"It Rained All Morning" © 16 x 20

This is one of the paintings that resulted from our March 2009 trip to the Visalia, CA area (Southern Sierra Foothills). We participated in a week-long paint-out sponsored by the California Art Club and the Sequoia Riverlands Trust. Arrangements were made for the artists to paint at three different private ranches in the area and the views were stunning. I wish we could have stayed for a month! The first day, we traveled to Battle Mountain Ranch. We had to drive several miles from Visalia to the ranch and on the way, the rain came down so hard that we had to slow our cars to a crawl several times. When we reached the higher elevation where the ranch is, it started to sleet and snow and blow. Not a very auspicious beginning, but it was exhilarating! It was actually too cold and windy to paint but we took abundant photos. This is a scene at Battle Mountain Ranch as the weather was just starting to clear. I loved the rich colors that resulted from the wetness and the reflections in the puddles.

"Grandpa's Workshop" © 11 x 14

‘Grandpa’s Workshop’ was one of the easiest titles to come by for my painting of this old rustic barn at Circle J-Norris Ranch. Located in the spectacular foothills of the Western Sierras near Springville, CA, Circle J-Norris Ranch was one of several beautiful ranch properties we had the opportunity to paint during this year’s CAC- Sequoia Riverlands Trust plein air painting event. As I was laying in the structure of the barn on my canvas an unexpected visitor walked by and said “Oh my, that’s Grandpa’s workshop. Grandpa spent nearly every day tinkering behind those doors.” Well Grandpa has passed on and the barn continues to intrigue passersby like myself. Interesting, I had a feeling there was something special about this place and felt compelled to paint it. I think Grandpa helped me paint this painting, don’t you? ---Frank Lennartz