David Gallup - Channel Islands

David Gallup

California’s Channel Islands

Foreword by Michael Zakian Introduction by Jean Stern Research and edited by Betsy Crowfoot

Foreword

by Michael Zakian, Director Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art Pepperdine University

I

first became aware of the art of David Gallup through his membership in the California Art Club.

Since 1999 the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art at Pepperdine University has organized a series of triennial exhibitions with artist members of the California Art Club addressing the theme ‘On Location in Malibu’ and David has participated in every show since its inception. From the first time I saw his paintings, I was impressed by his ability to capture the subtlest nuances of light. It is clear our audience was taken with these same qualities; his paintings were often cited by visitors as among their favorite works in each ‘On Location in Malibu’ exhibition.

Copyright © 2011, David Gallup “David Gallup: California’s Channel Islands” www.dgallup.com ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.

Printed in China Design and Map Illustrations: Kari K, onthemark LLC Project Management: Mark Vierra, onthemark LLC

Over the years I have become well acquainted with the artist. Since he is a local Southern Californian who lives about twenty miles from Pepperdine’s Malibu campus I would see David often, and consider myself fortunate to have been able to track his development firsthand. Each season I witnessed his art grow in depth, range and power. Every successful canvas gave him the confidence and impetus to push his work even further.

Never content to settle into a niche, always looking for new subjects to tackle; David Gallup never shirks from a challenge. The more challenging the subject, the more it stimulates his creativity.

David found an ideal subject in California’s Channel Islands. A chain of eight islands along the Santa Barbara Channel, this place is both inviting and forbidding. The physical terrain varies from gently

rolling hills covered in wildflowers to dramatic coastal cliffs of jagged rock. There are deep caves, broad sandy beaches and dense pine forests, as well as picturesque rivers and waterfalls—sufficient material to keep an artist occupied for a lifetime. Isolation over thousands of years created a unique ecosystem found nowhere else on Earth, and helped preserve a region where visitors can experience coastal Southern California as it was centuries ago.

David Gallup is a master of light. He has the rare ability to use oil paint—normally a dense and opaque medium—to capture the most intangible qualities of natural illumination. Experienced artists know all too well the meager range of values and hues offered by artists’ pigments can never come close to capturing the full range of lighting effects found in nature.

There is an old studio adage: if the distance between the brightest sunlight and the darkest, blackest hole is given a scale of 1,000 to one, then the range between the greatest extremes of white paint and black paint amounts to a paltry 50 to one.’ Against such odds it would seem almost impossible to tackle the tasks faced by an engaged and sensitive outdoor oil painter.

But David accomplishes this feat by tackling his subject head on—often literally. He is known for compositions where he is looking directly into the sun, as illustrated in paintings such as The Glistening Playground, where he takes the bold stance of facing the source of illumination. Such scenes offer intriguing but vexing contrasts

of brilliant light and dense shadow. While most artists shy away from such compositions, or throw up their hands in frustration, David solves the problem with assuredness and confidence. The success of his solutions points to his talent as a painter and as a colorist.

David also understands light is inseparable from color.

His ability to capture the subtleties of light is intimately linked to his mastery of the full spectrum of hues. Years of experience have taught him the way to use color to its richest potential is to paradoxically limit its presence. He has learned that working largely with muted tones allows him to establish a sound and subtle base for a landscape. Against this subdued foundation he then adds studied touches of purer and more intense hues. The play of color intensities mimics perception and produces the illusion of brilliant, glowing light.

His intelligent and artful use of color may be one of his greatest gifts as a painter.

As a result, I am pleased to premiere at the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art this exhibition which results from the artist’s total immersion in his environment, and complete dedication to his task. Whether we are looking at intimate field sketches or large-scale studio canvases, David’s paintings document the arduous task—and ultimate joy—of painting on location in the Channel Islands. It is a true gift from the artist to his community.

iii

Ca Santa Cruz island San Miguel island

PAC

li

fo

Anacapa island

Santa rosa island

IF

IC

Dedication

T a b l e of C o n t e n t s

For Rosalind—

For believing in me when others did not, you have my lifelong loyalty.

For being a wise and capable partner, you have my trust.

For keeping the home fires burning while I’ve been away, you have my gratitude.

For the care you give our boys while I work, you have my admiration.

For your countless sacrifices in the face of our time apart, so sadly essential to this project, I cannot but owe you.

O

For giving so much, asking so little, and being so beautiful in all that you do, you have my eternal love.

Foreword................................... iii Santa Rosa Island................ 31 Acknowledgments....................vi San Miguel Island................ 49 Introduction......................... vii Santa Barbara Island....... 63 David Gallup.......................... viii Marine Sanctuary............... 73 Santa Barbara island

Anacapa Island........................1 Biography.................................. 83 Santa Cruz Island.. .............. 13 List of Illustrations......... 87

rn

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Introduction

by Jean Stern, Executive Director The Irvine Museum

I

would like to thank Marilyn and Bill Field for their generous financial support for this project, including the underwriting of this book. Your patronage has helped transform this vision to a reality: I could not have done it without you.

Sail Channel Islands, for not only getting me there, but getting me there safely and in style on board Sancerre.

I’m ruined for all other boats, but especially for all other crews. When all this is over, let’s take a nice long sail together and I promise I won’t paint. Much.

For profound contributions too vast and numerous to mention in such a short book, I also want to give a special and heartfelt acknowledgment to Annie Salerno. May we someday find a way to repay you for all you have done, and all you continue to do to make life as we know it continue while I’m at the islands or at the studio. We love you, and we thank you.

Scubahaus, for fantastic instruction and dive gear. You made a diver out of me, and it changed my life as well as opened up new worlds of artistic influence. This body of work is much stronger thanks to your assistance, and I’m much stronger too.

To those who have written essays for this book— Denis Cabral, Jean Stern, Michael Zakian, Dan Ryder, Dennis Dreith, Ken McAlpine, Georgiana Sanchez, Richard Salas, and Betsy Crowfoot (who also is the Editor!)—I thank you for contributing with your time, knowledge, talent and experience.

Thank you to my in-kind sponsors: The National Park Service, for insight, transportation, and lodging; including all of the men and women who work so hard to protect and restore this national treasure, especially Ann Huston and Russell Gallipeau; all of the rangers who have taken pride in showing me their favorite places on the islands and helped me get there with my gear; Laura Francis, Jack Engle, the CINC docents, interpretive volunteers, and scientists who work at the islands to help us understand and appreciate the complex web of life upon which we ourselves depend. The Nature Conservancy, for logistical support in the form of lodging and transportation, and for all they do for the islands and for the world. I’m a fan.

Truth Aquatics, for getting me on board the finest dive boats serving the Channel Islands, with a first rate crew to boot. Your passion for the sea shows in all you do.

I want to thank all of those who have worked on the HD documentary film “A Painted Journey” and/or lent equipment and expertise on its behalf: David Stump (the Legend!), Joe di Gennaro, Alex Rios, Sony, and composer Carter Larsen. I’d also like to thank the Essential Image Source Foundation for supporting the vision of Producer and Director Susan Sember in the production of this film. Most importantly, I want to thank my friend, Susan Sember for taking such an interest in me as a subject, and dedicating her time, talent and financial support to sharing my story with the world.

Thank you to my Editor, Betsy Crowfoot, who has done more than edit. Betsy also contributed much of the scientific data and anecdotes throughout this book.

Because of you, I’ve learned almost as much about the islands while writing this book as I did visiting them.

Thanks for all your hard work!

To the members of the artistic community in Southern California and beyond who have also worked on my behalf. More than any other group I’ve mentioned, these people are used to contributing without pay and shy away from acknowledgment. Brace yourselves, I’m thanking you anyway; The Weisman Museum and Director Michael Zakian, The Museum of Ventura County and Anne Graumlich, William Stout, Elaine and Peter Adams, Denis Cabral, Jeffery Morseburg, and Allison Malafronte. All of my friends at SCIARTS, especially Roxie Ray and Candice Biggerstaff, thanks for the help and companionship. Joe Cibere—I still have your easel and I’m not giving it back. Jessica and Greg Diaz—you’ll get yours back in a couple of years—it’s awesome!

To all those who hauled water and gear around, including my brothers, Tom Gallup, Bob Gallup and Steve Gallup (Jim, you can haul something next year) as well as my friends Todd Bank, Ray Walsh, my nephew Alex Gallup, and dozens of others—frequently strangers who just lent a hand—you all have contributed, and are appreciated more than you know.

In addition, I would like to heartily thank all the collectors and patrons who have generously agreed to loan their art back for the duration of this exhibition: this endeavor could not have happened without your support and it is much appreciated.

Finally, I want to thank my wife, Rosalind, and my two boys, Shaun and Daniel, for making it so clear why we, as a society and a people, must preserve nature and conserve our resources. My love for you is at the root of everything I do, and this body of work is no exception.

David Gallup: Painter of Nature

T

o be a great painter of nature, the artist has to truly love the subject, and to understand the awe inspiring power and majesty of nature. One has to be there, or it just won’t look right. Most importantly, however, the artist needs to be good enough to paint what they see and what they feel, often in a very short time and under precarious conditions. This is the only way to capture nature in paint.

The concept of painting outdoors is called ‘plein air’ painting, an approach that David Gallup has utilized through his career. The term comes from the French phrase en plein-air which is an idiom that does not translate directly, but simply implies ‘outdoors’ (similarly, in Italian the phrase is al fresco and in Spanish it is al aire libre).

Plein air painting is a specialized approach landscape painters have practiced since the mid-19th century. In brief, the artist paints a series of small paintings out of doors and then takes these sketches into the studio where a large painting is completed. The accuracy of light and color in the small paintings determine the appearance of the final work. When followed to its completion, the plein air technique has proven for over 150 years that it is the best approach to paint natural light.

that the landscape artist finds their ultimate reason for being, and at the same time, confronts their most rigorous challenge: to capture quickly the brilliant and fluid visual sensation of natural light at a specific time and place while facing the formidable constraint of its fleeting nature.

There are numerous instances of artists battling extreme situations to capture the correct light. On one of his first trips to the Grand Canyon, the great painter and illustrator William Robinson Leigh (1866–1955) misjudged the oppressive heat when he went out to paint. He was forced to stop working when his paints yielded to the heat and rolled down the canvas.

By contrast, on a visit to Quebec in the middle of winter 1908, Alson S. Clark (1876–1949) put on multiple layers of clothing to paint en plein air in Quebec Harbor. He kept warm but his paints froze on the palette. While most other artists would have packed up and returned home, Clark, the supreme plein air

painter that he was, located a blacksmith who made a small iron box to hold a glowing piece of hot coal affixed to the underside of the palette. Thereafter, his paints stayed warm enough to allow him to continue working.

