Monday, October 12, 2009

Mountain View Cemetery - October 10 & 17, 2009

Saturday was sunny and bright in Oakland. I was early for the paint out with the East Bay Landscape Painters so I high-tailed it to the road up on the hill above Millionaire's Row at Mountain View Cemetery.



This is not exactly the view I had for my first painting (I was a little further down the road just in back of the statued monument - with a peek of the domed Oakland Columbarium through the trees. I left out the buildings in the background in the painting below.

Mountain View Monuments (9"x12"pastel) - Artist Janice L-H
This painting will be shown at the CELEBRATION OF ART Exhibit June 19th - July 10th, 2010*Antioch Historical Society Museum

I did rework this when I got home, darkening the liquid amber trees and highlighting the statue above the monument for emphasis.

There is a slight glare on the photo from the right but you can see what it used to look like here.

Once the group arrived I met them at the last fountain where we split up to paint. I had glimpsed one of my favorite statues on the way down the hill but got turned around going to the meeting place. Anyhow I saw the Veteran's Area where I think I will go next time to work up some of those great magnolia trees located there.


Finally finding the Angel at the end of the curve in front of a row of ornamental plum trees, I went to work.



Reclining Angel (12"x18" pastel) - Artist Janice L-H

Yes, I did rework this once I was home (I hope I'm not actually messing them up!) and you can see the original rendition here. I toned down the monuments, tree shadows and the sky and added some contour to the plum trees.



Can't wait to return next time!


Update for October 17:
View From The Hill (12"x18" pastel, Artist Janice L-H)
There's a long set of steps leading up this hill where there is a small water feature and roundabout big enough for one car. I - being me - did NOT go up all those stairs, I drove up there and found this view under an incredible oak tree. I did shorten the view because of the size of my paper but wanted to be beable to include the Crocker Monument as well as the Golden Gate Bridge (the top of the Oakland Columbarium peeking through the trees as well).
Wish I could have joined the rest of the painters last weekend!