Monday, March 23, 2009

Condo Conversion



This is an actual oil painting I did long ago when I first moved to Los Angeles. It hangs in front of my computer, though I'm tired of it now. After having a keen interest in the architecture of Berkeley and San Francisco, I was challenged to like the look of mansard roofs on condo buildings in the Valley, and all the cypress trees. The color is a little brighter than in this photo.

I always thought "Condo Conversion" was the title of this painting, though no one has ever asked.

7 comments:

Namowal (Jennifer Bourne) said...

Tired of it? I'll take it off your hands. It's wonderful.
Some of the Vally (and some of the L.A. basin) does look like that! I wonder what the deal was with the mansard roofs? Are they really pretend mansard roofs that hide air conditioning units?
What's the architecture like in Berkeley?

Anonymous said...

Love the column dress and cypress trees. I've always wanted to paint cypress trees. It's hard living in a place that doesn't have an inspiring landscape (I'm in the land of the strip mall.)

Sally said...

Berkeley has some outstanding architecture. Julia Morgan, who built San Simeon, also built many houses, and a fancy club, Berkeley Women's Club which had a gorgeous tiled pool in the basement and a tower. There were numerous outstanding architects in two decades after the San Francisco earthquake. There's an area called Nut Hill which is particularly rich with unusual and marvelous houses.

Mars Tokyo said...

I love how her body is an ionic column! pure genius!

Sally said...

Thanks, Mars.

Linda Davick said...

Actually, Anita looks absolutely stunning in the mansard hat and columnar gown. Her tan! That sky and the bird of paradise. The reflections in the swimming pool. I love cypress trees. I put them in an illustration outside an apt building in NY, and oh no-- I'm not even sure they grow in the city.

But you're very tired of the painting and need to get it out of your way. How big is it? Could Namo and i go in on it together and share it? We could send it back and forth every 6 months.

Do you ever paint with watercolor or oils these days?

Sally said...

Linda, the tan thing is kind of funny. No, I don't paint anymore. But I got to thinking about paint this week. Before I used a computer choosing colors was always one of my favorite parts of making a cartoon, just one of those areas where I always knew if it worked for me or not.

I don't feel that way with electronic palettes, not at all, even though they're supposed to have these kazillions of available colors. I can never find yellows, greens or oranges that are quite what I'd like.

How about you?