This past Friday I was out and about in Angels Camp and Murphys. Trying to find great ideas for painting isn't difficult, especially at this time of year. The weather is gorgeous. 


Angels Camp is home to the Calaveras County Fair and every year, the town strings old fashioned clothing onto a line right down the middle of main street. The hanging of the laundry lets everyone know that the fair is coming. 


I was also in Murphys that day. I had remembered the below coffee shop and knew that the building was of interest to me. It looks like an old gas station or maybe a drive through of some sort. I didn't get a chance to go in though to inquire about its history. Next trip!


I also visited the small store of Moon Alley Candles. The candles are beautiful and reflect a Craftsman's style aesthetic. I love everything from the Arts and Crafts Movement (think William Morris) and these candles really captured some of those designs.  


Lastly, I visited Sustenance Books, an independent book store. I wish we had more shops like this one. They do have a Facebook page which is what the above link is for but really, a visit is the ticket!


In my mind, there are so many things to see here that I don't know why people aren't cramming the highway to visit. Hopefully some of the photos I took will turn into ideas and then eventually paintings. These little "out and about" trips as I call them are really sources of inspiration.


Libby 

Famous Jumping Frog Motel
9" x 12" acrylic on wrapped canvas
available: $75 + $10 USPS
PayPal
email: libbyfife@ymail.com

Our county has a number of these little motor lodges or motels as they came to be called after World War II. In the first part of the 20th century, our highway systems in the United States began to be developed, connecting towns and cities across the country. More people acquired cars and traveling by car from town to town became popular. These small groups of rooms with a central court for parking (typically) sprang up across the country next to these new roadways. People could pull over, rest, eat, and enjoy whatever sights were available. Eventually, the interstate highway system was developed, bypassing the old highways and the old motels. Newer chain hotels sprung up in response to this changing landscape and consumer demand. My belief is that The Jumping Frog Motel in Angels Camp, pictured above, was probably one such motor lodge. It is indeed situated right off of highway 49, one of the main roads running through our county. I am guessing that during the summer, when the fair is going, it probably gets a lot of custom. There are other places to stay now as well so I don't really know how the motel is doing. In my mind though, it has an historic past and is a bit of a relic from a time gone by; a piece of living history.


Libby

Hogan Lake: Fiddleneck Boat Launch

Lake Hogan-Fiddleneck Boat Launch
11" x 14" acrylic on 3/4" profile canvas
$75 + $10 USPS or local pickup free
email: libbyfife@ymail.com

Lake Hogan is just a couple of minutes away from where I live. I like to go there during the winter and spring when there aren't a lot of people around. There is definitely a season for boating and camping which are the primary activities that people engage in so I try to go when it isn't crowded. In most instances you can walk right down to the water if you like or get up higher to obtain a different view of the lake. Fiddleneck boat launch is attractive for me as a spot to sketch because of the different views. This particular view looks across a slice of the parking lot, down the launching ramp, and out to the water and mountains beyond.To learn a little about how Lake Hogan was begun, I went to the Wikipedia article here. It is run by the Army Corp of Engineers and is a man made dirt bottom lake bed.

Additional Resources:My Lake Hogan: basic info about the lake

Friends of The Lower Calaveras River: riverofskulls.wordpress.com- updated blogging about the lower calaveras river

Thanks,
Libby