During the years when I lived on the west coast, glass balls—Japanese fishing floats—were a real prize to find. The technology changed years ago such that now few are found and generally come in during big storms. The thing was to know weather patterns and get on the beach as soon as there was light, before anyone else. I’ve found few, two used as models for this painting. But I've known others who have hundreds of them, stashed in boxes and under beds. Of course, anyone who’s lived on the coast, way back when, has stories of the ones that got away. I recall racing to Florencia Bay, on a wet, early morning and seeing a rare rolling-pin glass float on the opposite side of Lost Shoe Creek, balanced on the edge of the sand cut, where the river cuts the beach. There was no easy way to get to it, I crawled through dense salal to get upstream to the bridge there, and then raced back to the spot. Alas, by then, my prize had fallen into the fast stream and been taken away. I was so disappointed and soaking wet. Still. It was exhilarating!