"Orinda" Original Bird Painting

Size: 7 x 9 inches

Medium:  Watercolor, Acrylic & Oil on Watercolor Paper (unframed)

Artist Signature: On the back

Artist: Hand painted by San Francisco Bay Area artist John Osgood

Year: 2024 as part of the Birduary Series

John's Inspiration

"Orinda" is a piece that began as a homework assignment for @candyteeethlive. (If you don’t know Jeremy Gregory, definitely check him out!) The assignment was to create something that shows layers, and my mind immediately went to a particular stretch of State Route 24 in Lafayette, CA, heading toward Orinda.

If you’ve ever taken this route toward Berkeley, Oakland, or San Francisco, you know the spot. When the conditions are just right—perfect lighting, a touch of fog—you’re treated to these incredible layered hills. I’ve always loved the way the colors shift between land masses, creating a sense of depth and space.

It even takes me back to elementary school, when we’d use ripped paper as stencils and oil pastels to create rolling landscapes. Funny how those little techniques stick with you, isn’t it?