Petaluma Evening (2018)

Things we easily miss

Petaluma is a small city in Northern California. As you cross the Golden Gate Bridge out of San Francisco, and pass through Marin County, Petaluma is the gateway to Sonoma County on Highway 101 there. You’ll know it because while Marin County is pretty nice, in Sonoma County you suddenly enter this area of nearly endless rolling hills and oaks.

Petaluma Evening (2016),24x30” oil on panel

I had wanted to branch out from vineyard related paintings for a bit, after having done a few, and part of that was from wanting to explore this area more. I just said that Petaluma is endless rolling hills, but this painting only indicates two such, and focuses on trees; well, actually it focuses on light.

Sometimes, as in this painting, there is essentially no pre-drawing, I just paint as I go.

On the same trip where I took reference for this painting, I also took reference for 2 other paintings I produced after this, and a handful of potential future paintings I may never do. I saw enough gorgeous stuff in one afternoon walking around to inspire a dozen paintings. Now it’s just a matter of finding them time to paint them!