Part 375: Thomas G. Moses at La Jolla
In 1899, Thomas G. Moses mentioned various sketching trips in the San Diego area, especially outings to La Jolla. He wrote, “The pounding of the surf at the caves of La Jolla had an intense interest for me, and I made several sketches of the cave and the well-known ‘Alligator Head Rock.’”
Spanish for “The Jewel,” La Jolla is a hilly seaside community within the city of San Diego, California. It is surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean and backed by the steep slopes of Mt. Soledad. Since the 1880s, the biggest draw for tourism is the rugged ocean bluffs, stunning rock formations, and sea life. La Jolla is currently home to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Stephen Birch Aquarium, the University of California – San Diego, the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, and La Jolla Playhouse.
La Jolla remained one of Moses’ favorite locations to sketch while visiting the West Coast. Almost three decades later in 1928, he wrote, “Arrived in Los Angeles on April 26th, and immediately took another train for San Diego and La Jolla where I enjoyed a week of sketching, all of which is fully described in my travelogue.”
In 1929, Moses made a point to sketch at La Jolla again, writing, “I packed my sketching kit and made an early start for La Jolla, where I put in a good day sketching. I remained on the beach long after sunset and studied; making several pencil sketches. I had four days of sketching; going back to San Diego at night at the San Diego Hotel. I have thoroughly enjoyed the sketching – all of which I have put in my travelogue of this trip.” His travelogues are lost, but fortunately Moses mentioned some of his visits in his typed manuscript.
In 1931, Moses wrote, “July 11th, we started for San Diego and La Jolla. Found very nice apartment, and celebrated the Madam’s 75th birthday on the 12th, by spending the day on the beach. I celebrated my 75th birthday on the 21st, on the beach also. We left for Los Angeles the next day, having a very pleasant trip. I also saw my old friend Tom Getz at the Ramona House.”
There are certain places you return, time and time again. Whether it is by sight, sound or smell, certain areas will continually beckon you. It may be the distant view from atop a mesa as you watch storm clouds gather, or it could be the smell of pine needles crunching underfoot as you walk an alpine trail. I wonder if it was the sound of water that captivated Moses, whether waves crashing against rocky shores or a babbling brook in a forest glen brought him back to the same location. In 1932, Moses wrote some thoughts about his love for water, called “The Brook.” He explained the magic of sketching and how it brought him peace. La Jolla was listed as one of Moses’ favorite sketching locations.
Others included the Kennebunkport and Ogunquit, Maine; Kingston and Ellenville, New York, on the edge of the Catskills; Woodstock and Mt. Washington in New Hampshire; Breckenridge, Colorado; Mt Shasta, California; Mt. Rainier, Washington; Chattanooga, Tennessee; the Buckwater River in West Virginia; the French Broad River in North Carolina; the docks near Oakland, California; and the beaches of La Jolla. By 1932, Moses recorded that his collection of sketches numbered 1200 (600 oil paintings ranging from 6” x 8” to 40” x 50” in size), 200 watercolor and tempura paintings, and 400 pencil sketches).
To be continued…
