We spent the weekend in the central coastal area of California. The drive up and back were beautiful, with miles travelled in the Paso Robles wine country. This is an oak tree, leafing out in a field alongside the road home. This has been an extraordinarily beautiful spring!
Early last summer, or late last spring, I visited a park with a friend. It is in Los Angeles, above the 118 freeway, so if you frequent the area you might recognize the photo (below) and the painting (above).
It is the kind of park I like – open, easily accessible, and then winding away from the city into the canyons beyond. Since my friend cannot get too far, we never have gone deep into the canyons, but perhaps one day I will go further than I have. It has some lovely tended areas and then wilder areas, but what I particularly enjoy are the oak trees.
This is the view from the pathway returning to the city, and this tree never ceases to find a soft spot (hopefully a sharp spot with good focus in a camera!) when I visit. I think we all have trees or buildings or places we enjoy revisiting.
More pointillism, more gouache.
Behind the botanical gardens are hills covered with grasses and scattered oak trees. And filled with birds, lizards, a few trails, and possibly a few rattlesnakes on a warm, sunny day. On such days, I stick to the trails and walk slowly and look carefully before I move. Thus, a view up a hill to a lovely copse of oak and scrub.
Bronica SQ-AI, 80mm f2.8 Zenzanon PS, Ilford XP2 Super 400. And no snakes.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 