Artist Linda Maki is fascinated by old trucks – and sweets in a row

Our introduction to Menlo Park resident Linda Maki was as an oil painter. But when we interviewed her, we found out she was also a retired physician — and a musician (more about that in a bit).

“For about a minute, I was an art major at Stanford,” she explains. “I took a year off and decided to do something more practical when I returned to campus. So, I took pre-med classes. After getting my M.D., I worked at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation in urgent care.”

While she did a lot of drawing and sketching as a child, it was about 10 years ago that Linda picked up a paint brush. A class at Esalen by Adam Wolpert, taught her some of the philosophical aspects of art.

“He taught me to find joy in your painting,” she says. “You step back and discover what you really love about the painting. Go to that and work there.”

Linda is particularly drawn to paint old trucks and tractors. “There’s the nostalgia factor,” she says. “I remember the trucks we’d see as kids. They are kind of lonely and beautiful.  I love the way they were designed — they have personality. I feel a certain way when I look at them.”

She also loves painting pastries and things in a row. “I have an ongoing pastry series painted in oil right onto discarded cookie sheets and trays. These ‘canvases’ have a kitchen’s history baked right in!”

You can see Linda’s paintings in person at the Artisans’ Bazaar at the First Congregational church (1985 Louis Rd., Palo Alto) on Saturday, Nov. 6 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sunday, Nov. 7, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. A portion of the proceeds from this show will be donated to LifeMoves, a Menlo Park non-profit fighting homelessness.

And about the music: Linda is in a bluegrass band called The Goat Hill Girls. They can frequently be heard at the Summit House Beer Garden and Grill in Los Gatos. Their next show is a special Halloween show and party on Saturday, October 30 at 5:00 pm.

Photos courtesy of Linda Maki