I recently finished two paintings for a charity auction for Balboa Park in San Diego. I enjoyed having an assignment like this - having a specific project but being free to choose my subjects within that parameter. Balboa Park is one of my favorite places - a very busy place with a huge variety of activities - but also containing so many different areas within it that the character of the park is quite diverse. The first painting was of a row of bikes standing in one corner of the park. It allowed me to contrast some of the historic architecture with a contemporary subject - and I loved the "character" of the different bikes.
In the second picture I chose Alcazar Garden, which is very secluded and has an almost medieval quality. It is surrounded by a portico - looking through an arch over the garden provided a wonderful "contre-jour" effect in the sunlight. The colors were very intense and reminded me of a stained-glass window. Overall I was pleased with the final pictures.