David Gallup is part of that long and noble tradition, which insists on truth and accuracy. In his quest to depict the Channel Islands honestly, he has painted in rain and sandstorms, even gale force winds, and in the dark of night. As it has been with plein air painters of the past, David has had to adapt his use of materials and methods in order to conquer the challenge at hand. Regardless of the location of the subject, climate, or conditions under which it was painted; David’s work captures the true, natural feel of the light encompassing the scene. The result is simply the monumental beauty of nature. We, the viewers of his paintings, don’t have to endure his travails, we merely look at his paintings and enjoy them.

Natural light does not stand still, and like no other artist, the plein air painter is mesmerized by it. The passion for light drives them to seek the genuine experience and paint it, regardless of climate, weather or natural impediments. Hence, it is as a plein air painter “Kayaking with Sea Lions,” Photo by Steve Gallup

vi

vii

Artist’s

V ision Statement

by David Gallup

I

n February of 2005 I took my first trip to the Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary. I was so inspired by the experience I wanted to share it with others who had not visited the Park or Sanctuary, and decided right on the spot to make this the focus of my work for the next year. The idea quickly grew, and through the encouragement of my new friends at Essential Image Source Foundation (EISF) and National Park Service (NPS) I began to define a vision of a museum experience which would inspire the audience to rediscover their own connection with the beauty of the natural world.

Through my affiliation with the Ventura County Museum of History and Art, I came to know Ann Huston, Director of Cultural Resources for the Channel Islands National Park. By taking an active role in making the Park an official sponsor of my project, she was able to help me gain access to NPS boats as they travel to the islands, as well as authorize me to stay at Ranger Stations in lieu of camping. This allowed me to get to know many of the scientists who research the marine life and endemic plants, animals and birds there.

As my knowledge of the islands deepened, so did my appreciation of this unique place. Wildlife and coastal landscape scenes seemed to cry out for me to paint them; and each island took on its own sense of character, like siblings in a large family. I even learned to SCUBA dive to experience the Sanctuary more fully; and that has led me to another whole world of inspiration which I have only begun to explore.

viii

“Painting in Painted Cave,” Photo by Captain Dan Ryder

Much has been written on the geology, ecology and history of this island chain and its significance as a living laboratory. While the natural science aspect of this collection of work doesn’t escape me, my goal is to capture the spiritual and emotional experience of discovering the Channel Islands, and produce an exhibition more at home in a Fine Art Museum than a Natural History Museum. I am very proud to unveil this body of work at the Frederick R. Weisman Museum in Malibu, which is known mostly for its Modern Art collection and exhibitions, because I do see this endeavor as part of a contemporary and vital modern movement which is part of an evolving culture in visual arts. Inspiration for my Channel Islands paintings has ranged from Claude Monet and Carl Rungius, to Ad Reinhardt and Gunther Gerzso, and I believe you’ll be able to see all of those influences if you look carefully.

What started out as a day trip became six years of intense work, rife with the kind of adventure and excitement few artists ever get to experience. From the initial boat ride out with dolphins and whales, to hikes and kayak trips around the island perimeters in different weather and light, interior island hikes, wildlife encounters, and even diving and flying expeditions; I have strived to utilize these paintings to bring the entire experience of my personal discovery to the viewer. Still, this is not about the Channel Islands as much as it is an exploration of a more global theme: discovering the wilderness in one’s back yard. The islands are a great way for me to engage this aspect of an ultimately universal human experience; man’s reconnection with nature. ix

David Gallup

looks that were much-too-close for comfort, David found himself increasingly in awe of the diverse beauty, deep mystery and rich lessons of life that these sanctuaries and their inhabitants offered. The magic had begun!

Cal if or n i a’ s

Channel

Islands

Thus it was that David found his artistic mindset challenged as never before. The substrates of human sensibilities referenced above began to make their presence known in increasingly insistent ways. New aesthetic synapses began to fire. David’s luminosity centered palette began yielding fresh color harmonies; his brushwork began taking on beguiling dimensions of texture and fluidity; his design options and compositional parameters began expanding to include novel prospects and possibilities: perspectives that would challenge a viewer’s imagination and inform and enrich his or her understanding and appreciation for life. An almost poetic dovetail of muse, inspiration and observational insight began to form.

by Denis L. Cabral

A

s an art collector, I rejoice whenever I run across paintings that make my spirit soar. And I rejoice even further when I discover that the artist who creates these paintings is more than a virtuoso of design; more than an expert in color harmony; more than a masterful recorder of aesthetically pleasing compositional elements: that he or she is, in fact, someone who draws creative inspiration from substrates of human sensibilities that are designed to excite our deepest feelings of reverence for the world around us.

Such is the case with an artist named David Gallup, whose work I first encountered at an exhibit in Malibu several years ago. Little did I know at the time that this quiet, unassuming, yet clearly well-centered young man would eventually become not only a close friend, but also my window to a world of artistic creativity where his keen perceptive abilities and a fertile imagination would lead me to better understand how good art can be used to inform, enlarge and excite human understanding of the magnificent array of flora and fauna that share this beautiful planet with us.

Nowhere is David’s ability to generate this kind of excitement and appreciation more evident than in the body of work that he has created for his Channel Islands National Park and National Marine Sanctuary x

exhibit. Years of exposure to the beauty that exists there has enabled him to transform unspoiled shorelines, windswept meadows, dizzying cliffs, soaring sea caves, chiseled aggregations of guano-spattered rocks, restless sea swells, sparkling coves and a captivating array of diverse and unique wildlife into exceptional works of art filled with beauty, intrigue, mystery and enlightenment.

From this intermeshing came a shift in David’s focus, away from conventional, visually arresting representations to more profound transcendental revelations of the spiritual connectedness that we humans should feel as we experience life in its broader, more all-encompassing manifestations.

It was into this intriguing yet quite formidable place of beauty that David wandered six years ago to discover, uncover and artistically memorialize that which he would find there. He challenged himself to experience the islands’ charms and create from them a legacy whose benefits would flow not only to us, his contemporaries, but also to those who would follow us.

A

nd so it is that we are now able to enjoy a body of work whose form, content and artistic merit comprise not only a broad contemporary overview of California’s Channel Islands National Park and National Marine Sanctuary, but also a carefully formulated sampling of endemic flora and fauna.

However, while scientists and wildlife devotees will encounter accurate portrayals of various plants and animals, they will also discover in David’s representations more behavioral and ecological aspects than typically found in traditional wildlife portraiture or scientific illustration.

What he believed would be one of the most gratifying, if daunting, artistic challenges of his life soon morphed into one of the most moving and transformative experiences of his life. You see, as he slept under dazzlingly clear star-studded skies, slogged through untrammeled grasslands, peered over various precipitous cliffs, paddled into dark sea caves, witnessed the zany antics of young sea lions and tasted the searingly acrid breath of watchful pinniped parents who torpedoed in for

For example, in the painting entitled Island Foxes and Willets David depicts the explosive energy generated in a flock of startled seabirds as they flare up in

urgent disarray to avoid the sudden movements of a pair of scavenging Island Foxes who have interrupted a leisurely stroll along a line of beached kelp, to engage in a momentary romp of playful canine combat.

Portraying abrupt panic and disorder among birds is not uncommon in wildlife art; but, in this case, by using a large format and dispersing the birds in three directions (including a head-on “frontal assault” that is “up close and personal”) David invokes a sense of immediate and fanciful involvement. Furthermore, by opting for a mixed flock scattering in sundry directions, he reminds us just how challenging species identification can be in a real time mode.

subject upon which to focus. Nature is replete with it.

When confronted with survival challenges, animals often are limited to a “hit-back-and-strike” option or a “hide option.” David’s encounters with nature both on land and in water have reinforced the amazing utility of the latter. He believes it is wise to let animals show off what they can do and in this regard, he strives to be an original thinker, dedicating himself to unraveling the many veiled lessons that animals offer wildlife artists.

Similarly, David strives through his artwork to offer the general public emotional linkages that exemplify the value of the many conservation efforts that have

“He challenged himself to experience the islands’ charms and create from them a legacy…”

Thus it is that David has come to use amalgams of accuracy, motion and mystery to “energize” his wildlife paintings; to show that the genre can benefit from a greater application of imagination. To this end, he limits his use of cameras and video gear in lieu of gathering reference material almost exclusively via plein air studies. These, along with his field observations and experiences, enable him to create more holistic approaches to his subjects, and by employing sizedrama, revelatory insight and fundamental animal behavior strategies, such as the “hide-option,” he effectively commingles beauty and behavior in enchanting and informative ways.

David’s paintings Troubadours of the Deep and Master of Disguise exemplify this. The former shows how an artist can wander into and around a painting, exploring the unseen and the hidden beautiful and majestic aspects that are clearly palpable only by inference or suggestion. The octopus painting shows how camouflage embodies a beautiful harmony that is a perfect

largely “gone right.” The Sanctuary is a fine example of this kind of conservation success and it is poetic justice that recovery from years of exploitation should now be the basis for encouraging further success in protecting the endemic flora and fauna that call the islands home.

For example, the foxes frolicking in David’s Island Foxes and Willets painting were not too long ago on the verge of extinction, as were the majestic American Bald Eagles hurtling earthward above Santa Cruz Island in David’s Vertigo painting.

Dave Gallup embraced a monumental challenge when he undertook his quest to uncover, discover and memorialize the mysteries and beauty of those five islands anchored a short yet almost unreachable distance off California’s south-central coast. Not only did he succeed in meeting the test; he did so with vigor, courage and masterful artistic finesse. Both current and future generations of Americans owe him a profound debt of gratitude and I, for one, shall count myself exceedingly fortunate for having the privilege not only of seeing this fine body of artwork, but also for having the honor of knowing its creator.

“At the Helm of Sancerre,” Photo by Captain Dan Ryder

xi

A nacApa

island

Cathedral Cove

Landing Cove Arch Rock

Frenchy’s Cove East Fish Camp

F

rom the mainland, Anacapa Island drifts in and out of view, three islets seeming at times to be one, ever moving in an ancient dynamic dance of sea, wind and rock. Anyapakh, “Mirage Island,” in the language of the Coastal Chumash, is a mystical, magical place. Rock monoliths sing of secret caves and times long ago, of ancient sea lion hunts and salt spray lifted on wings of seabirds. Desert dandelions, found no place else on earth, sway golden in the wind, hardy reminders of the tenacity and uniqueness of Anacapa and the Chumash Peoples who were the original caretakers of the Northern Channel Islands.

