Discussion

Summer Fun

Like paintings of the ocean, there is such a wide selection of possible subjects for summer paintings that one has to narrow the scope. For this week's subject, I've chosen to focus on outdoor summer experiences. Theme parks have been excluded because the experiences they offer are preprogrammed by others. Pro sports are out, too, because fans, though perhaps emotionally involved in the outcome of matches, aren't active participants. The preference here is for experiences people create and manage for themselves--perhaps with the help of others, but primarily self managed.

Some outdoor sports do fit that definition. here are a couple of simple examples. The first is croquet.

Lawn bowling.

You can probably think of other examples.

Just simply enjoying the view in pleasant surroundings like Balboa Park's Alcazar Garden is enough for many.

A picnic lunch can be lots of fun.

She may be smiling because he is doing the cooking with this outdoor barbeque.

Scenery appreciation may seem like a passive rather than an active experience, but what you do along with the viewing matters.

Bird watching can be rewarding.

Painters especially may appreciate these next two examples.

This scene is in Balboa Park's rose garden. It's adjacent to the desert garden. Both are on the east side of Park Boulevard opposite the San Diego Natural History Museum. Ever been there? It's worth a visit.

The active part of some scenery appreciation is the physical effort required to get somewhere worth appreciating. 

Reaching the best part of the Narrows at Zion National Park requires wading through water stretching from canyon wall to canyon wall. Be sure to wear shoes that can survive emersion in water.

There are all kinds of scenery. The underwater kind--snorkeling in this case--requires getting more than your feet wet. Does anything about this photo remind you of a recent painting subject?

Some outdoor experiences require a lot more daring than others. However skydiving offers almost the largest quantity of scenery achievable short of going into Earth orbit. Don't forget to bring a parachute.

Hang gliding and paragliding offer good aerial views, though not as expansive as those offered to skydivers. Torrey Pines Glider Port is a good local place to begin, with excellent views of Black Beach below. 

For a much more extreme experience, try donning a wing suit; sometimes called a squirrel suit. Can you figure out why? Watch out for the landing. Seriously!

Fishing is a more down-to-Earth summertime activity.

Beaches are a good place to go if you would prefer your summertime activities to not be so active.

Beaches can also be good places to walk barefoot--sand walking is healthy exercise--as long as you stay in the moist areas. Dry sand on a hot day can get to over 120 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to raise blisters. 

Beach combing can be lots of fun and rewarding, too. You can find some interesting shells, sea star skeletons, eroded stones, and driftwood.

With a little effort and a good location, clam digging can be fun. Before opening and cooking any clams you find, keep them in water in a bucket for a few days and feed them cornmeal. The causes sand that may be in their systems to be flushed out.

At the end of a long day of fun, be sure to put your feet up and relax. 

The Japanese name for sandal is zōri. A specific type of zōri is a waraji made of rice straw. Waraji have been used for centuries as this illustration of samurai footwear illustrates.

The Japanese have their own favorite way of relaxing; soak at an onsen (hot spring) establishment. There are over 2,000 onsen in Japan. A few even allow guests to wear some sort of covering if they're uncomfortable wearing birthday suits in communal baths. Soaking in hot tubs is the ultimate form of relaxation.

Artwork

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 – 1849)

Hokusai is most famous for his landscape ukiyo-e, but he painted many other subjects and several series. One of his series was A Tour of the Waterfalls of the Provinces (1833 - 1834). The print below is titled Rōben Waterfall at Ōyama in Sagami Province. It is number 2 in the series of 8 waterfall prints. Note the bathers in the pool at the bottom of the waterfall.

Kikukawa Eizan (1787 – 1867)

Eizan first learned to paint from his father, a minor Kanō school artist, before moving on to other masters. Stylistically, he emulated the great Kitagawa Utamaro (1753 – 1806) with his ukiyo-e of bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful people). As his art matured, Eizan gradually developed his own style. His Gathering Shellfish at Low Tide was published in the 1814 to 1817 time frame.