I drove along the Ten Mile River in the morning.

I saw this view.

512. Rustic Cabins in the Morning Oil painting by Mariko Irie

Lupines were blooming, clouds are flying and rustic buildings.

Do you smell morning fresh air?

I have never been under this bridge, so I went to. Then I saw this view.

511. Under Ten Mile River Bridge Oil painting by Mariko Irie

A big and dynamic curve of the bridge in the nature is stunning.

I just found that MacKerricher State Park. Extending from just north of the Fort Bragg city limits to Ten Mile River.

I have friends who live almost South end of MacKerricher State Park and live the North end.

Some day I want to hike the end to end of MacKerricher State Park and meet both friends.

When I was driving to Mendocino from Fort Bragg, I saw this beautiful view. So I had to turn around.

510. Jug Handle Beach in Summer Oil painting by Mariko Irie

It was very low tied. So normally Ocean meets creek. But it didn’t happen.

Then it made a beautiful, colorful line and Ocean is sparkling emerald green and blue.

I felt so summer in Mendocino Coast.

The last Saturday, June 23 was Mendocino Art Center’s 20th Anniversary Mendocino Coast Garden Tour,

I wanted to go to other gardens, but I got out house late. When I got in Mendocino, it was already noon.

Mendocino Art Center scheduled me to paint out at the Harmony Woods.

I went to there.

Wow. It’s in a redwood forest. It’s fantastic. It’s an Art, Living Art. Because plants are living, growing.  And the owner decorate with very charming stuff. Some of them are funny. Anyway I’m very pleased to see  how the owners are enjoying creating this property.

The owners, Judy and Bob have created this garden for 20years.

It’s a man made, still there is harmony with nature. That I love about. And being there makes me relax and peaceful.

Fist I strolled as taking photos. I was so overwhelmed. I didn’t know what to paint. Anyway I had to paint. So I sat up my easel where doesn’t disturb the traffic in the flower garden.

I painted this painting first. Dark redwood forest is background, a few shad of purple flowers and the green, which was glowing by afternoon sun.

507. Harmony Garden Oil painting by Mariko Irie

Just colors attracted me so much.

Before I finished this painting, the lady bought it.

She told me that they have a second house in Irish Beach, this painting’s colors match to the room.

Then we named this painting “Harmony Garden” together.

I painted “ The End of a Rainy day” on 6”x6” panel in the last winter. It was on Mendocino Headlands CA.

I like it so much, so I wanted to paint bigger, which is this “Glow on a Rainy Day” on 12” x 16” panel.

504. Glow on a Rainy Day oil painting by Mariko Irie

On a computer, 6” x 6” and 12” x 16” are not much different. Just dimension/proportion is different.

But real world, as you know, size difference is big different. I love to paint on big surface. I feel much better.

I used brush and pallet knife on this painting. It came out just right. I’m very happy with it.

I stare this painting as enjoying peaceful evening.

I wanted to paint very simple composition and still very attractive painting.

It was at Laguna Beach. This area, there is no rock anything. It’s a very flat and long beach.

503. Crashing Wave oil painting by Mariko Irie

It’s very simple composition and showing power of wave. I love the breaking point, where water is dancing. This painting satisfied me very much; I love to paint similar scene and composition on very big surface some day.

A few days ago, in Santa Rosa it was over 90 degree outside. I wanted to jump in cool water. But still I wanted to paint a picture. So I decided to paint translucent waves. Then I painted this “Waves”.

502. Waves oil painting by Mariko Irie

Footmarks are my wish, which is going into cool water.

I love this weather. It makes my life vibrant and dries oil painting much faster than cold wet season.

It was a fogy morning. I was going to the Northcoast Artists Gallery in the morning and parked my car at the parking lot of the Skunk Train. The train was just about leaving.

501. Skunk Train in Fort Bragg oil painting by Mariko Irie

When my sons were little, we took the train. It goes over the pudding creek, which is so beautiful and going into woods in Willits.

When I was a little, going to my grandparents’, we used to take trains, which were steam engines.  It was a long ride from Tokyo to Kanazawa. It was very enjoyable. There were mountains, ocean, villages, towns, and cities along the ride all day long. Every stations offered special lunch boxes, and vendors carrying lunch boxes to windows of trains for sale. So we didn’t need to get out from train. In Japan, every country has own special food. It’s a part of highlight for traveling.

And tunnels. After going through tunnels, some of them brought to different world. For example, after through the tunnel, it was a snow country.

Several years ago, we took train to Kanazawa. It’s much faster, nice seats, interior, and room temperature was perfect. But tunnel, tunnel and more tunnels. I couldn’t enjoy view. It was a big disappointment.

Riding Skunk train in Fort Bragg has nice scenery.

By the way, coming Saturday, June 23, 10am -5 pm, will be Mendocino Art Center’s 20th Anniversary Mendocino Coast Garden Tour.

I will be painting one of the gardens, Garden at Harmony Woods in the afternoon: http://www.mendocinoartcenter.org/MyLasso/AnnualShows/GardenTour12/Harmony_Woods.html

Please join us. It sounds very beautiful and interesting gardens. I’m looking forward to painting there and seeing you.

I have painted every day after I came back from Mendocino Coast.  I have been so busy painting, I don’t make digital file of these paintings yet.

In Santa Rosa, it’s so warm now days. I love it. I have painted waves, fogy scene…..

399. Wow oil painting by Mariko Irie

I painted this painting “Wow”, when I was in San Diego.

I missed what the surfer did. But from these audiences, I guess that he did some awesome action.

The other surfer is giving the surfer “Cool” sign. The girl’s armed dropped from surprising her and the body of other girl in mother’s arm moving forward exited.

It’s a nice scene of warm day at the beach.

After we finished our show in San Diego, I got home in Santa Rosa.

The rose plants by my window of bedroom, which got so tall and roses were blooming.

Before I left to San Diego, they were all buds. It was only 17 days ago,

By the way, thank you for coming to our show at Gallery 21, Spanish Art Center in San Diego.

I got new friends. And some of them remembered my paintings at the Museum of the Living Artist and even I won the best prize.  That pleased me, because I was over whelmed by so many people and good painters in San Diego. I didn’t expect anybody remembered me beside my friends in San Diego.

It was fun. Especially my grandson played with me.  I know that pre soon he loves to play with his friends and he will not play with me.

I got bad flue one week after I got in San Diego. So my energy level was so low and lost voice one day…………

During our show, one gentleman came to see me and he brought me tickets of San Diego Museum. He was so generous and thoughtful. He thought I might like the Kimono show. I was so pleased, because one thing, I didn’t know Kimono show ”Dyeing Elegance” at the museum. And the show was excellent.

This museum brings very good shows. If you are in San Diego, check San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park.

After I painted this “Red Rose”, I had to go to Mendocino Coast to take care galleries with my bad flue. It was drug. But I was so happy to see my friends. Even I said that I had flue, they said “So what” and hugged me.

500. Red Rose Oil painting by Mariko Irie

I went to Mendocino Art Center. I met the manager of the gallery.

She offered me my solo show in July 2013. She told me “ How easy it is, because we know you.” I’m very appreciated.

I’d like to mention that no rental fee and I don’t need to be gallery sitter neither. In San Diego, at first jurying, then always artists pay rent for showing space.

So I can announce that I will have my solo show in July 2013 at Mendocino Art Center.