May - June, 2007:  I have taken on a personal challenge to create a "painting a day"  (a painting a day keeps the doctor away!).  And the results so far a posted in a slide show below.   I create a basic "plein air" sketch while I'm out and about hiking the north coast area above Santa Cruz, as well as created some new landscapes from older works.  I use my sketches to create the final painting using Corel Painter.  I typically start with a watercolor under-painting, laying in broad blocks of color.  Then I use an impressionist "artist's brush" to create a sense of movement.  I then go back in with digital pastels to further define specific areas that have captured my eye.   I am hoping that this kind of exercise will help me break through in some new way.  Enjoy!