Breakers, Sand, and Oh The Dreadful Wind and Rain...

OK, we didn't have rain, but the dreadful wind, cold, hard, driving stinging sand against the head, arms, and sunburned legs. We had a great time camping at the beach.

Manresa State Beach is right by Watsonville, at just about the center of Monterey Bay. Even though I lived in the area for six years, I only made it to Manresa a handful of times. In my last two years in Santa Cruz, I lived a short walk from Seabright Beach, and if I wanted exotic, I tended to head up North to the more deserted beaches of the San Mateo coast.

But our friends go to Manresa every year, and they invited us to go along, so who could resist a camping trip with friends at the beach? Especially since it gave me an excuse to make paella over an open fire (we went for uber-traditional and used rabbit in it. Yum).

Anyway, we had just been to the exhibit at Sacramento's Crocker Art Museum of the turn of the century artists' colony at Monterey. Looking at the paintings of all those cyprus trees and waves inspired me to try my hand at capturing waves.

Waves are difficult subjects, since they are always in motion, and never repeat themselves exactly, at least not in any coast interesting enough to want to draw. Add in a stiff, cold wind, a thin coating of salt over your glasses, and the challenge goes up tenfold.

There are parts of the drawing that came out right, but I need more practice at the ocean.