Cannery Row Sunset

Monterey’s famed Cannery Row is undergoing a renaissance. No longer the bustling sardine fishing center immortalized by John Steinbeck, it entices visitors today with its many fine shops and boutiques.

As I continue my odyssey as an artist, I find myself drawn to the historic seaside villages of California. One of the reasons, I believe, is that the coastal air – saturated with mist – lays down a mirror-like film of moisture on streets and walkways. Cannery Row Sunset created to celebrate Cannery Row’s 50th Anniversary makes full use of the reflective play of light and color, not only on the busy streets but upon the luminous surface of Monterey Bay.

As I worked, urged on by crowds of enthusiastic collectors, a friend drove up with his historic 1953 Chevy Bel Air, which takes us back to the glory days of Cannery Row. Many of the colorful storefronts also date back to the ear immortalized in Steinbeck’s novels. A historic Cannery Row walkway bridge crosses the thoroughfare and in the distance we see hints of the world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. Sunset enriches the vista with touches of pink and gold – soon it will be time for a relaxing meal of seafood fresh from the bay.