End of the Road

Devils Slide 2014, acrylic on canvas 12”x4”, 2004

For many years I have included empty roads in my landscapes – it’s the type of view I often have on many road trips.  One road I have driven countless times is Route One between San Francisco and Santa Cruz.  This particular vista was the stretch of road known as Devil’s Slide.  It is on the way back to San Francisco just before reaching Pacifica.  In wet winters, portions of the road have slid down the side of the mountain into the Pacific and closed the road for weeks and even months at a time.  The road now is bypassed by a Tunnel and closed to traffic. 

Recycling and repurposing has been an ongoing theme in my collage work for years.   This small landscape (above) makes me feel it’s all coming together.  This closed and now repurposed stretch of road has been redone and is only opened to pedestrians and bicyclists.   As the year ends, it’s the end of the road but still a new beginning for the road…

Spring

Half Moon Bay, 12”x9”, acrylic on paper, 2000

This week marked 24 years of living in San Francisco.  I love San Francisco, but one of my favorite things about the City is escaping.  Even a quick day trip and you can easily ground yourself in nature close by.  The ride down Route One to Santa Cruz and back has always been a favorite.  When I make the trip there are usually plenty of stops along the way.  Yesterday was no exception with a stop at Pescadero State Beach, lunch in Davenport, Swanton Berry Farm and a walk through the redwoods at Henry Cowell State Park.

It was a good way to start spring.  Big yellow fields of mustards are glowing all along the way.  As I drive I always remember many paintings inspired by previous trips.  Above is one of the fields outside of Half Moon Bay.  A quick, small painting that blurs like the view as I might have zoomed by on a day 15 years ago.  It’s time for those yellow fields to make a sequel.  Yesterday I was taking plenty of pictures as “color studies.  A very yellow Collagescape is coming soon.