Arch Rock, a natural bridge formation, forty feet high, is the living metaphor of “The Rainbow Bridge” story, told by the Chumash before the beginning of time. The Ancient Ones, Hulmolmoloqiwash, lived only on the islands off the coast of what we now call California. The islands became very crowded and Kakunupmawa, The Mystery Behind the Sun, told 1

the people some would have to move to the mainland.

He created a Rainbow bridge for them to cross over, and when some fell off the rainbow bridge, Hutash, the spirit of our mother, the Earth, changed them into dolphins. Today, dolphins leap and play beneath Anacapa’s rock bridge, reminding of the Ancient Ones and the Balance of Life.

Anacapa, most ancient, wind-worn, of the Channel Islands, shifts in and out of view, a mirage, a blending of ancient and contemporary realities, whispering as if with ancient voices across the ocean. Kuti, “See!” “Look!” the voices seem to encourage, compelling us to see beyond the obvious to the truly “real,” the hidden beauty of all of Creation.

­– Georgiana Sanchez, Chumash Poet

facing Page:

The Unveiling

Anacapa Oil on canvas, 20 x 24 inches Collection of Sharon & Michael Kaiser

Twice Humbled

Orcas off the Anacapa Coast, Noon Light Oil on canvas, 80 x 48 inches Collection of Susan and John Sanders

T

he paintings by Claude Monet of the Cathedral at Rouen have long been among my favorites, and I consider them to be some of the most important and beautiful works of art ever created. Looking up at the cliffs of Anacapa, I witnessed a quality of light reminiscent of the luminescence that plays across the cathedral facade in Monet’s impressionist masterpieces, and immediately knew I wanted to produce a major work for this exhibit depicting the cliffs in this same light: on a scale that would lend impact to the power of the subject.

Floating in our small boat at the base of this precipice was at once humbling and inspiring—not unlike standing at the threshold of a great cathedral. An encounter with whales just moments later moved me all the more; hence the title, “Twice Humbled.”

3 Anacapa Isl an d

Orcas (Killer Whales) are common visitors to the Marine Sanctuary; as their name implies, they are ferocious predators, capable of preying on the even larger whales and sharks that frequent these waters.

An intimidating sight, they can reach lengths of 30 feet and weigh more than eight tons; dominated by the male’s dorsal fin towering six feet high. Although they feed predominantly on fish and other marine mammals, it is remarkable that they prove a threat to humans only in captivity. There are no records of Orca attacks on humans in the wild: a fact all the more remarkable when one considers they are found in every ocean on the planet, making them the world’s most widely distributed marine mammal.

Above: Detail of Twice Humbled

A

nacapa Island is most famous for its gulls, pelicans and Xantus’s Murrelets, but it was a White-crowned Sparrow that alighted to call this bushy herb its home. Oddly prehistoric-looking plants, which are dormant most of the year, the Giant Coreopsis are so tall, dense and prevalent on Anacapa that in full bloom the proliferation of bright yellow blossoms can be seen from the mainland, some 14 miles away.

Fourteen miles is a short flight for the White-crowned Sparrow, which during migration can fly for weeks without sleeping. The Channel Islands are located along the Pacific Flyway, a major migratory route providing resting and foraging habitat for birds on both the north and south-bound migrations.

Hovering Gulls

Oil on mounted canvas, 8 x 10 inches Collection of Nancy Angelini Crawford

5 Anacapa Isl an d

White-Crowned Sparrow in Coreopsis

Anacapa Oil on canvas, 14 x 11 inches Collection of Marian and Gastone Fortunati

Facing Page:

A Chance Encounter

Humpbacks off Anacapa’s East Point Oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches Collection of Elizabeth Von Summer Moller

O

ne of my greatest surprises in the creation of this series has been the frequency of encounters with Humpback whales. These massive and inquisitive marine mammals are commonly encountered in the Santa Barbara Channel during the summer months, when the upwelling of plankton and nutrient-rich waters from the ocean depths is prevalent.

Humpback are naturally curious about humans and boats and it is not unusual to have one of these leviathans investigate your craft, or stare into your eyes as you peer over the side rail.

One-ton at birth, a mature Humpback grows to 50 feet in length, and can live up to 100 years.

What mysteries and beauty one must see, spending a century traveling the oceans of our world!

This Page:

Anacapa Moonrise

A view from the Harbor Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 10 inches

7 Anacapa Isl an d

F

ive miles long and roughly one-quarter mile wide, Anacapa Island is more coastline than interior. In my opinion, this slender trio of rocky isles is best experienced from a small vessel at sea level, where dramatic plumes of whitewater erupt from caves and outcroppings when the swell is prominent.

On calmer days one can explore more than 100 charted caves at the base of the island by kayak: by far the most impressive way to experience the breadth of species which call the island home. From sea stars and sea lions, to pelicans and gulls; the cliffs, caves and coastline of Anacapa Island are resplendent in both biodiversity and the quantity of life found along the shore.

This Page:

Breaking Light, Anacapa

Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 10 inches Collection of Susan and Denis Cabral Facing Page:

Glorious Impact

Oil on mounted canvas, 8 x 10 inches Collection of the California Art Academy and Museum, Pasadena

Anacapa Isl an d  10

T

he roots of wildlife art can be plainly traced back to scientific illustration; in the proud history of Audubon and Darwin, who sketched and painted to chronicle their observations of nature so we might better understand a given species. What started as anatomical and behavioral studies has now become a genre of fine art, with “animal portraiture” being the norm.

In these paintings, species are predominantly shown in situations where their camouflage is not functioning, so the viewer can readily observe every aspect of the animal. In real life, however, camouflage can be as beautiful as it is effective. The way a creature blends with its environment is an essential aspect of its form and anatomy, just as surely as the shape of its head or the girth of its abdomen. In my work, I embrace the camouflage as a part of the genuine wildlife viewing experience, and celebrate the beautiful harmonies their disguises create. with their most fitting environments.

Pelican Study

Sketch in oils

11 Anacapa Isl an d

At four feet long, with a wingspan of nearly seven feet, the Brown Pelicans (seen here) have few predators. But their markings most likely date back more than 60 million years; when scientists believe pelicans first took flight. Who can image what predators they might have been evading then!

Pelicans at Cathedral Cove Anacapa Oil on birch ply, 16 x 12 inches

Santa C ruz

island Painted Cave

Prisoners Harbor

Scorpion Anchorage

Smugglers Cove

S

anta Cruz Island is in my backyard, and in the yards of some four million Angelinos, yet it is one of the least visited National Parks in the country. Even when she’s shrouded in fog , I am eager to throw off the docklines and sail across the Santa Barbara Channel to her shores.

The most famous site and sight on Santa Cruz is Painted Cave, reputedly the world’s largest sea cave.

The cathedral-size entrance to the quarter-mile cave is 160 feet high, but the ceiling lowers, the walls move in, and the light becomes fainter than starlight as you snake inside the island. The subtle shadings on the eroded rock wall are made of lichens, algae and dissolved minerals from the surface. It’s impossible to render the experience in words or in a single photo.

13

A few years ago I rowed Dave Gallup inside the cave in a small rubber dinghy. Dave’s a big guy and took up most of the boat; his art supplies occupied the rest.

Despite cold, damp and the continuous movement of the boat, Dave set the cave experience on canvas.

My field of view wasn’t wide enough, nor my focal length sufficiently flexible, to capture the reality of the cave without moving my head and refocusing repeatedly. Somehow, Dave compressed the space.

He left nothing out, nor did he distort perspective.

On a gallery wall, it might look impressionistic.

It is not. It is real.

­– Capt. Dan Ryder

Facing Page:

Foggy Day on Santa Cruz Island Oil on birch ply, 11 x 14 inches Collection of Denis and Susan Cabral

Facing Page:

Watching from a Distance

Oil on mounted canvas, 9 x 12 inches

S

anta Cruz Island is one of the most visited islands in the Park, and a popular destination for local school children who come to learn about the native species like the Channel Islands Fox. I was painting these kids, who had just landed and were receiving a lecture about the Island Fox, when one of these once-endangered canines sauntered into the meadow between us. Inquisitive, graceful, more petite than his mainland cousin; he stood there for a minute or less completely unseen by the students, sniffing the air downwind of the crowd, as they learned all about him and the astonishing restoration of his species.

This really happened while I was there painting…you just can’t make this stuff up!

This Page:

Island Fox Study

Oil on canvas, 10 x 10 inches

15 San ta C ruz Isl and

San ta C ruz Isl an d 16

Vertigo

Farewell to the Stars, First Blush of Light

Whirling Bald Eagles over Santa Cruz Island Oil on mounted linen, 48 x 40 inches

Sunrise at Fry’s Cove Oil on mounted canvas, 8 x 10 inches

B

ald eagles lock talons at high altitude and plummet toward the earth, breaking free only at the last second in this dramatic depiction of mating and territorial behavior over Santa Cruz Island. So determined not to lose this game of chicken, they tumble and whirl in a dizzying competition; at times colliding with the earth with talons still clenched, stunning the birds and occasionally rendering one or both unconscious. But serious injuries appear to be rare, and the tenacious eagles might remain tangled on the ground for hours after such fall, each unwilling to be the first to let go.

It occurred to me the best way to show the drama of this action would be to put the viewer into the bird’s disorienting situation, so I have inverted the horizon and put our viewpoint above the birds, as if we are falling with them. The background is based on a painting from one of my first trips to Santa Cruz Island, overlooking the cliffs above Scorpion Harbor.

But this scenario is still relatively rare: as Bald Eagles have only recently been reintroduced to the islands.

Pesticides (such as DDT) in the food chain caused their numbers to plummet in the early part of the last century; by the mid-1950s these powerful iconic birds—a symbol of the United States of America— were gone.

In their absence Golden Eagles colonized the turf, setting off a chain reaction of their own. Drawn by the feral pigs originally brought over by ranchers, they eventually turned and ravaged the Island Fox population. A complex restoration project ensued to remove the pigs; initiate a captive breeding program to re-establish the foxes; capture and relocate the Golden Eagles; and repopulate the Bald Eagles.

When I started this project in 2005, I had never seen a Bald Eagle. Now, it seems I see them nearly every time I visit Prisoners Harbor or Pelican Bay, and revel over their remarkable comeback.

