Category: Sources of inspiration

Beautiful Place in Tulare County

Do you live near a beautiful place but don’t go there? I live in Three Rivers, just minutes from Sequoia National Park, and don’t go very often for a variety of reasons. It costs money, the lines are long, I am working. . . not all these things are true all the time, so I have to pay attention to when they are not true.

A few days ago, a friend invited me to join her for almost-full moon viewing, photography and sandwiches from Sierra Subs (the best food in Three Rivers).

She picked me up at 6, and we headed up to Hospital Rock, and then down the road to Buckeye Flat Campground. The yucca are in full fluffy bloom, and she was hoping to be able to photograph them by the light of the moon. (She is very knowledgeable about photography and has great gear.)

I gave my tripod to my nephew because he needed one and it no longer fits my life or cameras. So I decided to just try and hold still for the low light. My camera has lots of controls that don’t make sense to me, so I just experimented. The experiments, combined with some computer adapting, gave me these results.

Looking up the canyon of the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River toward Castle Rocks, early evening

Castle Rocks are the 2nd mountain name I learned. The first was Moro Rock, and my dad showed me Castle Rocks while we were on top of Moro Rock. See the rusty trees? They are dead, most likely pines of some variety.

This is a little side falls that my friend had photographed earlier and sent to me. Made me want to see and photograph it myself, so I did.

Yucca and middle fork — Fluffy Yucca in bloom above little side falls on Middle Fork of the Kaweah River.

Moonrise above Castle Rocks — The moon suddenly appeared from behind Castle Rocks.

Yucca — We didn’t get to see yucca lit by the moon, but by holding very very still, I was able to photograph it in very low light.

I relearned some simple good things.

It is good to visit beautiful places that are close. Makes me feel as if I’ve had a mini-vacation.
It is good to do simple things with friends.
It is good to just spend time in a place, sitting, looking, listening, feeling, (slapping mosquitoes, not so good), eating simple food, visiting. No rush. The more time you spend, the more you notice and appreciate. Just be there. (Danged mosquitoes!)

Three Rivers

Reminding You of the Beauty of Tulare County

Do you know why I write this blog?

It is because I want to remind us all that there is beauty here in Tulare County. Sometimes I have to put myself out into that beauty and even take my Big Girl Camera with me to get great photos so I can do my job of reminding you of the beauty of Tulare County.

The wildflowers along the lower 6.5 miles of the Mineral King Road are abundant and beautiful. There really aren’t very many places to pull over, so just drive slowly and soak it up. Better yet, have someone else drive, and you can just gawk.

This is spice bush, and it is in bloom right next to the Oak Grove Bridge.There is good water flowing beneath the bridge. This is the upstream view.

This is leaning over the bridge looking downstream. There was a pickup parked on the bridge with rafting stuff. The people were actually rafting down there! I have no idea how they got the raft down to the water or how they got into the thing without having one foot in and one foot out when it shot down some treacherous rapid.

Leaning out over the bridge is all the risk I care to take here.

This is the first time I have noticed the rock work propping up the road over there. STAY PUT, little rocks.

We did a little trespassing to get this view. Now you don’t have to. I don’t know if there is enough color here – just greens and browns, with that little place of blue in the water. The wildflowers are just too small. Maybe I could put some in the foreground, in spite of the fact that there are none there. . .? Time will tell. I still haven’t finished the 24×30″ painting that has been on my easel since January or February! Too busy being out in the beauty of Tulare County to be recording it in paint right now.

A Spring Walk in Three Rivers

Happy Birthday, Mom!

On Easter Sunday in the afternoon, Trail Guy and I took another spring walk in Three Rivers. Let’s skip the chit-chat and look at the pictures.

This is the view up toward Case Mountain.

Three Rivers

Here is Alta Peak with its elephant and Moro Rock.

Fiesta flowers

The flume above Dinely Drive; forgive us our trespasses. . .

Hen and chicks? I don’t knowwhat this is, besides a beautiful succulent.

The lupine were still going strong.

Then, I found this rose at home.

And thus we conclude a spring walk in Three Rivers.

Three Rivers

Spring in Three Rivers, continued

Sometimes it feels as if Spring in Three Rivers lasts for about 20 minutes. This feeling causes me to not want to leave the area, not even to go to Exeter for a day to teach people how to draw, which is something I love to do.

With apologies to the writer of the song “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, I believe with all my heart that Spring is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Have a look at a few days last week of enjoying Spring in Three Rivers. It is just photography, not art, but it is always a source of inspiration to me.

Three Rivers

List from a (BUSY!) Central California artist

Today’s post is full of unrelated items, all of which are important. I have a profession filled with variety, all challenging, fulfilling, and fun. This calls for a list:

Tonight I will be demonstrating pencil drawing for the Tulare Palette Club.
The drawings for my upcoming coloring book are FINISHED!
I have edited a novel! The author wrote a very good story and is now seeking an agent.
I have edited a non-fiction book! It included using Photoshop on 128 photos, and now I am chipping away at the design. This is because. . .
. . . I am the Book Shepherd for the project. Every heard this term? It is a person who takes a book all the way through publication. I have experience here because. . .
The Cabins of Wilsonia is a completely self-published book. The website croaked, but the book is available here: The Cabins of Wilsonia
I’ll be starting a new oil painting commission soon.
The giant oil painting of the Oak Grove Bridge is in a time-out. The future of the bridge itself is in a decision making stage with three options. You may comment about it, indicating your personal preference (as long as it is Alternative #1, but of course I am entirely neutral on the subject) I hope to learn of the website soon.
Next week I’ll tell you more about the upcoming coloring book.

