Off Trail Wilderness Tromping
But very carefully- the goal is still to leave no trace whenever possible…
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The Dark Watchers
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The Dark Watchers
2020 | Central California › Monterey | Plein Air
Through thickets of poison to a cliff in the wind beneath dark skies, they followed. Not with their bodies, just with their eyes. They call them Dark Watchers, and stories of them in these hills go back generations. If you see them and try to approach one, they vanish into the landscape. I wish I could do that sometimes too, just stand and watch and observe the landscape as I paint it, and as soon as someone sees me and wants to come chat and get-all-up-in-my-business-wanting-to-know-if-I-make-a-living-doing-this-stuff-as-if-that-somehow-has-any-bearing-on their-ability-to-appreciate-what-I-am-doing-right-there-before-their-eyes, then poof, I vanish back into the earth from whence I came. That would be beautiful. When I grow up I want to be a Dark Watcher. And just maybe I will.
SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2020, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Big Sur 2020, Biological Hazards, Botanical Hazards, Central California, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, Had to Sleep in My Van, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Lots of Poison Oak!, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Monterey, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Stupid Strong Wind that I had No Business Trying to Paint In, Plein Air, Sketchy Human Interactions, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, Threatening to Rain, Ticks Observed on Skin or Clothing, Travel, Weather Tags: COAST CHAPARRAL, DARK AND MOODY, LOOKING BACK TOWARD LAND, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, OUT OF DARKNESS, ROCKS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, THE FEELING OF BEING WATCHED -
A Man Among Giants… and Also His Cat
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A Man Among Giants… and Also His Cat
2019 | Northern California › Humboldt | Plein Air
Over 20 years ago I read a story in the local press about an artist that would spend weeks on end out in the high mountain backcountry, living out of tent and cave, painting daily. Surviving snow and rock and ice and fire. On his return he’d see civilization’s blur of concrete and impatience through eyes made clear in the thin mountain air. He’d also return with 38 paintings. On his back. And that would just be one pack. He’d have another pack full of camp gear that he’d haul around…
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SKU: N/A Categories: 2019, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Geological Hazards, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Humboldt, Landscapes, Less than 1 Mile, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Northern California, Not the California Coast, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Other Painters, Plein Air, Somewhere in California (Just not the Coast), Subject, The California Coast Tags: ARTISTS, CARS, CATS, EVERGREENS, FERNS, GOLDEN LIGHT, MOUNTAIN LION COUNTRY, PEOPLE, PLEIN AIR PAINTERS, REDWOODS, RESPECT, SHAPE: VERTICAL, SHAPE: VERY VERTICAL -
She Loves the River
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She Loves the River
2019 | Northern California › Del Norte | Plein Air
Painted on location, 2.5 miles from the road. A challenging back-country hike with all my gear to paint this one-day late birthday gift for my wife last year…
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It’s true, she loves the river⠀
And it’s steady constant force⠀
The ocean is just leftovers⠀
And she prefers the source⠀
⠀
She leads me through the briars⠀
Stinging nettle, oak, and sorrow⠀
Some pain for the present moment⠀
But the rest we’ll save for tomorrow⠀
⠀
The path is narrow and overgrown⠀
If it’s even a path at all⠀
Two roads diverged and we took neither⠀
She heard the river’s call⠀
⠀
Down the bank we scrambled and slid⠀
Grasping roots along the way⠀
These roots they hold back mountains⠀
They can hold us here today⠀
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Scraped and bruised and winded⠀
At last we find relief⠀
We swim and laugh and stub our toes⠀
Even blessings hold some grief⠀
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My mind drifts off to the coast and its songs⠀
Why oh why am I here⠀
I followed her and would do it again⠀
But we should have brought more beer⠀
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How we ended up together⠀
A mystery untold⠀
I am a pool of simple pleasures⠀
She is the mountain, faithful and bold⠀
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It’s true, she loves the river⠀
And it’s steady constant force⠀
The ocean is just leftovers⠀
And she prefers the source► See More Art with Poetry
SKU: N/A Categories: 2019, 4-6 Miles, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Biological Hazards, Botanical Hazards, Climbing or Vertical Scrambling Using Hands, Deep Creek or River Crossing, Del Norte, Full-On Bushwhacking, Geological Hazards, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Lots of Poison Oak!, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Mosquitoes, Mysterious Insect Bites/Stings, Northern California, Not the California Coast, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Plein Air, Poems, Rain!, Sneaky Public Access Easement, Somewhere in California (Just not the Coast), Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, Thorns and Brambles, Threatening to Rain, Uncomfortably Warm, Weather Tags: EVERGREENS, GRANITE BOULDERS, JUST NATURE, MOUNTAIN LION COUNTRY, MY LADY, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, RIVERS, RIVERS AND STREAMS, ROCKS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, SUBMERGED ROCKS, SWIMMING HOLES -
Left Behind
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Left Behind
2019 | Southern California › Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands | Plein Air
Beautiful memories, but some days are defined by regrets, just like the cactus in many ways is defined by its spines. ⠀
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To get here required a two hour drive across a private reserve to this far side of the island. I have to give a big shout of thanks to my friends at the California Coastal Commission who heard of my mission to paint the entire California coast and let me tag along on this tour where 25 of us were headed to the furthest point west on this island, about another 45 …
SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2019, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Boat Required for Access, Botanical Hazards, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Free Range Road Trips, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted With Permission, Plein Air, Posted: No Trespassing, Private Property, Ride on Truck/Quad/Off-Road Vehicle Required for Access, Roaming Scientists, Santa Barbara, Some Poison Oak Observed, Southern California, Subject, The California Coast, The Channel Islands, The Island of Bearded People - 2019, Vehicular Logistics Tags: BUILDINGS, CACTUS, CANYONS AND VALLEYS, CYPRESS, DRY GRASS, EVERGREENS, FLOWERS, FOG BANKS, FREE FOOD, ISLANDS IN THE DISTANCE, LEFTS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, WILDFLOWERS -
Down Harbor Blvd, Just Past the Airport
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Down Harbor Blvd, Just Past the Airport
2019 | Southern California › Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands | Plein Air
It’s like standing on holy ground. I can’t believe how fortunate I am to be here today. These thoughts are never far from my mind as I stand on the edge of this steep shore cliff and paint the scene before me after a rare opportunity to walk the interior valley of one of Southern California’s more untouched regions that is generally off limits to folks that aren't scientists, or students, or movie stars, or rock stars, or just plain wealthy. Being that I am none of the above, I know ful…
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SKU: N/A Categories: 2019, 4-6 Miles, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Boat Required for Access, Botanical Hazards, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Free Range Road Trips, Full-On Bushwhacking, Geological Hazards, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted With Permission, Plein Air, Posted: No Trespassing, Private Property, Ride on Truck/Quad/Off-Road Vehicle Required for Access, Roaming Scientists, Santa Barbara, Some Poison Oak Observed, Southern California, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, The Channel Islands, The Island of Bearded People - 2019, Vehicular Logistics Tags: COBBLESTONES, EVENING LIGHT, FOG BANKS, FOG CREEPING OVER THE HILLS, FREE FOOD, GREEN GRASS, JUST NATURE, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, POCKET BEACHES, SACRED SITES, SHAPE: VERTICAL, STEEP CLIFF FACES, SUBMERGED ROCKS, WATCH YOUR STEP, WHITE CLIFFS -
Holy Ground
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Holy Ground
2019 | Southern California › Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands | Plein Air
This is the view from the top of a hill that overlooks the entire crescent of this coast. Though there was no trail up here, and no clear signs of humanity in this refreshingly pristine landscape, I know I wasn’t the first to stand in this exact spot. The way the peak looms over the landscape beckoning the human spirit to ascend, it’s only natural that others have heeded that same call- both in our times and long before them. From the peak, you can feel a human presence. An old presence. A place where eyes kept watch. There is an ancient history here that doesn’t belong to our age, but to a people that did not believe they migrated here, but were rather created here (or at least just across the channel). Sure the volcanic rock where I stood is full of holes but there’s more to this title than that. Just a feeling really, but some places seem to carry a significance all their own. This is one of them. Holy ground indeed.