San ta C ruz Isl an d 18

19 San ta C ruz Isl an d

Previous Spread Left:

Facing Page:

2 a.m. on Santa Cruz Island

Painted Cave, Deep Interior

Oil on birch ply, 9 x 12 inches

Oil on mounted canvas, 48 x 65 inches

I

P

n the nocturnal hours on Santa Cruz Island, the well-cut pathways crackle with invisible life. The rustling this night was that of some feral pigs, vestigial remnants of a ranching culture now gone. Since painting this, the pigs are gone as well: like everything you take to an island, it always seems easier to get it there than get rid of it afterwards. These pigs were no exception; but posing a threat to the island’s delicate ecosystem, they had to go. In their absence, the natural flora and fauna are again flourishing, and the Island Fox is staging a dramatic comeback.

Previous Spread Right:

Painted Cave, Santa Cruz Island Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 10 inches Collection of Dan and Lynn Ryder

ainted Cave is by some measures the largest sea cave in the world: 160 feet tall and 100 feet wide, with an impressive entrance generous enough for sightseeing boats to steal in when the seas are calm.

Adding to the drama, a seasonal waterfall runs over the ingress in spring.

Once inside, the intrepid visitor is presented with five cathedrals, or cavern rooms; each smaller than the next, progressing deeper and dimmer into the ancient lava tube. Odd, multi-colored walls and ceilings ooze with water, and rare seabirds peep from dark crevices; like disembodied voices echoing in the immense darkness. Every sound takes on an unnatural significance, as it generates excitement among the Sea Lions, who lurk in the inky black of the final chamber, barking at intruders, making good use of the cave’s phenomenal acoustics.

If the sea is very still (and the traveler very brave) a tiny beach beckons in the deepest recesses of the tomb. As your eyes adjust to the darkness you’ll eventually begin to see the water, the walls…and the way out.

This is the experience I wanted to re-create in my painting, Painted Cave, Deep Interior. At first glance it’s merely shadowy black, but with time and close inspection the viewer begins to see forms, and even colors, in the darkness. It’s a subtle painting, so to ensure it wasn’t overlooked I painted it a stately 48 inches by 65 inches.

21 San ta C ruz Isl and

A

lthough the islands are surrounded by water— the Sanctuary encompasses 1,658 square miles of ocean—fresh water is scarce; occurring only on Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa. Ironically this lifegiving water prompted farming and over-grazing at these islands, degrading the fragile ecosystems for decades. Historically, ranchers and settlers have taken care to preserve the land, but the delicate balance of life in these habitats was no match for the introduced plant and animal species. From the foraging habits of livestock (and the predators they drew), to invasive and aggressive vegetation; the impact was devastating.

This bucolic stream heralds the restoration efforts designed to eliminate non-native species, and restore the islands to their natural balance and beauty. There will be many among the viewers of this painting who have never walked two miles along a riverbed without seeing a single sign of human existence: not one cigarette butt nor abandoned shirt. Not even a bit of fishing line in a low-hanging branch betrays the presence of man in this phenomenally wild area.

There is normally a bit of a footpath along this creek, created by biologists of varying disciplines, but on this visit a large storm had washed away trails and markings, leaving the river naked and unknown. At first I was a bit unsettled to be away from the signs of civilization, but soon came to appreciate this experience and accept it as a precious gift.

Facing Page:

This Page:

Nearing the Source

La Cascada

Santa Cruz Island Oil on mounted canvas, 9 x 12 inches

23 San ta C ruz Isl and

Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 10 inches

San ta C ruz Isl an d 24

This Page:

Sunrise at Yellowbanks, Santa Cruz Island Oil on canvas, 10 x 10 inches Collection of Karen Norris Facing Page:

First Light at Yellowbanks

View of Anacapa from Santa Cruz Island Oil on mounted canvas, 8 x 10 inches Collection of Karen Norris

I

’ve been fortunate to have the sponsorship in this project of Sail Channel Islands. Captain Dan Ryder, president, and skipper of the vessel Sancerre, has spent a decade taking folks around these islands for sailing lessons and leisure cruises. He knows well the best harbor in any given storm, the best place to stop for lunch, and where one should anchor to get a great view of the sunrise.

Twice he has taken me to Yellowbanks on Santa Cruz Island to watch the sunrise. To the west, the towering faces of limestone that give this anchorage its name, glow an unimaginable color when hit with the first pink rays of morning’s light. To the east, the sun rises over Anacapa’s unmistakable silhouette. How fortuitous to have found in Captain Dan not just a patron, a friend, and a first-rate sailor; but also a connoisseur of nature’s most beautiful secrets.

25 San ta C ruz Isl and

I

was on an early morning beach walk during one of my island painting trips when I noticed fox prints in the sand. Hoping for an encounter, I followed them along the beach about a half mile and came to a place where the two had obviously taken a break to play; rolling and leaping on one another before moving on.

The idea of these Channel Island Foxes frolicking on the beach, sending the timid shorebirds rushing for the sky in alarm, sat in my mind for years. Finally, being fully incubated, the vision hatched and made its way to canvas in Island Foxes and Willets.

No doubt the birds would have been preoccupied, feasting on the smorgasbord of sand crabs, beach hoppers, insects and other morsels carried ashore in the wrack of kelp; and sent scurrying with surprise by the spirited foxes.

I have mentioned my distaste for making photodependent wildlife art, and it is precisely paintings like this that require the artist be able to work without specific photo reference. Without that ability I would have to pass up opportunities to produce paintings which rely on that most beautiful of human abilities: imagination. I could have spent a year watching, with camera in hand, and never gotten a shot which would allow me to do this painting the way I wanted to. That being said, I did visit Santa Cruz Island to study the foxes extensively before being able to work out this painting, and I did take a lot of photos of them from all angles. In the studio these references were useful in judging markings and proportions accurately while I freely conceived the poses in my head.

27 San ta C ruz Isl and

This Page:

Facing Page:

In Singing Light

Island Foxes and Willets

Willets in Gentle Surf Oil on mounted linen, 11 x 14 inches

Santa Cruz Island Oil on mounted linen, 48 x 48 inches

F

rom Prisoners Harbor to Smugglers Cove; Frenchy’s Anchorage to China Bay; the island place names and monikers reveal a rich and sometimes colorful history.

Prisoners from nearby Santa Barbara were allegedly abandoned here in early days. While these convicts were said to have escaped back to the mainland, ranchers ultimately established a settlement here, including bunkhouses and a mess hall for the workers; barns, a blacksmith and saddle shop, and even a winery and chapel.

Currently Santa Cruz Island remains in a precarious ownership position. While completely enveloped in National Park territory, about four-fifths of the island was granted to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) for preservation. The old ranch house in the central valley now serves as TNC island headquarters. I’ve been fortunate to have TNC as a sponsor for this project, and have spent a few long weekends at this small compound of historic buildings.

This Page:

Facing Page:

Hazy Day at Prisoners Harbor, Santa Cruz Island

Central Valley Ranch, Santa Cruz Island

Oil on mounted canvas, 9 x 12 inches

29 San ta C ruz Isl and

Oil on mounted canvas, 9 x 12 inches

Sa n ta Ro sa

island

Lobo Canyon

S

anta Rosa Island is one of one of our most overlooked treasures. Anacapa, with its numerous sea caves and great kayaking, is an easy day trip from Ventura or Channel Islands Harbor. Santa Cruz, with a multitude of well-protected anchorages, is a favorite for longer adventures.

But Santa Rosa, by contrast, has only two reliable overnight anchorages (Bechers Bay and Johnsons Lee), and a relatively low and seemingly less spectacular (at first blush) geographic profile, which is often buffeted by strong winds intimidating to less intrepid explorers. As a result Santa Rosa is too often relegated to a brief stopover between Santa Cruz and San Miguel, with visitors believing the island has little to offer in terms of hospitality or unspoiled wilderness.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

On one memorable trip to Santa Rosa, we comfortably beached our kayaks near the southeast anchorage and enjoyed a gentle uphill climb along a well-marked trail to the Torrey Pine grove overlooking Skunk Point. What a remarkable vista! Heading in the opposite direction past the historic ranch, we were treated to a wonderful hike through a beautiful valley lush with indigenous vegetation. North America’s oldest human remains were discovered just beyond this point; indeed the spirits of long-ago Chumash, caballeros, and explorers whisper throughout the island.

Taking to the seas, the scenery and playful sea lions north of Bechers Bay and around Carrington Point rewarded us too. Likewise, a rare paddle around Skunk Point, when the high winds and swells relaxed enough to invite discovery, proved unforgettable. I encourage everyone to take a little extra time and explore this largely overlooked treasure. Quiet and humble, Santa Rosa’s modesty belies the true value of this jewel of an island.

­­–Dennis Dreith 31

Carrington Point Bechers Bay

Johnsons Lee facing Page:

Santa Rosa Moonrise

Oil on mounted canvas, 9 x 12 inches Collection of Laurie Hunter

L

orem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie.

Non sequitur condominium facile et geranium incognito. Epsum factorial non deposit quid pro quo hic escorol. Marquee selectus non provisio incongruous feline nolo contendre Olypian quarrels et gorilla congolium sic ad nauseum. Souvlaki ignitus carborundum e pluribus unum.Li Europan lingues es membres del sam familie. Lor separat existentie es un myth. Por scientie, musica, sport etc, li tot Europa usa li sam vocabularium.

This Page:

Anacapa Moonrise

A view from the harbor Oil on canvas, 10 x 10 inches Facing Page:

A Chance Encounter

Humpbacks off Anacapa’s East Point Oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches Collection of Elizabeth Von Summer Moller

33  San ta Rosa Isl an d

Previous Spread LefT:

Facing Page:

The Sentinel

Fog and Mist at Carrington Point

Marsh Hawk in Carrington Pasture Oil on birch ply, 11 x 14 inches

G

usty winds over Bechers Bay are no contest for the compact and persistent Marsh Hawk. Also know as a Northern Harrier, this rare hawk plummets with astonishing speed when he spies his prey— usually insects, mice and small lizards—which he devours on the spot.

Previous Spread Right:

Fading Light on Carrington Point Oil on mounted jute, 36 x 36 inches

T

he California Brown Pelicans are so much a part of the island experience, it would be hard to imagine the Channel Islands without them. Yet, this is a reality that almost came to be. Once reduced to twelve breeding pairs due to DDT in the food chain, they have made an amazing comeback. It is a tribute to all of the conservationists who collaborated on restoring these islands during the past 25 years, that over and over, restoration of endangered island species has been so remarkably successful. Cliff-nesting seabirds like the Brown Pelican; island raptors such as the Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon; indigenous species like the Island Fox…each has experienced fantastic, almost unimaginable recovery under the guidance of these dedicated scientists. I never leave without wanting to come back and thank a local biologist for making it possible, not only for us but also for our children, to experience these islands with so much of their natural wonder intact.

