Capitola Village

An artist strives for the ability to see familiar places as if for the first time. Capitola Village is a famous destination for an afternoon drive. I have friends there that Nanette and I dine with in this charming California coastal village – which is as familiar as my backyard; I’ve even painted it many times.

Imagine my surprise then, when I ventured onto the cliffs above Capitola to be greeted by a dazzling new vista. In the afternoon light, the buildings seemed to glisten like the Emerald City of Oz. I returned the following week and set up my easel at this precise spot. The long wooden pier divides the ocean into gemstone color swaths – emerald and turquoise. Pinks and blues shimmer in the town; the cliffs and beach are painted rose by the setting sun. I was truly seeing Capitola Village as if for the first time.