Since 2007, Barbara Biber Janeff and I have been meeting and painting the California Missions, a string of 21 beautiful churches and gardens stretching up the coast from San Diego to Sonoma. As of our May, 2009 session, which included a lovely stay in Santa Ynez and a rattlesnake sighting at La Purisima in Lompoc, 18 have been completed. Some sort of joint exhibits should be ready by early 2010.
The process of painting this series has been both challenging and rewarding. To learn the history and then to try and capture the unique character and feeling present in each mission has been very engaging for both of us.
Maybe best of all, though, has been reconnecting with Barbara after 45 years and travelling to work with each other every couple of months. We both take our painting time pretty seriously, but what fun it has been to fold up after a day's work and reminisce about our childhoods, husbands, children ...and all the stuff our lives have brought us.