What Goes On 8/7/15

Admiring

One of her smaller pieces that sold at the show

The show looked fantastic on Chromatic's walls. 

Nikkea Takagi had an art show at Chromatic Coffee this week. She is a self-taught artist with a gorgeous style. She's also a super great and inspiring person. Nikkea talked about one of the pieces in detail and it made me love her work even more. Go see her nearly sold out show. There are still a few pieces available!

Commissioning

A work in progress commission

I've been working on some awesome commissions lately. I love working with my clients and making them happy. I've been hiding out and working on a few lately and will be busy with them until mid-month. 

P.S. I can take several commissions per month and you can contact me here if you have any questions about them. 

Eating and Drinking

I've been eating breakfast for lunch a lot lately. Here, I have white sweet potatoes, sausage, eggs and, of course, olives. It's so good! I found that Verve has a Costa Rican coffee, Finca Salaca. Pretty much the perfect thing midday. 

Hiking

The shadow of Mission Peak on the valley.

This morning I hiked Mission Peak with a good friend. It was amazing. We woke up at 4am and headed to Fremont. This was maybe the 4th or 5th time I've done this trail and it just doesn't get old for me. Watching the colors change at sunrise or sunset is really the best way to hike. The golds, the purples, the blues and a little bit of green. It's always great to view the valley from up here because all you hear are birds and not the chaos of down below. We sat up top at the peak eating figs, peaches, cherries, salmon, tomato and avocado. Pretty much the ideal way to start the day. 

Installing

My friend Anabella Piñon and I reinstalled String Theory at SoFA Market this week. We stopped in Sunday morning for a couple of hours. The exhibit is part of the South First Fridays art walk August 7th. Don't miss the Ken Davis show across the street at Anno Domini. 

Walking

I walk and bike downtown a lot. On my way to Japantown Thursday morning, I noticed this back wall of a restaurant that closed earlier this year due to fire. There is something about the draped fabric, variously hued pink wall and burn marks around the window that was kind of beautiful to me. 

What Goes On 7/31/15

This week I have been feeling GREAT about getting more involved locally. There are lots of new things popping up and this post is chockfull of what's been going on. As we hit the end of July, I am really happy with how this month has ended. 

After camping last week, my working weekend and this week were incredibly productive and full of ideas. This week ended up being the start of many new things.

Here's what I've been...

Admiring

I'm trying to remember how I discovered Jennifer Ament, but it was definitely her block prints that caught my eye first. I loved her subject matter and style. Her prints are mostly done in black ink, keeping it simple, straightforward and bold. In the last couple of years, she has been making watercolors and encaustic paintings that are really gorgeous. I believe she started working with encaustic in 2013 and I just love the jump from the more literal into the abstract. Her paintings are reminiscent of skies and landscapes, but very subtly. Jennifer has been featured on Serena and Lily, Sunset Magazine and Coco + Kelley. This Seattle-based artist makes has a couple different bodies of work, but both are so stunning that it all works. Be sure to click on the images above to get a closer look. 

Learning

The Publishing for Creatives group. Photo by Bridget Watson Payne

Our book covers (unfortunately in bad lighting)

It's so important to keep learning new things. I now have two book ideas so I enrolled in a workshop in SF with the art book editor Bridget Watson Payne from Chronicle Books. I've decided which book to start with and I was working on my proposal last weekend. It is perfect timing that this class happened this week. Bridget had us do a few exercises that were super helpful. We even made book covers for our book ideas. I love taking classes at Makeshift. In the past, I have taken classes with Lisa Congdon and Dana Haim and walked away knowing way more than I did before. 

Listening

In honor of tonight's blue moon, I made a Moon Gazing playlist (you can also listen on YouTube). I love Billie Holiday's version of Blue Moon. I had to include it here. I also found a list of moon songs on NASA's website if you want to hear more lunar songs. I'm really happy with this playlist. It's nice and mellow, perfect for moon gazing. 

Planning

I am getting started on sketches and ideas for new work at The Arsenal in San Jose in February 2016. I really want to transform this space with an installation and paintings. 