SKU: N/A Categories: 2019, 6-10 Miles, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Biological Hazards, Boat Required for Access, Botanical Hazards, Climbing or Vertical Scrambling Using Hands, Deep Creek or River Crossing, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Free Range Road Trips, Full-On Bushwhacking, Geological Hazards, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, March 2019, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Painted in Heavy Winds, Painted in Stupid Strong Wind that I had No Business Trying to Paint In, Plein Air, Santa Barbara, Some Poison Oak Observed, Southern California, Subject, The California Coast, The Channel Islands, Threatening to Rain, Trudging Through Soft Sand, Vehicular Logistics, Weather Tags: BAYS, FLOWERS, FOG CREEPING OVER THE HILLS, FREE FOOD, GREEN GRASS, ISLAND POPPIES, JUST NATURE, LOOKING BACK TOWARD LAND, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, POCKET BEACHES, POPPIES, RESPECT, SACRED SITES, SANDY BEACHES, SCALLOPED BEACHES, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, STORM CLOUDS, TORREY PINES, VIEWS FROM HIGHER GROUND, WILDFLOWERS -
An Unfamiliar Song
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An Unfamiliar Song
2019 | Southern California › Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands | Plein Air
This was the endpoint of my longest hike on this trip, 11 miles total, and it took me past several miles of coast I'd hiked and painted on a previous trip. On that trip, I thought I'd gone about as far as I could reasonably go in a day's work of hiking and painting. But this trip was a chance to smash that mental barrier. I'd been out here hiking and painting daily for 4 days straight, so while my feet hurt, my body and mind began to love the new "normal"- especially if it meant seeing anothe…
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SKU: N/A Categories: 2019, Acrylic on Birch Panel, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Boat Required for Access, Botanical Hazards, Climbing or Vertical Scrambling Using Hands, Deep Creek or River Crossing, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Free Range Road Trips, Full-On Bushwhacking, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, March 2019, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Over 10 Miles, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Painted in Heavy Winds, Plein Air, Rain!, Santa Barbara, Some Poison Oak Observed, Southern California, Subject, The California Coast, The Channel Islands, Thorns and Brambles, Threatening to Rain, Trudging Through Soft Sand, Vehicular Logistics, Weather Tags: FLOWERS, FREE FOOD, GREEN GRASS, JUST NATURE, OFF THE ROCKS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, POINT BREAKS, RAIN AND SHOWERS, RIGHTS, SCALLOPED BEACHES, SHADOWS OF CLOUDS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, SHOREPOUND AND WOMP, SNEAKY RAIN, SPARKLING WATER, STORM CLOUDS, WILDFLOWERS -
Wish You Were Here
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Wish You Were Here
2019 | Southern California › Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands | Plein Air
Those two old barns standing together in this distant outpost reminded me just how much I miss my best friend, my wife, when I’m out wandering around on the edge of the earth. I hope to bring her back here soon. One of the nice things about this region of California’s coastline is that this once private land now is now National Park land, so when you encounter a barbed wire fence standing between you and the view you desire, the only concern is getting around or over said fence, and not whether the owner and their dogs might find you. Also there are no snakes hiding in the grass, which is hard to believe, but true in these parts. Double win. Good things come in pairs.
SKU: N/A Categories: 2-4 Miles, 2019, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Barbed Wire, Biological Hazards, Boat Required for Access, Botanical Hazards, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Fence or Gate Hopping Required, Free Range Road Trips, Full-On Bushwhacking, Geological Hazards, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, March 2019, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Heavy Winds, Plein Air, Roaming Scientists, Santa Barbara, Some Poison Oak Observed, Southern California, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, The Channel Islands, Thorns and Brambles, Vehicular Logistics, Weather Tags: AGRICULTURE, BARNS, BENDING LINES OF SWELL, BUILDINGS, FLOWERS, FREE FOOD, GREEN GRASS, ISLAND POPPIES, LOOKING BACK TOWARD LAND, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, PERSONAL FAVORITES, PIERS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, POPPIES, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, STORM CLOUDS, WATCH YOUR STEP, WILDFLOWERS -
Island Time
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Island Time
2019 | Southern California › Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands | Plein Air
I sort of saw this one developing over a few days out here. First off, the evening light over the nearby island as the full moon rose was always a subtle delight. Secondly the poppies out here, only grow on these islands. Unlike the poppies of California that are very deep orange, or the poppies of Mexico that are bright yellow-orange, these island poppies are a two-toned mix of both. And thirdly while wandering down from a hill I came across a series of cow bones in the grass, finally crowned off with this skull. I made a mental note and came back for it on a clear evening. It’s not often such poetic elements come together in a line for a plein air painting, but with minimal editing, this is more or less what was there. Almost a Georgia O’Keefe inspiration in there, but mostly just a fun visual commentary on the passage of time.
SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2019, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Birds and Bones, Boat Required for Access, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Free Range Road Trips, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, March 2019, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Plein Air, Santa Barbara, Southern California, Subject, The California Coast, The Channel Islands, Vehicular Logistics Tags: CATTLE SKULLS, DUSK, FLOWERS, FREE FOOD, GREEN GRASS, ISLAND POPPIES, ISLANDS IN THE DISTANCE, POPPIES, SHAPE: VERTICAL, SKULLS AND BONES AND SKELETONS, THE FOOD CHAIN, THE MOON, WILDFLOWERS -
The Apex of Spring
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The Apex of Spring
2019 | Southern California › Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands | Plein Air
Visiting this hard to reach outpost of California’s coast during the Spring Equinox after a few wet months, I was hunting not just new corners and vistas, but had wildflowers on my mind as well. Elusive creatures, they can be, I didn’t see as many as I’d hoped. But I did spot this little patch on my way past this point earlier in the morning at the base of a canyon named after another hunter, an apex predator. It would do just fine. Toward the end of this painting the weather shifted. I packed this one up quickly in a heavy, darkening wind and retreated back into the canyon from which I had come.
SKU: N/A Categories: 2019, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Boat Required for Access, Botanical Hazards, Climbing or Vertical Scrambling Using Hands, Deep Creek or River Crossing, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Free Range Road Trips, Full-On Bushwhacking, Geological Hazards, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, March 2019, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Over 10 Miles, Painted in Heavy Winds, Plein Air, Rain!, Santa Barbara, Some Poison Oak Observed, Southern California, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, The Channel Islands, The Greatest Collector Ever, Threatening to Rain, Vehicular Logistics, Weather Tags: FLOWERS, FOAM TRAILS, FOG BANKS, FREE FOOD, GREEN GRASS, ISLAND POPPIES, JUST NATURE, OFF THE ROCKS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, POPPIES, RAIN AND SHOWERS, RIGHTS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, SHOREPOUND AND WOMP, SPARKLING WATER, THE MAINLAND, WEATHERED ROCK/SANDSTONE, WILDFLOWERS -
Strata Various
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Strata Various
2019 | Southern California › Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands | Plein Air
This headland took some serious work to get to. All said, this ended up being the furthest point reached on an eleven mile round trip solo hike, which required several creek crossings up to my calves, washed out bridges, wet sloggy socks, and by the end of the day getting soaked to the bone in a late afternoon downpour. I might not have painted here at all, except after hiking all the way up and over to the other side of this island and venturing along the coast as far as I could this was the…
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SKU: N/A Categories: 2019, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Biological Hazards, Boat Required for Access, Botanical Hazards, Climbing or Vertical Scrambling Using Hands, Deep Creek or River Crossing, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Fog Battle, Free Range Road Trips, Full-On Bushwhacking, Geological Hazards, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, March 2019, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Mud and Sludge, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Over 10 Miles, Plein Air, Santa Barbara, Some Poison Oak Observed, Southern California, Subject, The California Coast, The Channel Islands, Vehicular Logistics, Weather Tags: FOG CREEPING OVER THE HILLS, FREE FOOD, GREEN GRASS, JUST NATURE, LOOKING BACK TOWARD LAND, MORNING LIGHT, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, ROCKS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, SHOREPOUND AND WOMP, SPARKLING WATER, STEEP CLIFF FACES, WEATHERED ROCK/SANDSTONE -
Trifecta: Ticks, Wind, and Poison Oak
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Trifecta: Ticks, Wind, and Poison Oak
2019 | Southern California › Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands | Plein Air
I didn’t have to hike far from the cabin for this one, I just wanted to peak a little around the corner of the beach straight out in front. There’s a small hill that blocks the view here, so I made it my mission to get on top of this hill and paint from there. The afternoon light here has always struck me as special. But just because it wasn’t far doesn’t mean it was easy. I had to tromp up a steep hill with all my gear, slow-dodging poison oak, paint in a howling wind, perched on a steep awkward grassy slope, constantly checking for ticks after picking up at least one while wading through the high grass to get here. A perfect trifecta, if you will. Ended up working a bit faster than usual, just to get out of there, but that lends the piece a nice urgent honesty and I’m glad for it in the end.
SKU: N/A Categories: 2019, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Birch Panel, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Barbed Wire, Biological Hazards, Boat Required for Access, Botanical Hazards, Climbing or Vertical Scrambling Using Hands, Deep Creek or River Crossing, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Fence or Gate Hopping Required, Free Range Road Trips, Full-On Bushwhacking, Geological Hazards, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Less than 1 Mile, Logistics, Lots of Poison Oak!, March 2019, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Heavy Winds, Plein Air, Roaming Scientists, Santa Barbara, Southern California, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, The Channel Islands, Thorns and Brambles, Ticks Observed on Skin or Clothing, Vehicular Logistics, Weather Tags: COAST CHAPARRAL, FOG BANKS, FOG CREEPING OVER THE HILLS, FREE FOOD, JUST NATURE, PAINTED UNUSUALLY FAST, RIGHTS AND LEFTS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, STEEP CLIFF FACES, TIDEPOOLS -
Hold Your Ground
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Hold Your Ground
2019 | Southern California › Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands | Plein Air
I spent this morning drinking a bit too much coffee in the kitchen of a bunkhouse with a group of college students. Well not drinking coffee with them, I was just on a trip here with them. They had science to do, and science doesn't care if it's raining or not, so they were out counting species along designated transects to compile a visitor's guide in the nearterm and add to the overall observations for future reference in the longterm. Or something like that. I was just the resident artist …
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SKU: N/A Categories: 2-4 Miles, 2019, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Boat Required for Access, Botanical Hazards, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Free Range Road Trips, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, March 2019, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Plein Air, Rain!, Roaming Scientists, Santa Barbara, Some Poison Oak Observed, Southern California, Subject, The California Coast, The Channel Islands, The Greatest Collector Ever, Threatening to Rain, Vehicular Logistics, Weather Tags: BAYS, CYPRESS, DUDLEYA FARINOSA, EVERGREENS, FLOWERS, FREE FOOD, GREEN GRASS, ISLAND POPPIES, ISLANDS IN THE DISTANCE, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, RAIN AND SHOWERS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, STORM CLOUDS, SUCCULENTS, TREES, VIEWS FROM HIGHER GROUND, WILDFLOWERS -
Distant California
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Distant California
2019 | Southern California › Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands | Plein Air
It’s not the California coast that most of us are familiar with, but good to know it’s out there. These old barns down at the bottom of this valley are no longer used, the sheep and cattle ranch ceased operations years ago. In some ways its sad to see this era come to a close, a page of history has turned and the story just keeps going forward year after year. Most often we see these pastoral settings replaced by condos and cookie cutter retail outlet centers and that is where the real sadness comes from for me in those situations- the steady march from natural beauty to udder mediocrity. In this case though, for the ranch in this painting, the end of its days brings no such sadness. It is in no danger of being paved over. It is heading the other direction. Even the changes that ranching brought to these hills are slowly being undone. Nature plays a long game, but her strategies are a joy to behold.
