Preface
This
book grew over twenty years of daily roamings along a strand
of lightly traveled California coastline. Bordered on the north
by Newport Beach and the small coastal village of Corona del
Mar and on the south by Laguna Beach, Crystal Cove State Park
includes over 3 miles of ocean front. I first knew the area
as Horse Beach, an informal name used by locals because of the
stable on the bluff top. Later when the land was purchased for
a state park, it officially became Crystal Cove State Park.
As
I returned from my walk each morning, renewed and ready for
the day ahead, I felt drawn to my brushes and journal, eager
to record the moments I valued. These excursions on the beach
evolved into meaningful interludes of reflection on the life
I had followed through marriage, child raising and finally leisure
time for projects of my choice. Gradually these moments built
one upon the other, casting their hues over my mental palette
as well as my paintings.
As
the beach changed, so did I. While I loved sunny days, I also
learned to appreciate misty fog-filled mornings from which some
of my most soul touching experiences emerged. Participating
in each day's adventure with its movement from tide line to
relationships, rocky ledges to challenges, churning sea to fresh
opportunity, spun a story so rich and varied I needed not only
to record it, but to share it with all who would walk with me.
I invite you on my coastal beachwalks, my small journeys of
discovery. They have served me well in navigating the turns
of life. May they provide a gentle companion for your journey.
