Art for the holiday's

Don't miss out on VanCannonArt's best sale of the year. I am featuring major sales on unframed original oil painting studies and original studio pieces. Choose from figure, landscape and still life. Also Free Shipping on entire store!!!

I've seen the light

Plein air painting has been something that has grown on me over the last few years. I didn't learn how to plein air until five years ago. While going to the Academy, I took a landscape class that practiced outdoors each week. I would carry my full size french easel(HEAVY), backpack, and palette up and down hilly San Fran until I found a spot I liked. The elements were challenging and I was tired from hiking - it was hard to focus. Lucky for me, Dean Larson is a good teacher. By the end of the semester I had a few successes and started to acclimate to the process.

"Rebuilding The Bay Bridge" - 10x10 - ©2010 

When I moved to Sacramento after graduating I got involved with a group of artists that loved to plein air paint. My friend, Patris, lives and breathes plein air painting and started inviting me on paint trips to local CA destinations. I retired my french easel and upgraded to the "Easy L." Painting got a lot easier when my pack was light! I began to enjoy the opportunity to travel and study the land. There is something amazing about visiting a place, studying it, and painting a response. I feel like a poet every time.

My "Easy L" and Golden Gate

This week my outdoor studio has brought me to Angel's Camp, CA. Patris and I are revisiting spots we painted about a year ago today. Its a bit overcast and drizzly, but we've still found some gem locations.

Here's the view from Twisted Oak Winery

I loved the path peaking through the silvery grass

It started to get dark quickly - The backlit tree, drew me in and I did a quick study.

On Wednesday we found shelter under awnings in Murphy, CA to escape the drizzle.

I love Murphy's Hotel. It opened in the late 1800s and has so much character. 

The windows reminded me of Italy, so I zoomed in on a couple. 

Patris is in the pink jacket under Murphy's Hotel awning. 

She captured the damp leaf lined streets! 

Check out more of her work at: www.artist-patris.com

 Don't miss out on my outdoor studio adventures. More updates coming soon! You can also check my website: www.vancannonart.com to see finished works. 

Speed Studies in AZ

I am excited about an upcoming workshop in Tempe, AZ. Interested in taking speed studies? Join me January 17-18, 2015.

Contact me for more information and to reserve your spot today. 

vancannonart@gmail.com / 415-225-2161

Last from Monterey's outdoor easel

Gloomy and overcast, the Ocean informed me she was sad to see me go. My last day in Monterey area we spent at Pacific Grove. I couldn't get enough of the craggy rocks and waves crashing around me. It was a peaceful and brisk morning. I loved capturing the dark and light contrast of values from the stone and water. Since there wasn't a strong light source I focused on the dark value patterns I could create from the rock shapes. I had to pick and choose what to leave in and edit out. In that way I could design a more appealing composition. 

 Patris is busy painting up on the landing

My Outdoor Studio

 Natalie found a nice spot on the beach

This is the finished outcome. Its dark, but peaceful.

Interested in purchasing this piece? Please email me at Vancannonart@gmail.com 

Be sure to visit my website (www.vancannonart.com) and see the new work added to the storefront! 

Free Shipping on my Greeting Cards this weekend!

Personally, I love to receive snail-mail. There is something quite charming about randomly getting a handwritten note from family and friends. This holiday season make someones day by sending them a custom art card created by VanCannonArt.

Inside Reads:

 Also choose "Happy Thanksgiving" or Blank

Pick from two different designs:

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All greeting cards are also high quality fine art prints made with archival ink. That means they not only are pretty to mail a friend, but they can frame it when they're finished! Pretty cool, huh!

 This weekend I am offering FREE SHIPPING on all greeting card orders. Offer starts now and ends Monday evening(Nov. 10) These orders will ship Tues. morning.  Purchase Now. (click here)                    

just a fly on the wall (part II)

I got up early to walk the beach. I love combing for shells and things... I couldn't believe it but those painters were already out there! They must take their painting very seriously. Maybe it was the crisp morning air that gave me the courage, but I started to talk to the one in the pink jacket. She mentioned that they were going to paint in Pacific Grove later and that they paint often all over the state. She had a special name for her painting - plain air? I assume its a fancy word for painting outside or something?

Call me a stalker, but I totally went to Pacific Grove that afternoon. It was part because I am intrigued by the painters and part because of the way they described that area. It did not disappoint! There were all these craggy rocks jutting up from the shoreline. Waves breaking on some and spraying blasts of water into the air.  Gorgeous orange and red ice plants covered the grounds surrounding the beach. 

I did find my painters, but decided to watch from a distance this time. Amazing how quickly they can describe a place with paint. I loved all the pieces! 

I enjoyed sitting along the shoreline for a few hours. I even saw this adorable sea otter playing among the rocks! The sun was shining and wind calmly blowing. Before I left I approached the artists hoping they had websites. Lucky for me they did and they mentioned that they sell their works too. (www.vancannonart.com, www.natalielundeen.com, www.artist-patris.com)When I get back home I'm going to check them out. It would be nice to have something hanging to remind me of this retreat. No matter how crazy life gets I can just look at those beach scenes and let the memories take me there.