Los Angeless Pandemic Sunshine

January 2022

Window to The Bay #20

Happy Friday! And Happy New Year from Laura Ann Studio! I hope your new year is off to a good start. I read recently on an early child development e-mail that when the holiday decorations come down and the afterglow of the new year’s holiday fades, it’s common for the post-holiday blues to set in, now more than ever as Omicron surges and the pandemic drags on. To counter the winter blues my family starts most mornings with a trampoline living room dance party - I highly recommend it for getting the daily endorphins going! California sunshine also fights the winter blues, and I’m sending some your way today!

An Orange County, CA Watercolor House Portrait Painted March-April 2020

I painted this Los Angeles, Southern California watercolor house portrait for the talented photographer Alison Yin as a 70th birthday gift for her mom. I was flattered when she asked me, as I’m such a fan of her work. Alison and I met when she photographed my sister’s Sonoma wedding (which included many Laura Ann Studio paper designs!). She has been photographing my work since I moved to the Bay Area, including all of the photos for Window to The Bay, my portfolio gallery, and the newly redesigned 10th anniversary Laura Ann Studio website that went live in…wait for it…March 2020! Having just completed the website collaboration when the pandemic hit, it was so fun to return the artistic love her way as my first pandemic quarantine project in March 2020.

Painting amidst the snowy woods from my in-laws’ home in Truckee, streaming lots of relaxing Chopin and Yo Yo Ma, I immersed myself in Alison’s photos of the rolling Verdugo hills and her mother’s beautiful landscaping (see the Instagram reel for Alison’s images mixed in with the painting process). Alison’s mom put a lot of work into creating the front gardens which made it extra special to depict. I loved painting the personal details she added to the home - the colorful wreath, an artful basket of sticks by the front door, the welcoming front porch rocking chairs. You can see where Alison gets her eye for styling the details! An extra special touch was Alison’s shiba, a regular visitor, in the picture window. It’s thrilling as an artist to paint for other artists, and I’m delighted the gift was well received. Alison says the painting now hangs prominently in her mom’s kitchen!

Paintings Available Unframed

Approaching two years since the launch of Window to The Bay, I’ve observed that many clients prefer to receive art unframed so they can choose a frame of their preferred style. While signature white gallery frames from local San Francisco framer Photograph and Frame are still an offering, Window to The Bay paintings can be booked unframed to leave open the final touch of personal framing style. Stay tuned for the final photo of how Alison framed the art with Framebridge!

With love for the every day and special days,
Laura Ann Elbogen
P.S. Do you know someone who is missing the warmth of a full house at the holidays and in need of a sunny boost? Forward this post! Plan ahead for a special Mother’s Day or Father’s Day - Spring and Summer watercolor house portrait commissions are open!