A couple I have gotten to know the past few years are very supportive of each others interests. She plays the oboe and he shows up for her concerts. He paints (and collects owls) and she shows up for his events and exhibits. Those two thoughts converged at some point last week and I came up with this assemblage.

Because I love art dealing with the found object, I keep a box filled with caps, toy pieces, embellishments from old furniture, keys...little treasures that sometimes find themselves affixed to canvas and paint.

For the first time, fruit appeared on our guava trees this year. The squirrels got their share but we managed to salvage a few. I threw a few in a wooden bowl my brother made for us and took them to the studio for some inspiration. A disassembled cardboard box, a bowl of guavas and discussions with Charlie about harvesting, ripeness, tasting, smells are the subject of this painting. I threw a few tea cups in because I sipped Earl Grey as I worked ( and a glass or two of wine). Musings on a fruit that has beautiful blossoms, but I'll pass on eating it.

Monterrey and Pacific Grove are at my back door, but I have never really experienced such beauty in a meditative, healing way until recently. My husband and I packed up bikes, books, camera and I took my paints. We checked into a B&B near the water. Pacific Grove was rich with fog in the morning casting a mood that called for contemplative walks along the water. By afternoon the sun was shining and we were riding our bikes along the 17 Mile Drive to Pebble Beach. We stopped along the way to read, to paint and to take photographs. This abstract painting is an attempt to capture the Brandt's Cormorants, the harbor seals, kelp beds with floating sea otters, succulents and smooth pebbles floating in sparkling water along the path. I came home with a stack of little watercolor studies and a small skeleton of a sea urchin. I keep that little sea urchin by my easel to remind me of those few days of such peace.
Title: Pacific Grove Medium: Acrylic on Canvas Size: 66" x 35"