“Bioswale and Live Oak”

 

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“Bioswale with Live Oak”, 9 x 12 oil on panel by Rita Alvarez

Here is my newest, hot off the easel painting. I created this painting on site, over several visits, and refined it later in my studio.

I selected this scene because of it’s unique beauty and ecological importance. It’s a Bioswale, and according to the University of California’s Arboretum in Davis, it  provides some of the same benefits as natural wetlands. It creates habitat for wildlife, recharges ground water, filters pollutants and reduces runoff. It was pure joy standing in the middle of such a unique environment while painting..  I will certainly be back.

UC Davis, Arboretum

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“Live Oak and Soft Rush Grass”

Today, I happily share with you my finished 9 x 12 graphite drawing. This drawing, “Live Oak and Soft Rush Grass” focuses on the historical beauty of the California Landscape.

 

The Figure in the Landscape, UCD Arboretum

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Today I practiced sketching the figure in the landscape at the UC Davis Arboretum in Davis CA, in hopes of finding inspiration and a good composition.

The Arboretum was in spectacular form this warm February day. People, shrubs, trees, grasses, texture and color at an almost overwhelming rate! After a few warm-up sketches I began to see and understand what the sun’s rays had to show me. My hands were warmed up and my graphite pencil moved quickly over my page to capture the gesture of the forms in front of me.  You can still see the lines underneath my “sketch”. Unless I making a “drawing” I leave the gesture lines alone. I feel they add life and motion.

I’d like to thank my wonderful models that allowed me to study the relationship of the figure in the landscape. UCD students Josie & Lizzie, History and Environmental Science majors respectively, your awesome!