"Queen of The Missions"

Mission Santa Barbara was founded on December 4, 1786 by Father Fermin Lasuen, Presidente of the California Missions Chain.  It was the 10th Franciscan mission built in Alta California. Aptly named "Queen of the Missions" for its graceful beauty it is the chief cultural and historic landmark in the city of Santa Barbara and sits high atop a hill looking down to the Pacific Ocean.  People come from far and wide to visit this beautiful piece of architecture, as do many artists set up their easels in the hopes of making it immortal.

I chose to paint this subject from the rear because I wanted to show how proximal it is to the ocean and how beautiful and breathtaking that view is.  Most artists tend to paint it from the front with the back-drop of the mountains because it is so majestic-looking. Living in Santa Barbara is like living in Monaco with the rights and privileges of living in the United States.  After the last great earthquake leveled the town, this was the only building that remained in tact, and so the town was rebuilt in the Old Spanish Style of Architecture.

"Queen of the Missions" (24"X 30")  Oil on Canvas          $2,100.00