SKU: N/A Categories: 2-4 Miles, 2019, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Boat Required for Access, Botanical Hazards, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Free Range Road Trips, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, March 2019, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Plein Air, Roaming Scientists, Santa Barbara, Some Poison Oak Observed, Southern California, Subject, The California Coast, The Channel Islands, Vehicular Logistics, Weather Tags: AGRICULTURE, BARNS, BAYS, BUILDINGS, CANYONS AND VALLEYS, FLOWERS, FREE FOOD, GREEN GRASS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, THE MAINLAND, VIEWS FROM HIGHER GROUND, WILDFLOWERS -
The North Shore
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The North Shore
2018 | Southern California › Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands | Plein Air
After two days of painting one stretch of coast in this off-the-beaten-path outpost of California, I was eager to see a different part of it before leaving later this day. It would require a 2.2 mile hike, while “carrying a ton*” art supplies up and over the low hills without a soul in sight to bring me to a completely different shoreline, facing nearly due north- an unusual arrangement on California’s coast.
The only unwonderful thing about painting this was knowing I had to get it done fast and hurry back without time to explore or else risk missing the boat. I’ve missed the boat on a lot of opportunities in life, and wasn’t eager to discover what it would be like to miss the actual boat itself. Still a great time to see this shore with my own eyes before leaving.
*Not all that heavy really, maybe 25 or 35 pounds max, but the geographical wordplay is intended for those who know…
SKU: N/A Categories: 2018, 4-6 Miles, A Bit Farther Out (Mostly) 2018, Acrylic on Birch Panel, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Biological Hazards, Boat Required for Access, Botanical Hazards, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Heavy Winds, Plein Air, Santa Barbara, Some Poison Oak Observed, Southern California, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, The Channel Islands, Vehicular Logistics, Weather Tags: FLOWERS, FOAM TRAILS, FREE FOOD, ISLANDS IN THE DISTANCE, JUST NATURE, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, RIGHTS AND LEFTS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, WATCH YOUR STEP, WILDFLOWERS -
Beside Clear Waters
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Beside Clear Waters
2018 | Southern California › Santa Barbara, The Channel Islands | Plein Air
This irresistible cove is overlooked by a rare Torrey Pine. I find myself today among the only Torrey Pine trees that exist outside of San Diego. The hillside behind me contains a dense grove.
I was drawn to this one, standing alone beside these clear waters. It seemed to me a bit of a fragile metaphor for an artist’s life. There’s safety in the herd, the job, the career, the retirement funds, and all that.
The art life is often about stepping away from the pack just a bit. Safety and comfort are traded for meaning and beauty. Like this tree by the ocean, the artist remains exposed to the battering winds that life brings. The salty air may even stunt our growth and cause our beards to whither, but out here we are alive.
Until we aren’t. Same as everybody else.
Whatever. Stop painting. Go swimming!
SKU: N/A Categories: 2018, 4-6 Miles, A Bit Farther Out (Mostly) 2018, Acrylic on Birch Panel, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Biological Hazards, Boat Required for Access, Botanical Hazards, Deep Creek or River Crossing, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Plein Air, Roaming Scientists, Santa Barbara, Some Poison Oak Observed, Southern California, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, The Channel Islands, Uncomfortably Warm, Vehicular Logistics, Weather Tags: BENDING LINES OF SWELL, DRY GRASS, EVERGREENS, FREE FOOD, JUST NATURE, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, ROCKS, ROOTS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, SPARKLING WATER, SUBMERGED ROCKS, THE MAINLAND, TORREY PINES, WATCH YOUR STEP, WEATHERED ROCK/SANDSTONE -
East of the 5
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East of the 5
2018 | Southern California › San Diego | Plein Air
SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2018, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Free Range Road Trips, Heat Wave Tour - July 2018, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Mosquitoes, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Other Painters, Plein Air, San Diego, Southern California, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, The Greatest Collector Ever, Uncomfortably Warm Tags: BRIDGES, CARS, ESTUARIES AND WETLANDS, EUCALYPTUS, FREEWAYS, INLETS, LAGOONS, PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY, ROADS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, THROUGH THE TREES, TREES -
The Unveiling
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The Unveiling
2018 | Northern California › Sonoma | Plein Air
Painted on location while giving a somewhat distracted interview with a Bay area newspaper editor…
Donuts cooking on the dashboard
As I jumped out to meet the press
We discussed life and art and history
A dozen different ways to make a royal messWe dodged the ticks and poison oak
And spoke as loud as we liked
Out of view from road and rangers
The park was closed, but in we hikedI painted quick while he took notes
Scribbled on a yellow pad
Answers rolled in like a set of waves
The reef made of questions I never knew I hadWe spoke of Griffin and his mastery
Long after we both met our maker
Griffin jumped in right away
But me, I’ll follow later► See More Art with Poetry
SKU: N/A Categories: 2-4 Miles, 2018, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Biological Hazards, Botanical Hazards, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, Heat Wave Tour - July 2018, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Lots of Poison Oak!, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Northern California, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Plein Air, Poems, Sonoma, Subject, The California Coast, The Greatest Collector Ever Tags: CANYONS AND VALLEYS, COMMISSIONED WORK, FLOWERS, JUST NATURE, ON THE ROCKS, PAINTED WHILE BEING AWKWARDLY FILMED AND/OR INTERVIEWED, POINT BREAKS, RIGHTS, ROCKS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, WILDFLOWERS -
California’s Dream
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California’s Dream
2018 | Southern California › Santa Barbara | Plein Air
Occasionally the California Coast sleeps in during the May Gray/June Gloom and has this recurring dream.
She sees a distant marine layer and no other clouds in the bright clear sky. She sees the shade of an old and twisted eucalyptus. The tree itself- invasive, and beautiful, and loved- a rare combination indeed.
