High Desert Sun Set

Moving to the High Desert in 2003 was difficult for me; I am a city girl. I never thought I would live in the desert environment, vacation yes, but live on the High Desert, NO!
Years have passed; I have enjoyed sun sets with intense color vibration, lightening that zigzags to the ground followed by thunder booming its angst as it rolls across the darkened sky, and the whiteness of a blanket of snow in winter.
I am a landscape painter in ah of how beautiful the seasonal changes are in the High Desert.

Happy New Year!

Planning for 2012

Think about what you want to complete in 2012.
1. Write down your ideas and how you will accomplish the task.
2. Separate into 6 month, and 12 month goals.
3. Add a completion date for each goal.
4. Be realistic about what can fit into your schedule.

For me, New Year's Day is my assigned day to write down my goals and how I will accomplish them for that year. With coffee in hand and Microsoft Word page open, I free-write all the ideas that come into mind. Then one by one I elaborate and tweak until I have a doable business plan for the year.

Comment on how you make your business plan for the New Year.

Happy New Year everyone!

2011 Zip

Did you complete your 2011 projects? Still time!
I am writing a book proposal, target date December 31st. So, you know what I am doing in the quiet hours of early morning.
Today I will attend a California Writers Club reading at the Barnes & Noble in Victorville, Ca. Barnes & Noble will contribute a percentage of sales to CWC High Desert Branch starting December 11 - 16, 2011.
Use ID #10620284 at time of purchase. You can now buy the books on your wish list on-line or in any store using this ID #

Ho Ho Ho Everyone!

Christmas Palette

I just couldn't resist painting a Christmas Palette!

B

HO HO HO!

Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas
Note Card/Envelop 5"x7"
©2012 Barbara Parish



Oh! This was fun. I like to get excited about Christmas after Turkey Day. But, the cards need to be finished by Dec 1st. I painted twelve different designs. These are from my memory, hand sketched, hand painted, and not copied.

This morning I shopped for Thanksgiving Day. Turkey and all the trimmings are in the kitchen.
You guessed it, I am hosting a 2:00 pm dinner for my family and friends.
One thing about the High Desert, when rain is expected, Hesperia could get snow. Alt. 3200 ft.

I would enjoy a White Christmas!

Hand Painted Christmas Cards

Today I am painting Christmas Cards for Family and Friends.
Friday I sketched designs on the blank note cards. Today I plan to watercolor paint these cards to make them come alive with a message of Christmas Blessings.
Throughout the day I will post images and talk about each one.

In Friday's watercolor class I demonstrated the how-to for sketching and painting Holiday/Christmas Cards. I gave suggestion to stimulate the imagination of the Friday Painters. FUN!

Check back for the image postings.

The Map

This intimate painting, Man on a Journey, can you feel his anticipation for travel and his delight with deciding where to go?

My new landscape paintings for 2012 will feature people in action.

I will exhibit them on two web sites, Barbara Parish

Watercolor Landscape Painter and Women Artists of the West

Holiday Reminder:

* If you are gifting an original watercolor painting, give me enough time to package and mail before the holidays. I will holiday wrap and send directly, with your message on a hand painted card or send wrapped to you with a hand painted card you can sign.

I offer Paypal for a secure transaction.

Original Watercolor Paintings

* Be aware of your surroundings this holiday season, don't be surprised by unexpected trouble. Be safe and enjoy the season.

Barbara

The Color of Fall

Color of Fall
Watercolor on Paper22"x15"
© 2011 Barbara Parish

With the change of season comes cooler weather. Time to start the jeep and wonder the back roads of the High Desert looking for my next visual story.

The Color of Fall, rich, intense, warm color. This landscape was cluttered with a broken fence bordering other green trees and many ground shrubs hiding the large weathered rocks.

I designed this painting showing the illusion of space and the Color of Fall.

More information click Color of Fall

Lightening - Rolling Thunder - Rain

The High Desert of Hesperia received a heavy down pour this morning. Lightening zipped to the ground and thunder rolled across the desert sky. I enjoyed my morning coffee on the patio looking at 180 degree view of the storm working its way across the desert. Beautiful!
This week I will paint in the vineyard. The clusters are turning a reddish purple and the bird nets are in place. I am expecting a September Harvest...depends on sugar content.
I'll be posting paintings soon.

May Best of Show

Spring Promise
Watercolor Paper 22"x15"
© 2011 Barbara Parish

Spring Promise half sheet image in a Cherry Wood frame 32"h x 27"w Watercolor Painting. I was thinking of Mom when I painted this flower spray in my Hesperia studio.

Happy Mother's Day Mom

Spring Promise received May Best of Show. On display for the month of May at Hemet Valley Art Gallery. barbaraparish@verizon.net

Analogous Color Scheme

Using colors not recognized in the landscape gives juice to the painting.

For this painting I used an analogous color scheme: Magenta, Purple, Ultramarine Blue, with complement Yellow Green.

Choose your own color scheme.

Analogous Color = three colors next to each other on the color wheel.

In my Watercolor Creativity Class I teach technique and the courage to paint.

Contact me for class information barbaraparish@verizon.net

Cold Day ~ Rainy Sky

"Reflective Passage"

Cool Colors, a passage that needs to be explored, all inspired me to paint this scene.
Plein Air Painting
Watercolor Canvas Board 10"w x 8"h
Visit my web site BarbaraParish

Western Sky

"Western Sky"

Red sky at morn, sailor be warned

Red sky at night, sailor delight

Author unknown

Watercolor paper 22"w x15"h

Studio Painting

Cold Day ~ Rainy Sky

On Location with PAAR

The reflection of palms shows a cool cloudy ski. Reflections are suggestive with a romantic feel. I tried to capture that feeling.

Watercolor Wrapped Canvas 12"h x 4"w

Visit my web site for more information BarbaraParish

Ski Wrightwood

Ski Wrightwood

This morning on the High Desert the snow capped mountains captured my attention. I painted on wrapped canvas 12"w x 6"h. Wrapped canvas can hang without a mat or frame because the one and a half inch sides are painted like the rest of the landscape and will hang against the wall.

You can see more Plein Air Paintings on my web site: Barbara Parish

2011 Time to Paint!

The holidays are over, the rain is over for now, and its time to paint on location.

This Monday morning I will paint a vista in the High Desert. My intent is to capture the cool distant mountains and the warm grayed green shrubs on the desert floor. Oh Yes! the Joshua Trees are tall and command attention. Soon they will be in bloom, large ten inch white blooms.

Today I will paint on oil canvas treated with a layer of absorbent gesso. Interesting!

On the Road Again

"Sentinel Duty"

I drove to Palm Springs on a beautiful warm morning in January to paint at Andreas Canyon. This canyon has many tall palms shading a rushing stream. I sketched four thumb nails (3"x3"size in my sketchbook) then got out my painting gear.

In this 12"h x 9"w watercolor panting the palms and boulders guard the entrance to a rushing stream. The desert colors are intense.

I felt the temperature change around 3:00 pm as the sun started to disappear behind the mountain. I signed my name on the painting, then packed my gear to head for Hemet.

Visit my web site barbaraparish to see a new En Plein Air Paintings page. This page is under construction now and will be a continuous feed to my painting adventures.