beach

Crystal Cove State Park

Until recently, my experiences at this California state park had been limited to snorkeling. Winter is a great time to explore the tide pools a bit while the water is too chilly for many of us who don’t own wetsuits to swim in comfortably. I hope you’ll enjoy this brief photo essay about this beautiful park; I’ve only scratched the surface of what it has to offer visitors and will surely return to it.

Getting to watch this western snowy plover foraging in the outgoing tide was an utter delight. This is a threatened shorebird species that has been helped by the Endangered Species Act. You can learn more about this important protection here at the …

Getting to watch this western snowy plover foraging in the outgoing tide was an utter delight. This is a threatened shorebird species that has been helped by the Endangered Species Act. You can learn more about this important protection here at the Center for Biological Diversity’s website.

These golden cliffs are filled with native vegetation that sustains wildlife.

These golden cliffs are filled with native vegetation that sustains wildlife.

Because the tide pools are part of the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area, collection is prohibited, but I made an exception for this plastic water bottle cap. I remove a great many of these from our beaches and parks.

Because the tide pools are part of the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area, collection is prohibited, but I made an exception for this plastic water bottle cap. I remove a great many of these from our beaches and parks.

You can see both solitary and aggregating anemones here at low tide with sea jewels applied to their backs.

You can see both solitary and aggregating anemones here at low tide with sea jewels applied to their backs.

We humans are a part of nature. Its condition reflects our behaviors and values.

We humans are a part of nature. Its condition reflects our behaviors and values.

The inflow and outflow of tides create striking compositions in the sand.

The inflow and outflow of tides create striking compositions in the sand.

This lone sanderling and I stared at each other for awhile.

This lone sanderling and I stared at each other for awhile.

With the sun setting over Catalina Island, it was time to drive home to San Diego. Prints of this soothing photograph are available. Feel free to send me a message if you’re interesting in owning another piece I’ve shared here. Thanks for supporting…

With the sun setting over Catalina Island, it was time to drive home to San Diego. Prints of this soothing photograph are available. Feel free to send me a message if you’re interesting in owning another piece I’ve shared here. Thanks for supporting living artists.

—Robin Street-Morris

New works, the 2018 Comic-Con Art Show and a published piece.

Having lived most of my life so far in the Midwest before moving to San Diego, fireflies are something I look forward to seeing every summer on my visits back.  I still typically make at least one firefly-inspired piece each year.  Hotaru-gari VII is my most recent in this series.  I framed it and a handful of other pieces for inclusion in the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con Art Show at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel.  This sale and auction will run July 18th through the close of the convention that Sunday the 22nd.  You don't need to have a badge to stop in to enjoy the art show and bid on a piece if you're taken with it.  

Robin Street-Morris.  Hotaru-gari VII. 2018.  Transparent watercolor and soft pastel on 140lb hot press paper. 9" x 16" (23 x 41cm).

Robin Street-Morris.  Hotaru-gari VII. 2018.  Transparent watercolor and soft pastel on 140lb hot press paper. 9" x 16" (23 x 41cm).

What San Diego lacks in the way of fireflies it makes up for in another form of bioluminescence.  Our periodic algal blooms, known as red tides, can make the waves glow blue.   I got to see this spectacular natural phenomenon for the first time this year and made two mixed media paintings inspired by it.     

Robin Street-Morris.  Luminescence at Torrey Pines. 2018. Transparent watercolor and soft pastel on 300lb hot press paper. 14" x 19" (36 x 48cm). 

Robin Street-Morris.  Luminescence at Torrey Pines. 2018. Transparent watercolor and soft pastel on 300lb hot press paper. 14" x 19" (36 x 48cm).

 

Robin Street-Morris. Luminescence at Torrey Pines II. 2018. Transparent watercolor and soft pastel on 300lb hot press paper. 14" x 20" (36 x 51cm).

Robin Street-Morris. Luminescence at Torrey Pines II. 2018. Transparent watercolor and soft pastel on 300lb hot press paper. 14" x 20" (36 x 51cm).

Finally, it's an honor to have Coastal Walk VII, a piece inspired by my beloved Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, included in Reed Magazine's California Edition. Issue 151 is dedicated to fine art and literature inspired by the Golden State and may be purchased directly through their website.    

--Robin Street-Morris