Author: Lisa Mahony

Lisa Mahony is an American contemporary fine artist who loves painting scenes of California in oil, gouache and acrylic. She shows her original artwork in galleries in Ventura and in September in San Marino, California at The Old Mill. Lisa's natural language is painting. Her earliest memories are of drawing and creating a storyline in order to paint. It is the easiest way for her to communicate all the beauty she sees in the world. Painting en plein air (on location, usually with friends) is a great way to meet people and get better together. I paint and sketch daily and I also enjoy painting challenges.
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Splash, the painting that almost wasn’t.

I painted this February 24th, at the beach. It was amazing. The fog started rolling in and it changed everything. Truly, I can’t make this stuff up!

It was so fun, I was pulling out my gear as fast as possible. Probably shaking a little from sheer giddiness. There is no way I could have worked from a photo either. The iPhone’s colors were way off because of the sunset and fog combination.

And what happened to wearing masks? Is the beach a covid-free zone? No one told me. Eh, I still wore mine, it helped keep me warm.

I liked it so much I decided to bring it to the gallery. I packed up and once I pulled out onto the highway, I remembered I left my palette and painting on top of the tonnele cover.

I looked behind me but I didn’t see it. I turned around and went back home and it wasn’t anywhere. I then retraced my route. It made it out of the neighborhood onto the side of the highway! I can’t believe I found it. I then drove over the painting, grabbed my palette and then reached under the truck to get the painting. I was expecting a complete disaster but it was perfect. Well, no more using the tonnele cover as a table!

Take care my friend,

Lisa

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Painting Broadbill at Ventura Harbor Village & my Studio

Well, this was an experience!

I started painting en plein air again. That means you stand in front your subjects and paint them. It’s part of my warm up for an event in May. More on that in another post.

Part of the plein air experience is to be part of the scene and respond to it. I was just trying to stand, it was really windy. It was also cold but the cold was kept at bay with my outfit. My outfit completely changes me from what I normally look like, which is muted colors and jewelry.

My plein air look

Black trench coat
Baseball cap
Giant black headphones
Black fuzzy booties

I look like I am in hiding out or I escaped from a cult but I was wonderfully warm.

Plein air painting keeps it fresh and challenging. There is no other way to get fresh color like this. The wind won out in the end as it was moving my arm too much. I did get to meet some nice fishermen.

I went home and started the studio version, using a photo I took, plus the plein air study. The study had all the lovely color information that I needed. The photo was for structure and all the fun bits on ships and boats.

I chose this vessel because it was black and white, a fun challenge to paint. Especially, since I don’t have black on my palette. White, yellow, red, blue and green is what I use.

Time to mix! That was fun mixing different shades of black. Green-black, blue-black, red-black and my favorite orange-black. It was fascinating seeing all those lovely colors inside the black.

So here it is.

Broadbill
11″ x 14″
on a cradled wood panel
$525.00

I will be at Harbor Village Gallery on Friday, February 26th @ 11 am along with this painting, stop by and visit.

Take care out there,

Lisa