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...