Steamer Leaving Avalon, Catalina Island 

Granville Redmond captured this scene with oil on canvas, depicting a steamer departing Avalon on Catalina Island. Notice the imposing presence of the steamer. Throughout history, ships have symbolized journeys, transitions, and the connection between distant worlds. Like the mythical ship Argo, vessels such as this steamer embody a sense of adventure and the crossing of boundaries, evoking a deep-seated human desire to explore and conquer the unknown. Consider the billowing smoke, a modern echo of ancient signals like the smoke from Mount Vesuvius, warning of both progress and potential destruction. This recalls mankind's constant negotiation between creation and chaos. The ship as a symbol is far from static. Its transformations reflect our evolving relationship with nature, technology, and the eternal quest for what lies beyond the horizon. Its presence speaks to our collective memory of journeys taken and those yet to come.