Descanso Gardens Part 1

Descanso Gardens is a 150-acre botanical garden located in La Cañada Flintridge, Los Angeles County, California. If you’re not sure where that is in the Los Angeles Metro area, it’s in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains northwest of Pasadena. Descanso has a fascinating history dating back to 1937, more information here.

Every holiday season, as do  many botanical gardens, they have a beautiful light show at night for guests. I have been lucky enough to see a number of botanical garden light shows, but I have to say this is the most incredible night show of lights I have personally seen. I have heard about this over the years, but until this year never went to experience it. Our daughter and her husband took their daughter to see it last year and all they could talk about was having us go this year with them. Our oldest daughter and her husband were flying down from Seattle to spend Christmas with us, so opening night (Monday before Christmas) our LA daughter, her husband and our granddaughter (plus a new grandson born this year) hosted all of us to a night at Enchanted Forest of Lights in Descanso Gardens.

I was absolutely not prepared for the incredible beauty of the evening. I loved their use of fog machines throughout to enhance the look and experience. I took some photos, but not on a professional level. Using just my I-phone I wasn’t able to get truly great night photos. Having said that, my son-in-law had his new I-phone 11, which does do night photography quite well. All of that being said, I wanted to share a taste of what we experienced. The photos I am sharing in part 1 are his (with his permission).  Part 2 (next week) are a few of my better ones that weren’t duplicates of his. I hope you enjoy!!!

Descanso Gardens 1

Descanso Gardens 2

Descanso Gardens 3

Descanso Gardens 4

Descanso Gardens 5

Descanso gardens 6

Descanso Gardens 7

Descanso Gardens 8

Descanso Gardens 9

Thoughts?

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Camellia Blooms In Pastel

Last winter, I shared a number of photographic captures of camellia blooms from our trees and bushes.  Each bush or tree is a different variety giving us a mix of colors and types. Doing some yard work this week, I saw that buds were forming on the camellias in preparation for this winters bloom. Today I wanted to share a couple of art prints I created using that photo shoot as an inspiration and template for some digital art.

I have attached two prints I created using a pastel chalk technique. To create a little more definition of the petals on the bloom, I used a very thin brush stroke. The first one is a pink bloom and the second one a red bloom and bud.

Camellia Pastel Pink Bloom

Camellia Bud And Bloom

Thoughts?

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More Hot Air Balloons in an Abstract Watercolor Look

I have featured hot air balloons from my gallery here a number of times using actual photography and various digital painting styles. Today I wanted to feature three I created using a soft abstract watercolor technique and then going back in and drawing lines to create the shapes of the balloons.

Subtle Abstract Hot Air Balloons

Hot Air Balloons In Red

Hot Air Balloons In Subtle Abstract

Not shy with color, I love the end result! Thoughts?

Side Notes:

1. Those of you that follow my blog, I had mentioned that I would be off all of August after having total knee replacement surgery August 8th. Recovery and Physical Therapy has been going well. It’s a long and steady process over a number of months, but I am up and around…walking without assistance (no walker or cane). End of last week I was cleared to start driving (bummer…I was liking being chauffeured around by my wife). So, bottom line getting back in the swing of things!!

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Balboa Park – More Spanish Revival Architecture

From my post a few weeks ago of the door at the Glendale Train Station in the Los Angeles area, I featured an example of Spanish Revival architecture. Continuing on that same vein, I wanted to feature another structure in California that was built in the same tine frame with the same style. In my attached sketches I have include three art prints that feature the Museum of Man in Balboa Park, San Diego, California. Built for the Panama – California Exposition (1915-1916) in Balboa Park, this style of architecture is prominent throughout the park. I chose to feature the Museum of Man, as it stands out so prominently as a representation of this style.

For those of you not familiar with the history of Balboa Park in San Diego, here’s a link to their main site: Balboa Park. The park features numerous museums, restaurants and the world famous Old Globe Theater and sits right next to the San Diego Zoo. Having raised our family in San Diego, needless to say we visited the park and the zoo numerous times over the years.

So the prints I decided to feature start with the main entrance to The Museum of Man. This sketch shows the ornate architectural detail just above the main entrance.

“Museum of Man”

The next sketch shows the top of the tower connected to the museum…..

“Ornate Tower”

And this last sketch  shows the entire tower along with the dome to the Old Globe Theater.

 

“The Tower and Dome”

Thoughts?

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Old World Fountain Urns – Featured Art Prints

This week I am featuring two art prints from my Gardens Gallery of large urns that I found in a garden fountain. I found the fountain at a Napa Valley winery, just outside of the tasting room. The fountain was quite large and had a distinct old world charm to it. Doing some research and questioning, I found out that the owner had these urns custom-made and shipped in from another country for that specific look. They sit on platforms in a shallow pool of water, with water bubbling up through the middle and coming out the top…just subtle enough to lend that soft bubbling water sound as it washes over the top rim and trickles down the outside of the urns.

With this as an inspiration for a couple of art prints, I chose a technique called gothic to recreate that old world painted look for these urns. This technique uses bold brush strokes and earthen colors giving the prints warm, aged tones.

Golden Large Fountain Urns

Two Large Fountain Urns

Thoughts?

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Think Positive 2018

In wanting to wish everyone a Happy New Year and a welcome to 2018, I have attached the following art print. I thought the message was appropriate as we start a new year!

Think Positive

Thoughts?

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God’s Grace – Featured Art Print

God’s Grace

To commemorate Holy Week with Palm Sunday yesterday and Easter next Sunday, I wanted to feature an art print I created using an abstract watercolor technique. The inspiration for the print is a statue of Christ carrying the cross in a garden on the grounds of a small chapel. Happy Easter!!

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