Now, if you have persisted to the end of the list, you get to see a few more beautiful photos of spring in Three Rivers. Thanks for stopping by today!

Something New Coming Soon

Something new is coming soon to Cabinart. This calls for an interview with Cabinart’s very own Jana Botkin.

Why do people say “very own” in front of someone’s name? Because they like to fill the airwaves!

Ahem. Let’s get on with the interview.

Interviewer: What is Cabinart?

(very own) Artist: The NAME of my ART BUSINESS!!

Interviewer: EXCUUUUUUSE me. So what is new that is coming?

(very own) Artist: Don’t rush me. First let’s review a few facts.

I work in pencil and oil and in acrylic when painting murals.
Real life has edges not outlines. Cartoons have outlines. So do coloring books.
Ink is one of the most difficult media to work with.

Interviewer: What is “media”? I thought that meant the news, talking heads, and spokes-holes.

(our very own) Artist: “Media” is the plural of “medium”, which is a word used for the material used to make art. Not the “ground” but the mark-making stuff: paper isn’t a medium; pencil or graphite is. Canvas isn’t; oil is. A wall isn’t; mural paint is. Get the idea?

Interviewer: Are you stalling?

(Our very own) Artist: Nope, just ‘splainin’ it to you, Lucy.

Interviewer: “Lucy”?

(Our very own) Artist: You know – that’s how Reeeky-Reeecardo said “explain” to Lucy!

Interviewer: You ARE stalling.

(our very own) Artist: Nope, just letting the excitement build.

Interviewer: COME ON, ALREADY!

Very Own Artist: You are shouting at me. Do I detect a hint of impatience in your tone?

Interviewer: With that sort of evasive non-answering of questions, you could run for public office.

(our very own) Artist: No thanks. I have a business/career/job/jobs. (artist and editor – Did you know that?)

Interviewer: No more diversions or red herrings! What is coming soon?

Our Very Own Artist:

A coloring book of original designs, based on the landmarks and scenery of Three Rivers and Sequoia! (yes, including Mineral King!)

More will be revealed in the fullness of time. . . stay tuned!

coloring book

Sequoia Trees and Navel Oranges

Sequoia trees and navel oranges are specialties of Central California, right here in Tulare County where I live and work as an artist (and now as an editor too).

So, I paint Sequoia trees and navel oranges. Often.

When these are dry, I’ll scan them and put them on my website for sale. Maybe I’ll put them on the blog too.

oil paintings orange painting oranges Sequoia painting

More Poppy Peeping

This poppy peeping trip was up North Fork Drive out of Three Rivers. It was with one friend in a Mustang convertible that her Mom bought on her 88th Christmas. (No, my friend isn’t 88 – it was her Mom who was 88). It was a great top-down day, and sometimes I just stood on the seat to get the right photos. Handy set up.

There were poppies, (early) redbud, lupine, the North Fork of the Kaweah, sycamores, oaks, and cows. Lovely time, truly enjoyable companionship, beautiful drive.

California poppies poppies Three Rivers

Finishing the murals

Did you think I was going to leave you hanging as to how the Tanzania mural looked?

Customer called to say the cape buffalo needed about 1/2 hour of work. I was relieved to hear from him, because my final day working on them was without his expertise. I’ve never seen those animals, except in photos (and there was that one stuffed head staring at the back of my head while I painted).

So, I headed back down the hill one beautiful spring morning.

morning drive

He has a good eye and was very helpful.

Before:

After:

Yes, the differences are subtle, but my goal is customer satisfaction.

Then, Customer looked at me and said, “You left something out of the other mural.”

I said, “Shoot. I was hoping you would forget.”

He just tapped the side of his head. Then he waited for me to tell him what he wanted, so I smiled and said, “Buzzards!”

Using masking tape torn into little pieces, I stuck some buzzards shapes up in the sky. We scooted them around and discussed relative sizes and shapes. Then, I painted them.

As usual, Customer was right:

This photo of the finished Tanzania mural isn’t the best because the morning sun comes through the window and overexposes the one side. However, this photo beats the one with the scaffolding in front, and the slightly wonky buffalo.

Can you pick out the buzzards in the Missouri mural? Tiny, but they add the right finishing touch. This mural keeps amazing me, because the photo was so meh.

On the way home, I couldn’t just blow past Dry Creek Drive, knowing it was just filthy with poppies and lupine.

California poppies mural poppies

Poppy Peeping

When the poppies are out, there is no time to be wasted! Get out and see them, now!

2008 was a spectacular poppy year for all the foothills in Central California, and it was a source of great inspiration to this Central California artist.

2016 is looking almost as good.

A few friends and I took a drive up Dry Creek Road for some poppy peeping on February 26. Have a look:

Who can resist a ride in an open-top red Jeep toward the siren pull of those golden hills? Not these bandana-headed chicks! (“You look like you oughta be somebody’s wife somewhere”. . . a little Meryl Haggard, in case you were wondering)

California poppies poppies