She sees the memories of her adolescence, the old rail, the lifeline that connected her various towns and settlements when she was just coming of age and didn’t know th…
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SKU: N/A Categories: 2018, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Free Range Road Trips, Had to Sleep in My Van, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Other Painters, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Painted With Permission, Plein Air, Posted: No Trespassing, Private Property, Santa Barbara, Southern California, Southern California- May 2018, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, Travel, Uncomfortably Warm, Weather Tags: BARBED WIRE, BRIGHT MIDDAY SUN, COAST CHAPARRAL, COMMISSIONED WORK, DRY GRASS, EUCALYPTUS, FENCES, FREE BEER, GATED COMMUNITY, KELP BEDS, OAKS, POINT BREAKS, RAILROAD TRACKS, RIGHTS, ROADS, SAGE, SCALLOPED BEACHES, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, WORKING CATTLE RANCHES -
Almost Home
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Almost Home
2018 | Southern California › Santa Barbara | Plein Air
Some islands are formed by water, some are formed by the long standing legacies of private property dating back generations to a time before "coastal access" was even a thing. Some of these have effectively become islands in their own way shielding their environs from the outside world and preserving these lands in a state of blissfully arrested development.
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I haven’t spent much time on this particular stretch of coast, but the short windows I’ve been blessed with have been spectac…
SKU: N/A Categories: 2018, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Free Range Road Trips, Had to Sleep in My Van, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Less than 1 Mile, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Other Painters, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Painted With Permission, Plein Air, Posted: No Trespassing, Private Property, Santa Barbara, Southern California, Southern California- May 2018, Subject, The California Coast, The Greatest Collector Ever, Travel, Weather Tags: AFTERNOON LIGHT, ARCING CLOUDS, BRIDGES, CANYONS AND VALLEYS, DRY GRASS, EUCALYPTUS, GATED COMMUNITY, KELP BEDS, PERSONAL FAVORITES, POINT BREAKS, RAILROAD TRACKS, RIGHTS, ROADS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, SPARKLING WATER, STEEP CLIFF FACES, SUN GLARE, WHITECAPS, WORKING CATTLE RANCHES -
The Way it Was
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The Way it Was
2018 | Southern California › Orange County | Plein Air
I was asked to paint this iconic Southern California cove the way it was before the highway and houses came along, without any signs of human presence. It would require some careful editing of the devoloped landscape.
Speaking of careful handling of the landscape, it would also require some careful stepping through a plant rehabilitation zone well off the main trails. I would ordinarily
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avoid such questionable practices, but when the state park folks decide inexplicably to lace the e…
SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2018, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Cooking Hot, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Orange County, Paid Park Entrance Required, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Parking, Plein Air, Prohibited Area (on Public Land), Southern California, Southern California- May 2018, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, Weather Tags: BRIGHT MIDDAY SUN, CACTUS, COAST CHAPARRAL, COMMISSIONED WORK, EVASIVE MANEUVERS, FLOWERS, JUST NATURE, LEFTS, PERSONAL FAVORITES, POCKET BEACHES, REFLECTIONS IN WET SAND, SANDY BEACHES, SCALLOPED BEACHES, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, WILDFLOWERS -
Passing Shadows
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Passing Shadows
2017 | Central California › San Mateo | Plein Air
Passing clouds cast shadows of doubt across the rolling hills. Would it rain? Would it hold out? Would the wind come up and blow it all away? The short trail up was full of the oddest switchbacks you’ll ever see. Paved path 50 yards to the left, then 50 yards to the right, to gain a mere 10 feet with each run of the gauntlet. A bench with a view at every right turn. 5 or 6 of them, one above the other stacked up the hillside- ornaments for the Mother of All Switchbacks paved in all her bitu…
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SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2017, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Botanical Hazards, Central California, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Heavy Winds, Plein Air, San Mateo, SF/San Mateo 2017, Sketchy Human Interactions, Some Poison Oak Observed, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, Threatening to Rain, Weather Tags: BENDING LINES OF SWELL, BUILDINGS, LOOKING BACK TOWARD LAND, PIERS, ROCKS, SHADOWS OF CLOUDS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, VIEWS FROM HIGHER GROUND -
Juxtaposition
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Juxtaposition
2017 | Central California › San Francisco | Plein Air
Just a few days earlier I’d surfed a spot hundreds of miles north that goes by the same name as this one. A memorial was being held for a local surfer who’d recently passed away while surfing there.
► CONTINUE READING
This morning as I woke up to make the 6 hour drive south with this destination on my mind to kick off this painting trip, I was jarred by the news of another man’s passing. I had just met him for the first time a few weeks prior on my last road trip. I had known of him for years
th…
SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2017, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, and Debris, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Central California, Fence or Gate Hopping Required, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Human Waste, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Parking, People Drinking, Plein Air, Prohibited Area (on Public Land), Questionable or Illegal Parking Required, San Francisco, SF/San Mateo 2017, Sketchy Human Interactions, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, Threatening to Rain, Trash, Weather Tags: COAST CHAPARRAL, CREEPY MEN LURKING, EVERGREENS, INLETS, LEFTS, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, MARINE LAYER, OFF THE ROCKS, ON THE ROCKS, OVERCAST, POINT BREAKS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, STEEP CLIFF FACES, WATCH YOUR STEP -
Russian Interference
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Russian Interference
2017 | Northern California › Sonoma | Plein Air
8th day on the road, 22nd painting completed, 1st on this day
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The Russians are planning to claim this coast for themselves. It’s true. From San Francisco to Trinidad Harbor, they’ve left secret signs, “possession plaques” buried at various strategic locations.
