In California Poppy Tea, I used a mid-century California teacup in the exact shade of a California Poppy, filling it with the blooms that cover the hills of my new found home in the spring time (right now), there are pair of Spotted Towhees that make their home in my garden calling out every morning and checking for “gold” the fallen leaves. I have gold nuggets in the foreground of the painting and a vintage souvenir map of the golden state as a backdrop (Los Gatos included) ….. they say that every painting is a self-portrait, hmmmm.