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La Jolla is right next to San Diego. After one big piece of cake you get another even bigger. That's how it feels to me in La Jolla. I'm mainly talking about the Village of La Jolla. This painting is from a short but unforgettable walk next to the La Jolla Cove. It's a narrow along the edge of a cliff with beautiful views. I painted the same painting first in watercolor and color pencils. Then much later in Czech Republic I felt like painting it again - digitally. If I didn't tell you you wouldn't know that if you sit on that bench you will be looking at the Pacific Ocean. You can see what this place looks like and the time-lapse of my painting in the following video.
Another Painting from San Diego. Actually this is Wind ans Sea Beach in La Jolla. I didn't know it when I painted it. Only when I was preparing a video about all my San Diego paintings I looked at the map. There are many places like this around San Diego. I'd say this was one of my first paintings in a new style that I call mosaic style. Painting within cut out shapes with uniform background. This painting is also one of my more abstract ones. I love the color palette. I got it from my photograph of Prague. Thus colors of the historical houses are reflected in the wild tides of this huge ocean. That"s my kind of synchronicity.
This little shelter is also from La Jolla Village. I took a photo of it on a cloudy "June Gloom" day. That's why the title. I tried to find interesting shapes in the foliage and bushes on this hill and also capture the strength and roughness of the Pacific. Colors are just a random choice, it is before I really started focusing on harmonizing colors and interesting color palettes. Every visit to La Jolla is deeply written into my memory. The seals, the views, the plants, the architecture, the sunsets the salty smell and taste and my hair becoming curly from the moisture ...
Spring Pyramid (around Temecula)
There are many places in the States which have native American names. Temecula is one of them. Another one is Menifee. I love the landscape there, especially in the spring, because it becomes a new Ireland - at least when it rains a lot in the winter. Everything is green. And there are these big molds of dirt which look like pyramids. That's what I used to see from our street. Also you could see the Mount Jacinto having a white cap of snow often in the winter after it rained. This area is already considered a desert and that's what it looks like most of the year - brown and dry. but spring is beautiful and this painting is one of the two from a lush green spring 2023.
On My Way (around Temecula)
We did a lot of driving around Temecula. We also had great things to do, like going to Pow Wows, Greek festivals, making movies - actually our first short one. This painting is from one of the trips around in the spring of 2023 when everything was fresh and green. And you can see the "pyramids" or volcanic hills in the distance. The color palette I used is based on my old drawing from Greece. Another special synchronicity. You will see the real life landscape in my time-lapse video below.
Mountain Colors (around Temecula)
Inland Empire is a large area east of Los Angeles and North of San Diego. It has many smaller and bigger towns, some of them have native American names like Temecula. It also has many big mountains like Mount Jacinto. The mountains in my paintings were rough often brown moulds of nothingness with sharper edges but they were beautiful in various kinds of light during the day and during the seasons. They are just next to the Mount Jacinto with frequent snow cap in the winter on one side and Temecula on the other. I used my mosaic technique and more muted but still bold color palette to emphasize the beauty of this landscape.
On the Horizon (Iowa)
I don't know much about this place. I know it is Crapi Park in Iowa. A friend had a nice photo on Facebook so I asked if I can paint it. She said yes, so I did. It came almost in a cartoonish style but I love especially the river - which is Mississippi river!
Joy (San Diego)
Del Mar is next to La Jolla. It has a horse racing track, annual fair and dog beach. Guess where is this from. I got a new iPhone and took photos of a beautiful sunset. There were just a few people and dogs. This painting was done with acrylic Procreate brush in a very unusually loose style - for me. I love it for that. And for the colors.
Mirroring (Mount Jacinto)
This is Mount Jacinto in the winter after a lot of rain. Another unusual painting because of its colors this time. I love using bold and vibrant colors and there will always be some kind of red. Not in this one. It is moody. That's what it felt like in that rainy period of the year. And this is desert and pools of water and misty mountains in the distance. I love winter in California.
Stony Point (LA)
There are two places in the US called Garden of the Gods. The one in the picture is a small park at the outskirts of Los Angeles where many movies were made. Zorro and Superman for example. But it is also a beautiful park, wild rocks and breathtaking views. Stony Point is a rock which looks like a mountain from biblical times. Or a good landing place for UFO!
Garden of the Gods (LA)
Stoney Point again, this time looking like a prehistoric space ship. My oldest Procreate landscape painting which I still consider one of the best. I love the contrasting colors and mixed style. I was experimenting and still discovering how far I can go in digital painting. And this place and memories of it were very inspiring.
Ocean Beach Sky (Ocean Beach)
San Diego has many beaches and some of them are for dogs. They are usually next to the normal beach. It is so also in Ocean Beach. This painting is based on my second oldest painting in the US which I made in watercolor. I kept the composition, decorative features and also the color palette to certain extent but I used my mosaic style this time. As a medium I used gouache Procreate brush - one of my favorites. In the end I'd say that this painting is a blend of my old decorative style and new mosaic style. This is also how I want others to se California beaches - very different from for example Greece - where I also lived. There is certain strength in everything, the sun is very bright, the Pacific is very mighty and the people are free and courageous.
Temescal Canyon Waves
Temescal Canyon is a passage roughly between Temecula and Corona. There is also highway 15 and anybody who wants to see blooming poppies can see them from this highway. Super bloom is a a period in spring in California which happens only after very rainy winter. And you can see yellow poppies and other desert flowers bloom. It is beautiful. I took a photo of these hills at that time but instead of poppies I did this. I was definitely inspired.. This artwork was done in illustrator so I could be considered more as graphic art or a poster. What is interesting about it is the fact that this is a predecessor of my mosaic style painting.
Cactuses (Arboretum LA)
Covid times were not much fun, so when an opportunity came to go somewhere interesting outdoors it became really a great fun. Arboretum in los Angeles would normally be just a visit to a nice place but this time it was a huge relief from siting at home and so I got excited and inspired. This is another work in Illustrator, quite loose and with good choice of colors. I was always fascinated by huge cactuses in California so here is a celebration of them!
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