Ocean Beach Palette

 

I first saw the Pacific Ocean at age 11.  My introduction was on a foggy, chilly summer day at Ocean Beach in San Francisco.   For most people, Ocean Beach might not be a California postcard image, but for me, it is home. Years later that muted palette is still an inspiration.   

Mexican Sunsets

Mexican Sunset, acrylic on paper, 12"x9"

Typically I don’t paint sunsets, and purple is not a color with a prominent place in my palette.  But, when you are on vacation, rules can be broken, extra desserts, sleep in late, do nothing if you like, and paint sunsets.  I am home from Mexico now, so it time to get back to my routine.

Tropical Choices

Painting Calm

There are many positive and appropriate ways to respond to the horrible state of the world.  And in no way do I want to be either dismissive or ignore what is happening.  But, just to maintain my own personal sanity and not be overwhelmed by anger, sometimes I need to paint something calm and quiet like the old barn at Año Nuevo State Park.

Paleta Pacífica

Bahía de Banderas

mixed media collagescape, 18”x6”x1.5” on board

My latest collagescape is inspired by a very different Pacific Ocean.  The colors in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico are not the ocean colors of the cold Pacific in Northern California.  It is a piece of art to look at when I want to warm up in a chilly San Francisco summer. 

Collagescapes are a series where I combine landscape painting and collage.   I start by painting paper with areas of color representing the palette of a specific place. Next I cut up the painting into hundreds of small pieces.  The final step is to randomize the pieces and then reassemble them.  Collagescapes are both landscape paintings and collages. They may appear abstract, but the intent is to retain the color palette of the places they represent.

Tennessee Cove

Tennessee Cove, acrylic on paper, 12”x9”, 2016

The beach is closed due to erosion and dangerous high surf, and even with a few rain showers, a Tennessee Valley hike like the one we took last Saturday is always inspiring.

Pacific Collagescape

Pacific, 24”x24” mixed media on board

This is the biggest piece in the Collagescape series so far.  It seems fitting that it is inspired by the big ocean, the world’s biggest ocean that I live only 4 miles away from.  The nicest way for me to get there is a good long walk through Golden Gate Park with a rewarding arrival at Ocean Beach at the end.  And if I need a reminder, most days a cool breeze kicks in and blows across my neighborhood.  Of course, many days and most summer nights, the ocean wraps my City in cool, gray Pacific fog.  Even if I can’t see the Pacific when I look out my window, I know it’s there.  I can feel it.

Pacific will be included in my Collagescape exhibit opening on July 29.

A print and other merchandise is based on a section of this work and available form Society 6.

Surf’s Up!

Surf, 24”x6” mixed media. collagescape on wood panel

The Collagescape Series definitely needs a seascape, and here it is. a panoramic piece, a small glimpse of the Pacific Ocean horizon made out of approximately 2,500 small pieces of painted paper.  

Surf will be included in my Collagescape exhibit opening on July 29.

Surf,  24”x6” mixed media. collagescape on wood panel

I've got an island in the Pacific

It’s time for the next installment in the Geo Graphic Mail series to head out to the post office.  This round incorporates postcards from the Athletic Model Guild and similar images from the 1950’s.  They have been “censored” with various Pacific Islands form a period, 1952, map of the Pacific Ocean from National Geographic.  As I was working on these I was reminded of July Holliday’s recoding of An Occasional Man which begins, “I've got an island in the Pacific…”  Additional cards from this series can be seen at tofuart.com.