About the Paintings
Portofino This oil was inspired by the painter's travels in Italy and depicts the village of Portofino. $385 unframed, $465 with whitewash, carved wooden frame.

Dutch Boy with Tulips Oil painting depicts smiling child holding freshly picked springtime red tulips. $385 unframed, $445 with rustic wooden frame.

Northern California Mist View of the Pacific Ocean as the mist rolls over the rugged cliffs. Part of private collection. Not for sale. Inquire about similar works.

There is so much beauty and diversity in California's open spaces that fill my heart with joy and have become part of my spirit. When I was a child, my family spent every weekend on the north coast where my father had a fishing boat, the Vagabond. Out on the ocean, tossed about by the mighty waves, I learned to appreciate nature's power. Under a black velvet Sierra mountain sky the stars shone so clearly and brightly, reflecting on the still lake that the sky and the lake seemed to be one -- sky all around with the stars so close that we could reach out and touch them. There I learned to appreciate the beauty and magic of the cosmos and being a part of them.

But the sense of history of Europe, the ancient buildings, the cobblestone lined villages, the crumbling castles of Germany, tell a story of people of long ago, and I can't help but feel drawn to the hauntingly beautiful lingering spirit of my ancestors there.

My writing, painting, photography, and website, CrystalBay.net, are a reflection of the immense love I have for life in all its wonder. They are an exploration and expression of its magnificence that I feel compelled to put to words, paper and canvas.