Avalon, Catalina, 12/04/2024 I needed a vacation. Although I had my share of staycations enjoying my backyard, it had been a full year since I had a proper getaway. After being at home with a broken foot and ankle, I needed a change of scene. Although my mobility was somewhat limited, I found the perfect getaway. My friend and I decided to make our own 3-day art retreat on Catalina Island. Neither of us had been to, but always wanted to go to, the Zane Grey Pueblo Hotel on the hill above Avalon.

Poster in RoomPoster in Room
Avalon, Catalina, 12/06/2024 Zane Grey was a famous western novelist, whose books were turned into many Hollywood movies. He built a vacation house on Catalina in 1926, which has been converted into a modernized hotel. The older wing still has much of the old charm, and the newer wing style fits in, but with more modern amenities.

We booked the best suite with two rooms, a balcony, and a corner view overlooking the Chimes Tower, part of the famous Casino, the harbor, and the main part of town. We had gorgeous views both day and night. A cruise ship was in town on the day we arrived and poured 6000 people into the town, but the people were gone by 4 pm, and the ship left during the night. There was only one other room booked at the hotel, and that was in the other wing, so we had it all to ourselves. Make note: the mid-week after Thanksgiving is empty in Catalina and great for those who love quiet.

We pretty much stuck to our plan of not leaving the hotel except for dinner. Shuttle service was provided so we didn't have to walk the hill. Since we had both been there before, we didn't feel the need to explore the whole island on this trip. Instead, we explored the whole hotel which had many sitting areas, staircases, and views. We had a quiet contemplative experience of art journaling and experimenting with art techniques. Of course I couldn't ignore the birds. I brought my binoculars and camera.

Scenic Views and Changing Light

The View from the RoomThe View from the Room Avalon, Catalina, 12/04/2024

Foggy MorningFoggy Morning Avalon, Catalina, 12/06/2024

You can have the same view for three days, but it is ever changing. The trunks on the trees were white in the bright sunlight and dark in the fog. Ships and birds move in and out of the scene. Day turns to night and the lights come on.  Clouds made the sea blend seamlessly into the sky. We also changed our view by walking around the building to see the mountains. My binoculars and telephoto lens let me see across the harbor. 

Birds

Osprey - Pandion haliaetusOsprey - Pandion haliaetus
avalon, Catalina, 12/05/2024 Yellow-rumped Warblers, White-crowned Sparrows, and Common Ravens were the most plentiful. In the distant harbor it is all about the pelicans and gulls. One fun thing was, from my vantage point high up on the hill, what looked like a boat flying in the sky above an Osprey in a tree. Merlin - Falco columbariusMerlin - Falco columbarius
avalon, Catalina, 12/05/2024 A Merlin was another highlight. It perched for a long time in a bare branch over the harbor.

On the first night at midnight, we heard a very strange bird calling. Could it be an owl or raven? I sent a recording to a few of my expert friends and posted it on iNaturalist. It turned out to be a Catalina Island Fox barking. Who knew? Now we know what the fox says. The eBird list for the trip is here: https://ebird.org/tripreport/298328

Nighttime
The Town at NightThe Town at Night
Avalon, Catalina, 12/04/2024 The town was decorated with Christmas lights. It made for sparkly views. When the cruise ship was in town it was all lit up. It was a challenge to try photography at night without my tripod. I tried a little artistic light photography of the Christmas lights in town. 

The Moon and VenusThe Moon and Venus
Avalon, Catalina, 12/04/2024
The night sky was brilliant and filled with stars. We saw the crescent moon with a bright Venus at dusk.

On the opposite side of the building later in the evening, we saw Jupiter. I could make out a couple of the moons with my binoculars. Jupiter and 4 of its moons through the scopeJupiter and 4 of its moons through the scope
Avalon, Catalina, 12/05/2024 When I came home the next night, I set up my bird spotting scope and saw four moons. I took a picture through the scope with my cell phone. I am including that picture here because I consider it part of the Catalina Experience.

Art
My friend and I have very different art styles for our journals. We joked about no matter how we try to expand our work, you can still tell who did it. I played with some watercolor and ink techniques. We compared what we did. I ordered pens from Amazon after trying the ones my friend brought. We did some nice work and also messed up pages. It is hard to let go of self-criticism and just experiment, but we were successful. I will show a few pages here. One thing I learned for the future is, do one page to show and the rest for no one else to see but me. With my journal sketches and my photos from the trip, I may try some more Catalina inspired art at home. This was exactly the type of art retreat I needed.

Click here to see the photos at your own pace. https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/catalina_dec-2024

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