Thursday, April 26, 2012

Mission Rose, 6x6 oil on Raymar panel by Stevie Denny


I don't know the name of this rose -- I haven't had time to research it; but it definitely has rose leaves.  I took pictures of this rose when I visited the San Fernando Mission in California last week, as part of my "Mission Tour" to visit all 21 California missions.  And I've learned that there were actually more than 21 missions -- there's a 22nd mission somewhere in Northern California that may no longer be standing.  There were also "Estancias" (ranches) and "Asistencias", which were sub-missions where travelers could stay.  I knew that the idea of the missions was that they would be built no more than a day's travel apart, but I always wondered how people could travel from  San Juan Capistrano to San Gabriel in one day.  That's quite a distance, especially in the late 1700s -- so the answer is that people stayed on friendly estancias (owned by Spanish land barons) or in Asistencias, which were placed in between the main missions.

The more I learn about the missions, the longer I realize it's going to take me to visit all these places.  But it's well worth it, and it provides good painting material.  6 down, and many more to go!



email:  stevie@dc3.com

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