Plein Air at the Villa

 Villa Catalana Stone House 11" x 14", oil on canvas board $150

 Villa Catalana Lotus Pond 14" x 18", oil on gallery wrapped canvas $350

Last Saturday was the second annual garden party at Villa Catalana where artists were invited to paint plein air.  The gardens are sumptuous with rare plants and a large pond with lotus flowers.  A jazz band played on a gazebo overlooking the pond while guests strolled with glasses of Villa Catalana Cellars wine.  Although the location is in Oregon City, it felt like a vacation in Spain or Italy!  The air was hazy with wind blown ash from wildfires east of the Cascades, but it was still beautiful, especially the vivid orange sunset.  I painted the Villa Catalana Stone House that afternoon, and brought with me several paintings from last year including the Villa Catalana Lotus Pond.    Art, music, fine wine: a lovely day!

Fall!

 Fall is a great time for plein air painting!  I returned to Clackamette Park in Oregon City, where painting buddy Vicki Zimmerman took this photo of me happily at work.  The leaves are just starting to change, and fishermen lined the banks hoping to catch coho salmon.  Mallards, seagulls and pigeons added to the excitement.

 "Calackamas River", in progress.  The confluence of the Clackamas and Willamette Rivers is just beyond.

 "Clackamas River", 11" x 14"

"Clackamas River Bridge", also 11" x 14".

Clackamette

I discovered Clackamette Park in Oregon City on a cool, clear afternoon.  It is located where the Clackamas River flows into the Willamette River, across from West Linn.  A peaceful place surrounded by highways and city.  I painted in oil on a 12" x 16" canvas board.  My companions were quacking mallards.