning Point Lobos California State Park last month. My painting above depicts "China Cove"—  a cozy little secret beach tucked away from the world, except for the many curious tourists and over-the-shoulder lookers that appeared throughout the day.

The view was overwhelmingly beautiful...here's the cove late afternoon.

The ranger at the gate was nice enough to recommend this far away place on the map as an ideal painting spot... and she was right!  By the time I got set up in the late morning and finished around 4pm, I'd say I painted about 3 or 4 hours...which was quite a luxurious amount of time compared to the rest of the windy blow-and-go kind of week I had been having.

This has the makings for a future painting...love the complimentary colors of red/green here.

Protected from the wind, I even found a bit of shade to paint in...what heaven! The light completely changed a million times on me...but I was so enchanted with the place that I didn't want to leave. It was literally a emerald kaleidoscope of light and colors, all day long!

Secluded and protected, it's the perfect a baby seal nursery.

 The colors where spectacular as they reached the shore...so many shades of emerald to chartreuse. See the mommy and baby seals...you could watch them nursing from just around the corner. But the world seemed to stop and congregate at my painting spot that day. You can see why!

Here's the cove looking out into the ocean. Almost looks like Maui here!

I wish I'd taken photos in the morning as well, but when I scouted out the area I didn't have my camera in hand as the hike was pretty intense...and I had my painter's thinking cap on...which tends to be a different mind-set than photography. You constantly think, "Hurry up and paint...the light is changing!"

Here's the cove seen from the opposite shore...about 5 or 6 p.m.

At first, I thought there would be no way I'd carry all my paint gear up there. Then I found the handicap ramp on the way back down to my car (gotta love California for that!!) and was able to throw my gear in a suitcase and pull it all up the ramp to my painting spot! So, I made a mental note to prepare for future traveling with much lighter stuff...but hey, you do what you have to with what you've got!

Detail of the other side from where I'd been painting.

There were so many great views of the cove I could have painted from. Thank goodness I didn't find this one until after I'd finished my painting or I may have spent the day in undecided anguish!

And, I can paint this one now.

The actual painting inspired view.

Here's the approximate spot I was painting from. I took out the pine tree in the foreground which was nice enough to offer me her shade for the day, and cropped tight into the rocks above, eliminating the sky. When I started, the rocks on the left were in masses of shadow with dappled light changing the forms into a curtain of colors that you see in the actual painting. And, of course, the sea weed took on different shapes and colors minute by minute. It was quite a challenging scene to paint...but what a great day!

Last Weekend of the WEST Austin Studio Tour

No Bull, 11x9" pastel, $495

Customers outside of the U.S., please contact me for shipping price adjustments. Also, local customers, if you wish to pick up the artwork, please contact me before making your purchase.

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Don't miss the last weekend of the WEST Austin Studio Tour!

May 4-5, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For the second consecutive year, the city of Austin is featuring the galleries and studios of artists west of IH-35 in the "WEST Austin Studio Tour".  Number 12 on the tour, I am showcased with 40 other artists at the Austin Art Space Gallery; you can download a studio tour map online.

Austin Art Space Gallery & Studios
Located at Northcross Center behind Northcross Mall
7739 Northcross Dr., Suite Q
Austin TX 78757

May Special Offer

Quiet Cove, 6x8" oil

Hot off the easel is this month's May special offer...

I will have a special "members only" opportunity each month for newsletter subscribers and blog followers. This month I'm discounting one of my new works painted en plein air, on location, in California. "Quiet Cove, a 6x8" oil unframed original was painted in Monterey Bay. This little jewel regularly sells for $280...and is now on sale during the month of May only,  just for you followers, for just $100 plus tax and shipping. To purchase, subscribe to my blog or join my monthly newsletter (in the right column) then click on the PayPal button above.

 

Monterey Bay, CA where I attended the 2013 Plein Air Convention last month with about 800 other artists from all over the world. We are taking advantage of the momentary warmer temperatures and lesser winds here. To the left of the painters is the approximate focus for the above painting, shown in more detail below.

Now Showing in...WEST Austin Studio Tour

Bella Diva, 20x24" oil by S'zanne Reynolds

For the second consecutive year, the city of Austin is featuring the galleries and studios of artists west of IH-35 in the "WEST Austin Studio Tour".  Number 12 on the tour, I am showcased with 40 other artists at the Austin Art Space Gallery; you can download a studio tour map online.

Stop by and see us 

Saturdays and Sundays, April 27-28 and May 4-5,
11am to 6pm

There will be refreshment and live music. Details below.

