EL CAPITAN YOSEMITE #157, pastel by Diane Ringwood.
Courtesy image

By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

Diane Ringwood uses pastel chalks on sanded paper, usually in bright colors — vivid pink, vibrant purple, lush green. The hues leap off the canvas, and when several paintings are concentrated together they turn a wall into a varicolored medley of natural beauty.

Which is what has happened to the feature wall of the Benicia Plein Air Gallery, which currently displays images from Ringwood’s latest series of pastel paintings of Yosemite and the Bay Area. Ringwood is the gallery’s featured artist for January.

The focal painting of the feature wall is a painting called “Sierra,” which Ringwood describes as very colorful, “with my favorite feel-good color — hot pink.”

There are also paintings of Bridal Veil, Sentinel Dome and El Capitan. “Bridal Veil is the only waterfall I’ve ever shown in the gallery,” Ringwood said.

“But I’m intrigued with rocks. Rocks, and land, and sky. I prefer those,” she said.

THOMAS HOME RANCH #264, pastel by Diane Ringwood.
Courtesy image

“I start on a color, and it’s usually a fairly bright color. Though there is one painting that started on a taupe color. It’s of Trail’s End in Walnut Creek.”

Ringwood used to spend time in Yosemite every Thanksgiving, and “it became very familiar to me in various places.”

But her familiarity extends to nearby locales, too. One painting shows a barn at Thomas Home Ranch, on Mount Diablo. Last year the nonprofit Save Mt. Diablo had a celebration at the ranch, inviting several artists to come out to paint.

Ringwood was one of them.

“There’s art everywhere, wonderful things to see everywhere, if you can take the time to enjoy it,” she said.

If You Go
An artist’s open house will be Jan. 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Benicia Plein Air Gallery, 307 First St. The gallery’s winter hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday to Sunday.

Sharing is caring!