Larry Groff

oil painting

landscape

New paintings from San Carlos

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Three new paintings from scenes around my neighborhood that will be hanging in the San Carlos Library show here in San Diego.

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Here is San Carlos as seen from the top of Mission Trails above Lake Murray off Duane near Madra. 16 x 20 inches, oil on linen 9/2015

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Tuxedo Canyon View (from Tuxedo Park) 30 x 40 inches 9/2015

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Trees on Gulfcrest

My new spot.

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Liz took this great photo of me painting a new view of San Carlos overlooking Mission Gorge and Cowles Mountain. I’m painting in a very small and brand new public “open space” park that very few people know about. It is also only a few blocks from where I live. Incredible sweeping, unobstructed views in all directions.

I’m also happy with my new set where I’m finally getting some use out of my video tripod – where I’ve attached a sun umbrella to the head so that I now have excellent control of the angle of the umbrella and can very easily change it as the sun moves lower in the sky. Very sturdy and holds up to moderate wind although I do need to tie it all down with a bag of heavy rocks. Also seen is my Gloucester-type easel that can easily hold larger (up to 40 x 60 or bigger) and still be stable in the wind (as long as is tied down with weights.) I’m also using a custom made palette which is mounted on a tripod and has a lid which also serves as a sun shield.

Here is the finished painting that I was working on in the above photo

Cowles Mountain over San Carlos, 26 x 36 inches, oil on linen mounted on board, 2013

Another painting I did in the morning at the same location and looking more northwest.


View from Hemingway, San Carlos, 24 x 24 inches, oil, 2013

latest update

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Three Tanks – 20×24″, oil – recently exhibited in the San Diego Art Institute’s 52 International Show and received the Hoffman Trust Award.


Reconstruction Oil on Paper – 13 x 19″, 2013
This painting is of the San Diego Farmer’s market building that is being converted into a Walmart. After community protests, Walmart apparently agreed to keep this iconic San Diego building intact with the grain tower and other elements, while incorporating it into a Walmart. This information has no real relevance to the actual painting which is about reconstructing the shapes, colors and light into a painting that would capture the sense of being there.

I’m planning a complete redesign of my website very soon and may decide to remove this blog. I haven’t the time to update it regularly, spending more time on my other blog, Painting Perceptions.com. I will give it careful consideration however and may still decide to keep it so I can quickly post recent work and information that might be of interest to any viewers.

In other news, I recently purchased my ticket to return to Italy for six weeks, back to the JSS Summer program in Civita Castellana. I’m very excited to be returning and will post more information as I can.

Salton Sea

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Salton Sea Marina, 11/10, Oil on linen 18 x 24 inches


Box Canyon, nr Salton Sea, 11/10, Oil on panel 11 x 14 inches


White Pelicans at the Salton Sea, 11/10, Oil on panel 11 x 14 inches


Salton Sea Sunset, 11/10, Oil on panel 11 x 14 inches

Back in November I was lucky to meet and get to paint for a few days with the terrific painters: Joe Forkan, Andrew Dickson, Eric Merrell, and Yu Ji out at the Salton Sea. We stayed at Andrew Dickson’s grandparents home which was a short walk to the Sea. (fascinating place for those not familiar with it.) I hope to get back here soon as I felt I didn’t have time to get comfortable enough with the place to allow me to fully explore it’s potential. I tend to have trouble painting and travel but here is what I managed to come up with.