One of the last paintings from recent Santa Cruz trip. This is the California I love. Open, accessible, space with occasionally great waves. In order to paint these places, I have to visit them in person. It’s one of my favorite perks of this job. I hear of parts of the east coast where private properties rule and effectively block out all public access to the coastline for exceedingly large stretches. Makes me thankful for all who have worked so hard in this state to weave public access to this natural resource into the fabric of our coastal communities. Places the public has enjoyed for years cannot easily be purchased and made private regardless of the weight of wealth being thrown around*. There’s some heavy battles raging on this front right now, but regardless of the outcomes, this is California, we will find ways through your fences and not feel bad about it at all. We’re happy to share the shore with the monied class even if they refuse to share it with us. That said, hats off to the folks on the front lines. It sure is nice to be able to leisurely stroll out on the trails to places like this.

*There are restricted private lands that benefit us all as well. The key here is preservation. If its a matter of keeping a coastline preserved in its natural state, sometimes private interests serve this purpose best… its case by case really. But buy a bunch of beachfront land and build it full of castles and walls to keep the commoners out of the places they enjoyed for generations and I reckon you’re asking for your castles to fall into the sea. We will not weep for your loss. We will rejoice gladly and use chunks of the shattered foundations of your fortresses to build makeshift stairs down the goat path we used before you ever came along.