Get Off My Lawn

6th day on the road, 17th painting completed, 2nd one this day

A big inspiration in my art life came from an unlikely source. It makes perfect sense in hindsight, but at the time when my older brother got a copy of Bank Wright’s classic book “Surfing California” when I was maybe 11 years old, I had no idea the years of exploration that would follow, and that would lead naturally into what I do today, travelling and painting this state’s coastline from border to border.

One spot in that book eluded me for years until this trip. I’m embarrassed to say it’s the only one that I recall being listed by it’s actual address on Highway 1. Why I never thought to look for the address sooner (maybe, you know on a map or something?), I have no idea. But here I was on this trip armed with a fully functioning map. Nothing could stop me now. Except I couldn’t remember the address. I must have stopped and hopped around the bushes at 3 or 4 different properties before almost accidentally arriving here. In fact I nearly drove by it, except for seeing the wave from the road. What? It’s even visible from the road? Good grief. I’m not nearly as observant as I sometimes pretend to be.

Sure there were NO TRESPASSING signs every 10 feet on that fence, but then why did that one spot have a clear trail leading away from that broken section of fence and along the bluff and down to the water, hmm? Methinks I’m supposed to go over there.

Only problem was my nerves while painting in full sight of the house and highway 1 out in the open on clearly marked private property without ever having spoken to anyone with any knowledge of the deal here. Of course I could have gone down the bluff a bit to be out of sight, but I liked this angle the best. I’ve never looked over my shoulder so many times in one painting. Kept expecting old man McCrakken to come out of his house yelling, “Get Off My Lawn!” Thankfully, he must have been napping and the whole scene remained quiet as a church on a Tuesday morning from start to finish.


We hopped your fence
And stood on your land
In clear view
Of your house
(And the highway)
Thank you
For not releasing the dogs


Artwork Information:


Artwork Title: "Get Off My Lawn"
Original Size: 16" x 12"
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Year Painted: 2017

Additional Artwork Information:


Method: Plein Air
Date Painted: 07/17/2017
Region: The California Coast > Northern California > Mendocino
Road Trip: Mendocino/Sonoma 2017

Artwork Logistics:


Miles Hiked: Less than 1 Mile
Access Logitics: Posted: No Trespassing, Fence or Gate Hopping Required, Private Property
(Painted Without Permission)
Botanical Hazards: Thorns and Brambles, Some Poison Oak Observed
Biological Hazards: High Grass- Tick Country!
Weather Logistics: Painted in Full Sun with no Shade
Temperature: Uncomfortably Warm


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