35 San ta Rosa Isl an d

Oil on canvas, 16 x 12 inches This Page:

Natural Bridge, Carrington Point Oil on mounted canvas, 12 x 9 inches

T

o manage the Carrington Point hike from the campground on Santa Rosa Island, you have to be a bit of a hiker. It’s 14 miles round-trip, unless you get a little help by hitching a ride in a Park Service truck. Steep and treacherous, especially with backpack and easel, I’ve none-the-less done it at least half a dozen times.

The natural bridge featured is wide enough to drive a truck over. Particularly in the spring, when the wind whips constantly and severely, huge surf rolls in beneath the bridge before exploding against a cliff on the back side of the amphitheater. To provide a sense of perspective, the facing image was painted from the bridge. I don’t want to admit where I had to stand to create this painting of the bridge, but I made a hasty retreat a few times when especially large breakers rolled in from behind!

It’s a bit of a trick looking over your shoulder the whole time you’re working, but in the end the result was worth the effort.

San ta Rosa Isl an d 36

This Page:

Rufous-Sided Towhee

Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 8 inches

P

ainting birds en plein air is a daunting prospect, and to my knowledge is not often done. However, I find if I’m still and quiet, the birds will come to me and I can study them at my leisure, as they feed while I work. There is a freedom in painting from a live model which is not available when working from photos. To get the head looking here, the wing over there, the feet like this, the tail like that…it’s impossible (and very unlikely too).

Working from direct observation allows me to design the animal freely, capturing a sense of motion unfamiliar in photos. Of course, many artists sketch birds from life in pencil but I prefer going straight to paint, where I can ignore outlines and structure and instead dive directly into playful interpretations of essence, design, and color. These paintings may be less accurate than a photo (or painted copy of a photo) but do more to capture the true spirit of their subjects.

This is one of my favorite little birds, the Rufoussided Towhee. While staying at the Ranger’s Station I observed this petite guy in the bushes outside my window. The loose, dynamic quality of the brushwork here gives the bird a sense of motion, rather than being frozen in time with the click of a camera shutter.

Facing Page:

Island Spotted Skunk and Coreopsis, Nocturne Santa Rosa Island Oil on mounted linen, 8 x 10 inches

37 San ta Rosa Isl an d

San ta Rosa Isl an d 38

This Page:

Torrey Pines

Santa Rosa Island Oil on canvas, 6 x 6 inches Facing Page:

Starlit Pines

Oil on canvas, 8 x 10 inches Collection of Andrea and David Stanley

O

ne of the most magical places I’ve ever been is the Torrey Pine forest on Santa Rosa Island.

In daylight the rich hues of the trees and forest floor below create a wonderful contrast of greens, browns, and oranges—one of the island’s most peaceful settings. But if you’re like me, you’ll want to go there on a clear warm night and stand among the towering silhouettes in a silence so pervasive you can hear the stars twinkle overhead.

I must have stood here two hours, simply listening to the silence and enjoying the luxurious colors of the night before I settled in and began to work. This is not an unusual thing for me to do when painting alone after dark, when the rush of the passing sun has been forgotten, and the peaceful spirit of the night commands me.

Part of what makes the Torrey Pines so mystical are their pedigree. Over 10,000 years old, they are among the rarest pine species in the world. They favor dry sandy soil and a harsh foggy climate—which helps them thrive in this one-square mile patch on Santa Rosa Island; but nowhere else, except for San Diego County, where these endangered trees are revered as icons.

39 San ta Rosa Isl an d

T

he National Park Service has been very generous in letting me use Rangers’ lodging when visiting the islands. Still, I wanted to experience camping as well, and also thought I’d get some different views of sunrise and sunset at the campground. One morning I awoke at sunrise and got my camera out to take pictures of the quail who were foraging just outside my tent. The Catalina California Quail is an endemic sub-species which anthropologists hypothesize were introduced to the islands around 12,000 years ago.

Satisfied with my shots, I put the camera away and sat quietly beneath the canvas, looking at them just a few feet away, when suddenly they came under attack by a Cooper’s Hawk—my favorite raptor!

Facing Page:

This Page:

Black Rock Through Torrey Pines

Cooper’s Hawk and California Quail

Oil on mounted canvas, 12 x 12 inches

Santa Rosa Island Campground at Sunrise Oil on mounted canvas, 5 x 7 inches Collection of Denis and Susan Cabral

The strike failed, and the hawk swooped high in the air before coming back for a second run. Another near miss right at my tent flap, and again he wheeled around for a third approach. Having lost the element of surprise, he had little chance of success and after this attempt he flew off, rebuffed. Within a space of twenty seconds I had witnessed the three best Cooper’s Hawk encounters of my life (to that date). Remembering my camera (which of course didn’t have a telephoto lens on) I took a shot of his retreat…a tiny speck in the sky. Luckily I had stacks of better photos at home, as Cooper’s Hawks are common visitors in my backyard, and often roost in my pepper tree.

Back at home I produced this image from memory in the studio, then used photos to check my proportions, anatomy and markings. The first attempt was loyal to my recollection of the event, but the painting ultimately failed. In showing a foiled attack, I missed the character of this lethal and graceful predator. I returned to the drawing board and re-worked the poses and composition. In this, the second painting, this beautiful predator is sure to catch his breakfast.

San ta Rosa Isl an d 42

A

fter a week painting on Santa Rosa Island, I loaded up my gear and headed to the pier to await my passage home.

It’s always bittersweet, coming home: sorry to leave the island; but happy to be reunited with my wife and two little boys. As I waited the sun came out, the wind diminished, and the sea turned this amazing blue; so I painted this on the pier at Santa Rosa, anticipating the boat with my conflicting emotions.

I don’t know if that mood is evident to others, in this painting, but I feel it every time I see it.

With nature giving way to industry and development, I sometimes worry my boys will not share my close ties to nature; that they’ll grow up part of a generation isolated from their environment. When I leave the islands, it is profoundly reassuring to know the next time I return they will remain just as I left them, with no souvenir stands or snack bars; no houses or resort hotels. What pride I have in my country to know that precious and sacred places like these islands have not only been set aside for future generations, but also that we as a society are investing in a profound restoration of this unique global resource, which is sure to benefit future generations in wondrous and untold ways.

This Page:

Facing Page:

Tide Pools at East Point

Departure

Santa Rosa Island Oil on canvas, 9 x 12 inches

43 San ta Rosa Isl an d

Santa Rosa Island Oil on birch ply, 10 x 10 inches

This Page:

Fleeting Beauty, Santa Rosa Island Oil on mounted canvas, 12 x 12 inches Collection of Charles Muench

T

he first solo show of my work was an exhibition of sunset paintings, all done on location in just ten minutes or so. That was over a decade ago, and since that time I’ve moved on to explore scores of other themes, as I continue to stretch my abilities and challenge myself in new ways.

Once in a while, though, I still enjoy setting up in front of a fleeting sunset or sunrise, to keep my speedpainting skills from getting rusty. Fleeting Beauty is an example of that ‘real time’ technique; created at the island campground.

Facing Page:

To Dance with Gravity

Oil on mounted canvas, 11 x 14 inches

45 San ta Rosa Isl an d

This Page:

Red Island Buckwheat, Lobo Canyon, Santa Rosa Island Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 10 inches Collection of Susan and Denis Cabral

A

visit to Santa Rosa Island demands at least three days: one to spend at Carrington Point, one at Torrey Pines, and one to spend walking Lobo Canyon.

Lobo Canyon is a moderate hike of about five miles round trip, if you can catch a ride to the trailhead (which you almost always can). Pack a lunch and wander through the chasm carved by a gentle brook and steady wind, as it meanders through woodlands, grasslands and sandstone cliffs. This fertile canyon was the site of an ancient Chumash settlement.

Once at the ocean’s edge, you’ll discover a loop trail showcasing some of the most beautiful and dramatic coastline imaginable; decorated with wildflowers in the spring and summer. This Red Island Buckwheat, one of the endemic species found only on the Channel Islands, is now flourishing again after years of devastating overgrazing, thanks to restoration efforts.

Facing Page:

North of Bechers Bay

Oil on mounted canvas, 12 x 16 inches

San ta Rosa Isl an d 48

Sa n M ig u e l

island Harris Point Cuyler Harbor

I

’ve been fortunate to have some prominent friends write about the islands as a bit of an introduction, asking each to talk a bit about their favorite island.

Nobody wrote about San Miguel.

San Miguel has, without a doubt, the worst weather of any of the Channel Islands. Cold, windswept, and sandblasted daily, it is inhospitable to most trees and certainly to most people. By far the least visited island in the park; San Miguel hosts fewer than 200 overnight visitors annually. Loose pebbles cover the island, making the steep trails even more treacherous…and when the wind gets up over 70 mph (which it often does in the spring) that gravel becomes airborne. Rangers there are known to wear goggles when hiking, to keep the sand and rocks out of their eyes, and kerchiefs to keep dirt and airborne plant matter out of their sinuses. It is highly unlikely that San Miguel Island will ever become a major tourist destination.

In the end, that’s exactly what is so great about it.

With so few visitors, the animals own the place.

49

Nowhere else have I seen the density and abundance of wildlife witnessed along San Miguel’s rugged coastline. Every crevice on every cliff is home to a falcon, gull, pelican or other sea bird. Each surf-weary beach is covered with elephant seals, sea lions, fur seals, or harbor seals; their barking carried downwind along with their scents. The surrounding waters are famous for their productivity, and if you can take the cold water, it’s a great place to dive.

One other thing about an island like this: when you do get that rare, warm and windless day, there is nothing like it! Every bird on the island takes wing, the flowering grasses burst open their buds to catch the light…even the wind-stunted coyote bushes seem to stretch and breathe a sigh of relief, before bracing again for the next day—which is sure to be cold and windy. I was there for two such days last year, and have been told these were the nicest back-to-back they’ve had in a decade.

I’ll have to try that again in another ten years.

­–David Gallup

Point Bennett

Prince Island

Tyler Bight Cardwell Point facing Page:

Oyster Catchers at Cuyler Harbor, San Miguel Island Oil on canvas, 12 x 16 inches Collection of Denis and Susan Cabral

Facing Page:

Transformation

Sunset on San Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 9 x 12 inches

T

here is something magical about twilight: that coming together of day and night; and at the horizon, of heaven and earth. It inspires my most poetic works: simple, direct and reverent.

