Capitola Village by Thomas Kinkade ~ Published October, 2007 - An artist strives for the ability to see familiar places as if for the first time.

Capitola Village, is a favorite destination for an afternoon drive. I have friends there, Nanette and I dine with them there; this charming California coastal village is as familiar as my back yard; I've even painted it many times.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I ventured onto the cliffs above Capitola to be greeted by a dazzling new vista. In the afternoon light, the buildings seemed to glisten like the Emerald City of Oz.

I returned the following week and set up my easel at this precise spot. The long wooden pier divides the ocean into gemstone color swaths - emerald and turquoise. Pinks and blues shimmer in the town; the cliffs and beach are painted rose by the setting sun. I was truly seeing Capitola Village as if for the first time. - Thomas Kinkade