In a small town of Julian, there is an old-fashioned diner on the corner of a busy intersection.  If you go there, order a milk shake on the counter and relish all kinds of Americana decorating the walls, and you'll feel like you've gone back in time.  This painting shows a girl and her little brother, sitting inside the diner, before a lunch crowd arrives - he's with a stuffed puppy by his side and is having fun on a swivel bar stool.

Even though I mainly paint landscapes, I love painting interiors and enjoy the different kind of learning experience or challenge I get from the process.

In painting an interior scene, I'm always intrigued by this strong sense of intimacy or closeness among people and objects in an enclosed space.  People, whether they are aware or not, form a sense of companionship because they share a time and a space (It's a somewhat similar kind of feeling you get after a long flight).  The relationship between light and dark is also interesting.  Light coming from a window or a ceiling bounces off everything in a room.  And if the room is cluttered, the way light can get reflected and refracted could be very complicated and may cause a visual chaos.  But it's a great place to learn how to see things in terms of tonal values and how to simplify and connect shapes.


Julian Diner I

A larger image of this painting is available on request.

Media: original watercolor
Image Size: 14 x 21 in (36 x 53 cm)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Please send me an email for more information.