The Winter Prune

Whenever I drive around the Napa Valley, I always take my camera with me.  There is always something going on in the vineyards.

The mustard isn't showing in this shot but it is there in other pictures.

Several years ago I took some photos of the field workers pruning the the long canes off of the cordons, which is the lateral growth.  The mustard was already blooming and I was taken by how careful this man was with the vine.  Even though I am sure he had cut thousands of canes, he still was treating this cut as important. 

My rough, beginning sketch

The Winter Prune - 18 x 18

This painting is on it's way to Mason Cellars Tasting Room in Napa later this week for a show with my Bay Area Studio Artists group.  I have one more painting to finish and then it's off to do the hanging!

The Getty 2014

Over the weekend I was able to spend some time at the Getty Museum in Southern California.

They have these wonderful metal sculptures that have Bougainvillea and Roses growing up through them to hang over the top and form shade as well as beauty.

A few of my favorite pieces that hang there are -

"Wheatstacks, Snow Effect, Morning" by Claude Monet

Just look at the beautiful color in both the haystacks and the snow.

"Les Iris" by Vincent Van Gogh

 

 

 

 

 

Overheard a guard say that they paid 90 million for this painting and it is now worth 108 million. Glad someone has money and can share this beauty with the world!

"Young Ladies Admiring Japanese Objects" by James Tissot

"Portrait of Louise-Antoinette Feuardent" by Jean-Francois Millet

"Portrait of Therese, Countess Clary Aldringen" by John Singer Sargent

"The Laundress" by Jean-Baptist Greuse

 This was a favorite find.  It was hidden around a corner and is small but sweet.  The laundress had dressed up in her Sunday Best for the portrait, not what she would usually wear to scrub clothes.  The frame is original and was designed by the first owner of this painting.

"Dancer Taking A Bow" by Edgar Degas

This is a little out of focus because it was in a room with very low light.  The Getty had all of their pastels and sketches in this room.

"Houses at Bougival (Autumn)" by Camille Pissaro

"The Portal of Rouen Catherderal in Morning Light" by Claude Monet

Mr. B checking out Monet's painting a little closer as we will be traveling to Rouen, France this Fall.

"The Promenade" by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

"Portrait of Maria Frederike van Reede-Athlone at Seven Years of Age" by Jean-Etienne Liotard

Time for a break.....

View of Santa Monica in the foreground and Los Angeles in the back