Foothill Vines 7

This is a scene which has captivated me ever since G and I first came upon it driving around the foothills south of Santa Barbara a few years ago. It's normally not visible from the road but fortunately that first day there were roadworks in place so we were forced to stop for a while. As we waited, my eyes drifted idly across the fertile landscape and through a chain-link fence by the side of the road until, with a jolt, they fell upon this wondrous scene: the rows of gnarled vines marching down towards the barely visible roof of a farmhouse; the charming collection of contrasting trees sat like a little village in the centre; and the majestic mountains towering above the vast sundrenched landscape. This is my seventh time painting this scene and the thrill I felt then continues on to this day. It truly is breathtaking and what a joy it is to paint!