Transformation was painted on my first evening at San Miguel Island. Sustained winds were 60 mph, with gusts clocked over 70. When I told the ranger I’d best sit the day out and paint at a calmer time, he informed me the weather would be the same all week long. Aghast, I told him I didn’t think it was possible to work in these conditions. I’ll never forget his reply, delivered with mild surprise: ‘Didn’t they tell you it was going to be windy?’

‘Windy?!’ I thought windy meant 25 mph! Clearly he’d been on San Miguel a very, very long time.

This Page:

By Dawn’s Sweet Light

Sunrise on San Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 5 x 7 inches Collection of Jackson Wheeler

On the last day, the wind slowed to what felt like 2–3 mph, and the sun finally came out: warming to what felt like 75 degrees. Later the instruments informed me it had hit only 65 degrees, with 15 mph of wind.

It’s amazing how little time it took to re-calibrate my perception of what ‘windy’ was.

San Migu el Isl an d 52

Facing Page:

Safe Haven

Sea Lion at Point Bennett, San Miguel Island Oil on mounted linen, 9 x 12 inches

S

ituated outside of the protection of Point Conception, San Miguel Island is exposed to the brutal conditions of the North Pacific, where currents and wind patterns generate an upwelling of deep waters rich in nutrients, especially the microscopic organisms that form the basis of the food web. The bounty of these frigid waters makes San Miguel a favored habitat for the California Sea Lion. The most abundant of the pinnipeds in the islands, Sea Lions are warm blooded mammals and can be found hauled out on beaches or bell buoys, or perched on rocks such as this; soaking up the last rays of afternoon sun.

Some 80,000 Sea Lions are said to inhabit the islands and sanctuary. They share the sunny but wind-battered shores with Northern Elephant Seals, Northern Fur Seals and Harbor Seals; creating a ‘Woodstock’ environment, if you will; in a cacophony of breeding, feeding, pupping and molting.

Allen’s Hummingbird with Honey Bee Sketch in oils

53 San Migu el Isl an d

I

t’s a healthy hike from the ranger’s station to the research station at Point Bennett on the far side of San Miguel Island: 15 miles round-trip, and that’s if you don’t walk around when you get there. But walk around you will, as you find yourself overlooking the world’s largest congregation of Northern Elephant Seals on seldom-seen windswept beaches.

Elephant Seals have no true familial bond with elephants: it’s their immense bulk and comical proboscis that lends them their name. They are in fact pinnipeds, which means “feather-foot” in Latin.

Although they hardly look light on their feet, their wing-like flippers and torpedo-shaped bodies make them surprisingly swift and agile in the water; their size and ferocity—as they battle for dominion over the local harem of females—makes them equally imposing on land.

In Caliche Forest calcified remains of ancient trees appear tomb-like atop San Miguel’s mesa. The caliche forest was created by the salty, wind-swept conditions, and preserved by the sand. Perfect casts of the grove which once stood here, they tell of another climate and time in the Channel Islands.

This Page:

Facing Page:

Caliche Forest, San Miguel Island

Bluff Called

Oil on canvas, 9 x 12 inches

55 San Migu el Isl an d

Elephant seals at Point Bennett, San Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 5 x 7 inches Collection of Denis and Susan Cabral

F

or residents of Southern California, one of the greatest surprises of a summer night at San Miguel Island will likely be the number of stars clearly visible on a moonless night.

It’s not just the darkness, which lets every tiny pinhole make itself known, but also the open horizons, free of obstacles. I’m fond of painting at night, and must have painted the moonrise at least one hundred times in my life, but to see enough stars to make a subject out of them…that was a treat. Much later the same night, a gibbous moon rose over Prince Island (a small rocky islet on the eastern fringe of Cuyler Harbor), and I painted that too.

It happened on a very rare, warm and windless night at San Miguel Island. I’m told they are lucky to experience a night like that just once a year; to have it coincide with a nearly full moon, maybe once a decade. And I was there for two such nights, back to back. By the second morning, we were headed for shelter from the howling winds and mounting seas; dozing in rocking bunks with dreams and memories of a perfect visit to San Miguel Island.

Facing Page:

This Page:

Milky Way Over San Miguel Island

Moonrise Over Prince Island

Oil on mounted linen, 7 x 7 inches Collection of Jackson Wheeler

San Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 8 x 10 inches

San Migu el Isl an d 58

V

isitors wanting to explore San Miguel Island require a ranger escort. The flora and fauna are rare and delicate; and sensitive cultural sites, once buried for centuries, can be exposed at any time due to the constantly blowing sands.

So it was that Ranger Ian and I set out hiking to Point Bennett one morning. At just over 15 miles round trip, the trek would have been sufficient for me; however the ranger’s pride in the island, and enthusiasm for nature, necessitated several side trips to features I ‘just had to see.’

One such detour was to the Tyler Bight Overlook, and Ranger Ian was indeed correct: the extra distance was completely worthwhile. From the mid-island trail no coastal views were visible, but after a mile we came to a sudden rise; and when we emerged at the top, were treated with this awaiting view.

I had this feeling (not unlike wondering if the light really turns off when you close the refrigerator door) if all of this beauty could be simply abiding there, even though nobody ever witnesses it? Then I reconsidered my typically human perspective, and determined, “It’s probably there for the birds!” Hence my deference in the title, Humble Witnesses, for this piece of work.

This Page:

Facing Page:

The Fundamentals of Harmony

Humble Witnesses

Bald Eagle at Cardwell Point, San Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 11 x 14 inches

59 San Migu el Isl an d

Tyler Bright Overlook, San Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 8 x 10 inches

This Page:

West of the West

Sunset from San Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 5 x 7 inches Collection of Jackson Wheeler Facing Page:

Mola Mola with Jellies

Off the San Miguel Island Coast Oil on mounted linen, 38 x 32 inches

S

tanding on San Miguel Island looking west, one does indeed get the feeling of being on the edge of the continent. Situated just below Point Conception, exposed to the brunt of the Pacific Ocean, there is a peace and consolation in knowing this island’s foreboding demeanor and isolation will likely preserve it for ages to come.

While not many tourists come to San Miguel, its waters are rich with sea life and the area is frequently worked by commercial fishermen, drawn by Halibut, Cod, Sea Urchins and Squid. Occasionally their

nets produce by-catch: an unwanted harvest of other species, like the strange-looking Mola mola. Immense, yet extremely gentle, these giant moonstones can measure up to two tons: weight they gain primarily from a diet of copious jellyfish. The Mola mola is known to approach divers, hoping for a friendly scratch in a hard-to-reach place. It can afford to be so bold: its immense size, bony skeleton and thick sandpaper-like skin make it an unappealing meal to most predators.

San Migu el Isl an d  62

Sa n ta Ba rba r a

island

Arch Point Shag Rock

O

ne square mile of volcanic rock. Santa Barbara Island squats 38 miles off the coast of Los Angeles, largely absent from the world. A single ridgeline runs across the island’s center (including the island’s high point, Signal Peak, at 635 feet), rounded hills drape either end, and grassy Serengeti slopes swoop down to the east and west. There are no trees.

It’s a fetching effect; everywhere you look there is horizon. And at night: torrents of stars.

My wife and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary on Santa Barbara Island. We slept under those stars. The past recedes swiftly, and the future whips past too, but we will always have that gift.

And dawn’s light, crawling over the edge of the sheer volcanic cliffs, basting emptiness and butterflies.

­–Ken McAlpine 63

Webster Point

Landing Cove

Sutil Island

Cat Canyon

Facing Page:

Sancerre at Anchor

Oil on mounted linen, 9 x 12 inches

A Place of Refuge

Anchorage at Santa Barbara Island Oil on mounted jute, 36 x 36 inches (also 12 x 12 inches on location)

This is the one that started it all.

I had been invited to paint the Channel Islands by the Museum of Ventura County, as part of a group exhibition celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Park and Sanctuary. I boarded a research vessel and set off to see the islands, really for the first time. It was early March and we were warned to be prepared for rough seas and inclement weather: after all, this is a tiny island over 50 miles from the mainland. But what I found that day was an ocean as flat as bathwater; temperatures in the mid-70s; and a remote, picturesque island hemmed by dramatic cliffs and spires, caves and arches in all directions. The beaches were crowded with Sea Lions and other pinnipeds; the top of the island a series of beautiful rolling hills covered in wildflowers.

On the way home we cut the engines to drift alongside a Gray Whale cow and calf—my first up-close whale sighting. That very day I decided to spend the entire year painting these islands.

Now, a half-dozen years later, I still feel I’m decades away from completing my exploration of this amazing archipelago. The more time I spend here, the more I find I have only begun. These islands are an infinite source of inspiration for me; I’ve only just scratched the surface.

65 San ta Bar bar a Isl an d

Wings of Light, Santa Barbara Island Oil on birch ply, 10 x 7.5 inches Collection of Joyce Sardisco

Facing Page:

Liquid Light

Sea Lion Colony at Santa Barbara Island Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches Collection of Colin Veitch This Page:

Tide Pools at Santa Barbara Island Oil on birch ply, 8 x 8 inches

San ta Barbar a Isl an d  68

Facing Page:

A Taste of Rain

Oil on birch ply, 10 x 10 inches Collection of Margaret and Tom Whitford (also oil on mounted linen, 30 x 30 inches)

T

he islands are a dry place: the plants get much of their water from mist and fog. When I do see rain forecast, I like to try to get out there to paint this wonderful and rare treat: that sweet and elusive taste of rain (facing page). Because when the rain does come, the whole island celebrates. Plants burst into flowers and the brown hills turn green. If the rain is light, like this day, the wildlife doesn’t take shelter, preferring instead to enjoy some relief from the dry weather by letting themselves get drenched. I’m right there with them—standing in the open with an umbrella over my easel, but not myself.

This Page:

Song of the Lark

Western Meadowlark, Santa Barbara Island Oil on canvas, 8 x 10 inches

San ta Bar bar a Isl an d 70

Facing Page:

Nesting Gulls above Arch Point Santa Barbara Island Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 10 inches Collection of Morgan and Brian Green

W

hile painting the wildflowers and nesting gulls here, I had the chance to witness a duel between two peregrine falcons. For me there is great joy in even the most ordinary day of painting on location; but one of the greatest gifts of being in the wild so frequently is the rare encounter—the kind one might go a lifetime without ever seeing. This project, painting the Channel Islands, has given me that gift again and again in a scores of different forms, each more precious than the next.

This Page:

Island Night Lizard Sketch Sketch, Oil on linen

71 San ta Barbar a Isl an d

M a ri n e Sa nct ua ry

“S

anctuary: A consecrated area in a church or temple where sacred objects are kept.” For the last ten years I have been scuba diving the Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary: it is the most sacred place I know.

