Illustrations by Pat Hunter • Text by Janice Stevens
Publication Date: July 7, 2020
A gorgeously illustrated tour of California’s heartland, lovingly depicted in over 150 original watercolor paintings.
From Tejon Pass in the south to Mount Shasta in the north stretches one of California’s hidden gems, the heartland of the Great Central Valley. The most productive agricultural region anywhere in the world, the Central Valley is an entirely different California most tourists never see — a rural land of farms and industry, stunning natural beauty, and historic cities, populated by friendly, hard-working people.
Superbly illustrated with over 100 full-color original watercolor paintings, Landscapes and Landmarks of the Great Central Valley is a loving tribute to the Valley created by two native daughters, award-winning artist Pat Hunter and acclaimed writer Janice Stevens. Hunter and Stevens take the reader on a personal tour of their home region, showing the charms of the Valley’s agricultural heritage, natural scenery, history and architecture.
Hunter and Stevens take the reader on a personal tour of their home region, showcasing the charms of the Valley’s agricultural heritage, natural scenery, history and architecture. Hunter’s magnificent watercolors, reproduced in full color in a beautifully designed coffee table edition, depict the natural and human-made beauty of the Valley’s great landmarks: the General Grant tree, the Reedley Opera House, the Fresno Water Tower, Yosemite’s Half Dome, the American River, Sutter’s Fort and more.
Landscapes and Landmarks of the Great Central Valley also affectionately portrays the rural and farm life that powers the Great Central Valley with a charm and freshness reminiscent of the French countryside. A joyous journey through some of the most picturesque landscapes and small towns anywhere in the world, Landscapes and Landmarks of the Great Central Valley is an exquisite art book for all lovers of California’s heartland.
About the Artist: Pat Hunter, one of California’s most recognized artists, is best known for her watercolor depictions of historical landmarks. Since the early 1990s, Hunter has been an invited artist-in-residence at the Yosemite National Park Art Center. Hunter’s commissioned art can be found in numerous corporate and private collections, including more than 25 McDonald’s restaurants throughout the United States. Hunter has issued seven books in collaboration with author Janice Stevens: Fresno’s Architectural Past, Volume I, Fresno’s Architectural Past, Volume II, William Saroyan: Places in Time, Remembering the California Missions, An Artist and a Writer Travel Highway 1 North, An Artist and a Writer Travel Highway 1 Central, and An Artist and a Writer Travel Highway 1 South.
About the Author: Janice Stevens is an author and instructor of English literature, composition and creative writing for the State Center Community College District. In addition to her works in collaboration with Pat Hunter, Stevens has compiled two volumes of military service memoirs by San Joaquin Valley veterans: Stories of Service: Valley Veterans Remember World War II and Stories of Service, Volume II: Valley Veterans Remember World War II, Korea, Vietnam. and the Cold War.
$29.95 US • Hardback • 11″ x 8.5″ • 128 pages • Over 150 full-color watercolor paintings
ISBN 978-1-61035-362-5
It’s perhaps the most famous highway in the world — California State Highway 1, a narrow strip of roadway between the cliffs and the ocean on the very edge of the continent. Blessed with spectacular natural landscapes, inspiring ocean views and the echoes of California history, Highway 1 is a scenic drive like no other.
The sequel to the authors’ acclaimed book An Artist and a Writer Travel Highway 1 North, An Artist and a Writer Travel Highway 1 Central takes the reader on a unique literary and artistic journey through the natural and man-made beauty of California’s central coast.
Lavishly illustrated with over 120 original full-color Pat Hunter watercolors depicting gorgeous landscapes and architectural treasures, An Artist and a Writer Travel Highway 1 Central is a thinking person’s travel guide that reveals hidden treasures and unexpected delights.
Written as a memoir of the authors’ tour along the highway, the book takes an appealingly idiosyncratic perspective, as the authors record their explorations off the beaten path, their serendipitous discoveries, and their personal reactions to the places and people they encounter.
Going far beyond the usual travel guide, An Artist and a Writer Travel Highway 1 Central is a literary and artistic collaboration that captures a very personal experience of a journey, illuminated by a deep historical awareness of the places, people and events of Highway 1 and the California coast.
Perfect for keeping in the car or planning ahead at home, An Artist and a Writer Travel Highway 1 Central directs the reader to points of interest, sights to see and places to stay and the best seafood restaurants on the coast, giving readers everything they need to organize their own personal Highway 1 journeys.
Hardcover • 11″ x 8½” • 130 pages
ISBN 978-1-61035-219-2
Art • BISAC ART016010
Over 120 Original Full Color Illustrations
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