"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.

"Sand Castle"

First, dig a large moat, piling the sand in a tall mountain. Make sure the moat is connected to a vast source of water. Next, mound buckets of wet sand strategically on the mountain. Shape towers and stairways, turrets and walls. Drizzle even wetter sand hither and yon for a Gaudi-esque effect.

Take a break. Go for a long walk to the point. Have a picnic. Check the castle hours later when the tide comes in. Watch closely as each wave makes its way up the sides of the castle, making its own architectural design as it recedes. "Sand Castle" is 38" x 50," a watercolor on paper painted in 1987.

"Turtle"

Turtles and tortoises are primordial beings from another age. This usually languorous individual snaps disapproval for being roused from its meditation. Dragonflies and over-sized hummingbirds

hover above in the perfumed air. Nasturtiums and patterned greenery abound. Other creatures

emerge from the color bytes to offer companionship to the ancient one. A contemporary naiad

soothes the savage beast in the carapace, before lowering it gently into the pond. "Turtle" is an

acrylic painting on canvas, 40" x 47," completed in 1982.