This painting is located near the first of these plates, and within a year or two, they will be back to stake their claim, renaming this location as Mouis Rumyantsev(Point Rumyantsev) after the current Russian Mini…
SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2017, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Climbing or Vertical Scrambling Using Hands, Fence or Gate Hopping Required, Fog Battle, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, Had to Sleep in My Van, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Mendocino/Sonoma 2017, Method, Miles Hiked, Northern California, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Plein Air, Prohibited Area (on Public Land), Sonoma, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, Travel, Weather Tags: BAYS, BENDING LINES OF SWELL, FOAM TRAILS, JUST NATURE, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, ON THE ROCKS, OVERCAST, POINT BREAKS, RIGHTS, ROCKS, SEA ARCHES, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, WHALE WATCHING -
Ticks Are Evil
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Ticks Are Evil
2017 | Northern California › Sonoma | Plein Air
7th day on the road, 20th painting completed, 2nd one this day
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This is another place I’ve wanted to paint for a long time, but it’s quite a walk from the road and just hadn’t had the time on previous trips. I knew the angle I was looking for, but it would require a fair bit of off-trail work to get there. Fortunately it was pretty much open grassland I’d have to cross, though the signs warning about ticks were a bit unnerving considering I the amount of shoulder high grass I wa…
SKU: N/A Categories: 2-4 Miles, 2017, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Botanical Hazards, Free Range Road Trips, Full-On Bushwhacking, Geological Hazards, Had to Sleep in My Van, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Mendocino/Sonoma 2017, Method, Miles Hiked, Mysterious Insect Bites/Stings, Northern California, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Painted in Heavy Winds, Painted in Stupid Strong Wind that I had No Business Trying to Paint In, Plein Air, Some Poison Oak Observed, Sonoma, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, Travel, Weather Tags: BENDING LINES OF SWELL, DRY GRASS, FOG BANKS, GREEN GRASS, JUST NATURE, LEFTS, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, MOUNTAIN LION COUNTRY, ON THE ROCKS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, POINT BREAKS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, STEEP CLIFF FACES, WATCH YOUR STEP -
A Reluctant Admission
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A Reluctant Admission
2017 | Northern California › Sonoma | Plein Air
7th day on the road, 19th painting completed, 1st one this day
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After collecting an official “Vehicle Immobilization and Potential Arrest Notice” on this private development the day before, I was careful on this day to stay in the designated public access area. These pay-to-play private coast mentalities have always struck me as odd. I’ve even read interviews with the developers where they talk dismissively of the area locals who felt they had the right to cross the land to get to…
SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2017, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Mendocino/Sonoma 2017, Method, Miles Hiked, Northern California, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Plein Air, Sneaky Public Access Easement, Sonoma, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, Weather Tags: DRY GRASS, EVERGREENS, FENCES, GATED COMMUNITY, LOOKING BACK TOWARD LAND, MORNING LIGHT, POCKET BEACHES, SANDY BEACHES, SCALLOPED BEACHES, SHAPE: SQUARE, STEPS AND STAIRWAYS -
Open Lanes
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Open Lanes
2017 | Northern California › Mendocino | Plein Air
6th day on the road, 16th painting completed, 1st on this day
I was hoping to paint the view north from this location, but when I got here I wasn’t feeling it. The linear elements of this reef meeting the microscopic 8inch lines of windswell wrapping around it got my interest though, especially with the backlit morning light peeking around the hillside I was on.
I did have to walk around a locked gate through an opening to a private lane where I noticed a large NO TRESPASSING sign spray painted completely black. I think that means visitors are welcome then, no?
At any rate, the few folks that came and went through that locked gate either didn’t notice me lurking with my easel in the ferns, or they just didn’t care, as nobody said a word.
SKU: N/A Categories: 2017, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Botanical Hazards, Free Range Road Trips, Full-On Bushwhacking, Geological Hazards, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Less than 1 Mile, Logistics, Medium, Mendocino, Mendocino/Sonoma 2017, Method, Miles Hiked, Northern California, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted Without Permission, Plein Air, Private Property, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, The Greatest Collector Ever, Thorns and Brambles Tags: FLOWERS, GREEN GRASS, JUST NATURE, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, MORNING LIGHT, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, POINT BREAKS, ROOTS, SHAPE: SQUARE, STEEP CLIFF FACES, TIDEPOOLS, WILDFLOWERS -
In a Different Light
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In a Different Light
2017 | Northern California › Mendocino | Plein Air
5th day on the road, 14th painting completed, 1st one this day
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Occasionally when I mention to folks that I travel up and down painting the California coast, they will suggest that I do paintings of all the lighthouses. I usually think that’s because someone once gave them a calendar with a different lighthouse on each month. Or because they think lighthouse paintings will sell easily (as opposed to the rest of my art? Gee, thanks. By the way, almost all of it sells these days- thanks…
SKU: N/A Categories: 2-4 Miles, 2017, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Fog Battle, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Mendocino, Mendocino/Sonoma 2017, Method, Miles Hiked, Northern California, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Plein Air, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, Threatening to Rain, Uncomfortably Cool, Weather Tags: BENDING LINES OF SWELL, DARK AND MOODY, FOG, LIGHTHOUSES, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, ON THE ROCKS, OVERCAST, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL -
No Vegetarian Options
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No Vegetarian Options
2017 | Northern California › Mendocino | Plein Air
2nd day on the road, 5th painting completed, 3rd one of the day
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There’s a chunk of reef out here that I’ve always enjoyed pulling over for and watching when passing through this area. I’ve never seen it look truly rideable, but I wouldn’t put it past some nut to give it a go on the right day. Heaving peaks onto dry rock reef. Mindsurfing was never so fun.
It’s not just the water that’s compelling here either, it’s also the landscape leading up to it. The rolling hi…
SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2017, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Botanical Hazards, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Mendocino, Mendocino/Sonoma 2017, Method, Miles Hiked, Mysterious Insect Bites/Stings, Northern California, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Plein Air, Some Poison Oak Observed, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, The Greatest Collector Ever, Ticks Observed on Skin or Clothing, Weather Tags: DRY GRASS, FLOWERS, JUST NATURE, NO NEED FOR SKY, ON THE ROCKS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, POCKET BEACHES, RIGHTS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, SPARKLING WATER, TIDEPOOLS, UMBELLIFERS, WILDFLOWERS -
In the Beginning
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In the Beginning
2017 | California's East CoastPlein Air
Arriving to Tahoe for the first time we approached from the south after traversing Echo Summit. The exposed granite boulders of the Pie Shop (what they call that hill in the mid upper right) in the distance gave just a hint of the aroma of the delicious feast of Earth's wonder that was to come in the following days. The bits of snow still clinging to the shaded hill in the 80 degree heat was now a distant echo of the long dark and cold winter months that blanketed this area with more snow tha…
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SKU: N/A Categories: 2017, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, California's East Coast, East Coast Tour 2017, Free Range Road Trips, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Mosquitoes, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Other Painters, Plein Air, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, Uncomfortably Warm Tags: EVERGREENS, JUST NATURE, LAKES, OUT OF DARKNESS, SHAPE: SQUARE, TREES, VIEWS FROM HIGHER GROUND -
Short Term Memory Loss
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Short Term Memory Loss
2017 | California's East CoastPlein Air
SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2017, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, California's East Coast, Climbing or Vertical Scrambling Using Hands, Construction Zones, East Coast Tour 2017, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Parking, Plein Air, Questionable or Illegal Parking Required, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, Uncomfortably Warm, Weather Tags: EVERGREENS, GRANITE BOULDERS, JUST NATURE, LAKES, ROCKS, SHAPE: SQUARE, SNOW-CAPPED MOUNTAINS, SUBMERGED ROCKS -
I’m Going In!
