Filoli: From Dynasty Dreams to Painting Nature
The Interconnectedness of All Things was created in response to visiting Filoli
When I was a child in the 1980s, I visited the enchanting world of Filoli once a week from the comfort of my own bedroom - my parents had no idea.
The opening credits of the iconic television series Dynasty were filmed at Filoli, along with many unforgettable scenes featuring the grand staircase, ballroom, and breathtaking gardens. The show itself was certainly not intended for young teenagers, so when it aired in the evenings, I was supposed to already be asleep.
But I had a plan. I would quietly turn on the little black-and-white television in my room, keep the volume muted, and crack open my bedroom door just enough to hear the faint sound drifting from the television room. I didn’t need to follow every line of dialogue. The costumes were magnificent, the settings were magical, and the elegance of Filoli’s architecture and gardens felt like something from another world.
Years later, when I moved to the Bay Area at the beginning of the new millennium, I visited Filoli in person for the first time. I was surprised by how familiar it felt - as if I had somehow known this place before. When I later discovered its connection to Dynasty, everything clicked. The place that had captured my imagination as a child was now a living, breathing garden I could walk through, explore, and experience firsthand.
Since then, Filoli has become a place of inspiration and renewal for me. I return often, especially in recent years, finding new details, changing light, and endless moments of beauty with every visit.
This painting is my tribute to a place that has been part of my story for decades, Filoli. I have found painting to be a wonderful way to deepen one’s connection with a place. Perhaps one day I will be able to share that experience with others, inviting them to slow down, observe the changing seasons, and discover their own connection to Filoli through art.
Artwork Specifications
Series: Macro Micro
Title: The Interconnectedness of All Things
Completed: Summer 2017
Dimensions: 30 × 30 inches
Medium: Acrylic, Pen and Silver Leaf