See you there!

Art Wars

"Deep Drink", digital print by S'zanne Reynolds

 This came across my inbox today. It's from one of my favorite authors, Steven Pressfield from his book, "The War of Art". Be sure to pick up a copy, whether you are a creative or not, it will change your life!

"This is the other secret that real artists know and wannabe writers don't. When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us. The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves. We have earned favor in her sight. When we sit down and work, we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete."

Resistance is experienced as fear; the degree of fear equates to the strength of Resistance. Therefore the more fear we feel about a specific enterprise, the more certain we can be that that enterprise is important to us and to the growth of our soul. That's why we feel so much Resistance. If it meant nothing to us, there'd be no Resistance."

"Are you paralyzed with fear? That's a good sign. Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tells us what we have to do. Remember one rule of thumb: the more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it."

- Steven Pressfield

Press Release: One-Woman Art Show During SXSW

Grand Opening of Austin Impressionist Artist S’zanne Reynolds at AVAA

 One-Woman Art Show During SXSW 

AUSTIN, Texas, March 12, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Austin artist S'zanne Reynolds of Studio Zanne, member American Impressionist Society, Inc., AIS, exhibits her one-woman art show at the Austin Visual Arts Association, AVAA, Austin ArtSpace Gallery. The grand opening is March 22, 2013 from 6 – 9:00 p.m. at Austin Art Space 7739 Northcross Dr., Austin TX 78757 (behind Northcross Mall). Accommodating Austin's SXSW visitors, the show is featured in the main gallery March 18 – 23, by appointment and will be available in her private gallery in the AVAA studio area March 24 - April 22nd. The exhibit includes works of art in oil, pastel and photography.

After over a decade of design experience in commercial art with companies like SicolaMartin, GSD&M and Harcourt, Reynolds has ventured out into the world of plein air, or on sight painting, and impressionist fine arts with bold color, brilliant light, strong images and a movement and style uniquely her own bold vision of her surroundings. Her work explores spontaneous approaches to expressionistic landscapes and provocative, vivid profiles in portraits she renders.

Continuing to develop her talents, Reynolds has studied under contemporary masters including Ann Templeton, Peggi Kroll-Roberts, Huihan Liu, Nancy Bush and Robert Johnson. Early influences on her career include Wolf Kahn, Andrew Wyeth, Paul Gauguin, the Blue Rider German expressionists as well as her post-graduate studies in France and in her explorations of Europe.

Work done while faculty at the Austin Museum of Art, AMOA, Laguna Gloria Art School, along with exhibits and membership with Austin Pastel Society and Austin ArtSpace plunged Reynolds actively into the Austin arts. Viewing her present style preceding her national plein air painting tour this summer will enable the community to gain a deeper sense of the unique characteristics of her art now and anticipate new works at her fall exhibit.

In honor of the land she loves to paint, 5% of Studio Zanne's exhibit proceeds will go to the Hill Country Conservancy, protecting open space and water quality for Central Texas for Earth Day 2013.

S'zanne Reynolds paintings and other works of art are available at Studio Zanne, and can be found on the website of the same name, studiozanne.com.

You Are Needed

"Never Alone", digital image by S'zanne Reynolds

"You are not accidental. Existence needs you.
Without you something will be missing in existence
and nobody can replace it."

"That's what gives you dignity, that the whole existence will miss you. The stars and sun and moon, the trees and birds and earth – everything in the universe will feel a small place is vacant which cannot be filled by anybody except you. This gives you a tremendous joy, a fulfillment that you are related to existence, and existence cares for you. Once you are clean and clear (see this), you can see tremendous love falling on you from all dimensions." ~Osho

I love these words from Osho...it's a great reminder as creatives and scientists, moms and dads, sisters and brothers, blue collars and white collars, loved ones and lonely ones... that we are really NOT in competition with one another. We cannot possibly be competing for creativity or love or supply or attention or income because each of our expressions of love and life are needed in the universe. We are each irreplaceable, loveable, needed, valued...and we are together in this.

This fact unites us, not divides. We are one with existence, creativity, expression. When we pursue our own private agendas and goals, we forget this and we feel alone and separate. But, this is only the illusion. The fact of our needed existence and purpose and creativity makes us inseparable in creation, in expression...in life!

Go out today and practice this... feel how much you are treasured by the all of existence...open yourself up to falling in love with yourself...and feeling you are needed and valuable! And may you see "tremendous love falling on you from all dimensions!"