Beautiful Mendocino

My companion for the Pilgrimage show at Mendocino Art Center was Karen Campbell,
world traveler and business consultant from Vancouver, British Columbia.

After meeting at SFO airport car rental, Karen wove bravely through
the streets of San Francisco, taking us across the Golden Gate bridge
into Sausalito for lunch and her daily cup of espresso.

Wending up the Northern California Coast

At Santa Rosa we crossed to the coast to take the scenic route which,
following the coastline, had hairpin curves all the way to Mendocino.

Sky and ocean were worth the vigilance that the winding road required.

We marveled at the curious string of micro climates we met around each curve
in the road - moving from lush greenery to dry desert-like conditions.

When we reached Jenner by the Sea we stopped to rest. We felt assured
that we would reach Mendocino before dark and be able to find our airbnb in Fort Bragg.

Mendocino Art Center & Pilgrimage Show

Our first morning in Mendocino, Karen and I went straight to the art center
to check out the hanging of the show and leave books and cards for sale. 

Karen captured the marvelous mixed age range of Northern California
arts supporters as they arrived for the opening reception for Pilgrimage.

This appreciative viewer was fascinated by my small book on the pedestal.
It is composed of studies for the Maliwada, India painting on the back wall.

Attendees seemed to resonate with my description of the creative journey
being a zig zag path similar to Lombard Street in San Francisco.

In sharing some of the guidelines I used for the Pilgrimage series of paintings,
I gave people clues for how to read my abstract work

People in this area are well-traveled. Born and raised in Australia,
this lovely woman shared meeting her future husband on the boat to United States.

Do you think the woman in black is reading the Urdu writing in this painting?
It's the International Declaration of Human Rights.

Discovering Mendocino

Former water towers are evident all over town. They have been transformed
into living quarters as residents no longer have to store water.

"Naked Ladies" are seen throughout Mendocino county.
They belong to the Amaryllis family.

Sandy headlands are reminiscent of Scotland and Nova Scotia.

Inviting beaches offer numerous sporting opportunities.

Gorgeous succulents are everywhere!
They thrive on moisture from the air.

Credits:
Pilgrimage Show and Mendocino photographs– Karen Campbell
Photos from car and collage – LiDoña Wagner