A Maui Visit

Last week I traveled to Hawaii, staying in Maui. While there, the highlight of my trip was visiting Carla Thistle and her husband who moved from Cazadero, CA to Haiku, Maui a decade ago. Carla was one of my art buddies in Cazadero, where we both lived for a number of years. One of her claims to fame is making willow furniture by cutting, stripping and weaving willow from the Russian River area. Several of her willow chairs were featured in Phenomenon, a movie starring John Travolta. Carla and Steve have a sweet home and green house that show off Steve's talents as a builder. Their property is filled with tropical abundance: orchids, fruit trees and just about anything that lands in the rich soil and is watered by the warm tropical rains.

In Sara Lee's Vineyard

This past Monday Morning Painters' venue was located in the lucious vineyards of Sara Lee Vineyards. The vineyards are vast and contain incredible places to plein air paint. We often say to one another how lucky we are to live is such a beautiful place on earth.

Next Door to the Jimtown Store

Last week I was invited to paint on the last remaining 250 acres of the 9,000 acres once homsteaded by Cyrus Alexander in the mid 1800s. Alexander Valley is famous for its wine production, and the valley now contains the vineyards of many Healdsburg wineries. This painting is located next door to the Jimtown Store, and views the back of the house there.