With the doors open, I painted one half at a time. I was surprised to see the overly bright green in the light – it wasn’t nearly that florescent inside the workshop (aka painting studio). As I added the next layer, I toned down the colors to look more normal.
Now there is something to see whether the doors are opened or closed, and Three Rivers has another mural of Sequoias!
Help. I’m infected with mad mural disease. Can’t stop painting them!
Remember this, the largest mural on the right?
Did you know it is actually doors that open?
They’ve been awaiting a mural for several years now. The photo was chosen, but it never seemed urgent. Now that Studio Tour Ten is almost here, the urgency kicked in.
I began working inside the workshop (AKA painting studio) and got all the shapes blocked in. That way when I painted with the doors opened to the outside, the halves would match up again later. And, this scene looks good when it is split in half.
Here are the opened doors with just the bare bones painted on. During Studio Tour, if the weather is nice, the doors are opened and no one can see the Mineral King mural. This way there is something good to see whether the weather is good or rainy (which is also good).
The customer asked for a mural, explained the nature of her business, and I said, “A mural of a trail would be just right!” (Sequoia Outdoor Sports will be renting camping and backpacking gear to visitors to Sequoia National Park.)
I brought several photos and paintings of trail scenes with me to meet the owner (John) and the manager (Carolyn) and see the wall.
John loved this painting.
Mosquito Lake Trail, 16×20″, oil on wrapped canvas, $350
John asked if I could substitute Sequoia trees for the red firs. I said yes, but. Yes, but there are no Sequoia trees at that elevation or in Mineral King. John said it wouldn’t matter to his customers, who will primarily be Europeans who come to see the Big Trees.
John is the customer. He is right!
Today a man stopped by to ask if I was tagging his building. He was joking. He is the leaseholder of the building. Then he said, “Is that the trail to White Chief and Mosquito Lakes?” Ummm, yes, sort of. In spite of the fact that I changed the background to be more congruent with a place that would have Sequoia trees, he knew the trail!
Three Rivers locals will recognize the incongruity but they will be polite. If John is happy and his customers are happy, then I am happy.
(Happy Birthday, Younger Sister!)
Here is Three Rivers’ latest mural on the building that is to soon house Sequoia Outdoor Sports. Right now I am thinking YIPPEE SKIPPEE! I usually really like my murals when I see the photos at the end of the day. If not, I go back and paint some more. If I can’t find anything else to do, then I decide that the mural is finished.
As of 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 15, 2012, this Sequoia mural is completed.
I know, close the car door. Better yet, move the car! (Is it immature to like your car even when it is a ’96 Accord with many miles, scratches and a few rattles?)
On Monday, I will show you the oil painting from which this Sequoia mural was painted. Sort of. It inspired this mural. I will study the photos of it over the (hopefully rainy) weekend and decide if anything can be improved. It isn’t as if I can get into my Accord and leave the scene – Nope, I live in this town. and I want this to be the best possible. (Don’t worry, I felt the same about the Exeter murals even though I’ve never lived there.)
(I wanted to call this Big Trees, Little Mural, but the word Sequoia is more likely to be found by Mr. Google. Is Mr. Google the new version of “the Man”??)
This white panel is about 6 feet wide and 7 feet high and it is READY to be painted!
This is the entire gonna-be-a-business, called Sequoia Outdoor Sports in Three Rivers. (Not my car – I drive Honda Accords. Now on #4 (since 1981) Love ’em!)
Here is the whole building, including the Yoga studio on the right side. (I know, shut the car door!)
Here it is with the Chevron station so you really know where it is in Three Rivers! And look at that fabulous tree – it dropped lots of nice little twigs that were just perfect for stirring paint.
First I taped the edges so it will have a nice white frame. Then I drew it. Pretty sketchy drawing!
Back to front coincides with top to bottom. What am I painting? It is based on an oil painting that the owner of Sequoia Outdoor Sports really liked. He asked that I substitute Sequoia trees for the red firs. That threw me into a mess of confusion because there are no redwoods in Mineral King. But, I’m not painting Mineral King, I’m painting an illusion, a summary, a feeling, a sense of being on a trail in Sequoia National Park.
End of the day – staring to look okay, but still best viewed from the back of a fast horse. I will refrain from showing you the closer view. Tomorrow the detail will take place and THEN I will show it to you, along with the oil painting that inspired it.
Whatcha working on now?
I just finished bidding on 2 murals.
Where??
In my studio.
No, where will the murals be?
The bid that was accepted will result in a beautiful trail scene on the side of a new business in Three Rivers. They hope to open in March, so I could be painting in February.
Will you show the progress on your blog?
Of course!
You said “murals”.
Yeppers, I did! The other will be at a private residence, if the folks accept my bid.
How’s it going with that Adobe InDesign 30 day trial?
Holy guacamole, that is one complicated piece of work. I’ve watched many tutorials, some of them several times. I’m learning, and have a few pages laid out. Plus, I have a very long list of questions that I hope get answered soon!
Anything else going on?
Oh I’m so glad you asked! A winery just asked me for a pencil drawing to use as a label. Would you like to see the first sketch?
Hey, I’m the one asking questions here!
Forgive me. I got confused. How about if we just show that sketch and then go away until tomorrow!
Back when I decided to begin muralizing, I started by painting Farewell Gap in oils and increasing the size each time. After I completed a 24×36″, it was time to paint it on my workshop doors. This was the first time I painted large and it shocked me how quickly it went. Michael stood back and helped me with the shape and scale of the peaks. Louise stood down the driveway and coached me on the water. This is how it looked in April 2008.
The colors faded, and I paint better now. Besides, the Three Rivers Studio Tour is coming in March 2012, so it is time to repaint.
Now, I can see that the poppy door is faded too. Is this going to be like painting the Golden Gate Bridge?
This California artist has completed Phase One of her indoor mural of Giant Sequoias/Redwoods/Big Trees for some exceptional people of fine taste. They have a particular fondness for these trees, and sell fabulous chairs made from some of the fallen ones (from private land – don’t gitchur knickers in a twist!). You can find them on eBay: Redwood Adirondack Chairs.
One more thing about this mural – it comes with a promise to retouch it if a grandchild goes nutso with a crayon or marker!
Last weekend I was at the Chevron station when a man in a white van pulled up behind me. He asked if I had done the mural; I hesitated until he said he liked it. (Chicken!) Then I admitted it was mine. We visited about it for a bit, and he asked if he could make a suggestion. I said, “of course!” Then, he felt a bit embarrassed, and I had to really work to get it out him. He suggested having more flowers extend beyond the borders, which I had considered earlier but gave up on when I couldn’t get my paintbrushes to behave in the drying wind. Hearing it from a “fan” caused me to realize that a second try was worth the effort. The man kept apologizing, and finally I had to explain that I am painting for normal people’s enjoyment, and that anything a “normal person” suggested was probably worth considering. He admitted to being a “normal person”, so Mr. Normal Guy, I thank you!!
untitled, Tulare County Fire Station #14, South Fork and Sierra Drive, 7×14′
The hardest part about this mural is the wind! It makes the photos flap around, my hair flies in my face, and the palette and brushes dry out Very Fast. Wow, this is a windy location! The other surprising thing is that no matter how many days I have worked on it, I always think “2 more days”. More will be revealed. . .
Alta is patched and repainted a bit.
It is actually further along than this, but I had to take the photo before the mulberry tree shadow reached the image.
Today I taped off the edges in order to decrease the hassles. Good policy, don’t you think? One should always decrease hassles if given the chance! (Once again, the color is not accurate in the photo – a field trip is recommended.)