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I’m Going In!
2017 | California's East CoastPlein Air
Close to the water’s edge and just around that boulder point known as Bonsai Rocks. By the time I was done with this one, staring so closely into that crystalline water while sweating in the sun, there was no holding back.
I’m going in!
Wow, Tahoe. You’re cold. That hurt.
SKU: N/A Categories: 2017, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, California's East Coast, Climbing or Vertical Scrambling Using Hands, East Coast Tour 2017, Free Range Road Trips, Hiking, Landscapes, Less than 1 Mile, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Plein Air, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, Uncomfortably Warm, Weather Tags: EVERGREENS, GRANITE BOULDERS, JUST NATURE, LAKES, PERSONAL FAVORITES, ROCKS, SANDY BEACHES, SCALLOPED BEACHES, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, SNOW-CAPPED MOUNTAINS, SUBMERGED ROCKS -
A Strong Inclination
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A Strong Inclination
2017 | California's East CoastPlein Air
This is the first painting I did in Tahoe. It was a real puzzle for me trying to sort out the values in the painting with that blinding white snow on the surrounding ridges. I kept feeling like everything should be lighter because of the distance, then I’d lose the contrast that would make that flat white snow appear so bright. I never really did figure it out, but had a ton of fun staring at that water all the same.
The town on the distant shore beneath the snowy peaks is called Incline Village, though that has less to do with the title than the allure of that ice cold water on a hot day, giving one a strong inclination to jump in, no matter how much the shock to one’s system the cold would bring.
SKU: N/A Categories: 2017, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, California's East Coast, Climbing or Vertical Scrambling Using Hands, East Coast Tour 2017, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Less than 1 Mile, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Plein Air, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, Uncomfortably Warm Tags: BLUEBIRD DAYS, EVERGREENS, GRANITE BOULDERS, JUST NATURE, LAKES, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, ROCKS, SHAPE: VERTICAL, SNOW-CAPPED MOUNTAINS, STEEP CLIFF FACES, SUBMERGED ROCKS, WATCH YOUR STEP -
Watch Your Step
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Watch Your Step
2017 | Northern California › Humboldt | Plein Air
I had tried to paint from this spot recently but couldn’t because of the wind. Even with a better light wind forecast it was still a bit dicey out here at times. Wind funnel slot canyon on a north facing cliff in spring in Humboldt. Yep. Translation: windy, even on a calm day. Took a bit of extra thought during setup and breakdown as the drop is vertical just to the left of the frame and a long way straight down to the water. One bad gust whipping the wrong way and there’d be no retrieving anything that took flight. Nothing blew away, though so it’s all good.
SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2017, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Botanical Hazards, Climbing or Vertical Scrambling Using Hands, Geological Hazards, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Humboldt, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Northern California, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Plein Air, Some Poison Oak Observed, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, Weather Tags: BENDING LINES OF SWELL, GRANITE BOULDERS, JUST NATURE, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, MORNING LIGHT, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, ROCKS, SHAPE: VERTICAL, STEEP CLIFF FACES, THE IDES OF MARCH, VIEWS FROM HIGHER GROUND, WATCH YOUR STEP -
Rainy Day Melody
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Rainy Day Melody
2017 | Southern California › Orange County | Plein Air
Another recent one from the Orange County coast. With all the weather and rain, I kept feeling like I was painting up north somewhere. Not the typical Socal Blues anyway…
SKU: N/A Categories: 2017, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Fence or Gate Hopping Required, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Less than 1 Mile, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Orange County, Orange County Winter 2017, Paid Park Entrance Required, Painted in Heavy Winds, Parking, Plein Air, Prohibited Area (on Public Land), Rain!, Southern California, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, Threatening to Rain, Uncomfortably Cool, Weather Tags: BEACH BREAKS, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, OVERCAST, PAINTED UNUSUALLY FAST, PIERS, RAILROAD TRACKS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL -
Speaking Softly Like Light
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Speaking Softly Like Light
2017 | Central California › Monterey | Plein Air
Painted this one not too long ago down on the central coast of California. This is the one I did during that video that I posted yesterday from @stwcoalition. They kept telling me to speak up, cause the light wind was muffling everything in the microphone. It was a bit of a challenge to stay focused on the painting and bring it through while talking art extensively with the Save the Waves crew. All in all, a great day at work.
SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2017, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Central California, Free Range Road Trips, Had to Sleep in My Van, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Monterey, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Orange County Winter 2017, Plein Air, Sneaky Public Access Easement, Subject, The California Coast, Travel Tags: ESTUARIES AND WETLANDS, FLOWERS, GREEN GRASS, JUST NATURE, LAGOONS, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, PAINTED WHILE BEING AWKWARDLY FILMED AND/OR INTERVIEWED, RIVERMOUTHS, RIVERS, RIVERS AND STREAMS, ROCKS, SAND DUNES, SANDBARS, SANDY BEACHES, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, SHOREPOUND AND WOMP, WILDFLOWERS -
Isthmus Interrupted: Most of the Time She Can’t be Reached
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Isthmus Interrupted: Most of the Time She Can’t be Reached
2016 | Northern California › Humboldt | Plein Air
The isthmus here is only passable at the lower tides, leaving the rock island on the right unreachable for most of every day. I’ve always been fascinated by the bending of wave energy around both sides of the island on the higher tides. Getting to this vantage point with all my paint gear wasn’t easy, but that is all part of the fun.
