Anytime you are in Monterey, CA, you need to get to the aquarium. Going in and looking at the exhibits and sea life is the whole point, but the coronavirus has ended that pleasure. Instead, we got to see it from the outside, like little kids looking in a window, but the windows and doors are shuttered.
More Metropolis, FM2n, and 100mm.
We spent three days in Monterey, California, doing basically nothing but eating and walking miles along the boardwalk in Pacific Grove and the bike path in Monterey. We walked and then ate, and then sometimes walked some more. When we weren’t walking or eating, the activities included simply being blobs, like reading books or knitting or watching “Good Omens”. It was a really hellish vacation.
While walking in Pacific Grove, we admired trees and people and rocks and birds. Then I espied this gentleman, out in the full sun, painting a view behind me. I stopped and looked, and decided to chat him up a bit – it is very seldom I see someone painting directly from the real world. Where I live, you are likely to faint from dehydration these days.
Anyway, he was so friendly and nice! (And he let me take his picture, too.) His name is Ethan Walsh, and he has a lovely website, Ethan Walsh Paintings which I decided to visit. His paintings appear deceptively simple – they look so easy to have done, but you can see the skill and work behind them. His portraits are really amazing, especially in his ability to capture expression. I wish I could do as well. Add to that, he paints the Monterey area, and he catches the light and geography beautifully. Look him up!
This is the view Ethan was painting – Monterey pines on a rocky outcropping into the waters of the Monterey Bay. Here he is painting in oils and was using a fine brush to catch the details. This painting is very different than the ones I saw on his website, and to me this attests to an ability to move in many dimensions when wielding pigment.
Ethan – if you read this, thanks for spending a few minutes with me in the middle of your painting. I really enjoyed it!
And for those of you who are curious, these images were taken using a Nikon FM2n, 100mm Series E f2.8 lens and Lomography Metropolis film.
Birthday month brought a trip and toys .
Monterey for 4 days!
Instax SQ6 camera.
Instax SP-3 printer.
You can read about the toys over on my photo blog, The Glass Aerie, right here.
Monterey tomorrow.
Ciao!
I live in a typical American suburb built in the late 20th century. It’s pleasant, and not on a gridded platte. Here, in Monterey, is an older neighborhood, most likely dating from 1910-1930 when neighborhoods were built and the streets ran parallel and perpendicular to each other. If care is taken, or upscaling occurs, these neighborhoods are charming and pleasant for walks. The houses here are smallish and closer together than where I live, but a part of me is always drawn to these areas. They are usually near downtown (older downtown) and very pleasant for walking. Here, the road slopes steeply down to the left, while the one on the right and out of sight is straight. Good place for exercise and sight-seeing.
The color version of this is intense – brilliant blue background, orange and white jellies. I like this version over the color one – little details without the distraction of color.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 