The view is from the shoulder of Mt. Tamalpais that drops down to the sea at Stinson Beach with Bolinas in the background. An old fir tree wrapped in poison oak vines is on the right; bay laurel with spanish moss on the left. Tom Killion was born and raised in Mill Valley, California, on the slopes of Mt. Tamalpais. The rugged scenery of Marin County and Northern California inspired him from an early age to create landscape prints using linoleum and wood, strongly influenced by the traditional Japanese Ukiyo-ë style of Hokusai and Hiroshige. He studied History at UC Santa Cruz, where he was introduced to fine book printing by William Everson and Jack Stauffacher. In 1975, he produced his first illustrated book on UCSC's Cowell Press. After traveling extensively in Europe and Africa, Killion returned to Santa Cruz. His work is hugely sought after in the Western USA.