Getting to Know Your CVRA Neighbors

The Capitola Village Residents’ Association has a large number of fascinating members.

In the article on the Creek Path in a recent Capitola-Soquel Times, there was a picture of three CVRA members talking along the Path.

The couple is Gus and Betty Swartz. After years of staying in Capitola part time, once Betty stopped skiing at age 87, they decided to live in Capitola year round, and they’ve lived here since.

The man inside the fence is Lars Sandberg. He was born in Oslo, Norway in 1952, and has lived in Capitola for some 40 years. After a career of working in construction, and raising two boys in Capitola, he has taken up his grandfather’s love of painting.

Lars started surfing during his time at UC Berkeley, and has continued for many years in Capitola. He has built boats (models as well as sailboats suited to Soquel Creek). He has seen Capitola from many viewpoints, and loves the look of the water surfaces — Soquel Creek and Monterey Bay — seen from shore, boat, and surfboard.

Lars and his wife Lynn have lived on the edge of the Soquel Creek for over 30 years. He remembers the floods of the early 1980’s: He recalls wading in his back yard, trying to recapture the small sailboat that had been lifted, rotated, and spun out toward the Creek.

Lars’ paintings capture the muted gray blue tones of water on the Bay. On many nice days — when he’s not surfing — you can see Lars painting in his yard on Soquel Creek. Usually some of Lars’ work is on display in Dogmatic Arts on Stockton Avenue.

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Want to join the CVRA and meet more of your neighbors? Send an email to CapitolaCVRA@gmail.com, or visit www.CapitolaCVRA.org

Paintings by Lars Sandberg