Living away from the ocean when I moved to Ukiah in 2001 was a big change for me. I grew up in Eureka, in Northern California, then spent 30 years living in San Francisco. The ocean feels like part of my life. And while Ukiah is not far from the Pacific Ocean as the crow flies, it does take more than an hour to drive to it.
A friend and I were signed up to attend a quilting retreat (pack up your machine and tools and a bunch of fabric, hang out in a hotel conference room playing with them, among friends for a few days) but the retreat was cancelled. We decided to spend a couple of nights at the coast anyhow, and to bring art supplies (watercolor gear is a lot less cumbersome than sewing stuff), go to the local botanical garden, eat out, sleep in a nice motel.
And that’s just what we did. I’m happy to say the weather cooperated; it was about 57 degrees (F), and with only a slight breeze, not uncomfortable to plop down on a bench and paint the ocean view.
Art by Ginarteau 