You know how it is. After you've visited somewhere that's managed to tug a few sentimental strings here and there you think you could 'live there tomorrow, forever and ever'. I say this most of the time. If it's about California, then I say this a lot. So I give you every right to think 'here we go again' when I tell you that I could live in Sausalito tomorrow, just like that. To be honest it's always been a mystery to me - I've visited San Francisco so many times before and I've never visited this city on the Bay - so when I was there over the holidays I was determined to pay my curiosity a visit. Known well for its wealthy residents and location in the protected Golden Gate National Recreation Areas, the boulevard of Bridgeway, facing on to a sea of yachts and houseboats was a visual pool of eccentricity. Once you realise that yes, there is a floating Taj Mahal moored in the marina (top right), you know you're somewhere alternative and you can feel the creativity from the European-inspired architecture to the local hangouts, such as Cibo which serves up fresh breakfast and lunch. I love the name, the people and where else can you say you live just over the Golden Gate Bridge? If I had to drive over that everyday, I would... forever and ever.
I was so inspired with everything nautical, I designed this critter-style repeat pattern, "At Sea", composed with my initials, J and V to form sprawling anchors. If you would like to find out more about my artwork and projects please visit my website here and any feedback is very welcome at jmvelardi@yahoo.co.uk
At Sea, Illustration, 2010
