Doheny Palms, plein air oil painting 11X14

Painted completely en plein air, this is Doheny Beach, Dana Point, CA. It was our picnic day with SOCALPAPA, Southern California Plein Air Painters Association. We also had a little paint-out so I chose the palm grove above the picnic area. They are extremely tall and elegant. The whole atmosphere was one of a tropical essence, the day was warm, the breeze was blowing onshore, people were setting up canopies to shade themselves and the beach was filling up with people behind me. I liked the palm tree backdrop and tried to create a wispy, summery day feeling. It is 14"W X 11"H, oil on belgian linen, stretched onto stretcher bars, no frame. This is considered a work sketch, price is $125.00. It received lots of compliments also. This is now on eBay up for auction for a short time longer at the asking price of $125.00. There are several more original oils up there also if you are in the market for lovely art.

Sweet Innocence, little girl on beach, oil painting by Esther J. Williams

I have painted a figural oil, it's been a long time overdue. Last Sunday, I went to a picnic at Doheny Beach and saw the ultimate little child with the most adorable face. She was like an angel with that platinum hair curled by the sea air and wind. I had to paint her. She reminded me of my own daughter when she was young and I dressed her up in cute dresses. The shot I took was miraculous, as if it was meant to be. I spent an evening sketching her first, then the whole next day I tackled the painting. I departed from my larger brush strokes applied in plein air and impressionism and went semi-realism with a touch of being painterly. I wanted to do honor to this beautiful child for the first time I would paint her. I took several images so I will probably paint her again. I have slightly changed the dress, it had a pattern, but I wanted to make it simple and kept it all red. The ocean really was a gorgeous blue with aqua colors beyond the waves, it was the perfect beach day. I want to go back and find that little girl again, the aura about her was so pure. She was very well mannered and the pose she made was real, almost a curtsy. That's why I called this Sweet Innocence. It is 8"W X 10"H belgian linen stretched canvas. Price is $250.00 including a dark wide frame.

A Dangerous Catch Type Boat, oil painting

I got so excited when I saw this old fishing boat in the Dana Point Harbor. I went to paint with the SOCALPAPA artist's last Friday, July 17th and I think I swooned and babbled so much about how I would paint it that it got a few more artists painting it too! Anyway, I had wished I had a larger canvas. This is oil on linen over board 14"W x 11"H. I have purposely cut off the last quarter of the boat to give the front end the focal point. I watched it for awhile and mentally pictured how my scene would look in the end. There was a little dingy that would come by once in awhile with fish on it and the guys would stir up the pelicans and egrets. I felt it created drama and artistically placed them aroud the focal area under the boat's name, "Cachalot". I really loved painting this one and I think it shows. I have since gone back to where it was docked and it is still there. I want to paint it again, but there is so much going on right now with my art life. I am working on entering two more exhibitions. This was entered into the SOCALPAPA's summer online juried show. I will find out the results of the show next Sunday at our annual summer party. We will be at Doheny Beach having a potluck picnic!
I have also painted a small work study from my upper deck at my new house. I have a view of a canyon corridor that when the sunset dips behind it, it creates a new atmosphere every night. I am completely enthralled with this setting and want to paint it many times. Living within the two mile coastal climate makes our place have it's own weather patterns. I am eager to prepare many small linen panels to paint these little jewels in the future. I will also create a larger painting from several of them someday.
I am still unpacking and organizing our home. The Koi pond is done and we have had a Great Blue Heron problem, no fish lost, but I had to install the electric fence again. I am still working on planting lilies, irises and daffodils around the rest of the pond. I realized that Monet has influenced me more than an artistic way, I love to build a sanctuary pond and garden like he did. Mine is a smaller scale at this house. If I ever buy a larger plot of land, I will most definitely go larger. I have spent many an evening just sitting in a chair watching the fish swim and the sun set, it's very calming and rejuvenating too. Until next time I get a chance to write, enjoy your life, plant seeds, plants and spread love from your heart into the earth.

Moved into New Residence, setting up art studio

I am afraid I will still be offline with the blog for a little while longer. I have taken a long needed break from the internet to organize my new place of living. I hope to be back soon. All is well despite receiving two hard hits to my head while moving. One resulted in a concussion and it took days to recover. I am enjoying the ocean breezes at our new residence and the coastal atmosphere. The canyon corridor we live on is spectacular and will offer many views for plein air paintings right from my backyard and deck.
I entered into the San Clemente Plein Air competition from June 20-27. I painted a 9x12 oil on canvas and it sold already. I didn't get a chance to photograph it, maybe I can contact the new owners and get one. Until we meet again.

Happy 4th of July to all!

Artist out of sync

I wanted to let everyone know that I have been packing to move my overloaded abode in the past 7 weeks. I have been out of touch with my artistic self for the most part until I move. Actually, I have been reading and observing as an artist still with some stolen hours of painting to save my soul as a true artist. One can not deny thyself. My belongings of art including, antiques, vintage collectibles and art supplies could belong in the Guiness records. I am archiving many unbelievable tokens of valuable bits of history from my many years of purchasing collectibles and drawings, paintings and creative objects de art since I was 13. That's it, now you know the story of why I haven't posted a blog update for awhile. I have become a machine with interjections of the artist spirit saying, "What about me?" Until I settle into my new space in this crowded southern California location of the coast, I will be absent.
I did paint today after a break of seven weeks, it felt so strange but so emotional, then a high after it was done like I haven't experienced in a long time. I truly feel the kinship of being an artist today. Thanks to my crazed desire to ignore the schedule of being ready to move. Goodbye nature, I am moving, it's pure HELL!

Artist's New Website - www.estherjwilliams.com

I finally took the plunge and signed up with Clint Watson's Fine Arts Studion Online. I have spent the past two days building an official website with much of my available art on it. You can see it at www.estherjwilliams.com It is looking good but I have to add about 40 more paintings on there, it is time consuming. I am pleased with the presentation of the initial page of the site, the links, the categories and organization. I just wish the images could be larger and I could offer a multiple number of detailed close-ups for each painting. I am doing the 60 day free trial now, if I am content with the outcome of the complete site, I will stay on. Right now you can't look me up in his directory since I am not a paying member. Check out the website, it is nifty!
Recently sold is Easy Rider Dinghy - Balboa. I hand delivered this to a new client as she wanted to surprise her husband that evening. He proposed to her in front of this little boat, it carries a most pleasant memory for them, so now they have a beautiful painting of it to last them a lifetime. I am honored and touched by this, see the sold painting below. Easy Rider Dinghy - Balboa, oil on canvas 18"W x 14"H, framed.

Waterlilies and Koi Pondscape Oil Painting

The first digital image I placed here weeks ago has been deleted due to flaws in the color profile of my old desktop computer in which the colors had shifted too much. I had to bring my laptop in for repairs and was forced to use my old dinosaur computer. This latest image was composed on my upgraded laptop which has been calibrated. If it appears too dark or too light to you, then I suggest calibrating your monitor with the Spyder2 calibrator or any quality calibrator.
"Pondscape of Waterlilies and Koi" Here it is, I spent 8 days painting this beauty. It measures 48" wide x 24" high. It is oil on 3/4" depth canvas. It is not framed. Price is $1,250 including shipping. Click here to buy it now on eBay. It is a gorgeous work of art, it looks ten times better in person. See the added image of the painting placed above the fireplace in my livingroom. It truly gives a sense of depth to a wall, it takes you into the water with the fish. If interested in purchasing, contact me by going to my profile page and clicking on email or going to the eBay listing to contact me. I have many more close-up images on the eBay listing. Click on the image above to make it larger in another screen.