Beth Okurowski, “Life on the Edge–A Painting Adventure in Garrapata Park and the Carmel Coast”, will go up on the PAL Wall, upstairs at the Firehouse Art Center, 4444 Railroad Ave, Pleasanton, from April 1 to May 2.

The California coast can be impossibly beautiful. It calls to a painter like a siren. Life on the edge of land and water is a drama of crashing waves, shifting light patterns, and undulating fog. Part of what makes it so compelling is the constantly changing elements, all playing off the other. How to freeze this scene in paint while retaining some of its life, all while not becoming overwhelmed by the scenery, is always a tall order when painting here. To help with the overwhelming part, I decided to narrow my subject choices. For three consecutive days in January, I came to this same place in Garrapata Park, Carmel to study a cliff face. I established value patterns early which guided me as the sun reached it’s 11:00 am position, when the forms of the rocks flattened and my stomach began to growl for lunch. I tried to not get attached to anything I was doing. I needed to stay nimble and be ready to switch canvasses if the fog rolled in or out. The third day, I felt familiar with rocks, and could begin to predict how the water would behave during one of its swells.