Daily Archives: August 7, 2011

Water Studies

water ripples

"Water Study Flamingo Hotel" by Kerry McFall, watercolor and colored pencil

The light playing on water is mesmerizing.  Always different, always the same…  my mother used to sit on the cabin porch at Twin Lakes Lodge and “watch the diamonds dance” as she phrased it. 

At the Flamingo Hotel in Santa Rosa, I listened to mouthy affluent children as they dove and splashed, and managed to almost catch the S-shaped nuances of the reflections.  Soccer Moms, do you understand what little monsters you are creating as you cheer your children on, at first pretending that everyone is equal, then going berserk as one clearly excels?  Those children echo your every word, and in the end, their allegiances are as transparent as yours… biggest, best, fastest.  Even at a hotel pool.

More from Santa Rosa

vineyard sketch

"Ledson Vineyards" by Kerry McFall, colored pencil, ink, watercolor

Ledson vineyards has a huge “castle”, complete with classic fountain and white rose trees out front.  The castle is notable here for its absence – I didn’t sketch it because I couldn’t figure out how to get situated where a) I could see it and b) I wouldn’t roast in the sun.  So I opted for sitting on a picnic bench in the shade of a huge oak, and sketching the vines instead.  Good way to spend an hour before lunch.