By Bonnie Gangelhoff
September and October were busy months for Southern California painter Greg LaRock. LaRock 
was a participating artist in three shows: Sonoma Plein Air, the Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational, and the San Luis Obispo Plein Air Painting Festival. Although he paints some figurative works, LaRock is mainly inspired by natural wonders. “I like nothing better than to go down to the sandy beach, look at the ocean, and then capture the beauty of the California coastline,” he says.
LaRock relishes making a scene look realistic but at the same time imparting a loose, painterly feel to the work. Simplicity is the key, he says. “I enjoy taking a subject and basically making it as simple as possible. For me, painting is like creating a good book or movie that is well edited. The painting leads the viewer to where you want to take them,” he explains.
Illumination and mood also play important roles in the creative process. “Capturing light and atmosphere on canvas is a challenging, life-long pursuit,” LaRock explains. “My goal is to attain the delicate balance of color and composition with light and shadow.”
LaRock is a member of the California Art Club, the Oil Painters of America, and the Southern California Plein-Air Painters Association. For more information about the artist, visit www.greglarock.com.
Featured in “Artists to Watch” November 2006