A beautiful American Impressionist oil painting of two Cypress trees upon a hilltop in Monterey, California by Virginia Shackles (American, 1921-2020). The artist utilizes a diagonal composition, with the line of the hillside stretching from the top left corner of the canvas to the lower right corner, to add movement and interest to the piece. Signed "V. Shackles" lower right. Unframed. Canvas size: 18"H x 24"L. A well noted artist, Virginia Shackles obituary was published in the New York Times. Virginia Shackles was born in Wichita, Kansas in 1921, but soon after moved to California with her parents. Once in California, Virginia Shackles began working in a store that supplied religious items for Catholic churches, where she also met her husband, Frank J. Shackles. Virginia later worked as an advertising representative for a local newspaper, and finally settled in Monterey, California. While in Monterey, Virginia was inspired by the coastline, to which she started painting. Shackles soon took up painting as a hobby, and would travel along the coast with her grandson, painting different scenery, while teaching art at the same time. A well noted artist, Virginia Shackles obituary was published in the New York Times.