The second of three paintings from a quick trip to this slice of California paradise last summer (I posted the first a few weeks ago with no commentary). The titles for these three are all chosen from Dylan tunes for various reasons. In this case it’s a double-meaning referring to the occasional cattle roundup on this working ranch that sees horsemen (and women) leading herds of cattle down the narrow roads, like holiday parades but with more leather and fresh pastures instead of presents. Also, it’s a fine place that has been used for many a fine wedding ceremony over the years.
What you don’t see in this painting is the two figures painting away in the shade of the tree closest to the water in the middle of the painting. If one could zoom in to the scene in real life on this day one would see none other than Wade Koniakowsky and Jose Emroca Flores painting this iconic headland from one of it’s most easily recognized vantage points. Part of me really wanted to join them and crack jokes in the cool shade, but then I am always a sucker for an elevated point of view. And there is just something about standing out on a hill in the wind that makes me feel alive, so up that hill I marched. One and a half hours later I came down with this painting (that needed a bit of touch-up later but was more or less all there).