SKU: N/A Categories: 2-4 Miles, 2016, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Botanical Hazards, Climbing or Vertical Scrambling Using Hands, Deep Creek or River Crossing, Full-On Bushwhacking, Geological Hazards, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Humboldt, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Northern California, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Plein Air, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, Thorns and Brambles, Uncomfortably Cool Tags: BENDING LINES OF SWELL, EVERGREENS, JUST NATURE, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, SEA STACKS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, SUBMERGED ROCKS, TIDEPOOLS, YIKES! NUDE BEACH -
I’ll be Ever’where, Ma
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I’ll be Ever’where, Ma
2016 | Northern California › Humboldt | Plein Air
Painted this one two days ago for a friend. Without going into much detail, I chose the title from Tom Joad's farewell to his mother in Grapes of Wrath. As I painted this much loved beach from an overview perspective not often seen, I thought of many that I have had to say goodbye to over the years and how there are times and places where we can almost feel as close to them as when they were still with us, perhaps closer even. A thick dark forest, impenetrable and full of mystery, seems a pre…
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SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2016, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Botanical Hazards, Full-On Bushwhacking, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Humboldt, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Mosquitoes, Northern California, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Plein Air, Some Poison Oak Observed, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, The Greatest Collector Ever, Thorns and Brambles, Uncomfortably Cool Tags: COMMISSIONED WORK, CYPRESS, ESTUARIES AND WETLANDS, EVERGREENS, JUST NATURE, LAGOONS, MEMORIALS AND TRIBUTES, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, RIGHTS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, THROUGH THE TREES, TREES -
Wedding Chapel in the Church of the Open Sky
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Wedding Chapel in the Church of the Open Sky
2016 | Central California › Santa Cruz | Plein Air
SKU: N/A Categories: 2016, 4-6 Miles, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Timeline, Biological Hazards, Central California, Free Range Road Trips, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Human Waste, Trash, and Debris, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Heavy Winds, Plein Air, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz 2016, Sketchy Human Interactions, Subject, The California Coast, Trudging Through Soft Sand, Weather Tags: CREEPY MEN LURKING, FIRE PITS, FROM THE BEACH, POCKET BEACHES, ROCKS, SANDY BEACHES, YIKES! NUDE BEACH -
Silent Conversations: Long Departed
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Silent Conversations: Long Departed
2016 | Central California › Santa Cruz | Plein Air
I’ve heard this site was one of the oldest human settlements in North America. Long departed now, nothing remains but a hill of discarded shells surrounded by windblown dunes. And the wind. The wind has always been here. It was already blowing steady with undertones of far greater force to come and it was only mid morning. I had a dilemma. There was a broad rocky plateau from which a finger of precipice extended. The plateau had nice views and was lined by an eroded dirt bank providing exce…
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SKU: N/A Categories: 2016, 4-6 Miles, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Botanical Hazards, Central California, Drop Off Required, Extra Vehicular Assistance Needed, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Painted in Heavy Winds, Painted in Stupid Strong Wind that I had No Business Trying to Paint In, Plein Air, Posted: No Trespassing, Private Property, Ride on Truck/Quad/Off-Road Vehicle Required for Access, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz 2016, Some Poison Oak Observed, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, Trudging Through Soft Sand, Vehicular Logistics, Weather Tags: EVERGREENS, JUST NATURE, LOOKING BACK TOWARD LAND, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, SACRED SITES, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, WATCH YOUR STEP, WEATHERED ROCK/SANDSTONE -
Further Up, Further In
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Further Up, Further In
2016 | Southern California › Santa Barbara | Plein Air
SKU: N/A Categories: 2016, 4-6 Miles, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Timeline, Barbed Wire, Biological Hazards, Botanical Hazards, Fence or Gate Hopping Required, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, High Grass- Tick Country!, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Painted in Heavy Winds, Plein Air, Posted: No Trespassing, Private Property, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara/Ventura 2016, Some Poison Oak Observed, Southern California, Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, The California Coast, Weather Tags: AFTERNOON LIGHT, JUST NATURE, LOOKING BACK TOWARD LAND, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, POINT BREAKS, RIGHTS, SHAPE: SQUARE, SPARKLING WATER, STEEP CLIFF FACES, SUN GLARE, WATCH YOUR STEP, WHITE CLIFFS, WORKING CATTLE RANCHES -
Same as She Ever Was
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Same as She Ever Was
2016 | Northern California › Marin | Plein Air
Took a grueling hike in the heat of the day yesterday in search of a spot I’ve been eyeing on the map for years. Like all the best places it requires a drive off the main road until the pavement ends, then a drive down a dirt road until the road ends, then you get out and walk. Unfortunately I didn’t find any views of the spot I had wanted to see, but the walk up the coast was a walk back in time to old California, possibly ancient even. California does this sometimes. Here she is, same as she ever was. Every bit worth all the sweat and effort to get here. Lots to more to explore, hoping to get back here another day…
SKU: N/A Categories: 2016, 4-6 Miles, Access Logistics, Acrylic on Canvas, Anthropological Hazards, Artwork, Artwork Notes, Artwork Notes | Backstories, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Climbing or Vertical Scrambling Using Hands, Crowds with Lots of Questions, Free Range Road Trips, Geological Hazards, Had to Sleep in My Van, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Landscapes, Logistics, Marin, Marin 2016, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Northern California, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Painted in Full Sun with no Shade, Plein Air, Prohibited Area (on Public Land), Steep or Unstable Cliffs, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, Travel, Uncomfortably Warm, Weather Tags: AFTERNOON LIGHT, BENDING LINES OF SWELL, EUCALYPTUS, EVERGREENS, GREEN GRASS, JUST NATURE, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, MOUNTAIN LION COUNTRY, PATHS, PERSONAL FAVORITES, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, SCALLOPED BEACHES, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, TRAILS, WATCH YOUR STEP, WEATHERED ROCK/SANDSTONE -
Warming Up
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Warming Up
2016 | Northern California › Humboldt | Plein Air
SKU: N/A Categories: 1-2 Miles, 2016, Acrylic on Canvas, Artwork, Artwork Timeline, Awkward Footing on Uneven Terrain, Biological Hazards, Botanical Hazards, Downright Frigid, Full-On Bushwhacking, Geological Hazards, Hiking, Hiking Terrain, Humboldt, Landscapes, Logistics, Medium, Method, Miles Hiked, Mysterious Insect Bites/Stings, Northern California, Off Trail Wilderness Tromping, Plein Air, Subject, Temperature, The California Coast, Thorns and Brambles Tags: EVERGREENS, JUST NATURE, LOOKING DOWN FROM STEEP CLIFFS, MORNING LIGHT, PLACES NOBODY MIGHT HAVE EVER STOOD AND PAINTED BEFORE, POCKET BEACHES, ROCKS, SCALLOPED BEACHES, SEA STACKS, SHAPE: HORIZONTAL, WATCH YOUR STEP, YIKES! NUDE BEACH