As the Alaskan wind blows down the North American coastline with nothing along the way to impede it, it slams into the most northern of the California Channel Islands—San Miguel. The island above sea level is sandblasted clean by this wind; the starkness of life topside is in complete contrast with the lushness and vibrancy below.

Huge upwelling currents deliver nutrients to the top layer of the reef, filling it with an abundance of flora and fauna. Beneath the waves there is so much life it blankets the reefs to the point you can’t put your little finger down anywhere without touching some form of invertebrate life. Nothing is separate. All these lives depend on each other as they swirl around in a dizzying, moving, flow of existence.

73

I was photographing tiny brittle stars there when my air got low and it was time ascend. I turned around and looked to the surface, and much to my surprise there was a three hundred pound Giant Black Sea Bass staring me in the face! I started screaming with pure excitement, through my regulator, as we looked into each other’s eyes. He was swimming around me in tight circles, keeping eye contact. We slowly took each other in, and as my air ran out and I swam to the surface, we parted as newfound friends. Never before had I had such an intimate experience with a being from this underwater world.

I will never forget our encounter and how it changed me for life. In those moments I became a brother to a really big fish. I want to protect him and his world. I feel the heavy burden we humans place on the ocean, and vow to live in a way that protects the world of my brother, and all my relations there.

­–Richard Salas, Author and Undersea Photographer, Sea of Light

facing Page:

The Glistening Playground

Oil on mounted canvas, 30 x 40 inches Collection of Charles T. Munger

Facing Page:

Storm Petrels with Blue Shark Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches Collection of Charles T. Munger

S

pending time aboard a small boat is a wonderful way to see a diversity of sea life without actually getting in the water. From this comfortable vantage point I have seen myriad birds and marine mammals, but also more uncommonly seen creatures like the bizarre Ocean Sunfish (also known as ‘Mola mola’) and many Blue Sharks.

In Storm Petrels with Blue Shark I juxtaposed sightings from different trips, incorporating both into one painting. The petrels do a beautiful and delicate dance wherein they spread their wings, facing the wind, and hover weightlessly over the water while using their oversized feet to walk and hop across the surface as they hunt and feast on minute sea creatures. The presence of the Blue Shark emphasizes their delicate form, and the perilous environment; the shark is all the more fearsome and impressive when surrounded by these dainty beauties.

This Page:

The Teeming Seas

Pacific Common Dolphins super-pod Oil on mounted canvas, 12 x 12 inches

75 Marin e Sanct uary

Rhythm of Life

Sea Lions off Anacapa’s East Point Oil on mounted canvas, 60 x 48 inches

T

he greatest gift of this project was a deepening relationship with the sea. Whether on a boat, an island, or below the water’s surface with my dive gear; the more I learn about our oceans, the more I am compelled to investigate and protect them. Even as this project draws to an end, I plan to continue to explore new visual interpretations of the marine environment and life within; confident and grateful that this will provide a lifetime of inspiration for me.

In Rhythm of Life schools of Blacksmith fish crouch in the shadows, hiding from their artful predators: the Sea Lions. This kelp forest is the picture of health and diversity, where sunlight streams through the canopy to support colorful and abundant plant and animal life.

77 Marin e Sanct uary

Marin e Sanct uary 78

Previous Spread Right:

Facing Page:

The Garden Below

Master of Disguise

M

O

This scene was burnt in my head on such an occasion; the first time I went spearfishing, as I peered up through the clear water to see another predator lurking: a California Sea Lion.

Two-Spot Octopus is regarded as the greatest camouflage artist of all, blushing crimson, yellow or vivid green to merge with its habitat, and just as swiftly changing to black, white or electric blue; exhibiting smooth skin one moment, and spiky protrusions or plantlike fronds the next.

Kelp Forests off Santa Cruz Island Oil on birch ply, 28 x 28 inches Collection of Denis and Susan Cabral

y older brother Tom bought a sailboat in the early 1990s and took me to the islands, where he taught me to free dive and spearfish. Prior to that, I didn’t know how to equalize the pressure in my ears, so I couldn’t dip below eight feet or so. But suddenly I learned to descend 20 feet and more, and the entire underwater world opened up before me.

Inquisitive and frisky; graceful and swift (despite their massive size), sea lions feast on the abundant fish and squid found amidst the pillars of kelp. The largest algae on the planet, Giant Kelp is also the fastest growing of all plants: it can grow an astonishing two feet a day, and every inch of that foliage serves as food and habitat for the hundreds of plant, fish, marine mammal and invertebrate species that thrive within.

79 Marin e Sanct uary

California Two-Spot Octopus with Surf Perch Oil on mounted linen, 10 x 10 inches Collection of David Sturges

ctopods are the ultimate masters of disguise, able to instantly adapt skin color and texture, as well as form, to blend perfectly with any undersea environment. Lacking a skeleton or bones (save for the beak), even a sizeable octopus can squeeze into a tiny hole, to hide from predators or prey.

He paralyzes his prey and tenaciously drills open thick shells with a sharp beak. When the tables are turned, he’ll jettison a tentacle to stall a hungry predator (knowing the arm will grow back); or squirt a cloud of ink, like a stage magician, to mask his escape. Fast and agile, the octopus can make a manyfooted departure, or swim away in blasts of jet-like propulsion. With two hearts, blue blood, and nine brains (including one to control each arm); it’s hard to imagine any animal more different or strange to us! The wonders of the ocean are enough to dazzle any inquisitive mind, and the California Two-Spot Octopus is living proof.

M

ore than 27 species of cetaceans ply the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, but my most numerous whale encounters over the past six years have been with Humpbacks.

Occasionally I’ll spot just one or two of these curious and friendly leviathans, but at other times I’ve seen as many as thirty: feeding and frolicking in the nutrient rich waters where the frigid, northern current collides with the south.

Ever since my initial up-close encounter, when for the first time I was immersed in the downpour of a whale spout, I wondered about that water. Shouldn’t a whale’s exhale be air, not water? Why then was there such a deluge (infused with the potent scent of fish) pouring down upon us and the ship’s deck?

The answer came one night, while reading a children’s nature book to my young son. As a whale holds its breath, the book explained, the air heats up from the body temperature. Upon exhale the warm, moist breath hits the cool air over the ocean, creating a tiny rainstorm that cascades down on the whale’s head.

Considering whales exhale every time they surface, do you suppose they think it’s always raining?

This Page:

Bat Ray

Sketch, Oil on linen Facing Page:

Troubadours of the Deep Humpbacks in the Channel Oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

Marin e Sanct uary 82

Weekends were spent with his new bride; painting and visiting galleries as he got to know the business of being an artist. His students and colleagues today will tell you nothing has changed: beneath the warm smile and friendly jokes is a man possessed; a man who will paint sunrise to sunset, have dinner, and then go paint the landscape by moonlight before retiring to his studio to paint just a little more.

Biography

by Betsy Crowfoot

It was painting out of doors which led him to start meeting other artists with the same passion, and eventually he joined a newly revitalized group of artists who shared his love of working directly from life, the California Art Club. He quickly gained the

B

orn in St. Louis, Missouri to Roger and Dorothy Gallup in 1967, David Craig Gallup considers California—where he moved at the age of seven—his home. The third of five boys (one born each summer, for five consecutive years), he had a constant supply of playmates. It was quiet and solitude which were harder to come by, but the young Gallup found it, spending time drawing and painting on his own. This habit saw him gaining rapidly in his abilities, and it was soon evident that he was headed for a career as an artist.

At the age of 18, David attended the Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of Design on the advice of Mel Friedman, his high school art instructor. In 1990 he graduated with a degree in illustration, which had given him the opportunity to learn design, painting, and drawing skills which would become the seeds of a career as a fine artist.

During his college years, Gallup was already a popular art instructor. One could often find small groups of students in his dorm room after class, seeking clarification on points of perspective or color theory. By the time he graduated he had abandoned his goal of becoming

an illustrator and instead went to work teaching fine art skills to students of all ages, at a variety of posts over the next four years. It was during this time that he found a passion for French Impressionism, which led him to experiment with plein air painting. This pursuit would lead him to find success as a fine artist, and the principles of painting by direct observation remain at the core of Gallup’s work today.

It was also during these formative years that he met his wife, Rosalind. Her background in graphic design and experience in international marketing also made her an ideal business match, as David was starting his fine art career, and she soon left her job to manage his career.

With Rosalind’s support in the office, and her intuitive ability to make solid business decisions, David was free to develop his skills and find his way as an artist while they grew their new venture. He continues to rely on her vision, business acumen, and critical eye for design to this day.

In 1994, David’s fine art career was not yet a moneymaking endeavor, so he took a job as a studio assistant for the internationally famous Japanese artist Hiro

respect of his peers and was recognized immediately as a natural leader in the group. The affiliation of 300 of the top fine artists in the state was quick to seize upon the young artist’s abilities both as a painter and a visionary, and within two years of joining, at the age of 34, he was asked to become the Vice President of one of the oldest and most respected art associations in the United States. Still very young for his field, he was well on his way to prominence.

and few spots of pristine coastline (his favorite subject, by far) remained free of buildings, harbors, and crowds. The scenic places which had been spared were becoming crowded with the hundreds of artists who had come to Los Angeles to join a rapidly growing art movement, that of plein air painting, and finding new vantage-points at these familiar haunts was becoming impossible.

Despite the trappings of a successful career, Gallup was growing restless in his work. Development in southern California was rampant,

Yamagata, where David was soon singled out as an outstanding talent and natural leader. In short order he was in charge of a staff of over 30 full-time artists who were working on Yamagata’s “Earthly Paradise” collection. In this capacity David would take a trip to Monaco to oversee the installation of the exhibition at the Collection de Voitures Anciennes, at the Royal Palace in Monte Carlo. Yamagata’s flair for exciting color harmonies and innovative grand-scale projects would later have a profound effect on David as he began to develop his own ideas on what it meant to be an artist. David continues to cite Yamagata as a mentor and major artistic influence.

During the Yamagata years, David did not abandon his love of plein air painting. He would arise before dawn to go to the beach and paint the sunrise before work. During his lunch break he could be seen around Malibu, painting with a sandwich in hand; and after work, would paint a sunset before heading home. He even convinced a few of the other artists to join him in establishing a weekly figure-painting group. David’s work ethic was unsurpassed, his drive inexhaustible.

