Ventura en Plein Air

for whatever we lose

(like a you or a me)

it's always our self

we find in the sea.

~e.e. cummings

Back in January my pastel group (Pastel Society of the Gold Coast) set up a date to do a "paint out" en plein air. It was at our member Sydney's house, and as you will see, it was a perfectly beautiful location!

After we all chit chatted for a while, the wind calmed down and the sun peaked out from behind the clouds. It was the perfect day to be outside with my pastel box! That is my Heilmann pastel box above on the tripod, and below ...

You can see the watercolor underpainting in the photo above, and my setup below, as well. Dont'cha just love those cool blues, greens and purples in the pastel box?

The world is mud-luscious

and puddle-wonderful.

~e.e. cummings

It was like a little art homecoming to be working in Ventura where I grew up, and down in the Ventura Keys, the neighborhood where some of my childhood friends lived.

Well, the piece did not get finished outdoors and still needs to be resolved in the studio (more work on the water and it needs some palm trees!) but it's always so great to be doing art outside in a beautiful place.

After meeting with my pastel group, I headed to the Ventura Pier for dinner and a margarita with my friend Tina, who I met in nursery school! After we ordered, I looked out the window and saw this guy! Isn't he beautiful?!

I love pelicans, especially after hearing in a documentary how sweet and loving they are! Some of the people who worked on Winged Migration, behind the scenes, said the "pelis" would literally come up to the people who raised them, and hug them by putting their wings around them! Makes me tear up to think of it!

I remember fishing on this pier as a kid.  One time, I was out there fishing and I cast out my line and a pelican flew right in front of me, grabbing my bate and the hook! It was awful and terrifying. We cut the line immediately and prayed he would be OK. I never fished off a pier again, and think of it every time I see someone fishing on a pier somewhere. 

Just look at this face! What a sweet beauty!

Once we believe in ourselves,

we can risk curiosity, 

wonder,

spontaneous delight,

or any experience that reveals the human spirit.

~e.e. cummings

I thanked him for be such a generous model and letting me take his picture, before he flew away. 

We had enormous fish tacos and then walked down onto the rocky beach. This was back in January after the storms. It was a gorgeous evening ... cool, crisp and breezy with the salty air of the Pacific.

trust your heart if the seas catch fire,

live by love though the stars walk backward.

~e.e. cummings

Tina and I on the beach!

I host a blog for the Pastel Society of the Gold Coast, and did a post about the plein air day on that blog, as well. A few photos are the same but there additional shots, including work by other artists if you want to check it out! Here is the link Pastel Society of the Gold Coast.

I thank you God

for this most amazing day,

for the leaping greenly spirits of trees,

and for the blue dream of sky

and for everything which is natural,

which is infinite,

which is 

yes.

~e.e. cummings

blessings and light

Up to Ventura ...

So long as the memory of certain beloved friends

lives in my heart,

I shall say that life is good.

~Helen Keller

Back in March, my friend Carol came to town! Well, not to L.A. but to Ventura. We met in preschool and were in each others classes (and lives) almost every year of primary school, then went to Junior High and High School together.

She moved away during college and never moved back! She lives in Washington State, which is beautiful of course, but we miss her in Southern California! I hadn't seen her for 13 years.

A group of us made a plan to meet on the pier, in Ventura. The site of many a memory!

Other than a few months after living in Thailand, in 1988, I haven't lived in Ventura either since High School. 

Anyway, a lot of music sends me into full sense memory mode, back to Ventura. This is  especially true of 80s music. I love the original Peter Gabriel version of this song, but I thought I'd share Sara's cover. :)

I headed North to Camarillo, to drive the rest of the way with Caroline. (Who I met in 4th grade!)

From her home in Camarillo ...

Ventura ...

The best mirror is an old friend.

~Peter Nivio Zarlenga

Be true to your work,

your word,

and your friends.

~Henry David Thoreau

Each friend represents a world in us,

a world not born until they arrive,

and it is only by this meeting 

that a new world is born.

~Anais Nin

Ah, how good it feels!

The hand of an old friend.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

It's not Ventura that I ever miss and it hasn't felt like home in ... decades. But, what does feel like home, is being with old friends. (And these are some of the oldest! ;)

Hearing Carol's voice, it's hard to explain, but I know her voice as well as any family member or anyone I see in my current life. It sounds like memories and childhood, and high school and ... love. It was one of those moments where all the years disappear. The same old souls, just hanging out.

I love that.

Todd, Julie, Cassy, Danna, Caroline, Carol, Buckley, and me.

For more Ventura posts ... click  here   here   here and  here 

Actually there are more but ... ;)

Close friends are truly life's treasures.

Sometimes they know us better

than we know ourselves.

With gentle honest,

they are there to guide and support us,

to share our laughter and our tears.

Their presence reminds us that we are never really alone.

~Vincent van Gogh 

The Pacific Surfliner Train ... on the California Coast

The significance of life

is living.

~Krishnamurti

The Southern Pacific Railroad built Glendale depot in 1924. I love the old Spanish Colonial Revival style! It's also an easy place to park and depart for a little weekend getaway!

A couple of days after the New Year, I decided to spend the last weekend of my vacation, up at my friend's place near Santa Maria. The train ride up there is beautiful. Well, Glendale to Ventura isn't so scenic, but the distance between Ventura and Santa Maria is beautiful. (There are beautiful spots on the way down South to San Diego, as well!)

I was looking for some traveling music and ran across this 1965 version of 500 Miles. It's much more melancholy than the trip was, but it's so pretty I wanted to share.

All of the photos were taken from the train window, on what is called the Pacific Surfliner, which goes from San Diego to San Luis Obispo. Much of the route runs along the coast.

Just North of Ventura ...

Without freedom from the past,

there is no freedom at all ...

~Krishnamurti 

Getting into Carpinteria and Santa Barbara ...

Look within,

You are the world.

~Krishnamurti

North of Santa Barbara ...

Love the Air Streams!

To transform the world,

we must begin with ourselves.

However small may be the world we live in,

if we can transform ourselves,

bring about a radically different point of view 

in our daily existence, 

then perhaps we shall affect the world at large, 

the extended relationship with others.

~Krishnamurti

Those shots, above, were all heading North (the photos from the trip will be in the next few posts) and these following photos, are Southbound, headed home to Los Angles. It was early morning when I left.

In oneself lies the whole world

and if you know how to look 

and learn, the door is there

and the key is in your hand.

Nobody on earth can give you either they key 

or the door to open,

except yourself.

~Krishnamurti 

Near Montecito ...

It is Love alone that leads to right action.

What brings order in the world 

is to Love 

and let Love do what it will.

~Jiddu Krishnamurti 

For more on the Glendale train station, click here!

Many Blessings and light, my friends!