Posted September 4, 2016 by Kerry McFall

Along the crumbling cliffs of Bolinas Bay in Northern California, these vines twist their way into the hearts of shrubs and trees, popping out at unexpected intervals to dazzle passersby.

“Passion Flower Vine”, mixed media by Kerry McFall, 8 x 10 prints $25

The colors are impossibly vivid, bright 1948-vintage red seamlessly mixed with glowing magenta and barely-there pink, set off by a surreal deep purple hairy center circle.   Orange and gold nasturtium vines also climb the cliffs, but they seem mundane by comparison.  The passion flowers are uncommon in my Oregon Girl Experience, and therefore somehow seductive, fascinating, alluring.  Like men with French accents…

On the last day of our vagabond adventure for the summer, I wandered down to the cliffside in search of a landscape to sketch.  These vines kept popping out at me, like impetuous children playing hide and seek:  PEEKABOO!  Over here!  Here I am!!  So I really had no choice but to break off a stem, skip back to the house, and fire up my watercolors.

I took a photo of the bay, promising myself I’d do a landscape soon.  Along with all of the sketches and paintings I’ve promised myself I will do from the hundreds of photos I’ve taken from the rest of this fascinating, unique summer.  Soonish.