This painting is called “Big Al’s Tulips.”   In our East Sacramento neighborhood there use to be a corner grocery store that was in the area for years.  It was part of the Albertson’s chain in California. However, it was smaller then the large stores they usually had opened and was constantly struggling with making enough money.    People called it “Little Al’s.  The neighborhood we live in is fun because we can walk almost anywhere.   This store was just a few blocks away and full of familiar faces.  I would put the kids in the strollers and walk down every other day for milk etc.  This painting was inspired by Tulips I bought there on a beautiful spring day shortly before the store had to shut its doors  (much to the despair of the community)  There is now a big chain Walgreens in the space.   The original hangs in an East Sacramento, CA home on 42nd street.

Surfin Santa

This painting was recently completed and is a great example of my new expressionist series based on wonderful days and destinations.  The inspiration for this came from a beautiful sunny winter day on the beach in Capitola California.  My family (Husband and two precious young boys) were visiting extended family near Santa Cruz. My Aunt and Uncle live in Aptos which is next door to the famous surfing town of Santa Cruz and art village and tourist destination of Capitola. 

We were visiting to catch up with my Aunt and Uncle which we love to do. They are transplants from the East Coast as I am, and  we were enjoying the fresh salt air of the sea (since my family and I live in Sacramento at this time and don’t have this on a daily basis) … we read in the paper that Santa Claus was going to surf in on the rides to visit with families. 

We went down with our 3 and 6 year old and really felt we were living the California lifestyle … watching Santa Claus come in on a surf board!   However, the waves were huge that day and the surfer that plays Santa every year also happened to have broken his leg the week before while Mountain biking!    So he was actually sitting at the seashell stage flanked on each side by emerging and familiar young surfer “elves” .

My 3 year old son kept going to the host table to get juice and Trader Joe cookies. My favorite Holiday cookies.. peppermint Jo Jo’s from Trader Joes (I had him get some for me too) . My Husband and I fantasized about moving to the Santa Cruz area where most days are sunny and salt air filled but also where the cost of living is 195% higher than most of the United States!  It is good we have relatives to visit there and days like this to experience.   It was one of my favorite days – a beautiful place, sunny with ocean views and the smell of salt water. Also, a precious moment in time where my boys our young and full of the excitement of the Holiday.

This painting named “Surfing Santa” was inspired by that day. I was thinking about as I painted the colors and shapes.   It does not represent a realist view. You probably will not the see the bandshell or the Santa anywhere on it.    You will see different things in this painting based on your own experiences and memories that is what is so cool about abstracts.   This blog is for the secret stories behind the paintings direct from the artist!

This painting is full of color and life – one that makes me happy when I view it reminding me of that day.

Since my mind wanders constantly to memories, images, colors of days and feelings as I paint I am going to embark on this blog that may give some insight into what I think about when I paint an image. 

This is most appropriate for an emerging abstract artist as  myself.  Abstract leaves a lot to the imagination.  Sometimes a client will see a city block in an abstract of mine that started out with me envisioning  a walk in the forest.  The most important thing is the final image.  If you can create abstract that keeps someone looking at it over and over again and contemplating it you have art that is not only beautiful but saleable. 

Here you will find as I paint and post what I was thinking as I created each piece. You just may be the curious collector wanting to hear the story behind the painting direct from the artist!   As I learn more about how to blog productively I will post the painting descriptions by title and year so they can be referenced by piece.