A Small Channel Islands Plein Air -- Santa Cruz Island

View From A Kayak © Marian Fortunati 6"x8" Oil on Linen
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You Never Know
You may remember that I went to the Channel Islands back in September with David Gallup and a group of artists.  We all had a wonderful time and I painted many studies during the trip and several studio pieces afterwards.   I posted and talked about the trip so much that I figured everyone who reads this blog had grown tired of it.   I never posted the last three plein air pieces from the trip.

Lately I've been really busy painting some more complicated pieces.   Once again I'm trying to paint for a show.  All painting... nothing finished enough to post and no blog posts.   I guess I need to catch up.

The good news is that three of the last shows my work has been in have sold my paintings!!!   What a thrill!

	From the kayak

A Surprise
Then the other night, a wonderful follower from the internet told me she wanted to buy one of my Channel Island plein air paintings.    She wanted it as a gift for her husband.  She hasn't even been the the Channel Islands,  but maybe she will one day.   I hope so... just so she can see them in person!   It's a place that should not be missed.

You just never know.   I was figuring that no one was really interested in even seeing any more of my Channel Island plein airs.  Now that someone seems to have been interested enough to purchase one, I decided that just to finish up posting the series.   I will post the last three before I post any of my current work.

For this little painting, we were anchored off the largest Island of the Channel Islands, Santa Cruz Island.   We were either at Twin Harbor or Platts Harbor (I can't remember which).   Most of us who were on the ship had gone out on a kayak to paint.  Having done it once before, I decided to try paddling out to paint once again.   I found my spot.  I was trying to capture the beautiful shadow and light pattern on the sides of the cliff in the inlet.

I had a great time.  This time I had more trouble because the kelp bed I "parked" in wasn't very thick and the strands kept letting my kayak drift away.   I had to keep paddling back to my spot and trying to re-attach.  However, I didn't lose my camera overboard and I was able to paint a little study.

It was a beautiful way to spend the morning!

 

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