Island Time!
Hi folks,
Right after my last email, I had the rare opportunity to stay 6 days on one of California's Channel Islands. As usual I won't name names, but a rose by any other name just wouldn't be the same. Oh and spring! How fun to see it all greened up out there with bursts of wildflower color sprinkled about. Pure joy. As usual I'm offering early bird deals on these, but keep in mind that it's not easy getting to the island, and then once there, some of these places required miles of difficult hiking to access, and as such may have never been painted in plein air before, and likely will never be again (at least by me). Rare paintings indeed.
"Water Under the Bridge"
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 20″ x 16″
Miles Hiked: 7.84
Price: $858
Early Bird Deal: $750
This was the first day here, and right off the boat we hiked to the end of the most northwestern point on the island. I was with a big group of students from CSU Channel Islands, so I went on ahead to start painting and they'd catch up later. When I reached the end I had to go around a corner to get out of the strong wind and that's when I saw this cool little sea arch down below. I never did see the group and they never spotted me on my perch over this cove. Just went seperate ways. I spent the entire afternoon hiking and painting and never saw a single human. Can't say that very often, but out here it's not all that unusual.
"Distant California"
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 16″ x 12″
Miles Hiked: 3.12
Price: $595
Early Bird Deal: $495
Hunting wildflowers in the green hills led me to the view down this canyon to these old barns. They recall an older California. The new California, with all of its rushing traffic and eagerness to get ahead can be seen in the distant purple land mass, while out here in the distance time has blissfully left it all behind.
"Trifecta: Ticks, Wind, and Poison Oak"
Medium: Acrylic on Raw Birch Panel
Size: 16″ x 12″
Miles Hiked: 0.6
Price: $608
Early Bird Deal: $495
I didn't go far for this one, I just wanted to peak around the corner of the beach where our bunkhouse was located. The afternoon light here has always struck me as special. But just because it wasn't far doesn't mean it was easy. I had to tromp up a steep hill dodging poison oak, paint in a howling wind, perched on a steep awkward grassy slope, constantly checking for ticks after picking up at least one while wading through the high grass to get here. Ended up working a bit faster than usual, just to get out of there, but that lends the piece a nice urgent honesty and I'm glad for it in the end.
"Strata Various"
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 16″ x 12″
Miles Hiked: 10.88
Price: $749
Early Bird Deal: $650
This awkward headland took some work to get to. All in all it ended up being nearly 11 miles of hiking, several creek crossings up to my calves, wet sloggy socks, and by the end of the day soaked to the bone in a late afternoon downpour. I might not have painted it except after hiking all the way to the other side of the island and venturing along the coast as far as I could this was the point where the hike came to an abrupt halt. I had to document it just because I'd likely never be here again. A truly rare painting of a truly rare place- which combined with the geological strata visible in the imposing headland is part of the title's word play- referencing the rare and beautiful stradivarius violin.
"Island Time"
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 12″ x 16″
Miles Hiked: 1.24
Price: $483
Early Bird Deal: $395
I sort of saw this one developing over a few days out here. First off, the evening light over the nearby island as the full moon rose was always a subtle delight. Secondly the poppies out here, only grow on these islands. Unlike the poppies of California that are very deep orange, or the poppies of mexico that are bright yellow-orange, these island poppies are a two-toned mix of both. And thirdly while wandering down from a hill I came across a series of cow bones in the grass, finally crowned off with this skull. I made a mental note and came back for it on a clear evening. It's not often such poetic elements come together in a line for a plein air painting, but with minimal editing, this is more or less what was there. Almost a Georgia O'Keefe inspiration in there, but mostly just a fun visual commentary on the passage of time.
"Moonshine"
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 16″ x 12″
Miles Hiked: 0.3
Price: $534
Early Bird Deal: $450
A late night stroll to the pier from the bunkhouse. The full moon directly overhead had things lit up pretty well. I'm really starting to enjoy these nocturnal scenes in spite of the challenges they present.
"Wish You Were Here"
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 20″ x 16″
Miles Hiked: 2.1
Price: $779
Early Bird Deal: $750
Those two old barns standing together in this distant outpost reminded me just how much I miss my best friend, my wife, when I'm out wandering around on the edge of the earth. I hope to bring her back here soon. One of the nice things about this island is that the cattle ranch is no longer active and now belongs to the National Parks as far as I know so when one encounters a barbed wire fence standing between you and the view you desire, the only concern is getting around or over said fence, and not whether the owner and their dogs might find you. Also there are no snakes hiding in the grass anywhere on this islande. Double win. Good things come in pairs.
"An Unfamiliar Song"
Medium: Acrylic on Raw Birch Panel
Size: 16″ x 12″
Miles Hiked: 11.0
Price: $792
Early Bird Deal: $650
The longest hike of the trip took me to this distant corner. The bunkhouse that was the home base for the trip was situated in a long crescent of shore where from nearly any point on the crescent you can see both ends bending out to sea in the distance. This was after a mission to reach the far end of the crescent to the east. Once I got there and climbed the hill that overlooks it I decided instead to keep going further out along the ridge, cutting across this tip of the island and getting my first look around the corner and back up on this unfamiliar stretch of coast. Like a song you've not heard before but instantly love, I wish I could have heard more, but with the rain in the distance and facing an eleven mile round trip hike for the day, this was as far as I could bring myself to go on this day.
"Holy Ground"
Size:20″ x 16″
Miles Hiked: 9.36
Price: $911
Early Bird Deal: $795
The final painting of this trip. This is the view from the top of the hill I climbed that overlooks the entire crescent of this side of the island. The volcanic rock is full of holes but there's more to this title than that. Just a feeling really, but some places seem to carry a significance all their own. This is one of them. Holy ground indeed.
And there you have it. Hope you've enjoyed these visions, these artifacts forged in the beauty of one of California's remote coastlines. Holler if you need one or have any questions at all.
Events coming up!
Boardoorm Surfboard show in Del Mar, CA on May 4, and 5
One night show and book signing at Wade Koniakowsky's Ocean Art Gallery in Solana Beach, 6:00pm May 4
Live Art at the BellyUp in Solana Beach on Thurdsay May 9 for the opening night of the San Diego Surf Film Festival
Book signing in San Clemente on May 18... maybe. It's still in the works.
Live Art in Santa Cruz, CA for Save the Waves Coalition's Life is a Wave event on Thursday May 23
Thanks again for all your support. You folks rule!
Matt