“From the Channel Islands Workshop 2010”

83

84

B

y 2005 David had been a southern California resident for 20 years. He had been to Santa Catalina Island numerous times on his brother’s sailboat, but never to the neighboring islands, five of which make up the Channel Islands National Park. The Museum of Ventura County was putting together an exhibition of art inspired by the islands to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Park, and David was asked to participate. As such, he and 24 other artists were granted spectacular access to the island chain. While he was excited to take part in the group exhibition, and experience the islands more intimately, nothing could have prepared him for the relationship he would develop with the islands, the ocean, or the life therein.

David’s first trip took him to Santa Barbara Island.

Although it was still February the ocean was flat, the weather was in the low 70’s, and wildflowers were carpeting the high rolling hills of this one-squaremile rugged island. Perhaps best of all: the place was unfamiliar! Here he could find any stretch of land or coastline and paint it without envisioning other works he had seen of that place, by other artists. On the way

Above: “Night Painting,” Photo by Ray Walsh Below: “Kayaking at Yellowbanks,” Photo by Alex Gallup

home he came eye-to-eye with a whale for the first time in his life, and on the spot decided to dedicate the entire year to painting these islands at every opportunity. The vision of this project had begun to take shape, though it would grow and mature for well over half of a decade before finding resolution in this exhibit of 80 paintings at the Weisman Museum of Art. David is a signature member of the California Art Club, where he holds an important role in helping to define a vision of the future of observation-based painting. He is proud that more than half of his paintings each year are sold to other artists, and it is his goal to continue to produce work that will excite and inspire his peers. He received the California Art Club’s Gold Medal for Best Painting (as voted by the members of the California Art Club) for the painting Twice Humbled in the 99th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition in 2010 at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. This medal is considered by many to be the top honor an artist can receive in California.

David’s work has been collected by the following important Museums and Corporations: Huntington Gardens and Art Museum

San Marino, California California Art Academy and Museum

Pasadena, California The Cheesecake Factory

Agoura, California

D

avid continues to enjoy teaching privately at his studio in Camarillo, CA, on the Channel Islands (hosting an annual workshop), and at painting workshops across the country.

For five years, the Essential Image Source Foundation has been documenting David’s Channel Islands painting process in a high definition documentary film produced and directed by Susan Sember, with support from Sony.

David lives in Thousand Oaks, California with his wife Rosalind and two sons, Shaun (6) and Daniel (3).

More work can be seen at www.dgallup.com.

Above: “Exploring Painted Cave,” Photo by Ray Walsh Below: “Coming Ashore on Santa Barbara Island,” Photo by Captain Dan Ryder

86

List of Illustrations Listed Alphabetically

2 am on Santa Cruz Island, p. 19

Caliche Forest, San Miguel Island, p. 55

Oil on birch ply, 9 x 12 inches

Oil on mounted linen, 9 x 12 inches

A Chance Encounter, p. 8

Central Valley Ranch, Santa Cruz Island , p. 30

Humpbacks off Anacapa’s East Point Oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches Collection of Elizabeth Von Summer Moller

Oil on mounted canvas, 9 x 12 inches

Cooper’s Hawk and California Quail, p. 42

Sketch in oils

Santa Rosa Island Campground at Sunrise Oil on mounted canvas, 5 x 7 inches Collection of Denis and Susan Cabral

Anacapa Moonrise, p. 7

Departure, p. 44

Allen’s Hummingbird with Honey Bee, p. 53

Hovering Gulls, p. 5

Oil on mounted canvas, 8 x 10 inches Collection of Nancy Angelini Crawford

Humble Witnesses, p. 60

Tyler Bight Overlook, San Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 8 x 10 inches

In Singing Light, p. 27

Willets in Gentle Surf Oil on mounted canvas, 11 x 14 inches

Mola Mola with Jellies, p. 61 Off the San Miguel Island Coast Oil on mounted linen, 38 x 32 inches

Rhythm of Life, p. 77 Sea Lions off Anacapa’s East Point Oil on mounted canvas, 60 x 48 inches

The Sentinel, p. 33

Moonrise over Prince Island, p. 58 San Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 8 x 10 inches

Rufous-Sided Towhee, p. 38 Santa Rosa Island Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 8 inches

The Teeming Seas, p. 75 Oil on mounted canvas, 12 x 12 inches

Natural Bridge, Carrington Point, p. 36

Safe Haven, p. 54

Anacapa Oil on canvas, 20 x 24 inches Collection of Sharon and Michael Kaiser

Oil on mounted canvas, 12 x 9 inches

Oil on mounted linen, 9 x 12 inches

Nearing the Source, p. 23

Sancerre at Anchor, p. 64 Oil on mounted linen, 9 x 12 inches

Santa Cruz Island Oil on mounted canvas, 9 x 12 inches

Nesting Gulls above Arch Point, p. 72

A view from the Harbor Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 10 inches

Santa Rosa Island Oil on birch ply, 10 x 10 inches

Oil on canvas, 10 x 10 inches

Santa Barbara Island Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 10 inches Collection of Morgan and Brian Green

A Place of Refuge, p. 65

Fading Light on Carrington Point, p. 34

Island Foxes and Willets, p. 28

North of Bechers Bay, p. 47

Anchorage at Santa Barbara Island Oil on mounted jute, 36 x 36 inches

A Taste of Rain, p. 69 Oil on birch ply, 10 x 10 inches Collection of Margaret and Tom Whitford Also, Oil on mounted linen, 30 x 30 inches Bat Ray, p. 82

Sketch, Oil on linen

Black Rock through Torrey Pines, p. 41

Oil on mounted canvas, 12 x 12 inches

Bluff Called, p. 56

Elephant Seals at Point Bennett, San Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 5 x 7 inches Collection of Denis and Susan Cabral

Breaking Light, Anacapa, p. 10

Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 10 inches Collection of Susan and Denis Cabral

By Dawn’s Sweet Light, p. 52

Sunrise on San Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 5 x 7 inches Collection of Jackson Wheeler 87

Oil on mounted jute, 36 x 36 inches

Farewell to the Stars, First Blush of Light, p. 18

Island Fox Study, p. 16

Santa Cruz Island Oil on mounted linen, 48 x 48 inches

Oil on mounted canvas, 12 x 16 inches

Island Night Lizard Sketch, p. 71

Oyster Catchers at Cuyler Harbor San Miguel Island, p. 50

Sunrise at Fry’s Cove Oil on mounted canvas, 8 x 10 inches

Sketch, Oil on linen

First Light at Yellowbanks, p. 26

Island Spotted Skunk and Coreopsis, Nocturne, p. 37

View of Anacapa from Santa Cruz Island Oil on mounted canvas, 8 x 10 inches Collection of Karen Norris

Fleeting Beauty, Santa Rosa Island, p. 45 Oil on mounted canvas, 12 x 12 inches Collection of Charles Muench

Oil on canvas, 12 x 16 inches Collection of Denis and Susan Cabral

Santa Rosa Island Oil on mounted linen, 8 x 10 inches

Oil on mounted canvas, 48 x 65 inches

La Cascada, p. 24

Painted Cave, Santa Cruz Island, p. 20

Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 10 inches

Painted Cave, Deep Interior, p. 22

Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 10 inches Collection of Dan and Lynn Ryder

Oil on canvas, 16 x 12 inches

Liquid Light, p. 67 Sea Lion colony at Santa Barbara Island Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches Collection of Colin Veitch

Pelicans at Cathedral Cove, p. 12 Anacapa Oil on birch ply, 16 x 12 inches

Foggy Day on Santa Cruz Island, p. 14

Master of Disguise, p. 80

Pelican Study, p. 11

Fog and Mist at Carrington Point, p. 35

Oil on birch ply, 11 x 14 inches Collection of Denis and Susan Cabral

Glorious Impact, p. 9

Oil on mounted canvas, 8 x 10 inches Collection of the California Art Academy and Museum

Hazy Day at Prisoners Harbor, Santa Cruz Island

California Two-Spot Octopus Oil on mounted linen, 10 x 10 inches Collection of David Sturges

Milky Way over San Miguel Island, p. 57

Oil on mounted linen, 7 x 7 inches Collection of Jackson Wheeler

Sketch in oils

Red Island Buckwheat, Lobo Canyon, Santa Rosa Island, p. 48

Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 10 inches Collection of Susan and Denis Cabral

Santa Rosa Moonrise, p. 32

Oil on mounted canvas, 9 x 12 inches Collection of Laurie Hunter

Song of the Lark, p. 70

Marsh Hawk in Carrington Pasture Oil on birch ply, 11 x 14 inches

The Unveiling, p. 2

Tide Pools at East Point, p. 43

Oil on canvas, 9 x 12 inches

Tide Pools at Santa Barbara Island, p. 68

Santa Rosa Island Oil on birch ply, 8 x 8 inches

Western Meadowlark, Santa Barbara Island Oil on canvas, 8 x 10 inches

To Dance with Gravity, p. 46 Oil on mounted canvas, 11 x 14 inches

Starlit Pines, p. 40

Torrey Pines, p. 39 Santa Rosa Island Oil on canvas, 6 x 6 inches

Storm Petrels with Blue Shark, p. 76

Transformation, p. 51 Sunset on San Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 9 x 12 inches

Oil on mounted canvas, 10 x 10 inches Collection of Karen Norris

Sunrise at Yellowbanks, Santa Cruz Island, p. 25

Troubadours of the Deep, p. 81 Humpbacks in the Channel Oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

The Fundamentals of Harmony, p. 59

Twice Humbled, p. 4

Oil on canvas, 8 x 10 inches Collection of Andrea and David Stanley

Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches Collection of Charles T. Munger

Bald Eagle at Cardwell Point, San Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 11 x 14 inches

The Garden Below, p. 78 Oil on birch ply, 28 x 28 inches Collection of Denis and Susan Cabral The Glistening Playground, p. 74 Oil on mounted canvas, 30 x 40 inches Collection of Charles T. Munger

Orcas off the Anacapa coast, Noon light Oil on canvas, 80 x 48 inches Collection of Susan and John Sanders

Vertigo, p. 17

Whirling Bald Eagles over Santa Cruz Island Oil on mounted linen, 48 x 40 inches

Watching From a Distance, p. 15

Oil on mounted canvas, 9 x 12 inches

p. 29, Oil on mounted canvas, 9 x 12 inches

88

List of Illustrations Continued…

West of the West, p. 62

Sunset from Santa Miguel Island Oil on mounted canvas, 5 x 7 inches Collection of Jackson Wheeler

White-Crowned Sparrow in Coreopsis, p. 6 Anacapa Oil on mounted canvas, 14 x 11 inches Collection of Marian and Gastone Fortunati Wings of Light, Santa Barbara Island, p. 66

Oil on birch ply, 10 x 7.5 inches Collection of Joyce Sardisco

“Exploring Santa Barbara Island,” Photo by Steve Gallup