California Collection paintings 67-78

So that's the California collection just about complete and I'm just about still in one piece!  I'm delighted to share highlights of the final stages of The California Collection where I nearly took it a couple of steps too far......

 The collection pretty much covers the state,   1 painting per day for 80 days (full 440 image plus album of the collection here) in this article that features paintings #67-78 as Art tells a story in vulnerable glory....

....with, due to my first hand experiences, an unexpected twist at the end that validated my 3 month visit to the West Coast of America in the final two paintings that truly explored both sides of the coin from iconic...

                    One of the first stops - Golden Gate bridge, San Francisco

 To down right disturbing.....

                              Painting 'Love not Haight' on Haight Ashbury 

this dichotomy I witnessed, and initially chose to conveniently ignore, ultimately inspired a stronger closing despite a few bumps along the way. These two closing pieces are saved for the final article in the series next week. In the meantime, here's how things happened and build up for a strong, from the heart finish as the final chapter approaches.....

Let's pick up where we left off on Route 66, with the unscratched lottery card,  it was time to hit the road...

 To paint hard and fast on the coastline and then leave #68 Given Away at Half Moon Bay...

Far from just being a PR stunt it was more of a reflection of how I felt at the time - pretty stranded despite the settings and the intention! So I literally left for someone to find the painting between the Pacific Ocean and the Half Moon Bay Golf links!

                                     Feeling a bit stranded at Half Moon Bay!

I do wonder where it is now, being replaced by '#68 Dollarsunflower' that was painted a few km away at The Andreotti Family Farm...

If It's good enough for Van Gogh....

Then it's good enough for me!

I was absorbed in the moment in the farmers field all afternoon, funny how sometimes the basics have the strongest pull. I was lucky to get back into the studio in Sacramento a couple of weeks later (read on as to why) but here's how this one ended up...

Then it was a hightail to San Jose (Yes, I know the way) to paint live on Google Avenue at the Google campus....

Amazingly I wasn't approached at Googleplex and just painted like I was alone in the field of sunflowers.....

                                               #69 Bittersweet Google

I showed him the paintings and materials in the back of the car and excitedly explained how I was sentimentally overwhelmed (maybe remove the 'senti' bit) and he thankfully let me off but reminded me the dangers of driving with one hand and hold my cell phone with the other!

 I'd nearly bitter off more than I could chew so what better than to head to the landmark 'Bubblegum alley' where I painted #71 of the California Collection 'Bubblegum Alley'....

 Bubblegum alley - an alley full of Bubblegum!

Taking the completed painting back into an old haunt, Bulls Tavern....

 Then back on the road for an overnight in Pismo....

 Next up was a stage I knew I had to do but honestly wasn't really looking forward to - the City of Angels starting in the heart of the Hollywood Hills with 'Pop goes Hollywood'...

#72 Pop goes Hollywood : Acrylic on Pop Corn bags on canvas 

Then onto the Walk of fame, which was impossible to park near thanks to one of several anti-trump demonstrations....

Ongoing Disruptive times for Donald Trump

With a polite word to Jose the Mexican VIP parking attendant who kindly gave me 25 minutes to 'Go do my thing' in exchange for a few dollars and a sticker set....

Sticker Sets along with green paint on the blue shorts 

Giving me plenty of time to press on and complete #73 20th Century Foxed with a bit of help from the one and only Deadpool....

Alas it was time to move on, again....

Your British charm doesn't mean I won't arrest you 

 Onto the corporate HQ of Disney in Burbank - what better time than 4pm on a Saturday afternoon to paint outside corporate America, I thought...

How wrong I was - not only did security approach me as a 'potential threat outside the gates' 3 police cars showed up and asked me to put all my things down. I innocently reached for my ID in my trustee manbag and they told me to keep my hands up!

#74 of The California Collection 'It Dis-ney Matter' (Actually it really did!)

'Are you arresting me?' - Not exactly Sir but would you mind answering a few questions. Some 15 minutes later they'd seen my paintings (actually suggested improvements on a couple of them) and sent me on my way.

I could have been arrested. The world has changed since I was last in California some 24 years earlier - my blacked out SUV facing the gates of corporate America was sadly a different proposition to a dreamy Artist wanting to complete his 74th painting in as many days......

It was the final wake up call I needed and I was a long way from home so next stop was reflection time in Santa Monica where I counted my canvasses, paints and blessings and watched the world go by...

                                     The Big wheel, keeps on turning

 I had 6 paintings to go, a target to meet, I'd given my word to Sean and his family up in Sacramento - that, at this stage, is what kept me going....

The final leg was an early start with 3 sets down at Venice beach.... 

 #75 3 sets at muscle beach triptych

Then onto good friends down in Long beach discovering their version of Venice, a cornerstone for the Olympics I believe....

Before literally going the...

Extra mile! Down the Mexican border, where despite my fake news media fuelled fears, met delightful petrol  / gas station attendants who gave me Water melon for my journey back up through California for a couple of, you guessed it, sticker sets....

With the hair raising (I'm getting worse with heights) #76 Coronado crossing....

....which was completed in the Northern California studio....

Leaving me with a real feeling of compassion for not just Mexicans, Americans or whatever you are-'ans  triggering this take on the 3 Mexican crossing sign....

It just felt right to share my feelings on how others perceive this 'border issue' we are constantly being hit with - they're human beings for crying out loud....

#77 Mexican crossing, amigo

My final stop on the way up North, in typical Gorilla fashion in South Central Los Angeles, Compton no less with a dollarshot for one final 'bite off more than you can chew' act of defiance....

With a photo snapped on the steps on the Compton Town Hall....

#78 Compton dollar shot

With a black, white and silver dollarshot giving a nod to back in the day, N.W.A! It was then hitting the road some 400 miles from South Central to Sacramento on the 5 giving me time to reflect, count my blessings and get my head around the final two closing paintings of the collection....

The more I drove the more it became clear on hoe I was going to close out the collection with the final two paintings which I'll be sharing in my next article as Art tells a story in vulnerable glory!

Thanks for keeping up to date - looking forward to closing out soon! 

More about dollarsandart

Dollars = Energy, Money, life!

Sand =  Like grains of sand, we are each unique, shaped by the dance of time and the tides of change.

The Art - well it's combining both - following your passion, your X-factor as it were, making a living from it in whatever form works for you....

So, What's your story? I'd ♥️ to know more and connect dots through Art as your dance continues, feel free to reach out and thanks for reading! Feel free to comment or email me personally jim@dollarsandart.com