My friend, whom I shall refer to as (the other) JB (she says that brings to mind images of someone chewing on a cigar!), expressed a desire to hike to a lake out of Mineral King. Because we would be driving up from the flatlands and hiking on the same day, I chose Monarch Lake for its well graded trail. That is a lake I rarely visit. It has no trees, and in my memory it isn’t as attractive as other lakes up there. So, it seemed like a good time to compare my mind’s image to reality. 
Wow! If this is ugly, a pretty lake would strike me blind! So here we were in this beautiful place with its fall colors coming on and I HAD NO CAMERA! Fortunately, JB had her point and shoot (forgot to ask how many megapixels!) and she was more than willing to share. I’m sure her generosity was not affected in the slightest by the slightly wild look in my eye and bulging vein in my forehead. I confess: I filled her memory card and drained her battery. She continued to be gracious about it all, because that is the kind of person JB is. It was a wonderful time together, and an altogether terrific hike!
All but the final details
In case you were wondering, oil painting happens for me from top to bottom and left to right on the canvas, while at the same time trying to paint from the furthest away to the closest. Sometimes this doesn’t coincide with color usage, but I continue to learn as I paint. These 2 paintings need to dry so I can put the final touches on them without wrecking the parts in back. The first is the bottom part of the trail leading to Eagle and Mosquito Lakes in Mineral King. The second is a super secret swimming hole on the Kaweah River.
What I Did On My Summer Vacation
After careful consideration, I decided to not take my paints with me to the land of no electricity. Instead, I gathered new experiences and information (and photos, of course) so that the time would truly feel like a vacation. (Why does one need a vacation from a wonderful life? I dunno. . . because that’s the way it’s done??) So here are some images from that time for you to enjoy:
This is a flower I have never seen before – it is called Western Monkshood
This might be my favorite wildflower – the color isn’t right here, but it is still fabulous! It is some sort of Gentian – Explorer’s? Hiker’s?
Here is the yellow flower that seems to stand out more than any other – it has the unfortunate name of Bigelow Sneezeweed!
Here it is in its setting – doesn’t it pop??
I was graciously shown a wonderful new place – this is a view looking OUT of a cave! (No I can’t tell you where – very very top secret!)
This is a view as we were leaving the spot – despite the rain, it was a fantastic hike, an invigorating 12 miles of new visuals!
One morning I actually got up early and went in search of sunshine.
View from Timber Gap
8 x 10″, $99 framed SOLD
This is a fine view of Farewell Gap, as seen from Timber Gap. Timber Gap is not as high, and it is only about 2 miles to the top. It is a good warm-up for the trip to Farewell Gap, because looking across the valley makes one want to visit the other places! i think the blue flowers were Flax. Some painting notes: this was from about a year ago when I was experimenting with a looser style. My tendency is to draw with the paintbrush and then be very frustrated when the results are less refined than my pencil drawings. On this one, I was determined to look like a Real Oil Painter instead of a Pencil Artist Who Paints. Some days I have to put down the paintbrush and deliberately walk away from the easel because I WANT TO DRAW!!! more accurately, I want my paintings to look like drawings, and that is not the nature of the beast. (Okay, fine, TAME THAT BEAST!!!)
A Peak
8 x 10 “, $99 framedThis is the peak, Sawtooth, for which my cabin neighbor group is named (see the post “Friends”). They have all climbed it at least once, as have I. However, I am the only one who got a helicopter ride down. . . life at 16 was full of excitement. I am happy to report that the scars are minimal. I lived to climb it again 5 years later and this time I made it to the top AND back down under my own steam (with a little help from some friends because I was SCARED!!)Now I am old enough to enjoy the view without the need to prove anything (except that I can paint it!)
View from Farewell Gap
Sold
Just in case you think I am only messing around while in Mineral King, here is proof that (almost) every place can be a business trip! This is what you can see from the trail leading to Farewell Gap. That is Timber Gap in the distance, and the flowers are lupine and some yellow thing whose name I have never learned.
I painted this a few years ago and would like to do so again. (Remember the blog entry about Series?) Besides, this year’s views were too smoky! The weirdest thing to me is that I kept looking for this very view while hiking to Farewell Gap and I never did see it this year. Too busy counting switchbacks. . . there are 21 between the last water source and the Gap, in case anyone cares.
drawing from photos
People ask if I work from photos or from real life. The answer is both, but with a heavy emphasis on photos.
I use a camera to gather my information, and I use sketches to arrange and improve a scene. Real life is messy, and I try to clean it up! There are principles of composition that make 2 dimensional art more pleasing without seriously altering reality.
Here is a photo and a drawing of the same scene. You may notice there is more stuff in the drawing than the photo – this is because I work from multiple photos to create the scene that I experienced, rather than copy the photo by rote. True confessions: I used to copy everything exactly as it appeared in the photo because I was greener than grass, didn’t know any better and thought it would be “cheating” otherwise! Live and learn . . . this is called GROWTH!
Friendship
For one weekend each summer at the cabin next door to ours, there is a group of men who call themselves The Sawtooth Six. They met in college, and have been assembling in Mineral King for 25 years now. The one who owns the cabin was one of my first commission customers back in 1986, and I may have met his buddies that same year.
Each year we learn a little bit more as we gradually move from acquaintances to friends. They have grown (less howling at the moon), married (some more than once), become fathers (one has 4 boys!), gotten more degrees (at least one Ph.D and probably several MBAs), changed jobs or careers, moved to different cities, states, or even countries, and traveled the world. There is a definite aura of confidence and success, combined with a sense of humor and courtesy. Several have returned to the area with their families, renting places at Silver City just down the road. ( www.silvercityresort.com ) When they bring their wives, parents and children up to show them the cabin, if we are around we have the pleasure of meeting their families.
Usually one or two will wander over to our cabin and we’ll sit and visit. We love hearing about their lives from around the country (currently San Francisco, Long Beach, San Luis Obispo, Spokane, somewhere in New Jersey and Snohomish, Washington). We don’t know where each one works, all their wives’ names or even all their last names. They live in entirely different worlds than we do, and yet while hanging around in the mountains, we are all just people. They seem to like hearing about my husband’s job and my art, and watching me split firewood (with lots of jokes about taking photos home to their wives to show them what “real women do”!)
So, Sawtooth Six, I thank you for taking the time to visit my studio today and I wish you a happy, healthy, safe year so we can visit again next year in Mineral King!
(if you count seven, that is because one of these handsome guys is my husband!)
Inspiration, Part 7
If you check my blog regularly, you might have been wondering if my computer croaked in last week’s heat wave. No, it is fine, and so am I (thanks for your concern)! I was gathering new inspiration in a place that has no electricity. Here are a few glimpses into that place for you:
This is a view of Timber Gap this morning. It was smoky out from all the California fires, and a thunderhead was already forming.
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This is the view back toward Mineral King from Farewell Gap, a very long walk. It is always worth the effort, especially to see the Sky Pilot flowers, which only bloom above 10,000′.
This is Farewell Gap as it looked a few weeks ago. The lowest point between the two peaks is 10,589′, and that is where we were!
One week’s difference
This is not about my art directly. However, it could apply to the category of Series: photograph and paint the same scene in many different seasons and times of day. It could also apply to the category of Inspiration: it is ALWAYS beautiful in Mineral King!
Here is a photo of the trailhead this morning. Last week it was all under snow!
