Ventura en Plein Air

for whatever we lose

(like a you or a me)

it's always our self

we find in the sea.

~e.e. cummings

Back in January my pastel group (Pastel Society of the Gold Coast) set up a date to do a "paint out" en plein air. It was at our member Sydney's house, and as you will see, it was a perfectly beautiful location!

After we all chit chatted for a while, the wind calmed down and the sun peaked out from behind the clouds. It was the perfect day to be outside with my pastel box! That is my Heilmann pastel box above on the tripod, and below ...

You can see the watercolor underpainting in the photo above, and my setup below, as well. Dont'cha just love those cool blues, greens and purples in the pastel box?

The world is mud-luscious

and puddle-wonderful.

~e.e. cummings

It was like a little art homecoming to be working in Ventura where I grew up, and down in the Ventura Keys, the neighborhood where some of my childhood friends lived.

Well, the piece did not get finished outdoors and still needs to be resolved in the studio (more work on the water and it needs some palm trees!) but it's always so great to be doing art outside in a beautiful place.

After meeting with my pastel group, I headed to the Ventura Pier for dinner and a margarita with my friend Tina, who I met in nursery school! After we ordered, I looked out the window and saw this guy! Isn't he beautiful?!

I love pelicans, especially after hearing in a documentary how sweet and loving they are! Some of the people who worked on Winged Migration, behind the scenes, said the "pelis" would literally come up to the people who raised them, and hug them by putting their wings around them! Makes me tear up to think of it!

I remember fishing on this pier as a kid.  One time, I was out there fishing and I cast out my line and a pelican flew right in front of me, grabbing my bate and the hook! It was awful and terrifying. We cut the line immediately and prayed he would be OK. I never fished off a pier again, and think of it every time I see someone fishing on a pier somewhere. 

Just look at this face! What a sweet beauty!

Once we believe in ourselves,

we can risk curiosity, 

wonder,

spontaneous delight,

or any experience that reveals the human spirit.

~e.e. cummings

I thanked him for be such a generous model and letting me take his picture, before he flew away. 

We had enormous fish tacos and then walked down onto the rocky beach. This was back in January after the storms. It was a gorgeous evening ... cool, crisp and breezy with the salty air of the Pacific.

trust your heart if the seas catch fire,

live by love though the stars walk backward.

~e.e. cummings

Tina and I on the beach!

I host a blog for the Pastel Society of the Gold Coast, and did a post about the plein air day on that blog, as well. A few photos are the same but there additional shots, including work by other artists if you want to check it out! Here is the link Pastel Society of the Gold Coast.

I thank you God

for this most amazing day,

for the leaping greenly spirits of trees,

and for the blue dream of sky

and for everything which is natural,

which is infinite,

which is 

yes.

~e.e. cummings

blessings and light

Searching for Cypress: Monterey Bay and the 17 Mile Drive

In one drop of water are found

all the secrets of all the oceans.

~Kahlil Gibran

Monterey Bay

January 2016

After a wonderful few days over New Years in San Francisco and Sausalito, it was time to head south. I remembered from a trip I took with my family between 7th and 8th grade, how beautiful Monterey and Carmel were, and most of all I remembered the wind blown cypress trees and cool, salty air of the coastline. 

It has it's own magic, that coastline. I had wanted to do the drive through Big Sur, as well, but it's a very long windy road and it was supposed to rain. So, I decided I would search for my cypress trees in Monterey, and on the famed "17 Mile Drive" which takes you by Pebble Beach, between Monterey and Carmel.

Some beautiful Chopin, for the drive ...

Monterey

The old "Cannery Rowe" area is pretty touristy. The tip off is when you see that there is a Bubba Gump Shrimp, in the vicinity. In any case, I hopped out of my car and walked around a bit. 

I was also on a quest to find the same tiny charms of the "Lone Cypress Tree" my sister and I had gotten, way back on that road trip with my folks in the old GTO. 

To me

the sea is a continual miracle;

The fishes that swim-the rocks-

the motion f the ways-

the ships with men in them,

What stranger miracles are there?

~Walt Whitman

Some very charming places to stay ...

After stopping a couple of times to to photograph the seascape, I saw the sign directing me to the 17 Mile drive. I actually thought that meant I was getting on it, but it would be much more obvious than this.

Any chance I got to get near the coast and hop out of the car, I did. It was a little strange being by myself in this area.  It felt so mystical with only the sounds of crashing surf, the wind and seagulls, and the sound of my own footsteps and breath as I walked along the shore.

It was otherworldly and familiar, all at the same time and the turquoise of the water, as the waves crested, was incredible amongst all the other muted tones. Breathtaking.

When I arrived at the entrance to the 17 Mile Drive, it was 10 bucks and they hand you a map. See? Very obvious, when you get there. There are different routes to take, but once again, I hugged the Pacific. And, it became more and more magical as the surf and winds became rougher and the clouds darker. Mother nature was in all her symphonic glory!

The map guides you to many places to take in the view, and where you could safely park.  I stopped as many times as I could before it started to rain and the light began to fade.

The voice of the sea

speaks to the soul.

The touch of the sea is sensuous,

enfolding the body in its soft,

close embrace.

~Kate Chopin

When anxious,

uneasy and bad thoughts come,

I go to the sea,

and the sea drowns them out 

with its great wide sounds,

cleanses me with its noise,

and imposes a rhythm upon everything in me

that is bewildered and confused.

~Rainer Maria Rilke

And in the distance ...

The Lone Cypress

I will have a lot of cypress trees to paint.

Every time I stand before a beautiful beach,

its waves seem to whisper to me:

If you choose the simple things

and find joy in nature's simple treasures,

life and living

need not be so hard.

~Psyche Roxas-Mendoza

p.s. I found the cypress tree charms! ;)