The Vision Mountain fire which took place in 1995 in the month of October devastated over 12,000 acres. This series of watercolors was completed in 2003 from photographs I took in the 1980s. My original large scale watercolor, which I will show at a later date, was completed in 1989, before the fire. I am not sure which of the landscapes depicted in my paintings remained unscathed. They remain fresh in my memory, and I hope to revisit the area to determine the nature of the damage and to see how far along the rehabilitation process has progressed. I treasure the walks taken here with family and friends. "Vision Mountain 4" is a watercolor on paper, 24" x 30" painted in 2003.

"Cacti"

As you make your way east on the River's Edge Trail you first encounter Rainbow Falls, and after a short hike, bike or skate, Crooked or Horseshoe Falls. Once again you will be surprised by this small, yet picturesque landscape. Yucca, sage, grasses and other shrubbery meet the eye, but to me the biggest surprise of all might be the presence of cactus at this particular point in the trail. This same cactus hindered Lewis and Clark in their epic journey and should have kept them from portage around the series of falls, rather than making their way back into the Missouri between the falls. To the modern day recreational hiker, the cactus is a reminder that the high plains desert is a part of the river landscape. Cactus flowers in bright yellow and orange provide an extra visual treat. "Cacti," oil on canvas, 72" x 48," was painted in 2004.

"Monkey Pod Tree"

In my childhood I climbed many a tree--koas, banyan trees and even guava trees were among my favorites. Short trunks and low hanging limbs were attributes of great climbing trees. Guava trees, though small in stature, offered their own rewards. Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine a tree as magnificent as this monkey pod tree which grows in the Moanalua Gardens in Honolulu. Its canopy must be one hundred feet in diameter. I wonder if it would make a good climbing tree. If you are ever in the neighborhood of this tree, take an upward glance and perhaps I will be perched on one of the low hanging branches! "Monkey Pod Tree" is an oil on canvas, 48" x 60," painted in 2005.

"Vision Mountain 2"

I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for many years. It was quite a treat to stay in a beach house at Stinson Beach for periods of time. One particular stay was a month. When we were feeling particularly adventurous we might take a drive past nearby Bolinas, through Inverness, and even further still to a place called Vision Mountain. It looked like quite an ordinary destination at first, and one wouldn't have guessed the extraordinary sight at the end of the trail. Untold beauty, countless visions, visual jewels unfolded one upon the other. I've done a series of paintings inspired by the beauty of Vision Mountain, but none can match the beauty of Mother Nature. "Vision Mountain 2," watercolor on paper. 24" x 30," 2003.

"Red Ball"

My sister and I were very close in age, and early on, she took it upon herself to become my personal tutor. She drilled me on my facts and figures, and was the person who, along with the aid of a paper turtle clock complete with hands, taught me how to tell time. Although I was a proficient reader early on, this particular skill eluded me well into elementary school! Long before she studied photography officially and became a photography teacher, my sister was skilled in composition and design and all things visual. I on the other hand, had no sense of design or composition, and my snapshots invariably turned out black! She has been giving me photography tips ever since. This snapshot she took peaked my interest, and she graciously allowed me to paint a picture from her photo. "Red Ball" is a large scale acrylic painting on paper, 38" x 50" completed in 1980.

"Still Life with Shell"

One day when I was walking to a drawing class at the San Francisco Art Institute I spotted a unique seedpod. It was on the cobblestone sidewalk across the street from the school. I thought it must have fallen from a tree or a nearby bush, and looked around at the nearby foliage for the source of the strange seedpod. It looked to me like the head of an animal--an antelope or goat perhaps, and I imagined myself fashioning the rest of the creature from sticks and leaves. I thought it was quite benign, and I imagined an endearing creature trotting about in a playful manner. At least it was not sinister in any possible stretch of my imagination. It sat on my shelf for a time, and somehow it seemed to harmonize with two other objects that were visually appealing--a beautiful shell, which harbored secrets unfathomable, and a broken light bulb, which probably signified a bad idea! At worst, the seedpod was a vegan alternative to an O'Keeffe skull! At best, it represented my prancing creature! Only recently did I find out that the seedpod is native to the Southwest, and is known by sinister names--but I don't believe any of that! "Still Life with Shell" is a colored pencil drawing on paper, 14" x 35," drawn in 1979.

"Cantaloupe and Croissants"

Take a brisk walk or leisurely jog to the pier in the early morning. Make sure to note lifeguard station number 25. The beach is fairly deserted except for the occasional gull . Walk down the pier and back, pass the empty volleyball courts and the playground equipment. No bicyclists or roller skaters are out yet.

Back home, slice the cantaloupe, heat the croissants, make coffee. Relax on the deck and enjoy the morning. "Cantaloupe and Croissants" is an acrylic and oil painting on canvas, 50" x 70," painted in 1982.