From Artist: I was born in San Francisco, though I never spent a significant amount of time in that city. When I was six months old, my family relocated to Germany to follow my career Army officer father for a three year tour of duty. My childhood was spent constantly traveling. I counted eight homes for my eight years of life until I moved to California to attend college in Santa Barbara.

Many of my early impressions of my surroundings were by observing the views through the windows of our Chevrolet station wagon. My family frequently crossed the country en route to a new Army post. Neon motel signs, knotty pine tourist cabins and roadside dinosaurs were all part of my visual landscape as we drove from Ohio to California, then to Kansas, then to Washington state.

At age thirteen my surroundings changed dramatically. My father received orders to serve with Nato in Paris, France. The view from the (same) Chevrolet station wagon now included Chateux and Gothic Cathedrals. With so much new to see, I was most intrigued by the many art museums of Paris. By then I had become very interested in painting. Our two years in France were followed by fortuitous postings to Rome and the Netherlands, where I was able to continue my education in the great art museums of Europe.

Since attending the University of California at Santa Barbara, where I studied painting, I have made my home in Santa Barbara. I have found Southern California to be visually, very appealing with its strong light, monumental freeways, whimsical architecture, swimming pools and exotic foliage. Like most people who did not grow up in California, I must admit, I have never ceased to find palm trees astonishing. Although home is now Santa Barbara, I always remain ready to take a road trip and view the country again through a car window.

Courtesy of PatriciaChidlaw.com