Spending time eight miles north of Bodega Bay meant that I could explore and sketch subjects off the beaten path (Highway One). I had been to BB many times but I had never heard of the Children’s Bell Tower. Being an educator I wanted to learn more about it.

The tower has a very interesting and tragic genesis that starts in Messina, Italy. It was here in 1994 that seven year old Nicolas Green and his family were vacationing in Italy.

Local Mafia mistakenly thought his parents were jewelers and followed the family’s car. They fired shots into the back of the car, a bullet hitting Nicolas in the head.

He was rushed to a hospital and he died the next day on October 1st.

The family donated his organs to help other Italian children. In the aftermath organ donations went up in Italy and many lives were saved.

In the Green’s hometown of Bodega Bay, a monument was erected for their slain son.

A bell tower was constructed near the Community Center. The tower consists of 140 bells that were donated from churches, schools, families, and individuals all over Italy. One bell was donated by the Martinelli Foundry, they have been making bells for the Catholic Church for 1,000 years. This bell was blessed by Pope John Paul II and it crowns the tower.

I walked out to the tower and started to sketch. Let’s just say it was complicated. For my first sketch I used a loose style with solid lines with a brush pen (featured sketch). I think I captured something about the tower but I wanted another crack at the tower so I returned the following morning after breakfast at the Tides.

The views from the panoramic windows as outstanding and the drama of wildlife beats anything on television. A roosting flock of marbled godwits and willet were sent into the air my marauding peregrine.

I returned to the Bell Tower, warmed by the fall sun. A breeze off the Bay sounded the bells on the tower as I sketched.