Shark Harbor

This spot is far across the island, took about 90 minutes by off-road vehicle to get there. What was so intriguing to paint was the different rows of hills on the coast. Each one steps back in a lighter, hazier color. We had been warned about roaming buffalo out here which can bother the tourists. Apparently 14 buffalo were brought out here in 1927 to film a movie, and the herd has grown into the hundreds over the years. We did see a few on the trip back to town, but they stayed clear of us strange artists. If you click on the enlarged version, you'll see black spots all along the bottom of the painting. That is sand from the beach which got on the painting when I dropped it face first into the sand. Luckily, if you let the painting dry, you can rub off most of it.

Catalina Pier

The famous Green pier in Avalon on Catalina Island. Sure everybody paints this icon but I had to give it a shot myself. That bright aqua green on the buildings is the signature color on the island. In fact someone is painting that green somewhere everyday. As I was painting, the crew came by and repainted the hand rails near me. One of the hardest things with a scene like this is trying to paint while boats come and go. There must have been 20 boats that would dock for a bit and then leave. I opted to leave them out. That beautiful purple on the horizon is actually Los Angeles smog. For all the bad rap it gets, it sure makes a colorful sky.

Harbor Haze

My first painting in Catalina. We had just arrived by ferry to Catalina Island, and we're anxious to get out and paint. After a short stroll along the harbor I turned back to see this scene. The late afternoon sun was creating a yellow haze over the town of Avalon. Little did I know as I was painting this, I was coming down with a bad case of food poisoning. I had lunch at an outdoor sandwich shop, which had mayo on it sitting out in the hot sun. Shortly after I finished the sketch, I couldn't even stand up. I was out sick for the next three days. What a way to start a painting trip.