The Cover Crop

9” x 12”  acrylic on canvas

NFS

I painted this for The Virtual Paintout, which is in Napa Valley, California, this month. Using the Google Street View, we create artworks as if we were there. Although everyone thinks of grapevines and wine when they think of Napa Valley, there is a second crop - a cover crop -which is also important, mustard.

When the grape harvest is in and winter is almost finished, the mustard is in full bloom. Mustard flowers carpet the area between the vines, their yellow hue stretching as far as the eye can see. Not only beautiful, the mustard plant is beneficial as well. It helps to prevent erosion, adds nitrogen to the soil and prevents the soil from compacting as workers move about the fields. And of course, the mustard seed itself is used in making mustard, another product of the region. Tourists come from all around for the Mustard Festival.

This piece is painted on all sides of the canvas. It can be framed, but you could hang it up just as it is.

To see more of my work, please visit my Gallery page at the Daily Paintworks.  Thanks for looking!