“Bright Hills” mini painting

“Bright Hills”, 2008, acrylic on paper, 5×5″ matted to 14×11″

While hiking in Topanga State Park (see “Topanga Mist”) I took a number of photos of the hills and the fog. Looking west toward the ocean, I could see the fog rolling in from the sea, filling the valleys like water flowing between the peaks. The closer bank of fog was backlit by the sun and seemed to glow as if lit from within. Less abstract than “Topanga Mist”, this painting is still a simple composition that allows my neo-Pointillism to really shine. I had a lot of fun with the wild colors in this one.

This painting is available matted $115, or matted and framed $145.

Email inquiries welcome: info@barbarajcarter.com

“Shadowed Hill” mini painting

“Shadowed Hill”, 2008, acrylic on paper, 5×5″ matted to 14×11″

The sun was lowering in the sky. Fog had begun rolling in from the ocean, filling the valleys of Topanga State Park and introducing a slight haze to the air. Distant hills and ridges took on a misty, blue appearance, like something out of a fairy tale. This painting captures the almost abstract quality of the moment.

This painting is sold, but others may be seen on my web site.

Email inquiries welcome: info@barbarajcarter.com

“Topanga Shadows” mini painting

“Topanga Shadows”, 2008, acrylic on paper, 5×5″ matted to 14×11″

Topanga State Park, late afternoon. The sun casts long shadows of the trees surrounding an open grassy field. Across the field the trees have begun to fade into indistinguishable darkness, just the tops lit by the lowering sun.

This painting is available matted $115, or matted and framed in a simple black frame $145.

Email inquiries welcome: info@barbarajcarter.com

“Jacinto Reyes” mini painting

“Jacinto Reyes”, 2008, acrylic on paper, 5×5″ matted to 14×11″

Taking Route 33 north out of Ojai quickly transports you to a completely different world. The highway, called the Jacinto Reyes Scenic Byway, twists its way through some of Southern California’s most beautiful and rugged terrain. Mile upon mile, the magnificent chaparral-covered hills rise above the road to either side. You quickly lose sight of anything manmade except the road itself. You might as well be on another planet, somewhere people have never set foot.

I always get excited when I stumble onto these remote regions, especially when they’re so easy to get to!

Still, I’m a little puzzled by this road. It’s in surprisingly good condition, seemingly newly repaved when I traveled it last fall. But it’s almost completely deserted. It doesn’t really go anywhere in particular: it connects to other roads which eventually lead to a few small towns. It’s certainly not a shortcut anywhere, nor even a reasonable alternate route to anyplace in particular.

There’s no reason to drive on this road, as far as I can tell, except to see the landscape. In this case, the journey really is the destination. It’s commonly said, but how often is it so true?

This painting is sold, but many others may be seen on my web site.

Email inquiries welcome: info@barbarajcarter.com

“Two Pines” mini painting

“Two Pines”, 2008, acrylic on paper, 5×5″ matted to 14×11″

This is the other pine-themed painting inspired by all the trees I saw while hiking in Sullivan Canyon last summer. Its “companion” is “Pines at Sullivan Canyon”, though of course the two don’t necessarily have to stay together.

This painting is sold, but many others may be seen on my web site.

Email inquiries welcome: info@barbarajcarter.com