A.L. Anderson and Langley Marina

 I read in the South Whidbey Record that a fire destroyed this house 50 years ago.  It was on the night that the ? current occupants were being married.  It appears that a new roof is being installed.  The owners of this large and historic property let their new neighbors from the Highlands use part of the property for a pea patch. The next door property of Langley Woodsman's cemetery,where I sat to paint this sketch, was donated by the Anderson family.
BTW we call it the Al Anderson house but the newspaper said it was the home of A.L. Anderson!

Just as I was getting ready to leave the Marina, I moved the car near the Schell's house because the light on the Nichols Bros pier was so pretty.  I had to move fast and did the initial sketch with my one inch brush to capture the mellow colors .          

WWII Control tower

Every time I took photos, stood and painted this amazing control tower, I wondered what the people inside saw on December 7, 1941.   Located on Ford Island, in the heart of Pearl Harbor, it was also in the heart of the action.  The USS Arizona lies about 1/3 mile away looking North, if you turned West about the same distance the remains of the USS Utah are rusting in the water.  In this huge and beautiful harbor many ships still nestle in its protected waters.  I could see Coast Guard ships, NOAA ships and small service boats and on the mainland, Pearl Ridge.

WWII bunker & mountains on mainland

WWII housing near the Missouri/early evening.

During WWII the largest battleship in the world was the USS Missouri.  Today its huge presence attracts visitors from all over the world.  The walkway toward the ship is lined with fluttering American flags; the ship behind the flags is a huge monster with giant guns facing out to show its might. Today it hovers beside the Island, a presence not to be ignored. There are ghosts on this ship, the ghosts of General Douglas MacArthur and the retinue of Japanese ambassadors, changed the world when they signed the Articles of Surrender in August of 1945.
The reflections in the water have beautiful, distorted images not unlike the images of peace. What is peace?  Will the world ever know?

USS Missouri guns in harbor; cottage housing in foreground

Early morning view of Arizona memorial from Ford Island

Missouri and little cottage (wwII housing) Can you imagine having that in your backyard?

Reflections of the tower aboard the Missouri

Welcome aboard BB-63!

Interiors

Until last week my painting/sketching time has been short.  Our art group has been meeting in homes and gardens recently so this view of Sue's Tea Set was inspired by the romantic view out the Dining Room window.  Continuing the interior view inspiration, I have added a sketch I did at a recent dinner out at Skylarks Restaurant in Fairhaven.  I like the complexity of looking through to see another view.

Captain Whidbey Inn

This week we were at the Capt. Whidbey Inn in Coupeville.  This is such a beautiful place overlooking Penn Cove.   The herb, vegetable gardens and cottages are very picturesque.  The Inn, built in 1907 has log walls, the most beautiful small stone fireplace.  There is a feeling of warmth and coziness in a slightly dark atmosphere.  That darkness (wood walls) actually cause one to look outside on a rainy day and dream.

Call me crazy but the dining room wall of overlapping mirrors and view through the mirrors of the dining tables and small landscapes outside, was a challenge I couldn't resist.  Robert Motherwell:  "I begin a painting with a series of mistakes."  I think I know what he means, particularly now.  It has been a difficult challenge and I am crazily wondering what it would look like painted larger with more detail.  My biggest problem was the wood walls; what was I thinking trying to replicate that color, aargh!  Nevertheless, challenges are what keep you learning. Look for the ghostly images of a couple of sketchers in the mirrors.
Keep on painting.  Pat

Art, Food and Wine in Greenbank

This is a colorful old store located on highway 525 in Greenbank.  There is a restaurant upstairs, grocery and sandwich shop downstairs. The sandwich shop features a beautiful old wood stove.  Next time, I will sketch the stove.

Greenbank is also home to the Greenbank Winery and Gallery.  I am showing some of my pears in the Gallery with Betty Rayle this summer.  We are open on Saturday and Sunday.