Point Lobos as Inspiration; an exhibition of paintings by Mark Farina, showing June 4th through July 1st at the Carmel Art Association. This show is part of a body of work shown at the Pacific Grove Art Center last Month.
This body of work is comprised of 27 painting of the Point Lobos Reserve. Some paintings have been done on location and some in the studio inspired by the studies done on site.
In the following journalI will explain a little about the paintings and what inspired me to paint that particular scene.
China Cove has always been one of my favorite
places to paint in the Reserve.
It is usually protected from the wind and
warmer than the more exposed areas
(provided the wind is not coming up from the south).
The composition is pretty much ready made
and the color of the water in the cove is a brilliant aqua blue-green.
China Cove 30" x 24" oil
I have four versions of this scene: a plein air (on location) 14” x 11”,
a studio painting shown here 14” x 11”,
a large studio painting 30” x 24”oil, and a watercolor painted on location 20” x 16” (framed).
All the above paintings were painted in 2008.
China China Cove 14"x11" oil
China Cove 14"x11" w/c
Another watercolor painting done in 2008 at Whalers Cove from top of the bluff looking along the northeast cliffs. I remember this was a very windy day, which is not uncommon to this perch. I could paint in three different directions from this spot and get three good compositions.
Looking Towards Big Dome 16" x 14"/ 24" x 20" framed
9/08
Point Lobos East is a recent addition to the Reserve but is not as yet open to the public except by foot. At one time this property was zoned for commercial use. There were plans for this area to be developed. The property is right across Highway 1 from Monastery Beach, north of the entrance to the Reserve and to the Monastery. The Big Sur Land Trust was instrumental in securing this property and turning it over to the State Parks System. Quite a few years ago I participated in an event to celebrate the preservation of this land.
I was at Monastery Beach finishing up with my Carmel Foundation painting class, when a fellow friend and painter, Jeff Smith appeared. He was out checking out a place to paint. Jeff and I were part of a group that used to go out on Saturday mornings in the mid 1990's. At that time their were about six of the group who were not members of the Carmel Art Association, now all of us are members and Jeff was President of the Association last year. Who would have thought back then.
I packed up my gear decided to do another painting with Jeff. We had not painted together for a long time so it was a treat to paint with him again.
Monastery View From Lobos East 14" x 11" oil
1/09
Bluefish Cove 24"x20" oil
Bluefish Cove adjacent to Whalers’ Cove. Studio painting
(24" x 20") from a previous plein air study. I no longer have the study, but had a good deal of positive feedback on this composition so I've done a larger version.
I started the 14x11 quite late in the afternoon, too late to really
finish the painting. With the aid of a photo I finished the painting in the studio.
The shadows c
ast on the foreground against the warn lit areas are what attracted me to this scene.
Both these painting were done in January, 2009.
Bluefish Cove 14"x11" oil
Weston Cove 11" x 14" oil
Weston Cove is named after the famous photographer,
Edward Weston.
I went out to this spot quite late in the day, about an 1 ½ before sunset.
It’s usually not advised to paint looking into the sun, but the cloud pattern was too good to resist, so I went for it. It was not very easy on the eyes. The plein air piece is an 11 x 14.
I took a few reference photos and did a larger studio painting, a 16” x 20“ during the same week while the image was fresh in my memory. As can be seen I made few changes in the larger painting.
Painted the week of Jan. 9th, 2009
Weston Cove 16"x20" oil
Looking South Over The Slot 11" x 14" oil
These two painting were painted from the Sand Hill Cove pull out. They were done just about a year apart, the top painting in '08 and the lower painting February, 9th of this year. This years painting was a challenge due to the weather, I had to get right under the back lid of the van. Putting up with the weather conditions was well worth it, great sky and a heavy surf. Standing in one place painting you could feel the boulders rumbling around in the cove.
Looking South -Winter Storms 10" x 18" oil
I am in the process of painting a much larger rendition of the above scene, 36" x 72", which will be the center piece of the show.
March 23
Looking South 18" x 36" oil
Paintings sometimes inspire other paintings. The initial painting was done en plein air (on location) on a blustery winter day. The winter storms produce some of the most dramatic skies. I wasn’t sure if I could even get a painting in - between the squalls of rain. The painting and the experience that day inspired me to do a major piece for this show. The final painting is a 36”x 72” (3 x 6 feet). When I do a painting this size I don’t want to have any doubt about how to pull it off, so a studio study was also done, a 18” x 36”. Sort of a rehearsal for the final piece. There are slight differences in each version, each size had it’s own requirements.
Grand View South 36" x 72" oil
2/16/09
View of Pt. Lobos From Monastery Beach 8" x10" oil
Every painting has it’s own inspiration and story as to why and under what
circumstances it was painted . Today, February 16, was not to promising
For painting on location. California was having a system of winter storms.
But about 10 am there was a break in the storms which made for good skies
filled with beautiful clouds. I did a nice 8x10 during this window of opportunity.
I wanted to take a reference photo for a possible larger piece but the batteries in my camera were dead.
When I got back to the studio I was really pleased with the small study. Not having a reference photo I decided to do a 16" x 20" right away while the image of the scene was fresh in my mind. I think this was the first time I have followed up a plein air study with a larger piece on the same day.
View of Pt. Lobos From Monastery Beach 16"x 20" oil
Feb. 20th
China Cove 10" x 8"oil
I did these two paintings on location the same day, China Cove in the morning and Side of Big Dome in the afternoon. I think both paintings would work in a larger format. I'll probably do the China Cove in a 24" x 20" first and the Big Dome in a narrower proportion; 24" x 18".
Side of Big Dome 14" x 11" oil
China Cove Cliffs 24" x 20" oil 
Completed in late March, this is the painting referred to after the air study. Sometimes paintings speak to the artist asking for improvements or finishing touches. I added the Gulls the day the show opened, 4/10.
March 20th
Wednesday after teaching my class I went to the Reserve for an afternoon painting on the far side of China Cove. I noticed this rock formation on an earlier painting foray. I like the afternoon light at this spot. The near rock in shadow made a nice contrast to the sunlit rock with the natural arch.
Spring was in the air too. A pair of Gulls were roosting just off to my right. They look like very protective parents dotting around their cliff top nest.
Natural Arch Near Bird Rock 9" x 12" oil
The wildlife of the Reserve is a fascinating subject for observation. I didn't think this exhibit would be complete without some paintings of the inhabitants.
.
China Cove Residents 13' x 7" w/c
Whalers' Cabin 16" x 12" w/c framed
These two watercolor were just painted in March. The cabin is now a museum housing
whaling artifacts used at Point Lobos when it was a whaling station and oil processing site.
I have a couple of illustrations mounted inside that I did about 17 years ago.
Headland Cove painted on march 25th as a demonstration for Carmel Adult School Class. It was a bit windy this day so I sought out a protected area along the cove trail. Sometimes the conditions are a factor in choosing a spot to paint. An audience of about five students watched as this painting was being done.
Hidden Beach is a great place to paint because it is well protected from the wind. The oil painting was the final painting completed for this show, painted on April 1st.
Hidden Beach Pines w/c 20" x 16"
Hidden Beach Pines oil 9" x 12"
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