The Wild Places

This grove of eucalyptus trees is hidden on a remote island you can only reach by boat. I painted it with the ocean behind me and dolphins in front.

I took a boat out to the @channelislandsnps with @islandpackers , hiked in with my plein air gear, and found the perfect spot to paint.

The island was alive with wildlife—birds overhead, sea lions echoing through the cove, and just as I started painting, a Channel Islands fox quietly approached my easel. He was calm, curious, and lingered nearby, as if he wanted to see what I was working on.

After I finished my 12x12 painting, I cooled off with a swim in the ocean—and what I saw underwater left me speechless. A massive pod of bat rays, a giant Dungeness crab, bright Garibaldi, opaleye… the shoreline was brimming with life.

We are so lucky to have places like the Channel Islands—wild, sacred, and worth protecting.

Next on my bucket list? Getting a permit to camp overnight and paint under the stars.

🎨 Follow @jamiewellsart for more plein air painting + California wilderness adventures.

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