The 280-corridor heading south towards San Jose is lined with foothills. Dotted along them you can see ancient oaks, a symbol of old California. A family crisis early in 2023 had us driving this stretch of road frequently. I found my eyes gazing often to bare grizzled branches that stood in stark contrast to the leaden winter sky. My mind wondered... our time on this earth is so short. Who saw these trees as saplings; did native people gathering acorns once sit under their shading leaves? Did they witness early settlers on horseback pass by on their way to Yerba Buena? They see me in a car headed down a stretch of asphalt and I hope will still stand long after I am gone.
Brown sea glass provides depth to the bark of the trunk.
This painting was selected as a part of the juried Coastal Art League show "Textures and Contrasts", running June 15 - July 24, 2023.