River Cabin and Bluejay

 

Old Guerneville Bridge/Johnson's Beach

A day at the beach

Evening Cabin

I can recall the many cabins (and businesses) that were decorated with colorful Christmas lights. I always felt that those lights made the River feel like some kind of a fairytale wonderland, someplace that was outside of ordinary life. And for me it most definitely was.

Rope Swing

Do you remember the thrill of clambering up the slippery bank and grabbing that rope for the first time? The fear and exhilaration, when you finally leapt, to swing out over the water and let go of that rope?

River Cabin

With this blog I want to create artwork and stories that capture the essence and magic of those Russian River Summers of my childhood. They are some of my fondest and most powerful memories. The closeness of family, the freedom and fun, the incredible beauty of the surroundings all have left an indelible mark on my life.

  I know that I'm not the only one so deeply touched by that time and place. I hope this work brings back a lot of joy and nostalgia, for anyone who counts themselves lucky enough to have been there. And for anyone not so fortunate, who didn't experience that wonder first hand, may the art and stories give you just a taste of what made it so special.

This first piece of artwork is something I did in 2010. In it I tried to use exaggeration to enhance the feelings I wanted to capture: That eerie feeling that the cabins were floating among the treetops, the impossibly narrow roads that snaked through the canyons, the coziness of the cabins nestled in the shade, the dappled sunlight filtered through the trees, the stark difference between the hot summer sun and the cool shade. I was fairly pleased with the results. Hope you enjoy it, and feel free to comment.