Color & Texture

There are 20 different species of oaks native to California. The oak trees in the Santa Ynez Valley are referred to as Valley Oaks, or by their scientific name Quercus Lobata. They are incredible specimens and their shape and form varies, making each tree unique.
I fell in love with their texture and color, which changed throughout the day. In the early morning hours they took on silhouetted shapes against the morning fog and as the sun rose in the canyon hills the shadows cast from the trees became one with the mass of the foliage above it. By mid-day, the light penetrated and revealed the interior branches and they appeared light and feathery. And at day's end, the oaks took on a more solid shape and the low evening light illuminated the massive trunks.
I was particularly inspired by their connection to their surroundings. I loved how the sprawling limbs of this oak framed the view of the vineyards and canyon hills beyond.
The contrast of the cool hues in the shadows and the vibrant warm tones where the sun pierced through the foliage captured my interest. As I sketched and painted birds popped in and out, perched on branches low and high.

This view caught my eye as I was driving along Refugio Road just outside of Santa Ynez. I stopped and got out to look. The tree loomed out over a steep hillside that led to meadows below. Standing by the roadside I felt as if I were soaring with those branches. The closeness allowed me to survey the bark... it had massive chunky ribs that were as hard as iron. The crevices were deep and snaked their way along the curving branches.
I never tire of drawing them... looking at them. These Valley Oaks are an integral part of the character that shapes this special place... The Santa Ynez Valley.

Visitors - Old & New

It was my last week in the Santa Ynez Valley in California and I was itching to get out and paint. What a nice surprise to get a call from a local artist Marietta and an invitation to go sketch at one of her favorite spots, "The Mills."
We piled my gear into her car and set off for the town of Solvang to a road on the outside of town behind the Mission Ines. We parked and would hike the rest of the way. The mills are currently being restored and are part of a historic preservation project and accessible only by foot and with permission of the Trust. Marietta had permission to paint on the property and I was so excited to see where we were headed.
We hiked along newly-planted olive groves and headed into a wooded area with a small creek running through it. All I could see was bright sun beyond the darkness of the wooded creek bed. We walked through the shallow part of the creek and up into the sunlit hills.

At the rise of a small embankment the clay tiled rooftops came into view and then the full view of this amazing structure. Two small buildings with uniquely shaped holding wells for water all built by hand with clay and rock. Amazing. Especially when you realize they were built in 1820 by hand. 

Built by the Mission Santa Inés in 1819, this water powered grist mill was constucted to increase agricultural production in the valley. Two stone reservoirs were built in to the natural slope of the hill with these incredible stone retaining walls.

A second mill was designed by an American, John Chapman from the New England area. Chapman was sailing towards Hawaii and captured by the Argentinian pirate Bouchard and then forced to go to the Central Californian coast where Bouchard and his men raided Spanish settlements. Chapman was captured in the Refugio Canyon raid and sentenced to the firing squad. His life was spared and he was sentenced to a lifetime service at the Mission Ines in the Santa Ynez Valley.
It was there that he brought his knowledge of the New England textile industry and worked with the mission workers and indians to build this second mill.
This fulling mill created tightly woven woolen cloth by removing the excess lanolin and forcing the woolen fibers to interlock. It was a mill process that he had seen while growing up in the Boston area. This new technology was a huge advancement to the settlers in this region.

What a unique history -- and a great story. 

What an amazing spot -- sketching and painting these humble structures with an amazing panoramic view of the Santa Ynez mountain range and fields. It was a surreal experience.
Looking out across the fields was an old barn bathed in the evening sun. I worked quickly to capture the light and colors.

I was so grateful to Marietta for showing me her special place in the Santa Ynez Valley. We had a great evening of sharing and sketching... she remarked how good it was to be reminded how lucky she is to live in the valley. Indeed.

You can read more about these historic structures and the preservation work being done by the Santa Barbara Historic Trust at http://www.sbthp.org/mills.htm

http://www.sbthp.org/mills.htm

Highways & Byways

Driving back from Santa Barbara through the mountains I spotted the rooftops of old barns off in the distance. I was just entering the Santa Ynez Valley and wasn't very far from the exit to Buellton.  I noticed a sign for Classic Organic Farms and figured I would find my way off Highway 101 and see where it took me. I saw the sign and went from 65 to 30 in a flash... amazing that right off this major highways was this old road that led me right to the barns I had spotted from the distance. I love taking chances and seeing where roads take me!

I pulled up to the roadside stand... it was an old barn with an awning out front protecting mounds of strawberries from the hot sun. Inside there were shelves overflowing with the most amazing produce. Heads of lettuce that were as large as basketballs. Carrots, onions, garlic and stalks of celery with the most abundant display of leaves that were tender and fragrant. Artful arrangements of antiques mingled with fruit and delicate bouquets of herbs for sale. It was really a visual feast.

A friendly border collie turned the corner and came to greet me. I deposited my money into the big oak barrel and put my selections in the car. Returning to paint was top of my list for the next day. I did a couple of sketches in my sketchbook and scoped out the perfect painting spot.

I returned the next day mid morning and set up in the shade of a tree to paint. People stopped to make purchases and it was fun watching them sample and savor their purchases before they had even reached their cars. Behind me were the self-pick strawberry fields where people were filling their baskets with berries galore.

This little farm was surrounded by mountains. I looked it up on Google maps when I got back and It is amazing how it is this little land mass tucked into the mountains.

 

I worked on my painting for few hours... I loved the rich texture of the barn and the variations in colors. You could see remnants of old stains and paints of varied colors - red, brown, mustardy yellow. The clouds were amazing and they were moving quickly coming in off the ocean. I loved the bend in the road and wondered where that would lead to.

To the left was an old covered area for cattle. The owner, Helmut, stopped by to talk and look at my painting and we chatted about the history. It had once been an old dairy farm and the road I was painting alongside was the old Coast Highway, and before that a wagon path. The farm used to make cheese that was carried by horse and wagon down to Gaviota (11 miles away through the mountain pass) and then put on boats to San Francisco. 

Now this farm, an organic vegetable and fruit farm, continues the tradition of working the land and preserving the heritage of this valley. I will go back and do some more painting before I leave... I loved this little spot of green paradise ... just off Highway 101.

To read more about Helmut and his farm Classic Organics check out...
http://www.insidesyv.com/content/classic-organic/