Nature's Hour Glass

	Tidefalls - Nature's Hour Glass © Marian Fortunati 12"x12" Oil on RayMar Panel
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Shortly after my Dad passed away two weeks ago, I received a message from the proprietors of Rothschild's Restaurant where five of my paintings are hanging.   Heidi, the owner, indicated that a guest was interested in one of my paintings ("Garrapata Fog") but wondered if there was another of the same size which could be placed alongside it on the wall to complement it. 

Well, one of the other paintings that I had which was also 12"x12" in had sold from my "One Lucky Artist" Solo show, leaving only one available of the same size -- "View From The Top". 

Since I needed to do something to keep busy, I decided to paint another 12x12 of a place near the scene depicted in Garrapata Fog.   There are so many beautiful areas up the Central Coast of California.   It was hard to choose from the many reference photos I had taken.  I painted the scene in this piece because we were awaiting the birth of my youngest daughter's first child (happily now a week old and cute and healthy) and I was thinking of her when I chose.   Hopefully, the painting it will become a companion piece for a new client or possibly someone else will like it.   (Wish me luck.)

The History

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On a recent road trip up Highway 1 with my family, I enjoyed stopping often to take in the great beauty of our California coast.

This place is special to my daughter and her husband. 
They traveled up this way on the trip where he proposed to her.  It is a magical lover's cove.

In reality this area is part of Julia Pfieffer Burns State Beach Park.  More specifically, the waterfalls are at the end of McWay Creek and are named McWay Falls.   McWay Falls is one of only two true California coastal waterfalls or tidefalls.  The other is closer to San Francisco and is named Alamere Falls.

Here is the official Parks description:

Directions to trailhead: Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park straddles Highway 1, about 36 miles south of Carmel and some 10 miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Turn inland into the park and proceed to the day use lot.

The hike: From the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park lot, take the signed trail toward Overlook Trail. Along McWay Creek you’ll spot some eucalyptus, quite a botanical contrast to the redwoods growing up-creek. (During spring, ceanothus and dogwood splash color along the trail.) The path leads through a tunnel under Coast Highway One, veers right, and emerges to offer the walker grand panoramas of the Big Sur coast.
You’ll soon reach the overlook, where you can observe slender but dramatic McWay Falls tumbling a hundred feet from the granite cliffs into McWay Cove. From the overlook you can also see the former site of the Waterfall House.  There is no beach access from this part of the park.

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