Andrée Clark Bird Refuge in Santa Barbara

The morning light in California can be very soft and grey during the early summer. Locals call this the June Gloom. I wanted to capture that quiet mood at the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge. The sky was a pale wash of grey and blue, which created a very calm feeling across the water. I focused on the way the light hits the surface of the lake when there are no harsh shadows. It is a wonderful challenge to paint a scene that relies more on subtle tones than bright sunlight.

A student recently asked me how to make green trees look natural without them looking too heavy. In this painting, I used a mix of Ultramarine Blue and Yellow Ochre for the deeper greens on the left. For the brighter, tropical leaves, I added a touch of Cobalt Green. The trick is to let the colours mix on the paper so they look alive. I kept the brushwork loose to suggest the thick plants and palms that grow around the water's edge.

On the right side of the bank, the tall grasses had a warm, sandy colour. I used Burnt Sienna and a bit of Yellow Ochre to get that earthy feel. I made sure to leave some white paper showing through to represent the light catching the tops of the reeds. The reflection in the water is a slightly darker version of the sky and the plants. Reflections should always be painted with vertical strokes to help the eye understand the depth of the water.

The distant trees and the small white building in the background are very soft. I used a thin mix of Cerulean Blue and a tiny bit of Neutral Tint to push them back into the mist. This helps the foreground plants stand out and gives the painting a sense of space. If you want to try this yourself, remember to use more water and less paint for things that are far away. This painting is currently for sale, so please contact me if you would like more information.