Artist Trail
This is a quick charcoal sketch I created back in 1999 when I was pursuing my Master's Degree in Art. The criteria was to create a series of plein air nocturne sketches using a live model as the subject.
I sketched the model at the Santa Barbara Train Station around 10 pm.
Being it was winter time in a public place, the model preferred to pose "draped".
"Still Waiting"
24"x18"
Charcoal/paper
1999
Collection of the Artist
My Friend and art patron, Robert Eringer, has opened a new Saloon in Santa Barbara. It is called Palmeri's. Once a seedy dive bar, Eringer has cleaned Palmeri's up, making it a location to come, have a drink and a chat, Listen to good music, and leave feeling you've had a "memorable experience," of leaving Santa Barbara without actually going anywhere.
He has taken a collection of my paintings; (38, out of the 86 he owns), and has decorated the inside of the saloon with them, and assorted pantings by his father, and Santa Barbara Artist Shawn Kirkpatrick. The Nocturne Wall, of moonlit scenes, remains above the fray and frolicking customers who are enjoying their libations below.
Most of the paintings depict images I painted on our Surreal Bounce over the last 13 years. Every painting tells a story about our quest; our search into creativity and madness.
Feedback from the clientele is that they love having artwork on the walls...
In my opinion, it sure beats plastic Budweiser pennants.
Photo: Robert Eringer 
I've traveled all over the world with Author/Spy Master Robert Eringer, in search of creativity and madness. For a year we traveled far and wide with the goal of getting to places where famous American Literary Icons like Hemingway, Kerouac, Fante, Bukowski, Steinbeck, Brannigan, Miller, and Hunter S. Thompson, lived and/or committed suicide. One of the Authors we never got to investigate was Mark Twain. So on this old fashioned road trip with my travel companions, I decided to have my own mini "Surreal Bounce" journey.
We stopped up on Jack Ass Hill to view Mark Twain's Cabin, where in 1865 he wrote his very first novel, "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County". Feeling the empty cabin with three chairs wasn't much to shake a stick at, we traveled on down the road tothe town of Angels Camp to find the tavern where it is said Twain heard the story while sipping liquor at the bar.
The Tavern, inside Angels Hotel is now an Antique store full of glimmering novelties. I asked the owner if he knew where the bar was once situated way back in the day? He then pointed to some display cases over yonder. I walked over to the cases imagining them to be an old western bar where I could order a shot of Basil Hayden, (Bourbon Whisky).
Then, looking down into the case, I knew there must be something there for me to remember this moment by. There, sitting on top of a small box was this well-worn antique clicker, in none other than the shape of a frog! I knew I had to have it as a keep sake from this journey. So, in my search to capture a glimpse into the spirit of Mark Twain, and in the continued tradition of a Surreal Bouncer, I purchased this miniature clicking talisman that still works like a charm.
L-R. Me, Jim Worthen, Rob Rafelli, and Josh Worthen, sippin' a cool one at Murphy's in Murphy.
Back into the car for a quick trip to Angels Camp, via Sonora and Columbia. Many of the remnants of the Gold Country are truly relics; valuable for their historic content, and for me, visually appealing to view under the morning light.
I had a two hour window to make a decision on how I would paint the Yosemite Falls for my client. Now, even though I'm use to teaching and demonstrating plein air painting techniques, I did my best to conceal myself in some trees alongside the road to limit exposure to the hoards of tourists. My strategy worked somewhat. I spent almost two hours painting in awe of the scene before me, attempting to capture the sunlight as it moved across the granite walls. Somewhere in Korea and China this image exist in some tourist's photo album. The ripples go out...
Work in progress, with client, Jim Worthen. Photo: Rob Rafelli
The Focus of the trip was to paint a couple of painting for a client. Having only a small window of time to produce it was important to not get distracted by the magic, beauty, and sublime grandure of this place. In other words keep focused on the job. However I couldn't help but appreciate a few choice views of the world around me.
Stained glass, Art Deco Design, Iwani Hotel 
Nature Abides
Eyes to the sky
I like to get a feel for a community, by seeing how they've organized the final resting place for those that have passed. Mariposa Cemetery had many unmarked graves, graves dating back to the mid 19th century, and graves that beckoned to tell a story. This one had lots of eye candy.
There is an art to departure...
Art influences life, influences Art
Wandering around Mariposa in the early morning l came across this blooming wisteria. Since I am always in search of how light falls on the form I am also looking for patterns to help make my compositions more interesting.
Context is everything... The fence pattern reminded me of an Iconic Image in American Photography I saw in 1998,that was taken in 1916 by artist Paul Strand. I love to travel because it can remind me of places I've already explored.
Cramped in the back of a Toyota Camery, was not the most glamorous way of traveling 700 miles in three days, especially when fighting a cold, and at altitude.
I was pleased with the progress of the Gold Coin Nocturne. Of all the nocturne paintings I have painted in the last 20 years this one seemed to have all the color palette ingredients of Van Gogh's "The Night Cafe".So it was a good beginning, and that is always the bare minimum of what an artist can hope for.
Last week I received another commission. I was hired to travel 700 miles in three days, in a Toyota Camery, with three friends, and to paint two paintings. One painting of the Historic Gold Coin Tavern in Mariposa California, (The former home of Gen. John Fremont.
The other painting was to capture the Moon over Half Dome. However due to time constraints I was only able to capture Yosemite Falls.
It was a good, old fashioned Road trip into the Gold Country.
Photo: Josh Worthen
