"California Cypress"

"California Cypress"
14" x 18" Pastel on Sandpaper
© Monique Straub

The look and smell of the cool morning mist, and the graceful Cypress trees are two of my favorite things to photograph as we tour through the "17-Mile Drive" in Carmel, California. I'm already looking forward to another visit and lots more inspiration this coming summer!

"California Cypress" is framed in a wide dark brown, plein air style frame with gold liner and UV/non-glare museum glass, ready to hang and enjoy. Buy it now price $525 + $40 to ship anywhere in the continental US or Canada. Updated 6/21/15: Sold!

"Coastal Walk - Carmel"

 

"Coastal Walk - Carmel"
24" x 24" each, Oil on Canvas
© Monique Straub
 

My husband and I take a yearly trek to the Monterey, California area each August for "Historic Car Week." It's a fun filled week of everything vintage auto. One of my goals this year was to take photos of the vintage cars on the track, in the pits, and at the various car shows for studio painting projects. It is always fun to mix it up a little and paint a few cars and rusty old trucks amongst the landscape and botanical works that usually occupy my focus. Well, I took the photos, but just couldn't resist the beautiful scenery along the coast in Carmel. This scene was one of those "Honey stop the car!" moments. Taken along the road just behind the Carmel Mission, it was truly a painters paradise. The car and truck paintings are coming along...I promise :)

This panoramic scene has been painted in oil across two canvases, sides painted black, no framing necessary, ready to hang and enjoy! You may purchase "Coastal Walk - Carmel" here and have it shipped to your door, or purchase here and pick up at my studio/gallery at Liberty Station, Pt. Loma, and I will refund the shipping. $1050 + $40 to ship anywhere in the continental US or Canada. Updated 12/1/13: Sold...to a local collector...thank you!

"California Coastal"

"California Coastal"
12" x 12" Pastel on Sandpaper
© Monique Straub
 

My inspiration today looks forward to an upcoming trip to the Carmel/Monterey Bay area. Each summer my husband and I spend a week in Carmel during "Monterey Car Week." It's a fun filled week of auto shows, auto rallies, and historic auto racing. I've always been a car girl, and really enjoy these events, but an artist in Carmel? Yup, he's at the track and I'm in the galleries and studios mingling with fellow artists. It's my once a year opportunity to actually smell the oil on a Ken Auster painting, and visit the works of some of my favorite artists. The scenery is spectacular, and I always return with lots of sketches and photos. This scene of "California Coastal" is located along the Pt. Lobos trail, looking north toward Carmel. Craggy rocks, interesting trees and color streaked skies are everywhere!

Offered in a wide, brown, plein air style frame with gold liner and UV/non-glare museum glass, this piece is ready to hang and enjoy. Buy it here and have it shipped to your door, or buy it here and pick up at my Liberty Station studio and I'll refund the shipping fee. $295 + $30 to ship anywhere in the continental US or Canada. Updated 5/13/13: Sold...and on its way to Alberta, Canada!

Ocean Boulevard

"Ocean Boulevard"
14" x 18" Pastel on Sandpaper
© Monique Straub

My yearly trek to Carmel, California always serves to recharge my creative battery. A week in the ocean air, surrounded by some of the finest scenery in the world for inspiration, results in ideas galore. This is the scene facing west down the main street in this beautiful coastal art mecca. With more art galleries per capita than any other location in the country, it's not surprising that this is a magnet to plein air artists. Being the sissy that I am...I settled on going wild with my camera, and returning to the comfort of my studio to express my joy!

"Ocean Boulevard" is offered framed in a wide, dark brown, plein air style frame with antique gold liner and UV/non-glare museum glass. Ready to hang and enjoy. You may purchase here and have it shipped to your door, or purchase here and pick up at my Pt. Loma/Liberty Station studio and I will refund the shipping. $525 + $35 to ship anywhere in the continental US or Canada. Updated 2/2/13: Sold...and on its way to League City, Texas!

Daily Painters "California Coastal One"

New images from a recent trip to the Monterey/Carmel area have made it to my drawing board. I found so many inspiring scenes, I think I sketched and took over 300 reference photos! This was a breathtaking scene along the 17 Mile Drive at Pebble Beach. The fog was slowly lifting to reveal the graceful form of this lone Monterey Cypress.

Painted in soft pastel on sandpaper, this piece measures 12" x 16" and is framed in wide dark wood with UV/non-glare museum glass. Buy it now $365 + $30 to ship anywhere in the continental US or Canada. Updated 12/17/11: Sold, to one of my top collectors :)