As another year comes to a close, I just want to express how grateful I am for your support and your interest in my artwork. It is truly a gift to be an artist--to experience the joy of creating--and I love having the opportunity to share this gift with you. As part of my own "season of giving," I recently held a giveaway for new subscribers, and I'm pleased to announce that Connie M., who turns out to live in neighboring Petaluma, is the big winner of one of my plein-air gems. Thank you for being part of my artist's journey, and I wish you a joyous holiday season and all the best in the new year!

As we start looking ahead to the new year, I'd like to mention that I'll soon be resuming my one-day workshops on select Wednesdays in my straw bale studio in Cotati. Each of my workshops on painting landscapes from photos now have a special twist, so on January 24, we'll be discussing whether we're painting or drawing with these sticks of pigment as we learn to paint landscapes in pastel. On March 21, we'll explore how to make the most of your source material. In addition to these two landscape workshops, I'm also offering a still life workshop on February 21. My workshops are $100, and that includes a demo, plenty of individual attention, and snacks! Please visit my website, cgmitchell.com, to learn more and register for these workshops.

And finally, I'd like to invite you to see Granite Group: Plein Air and Studio Paintings of the High Sierra, a group show at the Harrington Gallery. I'm thrilled to have four of my paintings, including Path Down, exhibiting with this exciting landscape show. The opening reception will be held January 11, from 7 to 9 p.m., and the exhibition continues through February 17. The Harrington Gallery is located at 4444 Railroad Ave., Pleasanton, CA, 925-931-4849.