Mustard Collagescape

Pigeon Point, mixed media on board, 12”x12”

It’s the time of the year that when you head out of San Francisco you’ll encounter fields of bright yellow flowers.  If you go north towards Napa or down the coast, wild mustard (Brassica rapa) is blooming everywhere.  The San Mateo coast is always pretty, and with fields that seem to glow yellow, it becomes spectacular.  Alas, the wild mustard is another invasive species.  But, if I am to depict the California landscape for my Collagescape series, I can’t hold the mustard.  Last week it was glorious down by Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park (see photo below).   A roadside stop inspired my latest piece. Pigeon Point will be shown in my Collagescape exhibit opening in August.

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.