View from China Cove at Point Lobos, California

Gail Ann Packer

A depitction of China Cove in Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, California. The etching's vignette "frame" features a border of sheephead fish and kelp, flanked by blue herons and Monterey cypress trees. Packer captures the cove in spring when the iceplants are in bloom. In the distance, the ocean reflects an azure sky and a bank of fog rests on the horizon.

Gail Packer was especially known for her vignetted imagery, and she fequently depicted Northern California's dramatic landscapes. Her inclusion of flora and fauna insets in the vignette frame (like the herons seen here) is done with purpose, as each inset relates to the main image. In this case, Great Blue Herons were chosen likely for their common presence in the national park, playing a key role in the health of coastal marshlands and grasslands.

The wood picture frame for this work was handpainted by the artist and frequent collaborater of Packer's, Hildy Henry (American: 1929-2019). Henry was a Sonoma County-based artist, educator, and author of Faux Finishes: Decorating Techniques in Non-Toxic Materials (1986, Painting Peasants, Santa Rosa, CA). Her interest European folk arts led to her create her Arts-and-Crafts style picture frames. Packer was one of Henry's main professional partnerships, working with her to create work-specific frames from the mid 1980s through the late 1990s.