Scenes from a big valley

It’s too easy to travel around this valley we call home and not notice the everyday examples of quiet, stunning beauty. We whiz past golden fields or jewel-like orchards in our cars, without really seeing the way the sunlight plays upon the verdant surfaces. Fortunately, we have artists, such as Bay Area transplant Manuel Nunes, who take the time to capture the sun, sky, earth, water and wood on canvas for our benefit. A collection of Nunes’ paintings, titled Our Magnificent Valley, can be viewed this month at Elliott Fouts Gallery, 4120 Douglas Boulevard, No. 305, in Granite Bay. Nunes has a keen eye for capturing colors and textures unique to this area, which any Californian, native or not, will recognize and appreciate, but it is Nunes’ own magic that brings these scenes to life on the canvas.