Theresa

"Theresa", Acrylic on Canvas, 16" x 8", © Nancy Roberts



Theresa is a beautiful model who posed for our group at the Lafayette Studio in December.  It was a joy to paint her.

Faction Brewing

"Faction Brewing", acrylic on linen 16" x 12", © Nancy Roberts

The owners of Faction Brewing, a popular micro-brewery and pub in Alameda, were kind enough to allow our plein air group to paint inside their facility.  What a treat!  I loved all of the complex equipment and the beautiful, light-filled industrial space, a re-purposed naval aircraft hangar.  (The slightly wacky colors are my own invention, of course!)

USS Hornet

"USS Hornet", acrylic on canvas 8" x 8", © Nancy Roberts

Here's the historic USS Hornet seen from shore in Alameda, California during a great paint-out with the East Bay Plein Air group.  The Hornet is a naval aircraft carrier that was active in the Pacific during WWII and went on to recover Apollo astronauts returning from the moon.  It was fun painting this magnificent ship, with all of its complex equipment and vintage jets perched on the flight deck.

Garden Spirit

"Garden Spirit", acrylic on canvas 12" x 12", © Nancy Roberts

I started this at the Ruth Bancroft Garden last week and finished it in the studio today. Through my eyes and heart this complex terrain became a mosaic of glowing color and happy patterns.  Pure joy!

For purchase information click here: http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nancy-roberts/garden-spirit/536557

Key System 1201

"Key System 1201", acrylic on canvas 12" x 12", © Nancy Roberts

I painted this vintage trolley car at the Western Railway Museum, just outside of Rio Vista. It was originally part of the Key System, an interurban streetcar system that connected neighborhoods in the East Bay for many years, before the advent of AC Transit and BART. The museum volunteers have restored it to running condition, complete with a glorious orange paint job. With its rubber roof and wooden platform it's also used as a work vehicle for repairing the labyrinth of overhead electrical wiring at the museum.

For purchase information click here: http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nancy-roberts/key-system-1201/536365

Half Dome in Winter

"Half Dome in Winter", pastel, © Nancy Roberts

I did this painting back in 2005, when I was first exploring and falling in love with pastel.  I was inspired and mentored by two Bay Area artists, Warren Dreher and Blanche Anderson.  Both of these amazing artists continue to inspire me. Gosh, I think I'll get those pastels out again!

November Nopales

"November Nopales", acrylic on canvas 12" x 12", © Nancy Roberts

I painted this on November 11 at the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, California.  The garden is a beautiful collection of cacti, succulents and desert trees from all over the world. This time of year it's a rich tapestry of glowing color and lively patterns. A peaceful, joyful place to paint.

For those of you who are interested, here are some photos of my process, too.