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I've been a member of SLOPE (San Luis Outdoor Painters for the Environment) for over 17 years. This group, founded by Libby Tolley and Karen Foster Wells in 1993 has been creating exhibits which feature and benefit organizations committed to preserving the beauty and uniqueness of the Central Coast.

This year we are celebrating our 20th Anniversary with three special exhibits. The first is a year long exhibit at Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo with a reception on April 19. This show benefits the SLO Land Conservancy.

Our second show benefits the Los Padres Forest Watch and features paintings of the Los Padres Forest from "Redwoods to Chapparal" with a show at Tibor Canyon Ranch in Price Canyon on May 18.

The final show will be held at Studios on the Park in Paso Robles during the month of September with a reception on September 7.

Pictured is the painting "Morning Light in Zion" that was selected for the Paint the Parks competition, sponsored by the Coutts Museum of Art. This exhibition includes only  paintings of  America's National Parks. Beginning in March, 2013, this painting will be exhibited at the Wildlife Experience in Parker, CO, as well as several other locations throughout the year. It will also be included in the 2012 Paint the Parks full-color viewbook.

Yesterday's entry pictured "Evening Light on Saguro East" and  is included in America's Parks Through the Beauty of Art, a competition that includes all United States Parks. I am pleased to be included in both shows.

 "Morning Light in Zion" was selected as a winner in the Paint the Parks competition, sponsored by the Coutts Museum of Art. The paintings are a celebration of America's National Parks. Beginning in March, 2013, the painting will be exhibited at the Wildlife Experience in Parker, CO, as well as several other locations throughout the year. It will also be included in the 2012 Paint the Parks full-color viewbook.

"Evening Light on Saguro East", a painting of Saguaro East National Park, was also selected in the Top 101 in America's Parks Through the Beauty of Art. The international art competition is intended to recognize and promote excellence in original works of art depicting North American Parks.

I'll be participating in the Open Studio Tour sponsored by Arts Obispo this year on October 20 and 21. There will be three of us in Squire Canyon this year opening our working studios.  Jim Jacobson will share his sculpture, Patricia Martin will show her textiles along with her fascinating looms, and I'll open my painting studio.

This is a great chance to come by my Squire Canyon Studio and view old and new pastel and oil paintings, prints and cards. Many of my paintings will be at discounted prices for this weekend event. We also will have freshly pressed See Canyon applecider and just baked  gingerbread!

Our National Parks are an incredible gift to us. My sisters and I visited Zion National Park this Spring and discovered this gorgeous view near the Lodge inside the park as we took off for a morning hike. I took a number of photos before our hike and upon returning to the Lodge. In my studio I did a small study and then completed this 18 x 24 oil painting.

My husband and I recently visited this fasicinating California Mission located on 86 acres of pristine California land near Ft. Hunter Liggett Military Base. It's a visit not to be missed both for the unique look at California history, seeing one of the most fascinating and beautiful missions, and  time experiencing the beauty of remote California countryside. We stopped in the Mission Gift Shop which contains work from over 40 area artists and craftspeople. I have several paintings of the Mission and giclee prints of the Ft. Hunter Liggett area which I was able to add to the Gift Shop's collection of available work.

This winter while waiting for our California hills to turn from brownish grey to green, I decided to focus on painting the ocean. Frequent painting trips to Shell Beach and other coastal sites became a series of seaside paintings which I have recently hung at the Gallery at the Network in San Luis Obispo. I hope that many will come by to enjoy them.

I was pleased to received the following:

Congratulations! Your painting, "Vineyard Summer", was selected as part of the FAV15% (jury's favorite 15% of the entries) in the January 2012 BoldBrush Painting competition.

This painting was also juried into "Pastels USA" sponsored by the Pastel Society of the West Coast, an organization where I am a Signature Member. The show will be held in Morro Bay this year at the Morro Bay Art Center from May 21 through June 23. A reception will be held on Sunday, May 27 from 1:30 to 3:30.

San Luis Obispo County artists are well represented in the Healing Arts Program of the new Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. Beautiful artwork including sculpture, mosaics, crafts and paintings were recently unveiled at the newly opened hospital. Many commisioned works as well as original paintings and prints fill the courtyards, offices, patient rooms and hallways as integral to the healing process. San Luis Obispo County artists included are Sandra Kay Johnson, Marcie Hawthorne, Laurel Sherrie, Fred & Donnell Pasion, Jim Tyler, Jayne Behman, Marcia Burt, Rosanne Seitz, Bruce Everett, Larry Le Brane, Carol Paulson and Julie Dunn. I am honored to have five giclee prints included in the collection.

The Gallery at the Network in San Luis Obispo, Ca, where I am co-owner, is having a Gallery Sale. We had an excellent holiday season, but due to the economy have decided to invite our artists to put many of their pieces of artwork on sale during January 2012.

I would like to offer anyone reading this blog the same discount that I'm offering at the Gallery which is:

10% off originals

15% off currently framed prints

20% off unframed giclee prints

Let me know if you are interested at dmhawthorne@yahoo.com