Scheming

I am so excited to announce that my friends Laura of Le Animale, Rossella from RossLab and I will be running a pop-up shop in the area in late September. We will have our own storefront for a weekend. The pic above is from when we first checked out the space. We are going to make it look so pretty! Check out the tag #theMintPopUp on Instagram to see our works in progress and preparation for the event. 

Writing up our plans for the September pop-up

Sketching

Aside from the 100 Day Project, I've put together a SoFA Sketch night. I invited artist friends from around the area to meet up at this space to sketch or work on a current project. I'm super excited to see how this will go!

Clockwise from top left: Elissa Neisheim, Lucia LeBlanc, Anabella Piñon, Laura Johnston, Tracie Elliott and Joanna Chacón 

I can't wait to do this again. I am trying to decide how frequently to do it. Maybe bi-monthly in August and once a month after that? 

Teaching

I'll be teaching a plant painting workshop in Japantown! I am really excited for this. We will be working in the backyard of Petite Galleria. More details to come on this soon!  

Watching

I'm literally obsessed with Human Planet on Netflix. It is the most beautifully shot and mesmerizing show from BBC. I have been watching it while I work and it has been incredibly inspiring. I am quite sure the influence of this show will be seen in some upcoming artwork. 

100 Day Project: Days 41-50

YES! The halfway point! This project has taught me so much. Now that I have been really sticking to it, I see changes in my work and have ideas for new paintings and other creative projects because of it. 

I am actually quite thrilled with this group of ten. The next 50 should be a breeze, right?!

Day 41 Do something boring

My sister bought me these gorgeous color pencils in Italy a couple of years ago. I finally used them to make #41. I figured a yellow #2 pencil is pretty damn boring and thought of the work by John Baldessari. This is inspired by two different pieces of his. I think it's really great that he had his students write "I will not make any more boring art" again and again. What a great exercise! Makes me think of Bart Simpson at the chalkboard. 

With this piece, I layered color pencil and used the yellow #2 pencil to draw the tip. When I wrote the phrase below, I messed up on the word 'boring' and tried to erase it but my stupid eraser messed it up more. I was frustrated because I wanted it pristine, but then realized I could just run my finger over the whole phrase and blur the graphite. I am loving how with the 100 Day Project I am making mistakes work for me! 

Day 42 Courage!

For this one, I had thought about making an abstract painting since I don't really work that way. I thought about someone on a tightrope or something like that. In the end, I stuck with a classic. I love painting boats. We would often go to harbors when i was a kid and just admire them. My parents were great in that sense. We didn't have to spend tons of money to explore and have fun. I took sailing lessons last year in Redwood City and just loved it. I hope to get back on a boat soon. This painting also felt inspired by people I know who are going through a rough time right now. 

Day 43 Gardening, not architecture

Initially, I pictured painting an apartment building covered in or being taken over by plants (a similar building to Day 3's Tidy up) but remembered this photo I shot of a house in San Jose. These particular plants aren't in front of this house in real life, so this is a mash-up. I wanted the plants to be taking over the house, but I'm not sure I accomplished that. The cacti at the lower left are surrounding the stairs though. I feel like it turned out 'pretty' instead.

Day 44 Once the search is in progress, something will be found

I had actually sketched the skyline and land the evening before when my friend and I were seated at a picnic table overlook. As I worked, a streak of paint accidentally went through the sky. I turned this into a contrail and painted the sunset. All day I wanted to add something to the middle or sitting on the land. Something like a portral. I decided to stop and let it be done. Funny enough, the card the next day spawned a sort of portal-feel...

Day 45 Use filters

I wanted to work with the idea from the day before and create a circle filter over the landscape. I am super happy with how this turned out. It reminded me of the work of Oliver Adams somehow. 

Day 46 Do we need holes?

I brainstormed about plot holes, I played with a hole punch and settled on this: the Sooke Potholes on Vancouver Island, BC. It was one of my favorite ever places to swim. The river has these pools or potholes throughout. 

Day 47 Do the words need changing?

WhIf you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you may know that I spilled Sumi ink all over myself after I stubbed my toe on my coffee table on Monday. Funny enough, this was the idea I had before said incident. I felt like I was right on track with things after having a super productive working weekend. Still, I felt this way after I cleaned up the black ink mess. 

Day 48 Which frame would make this look right?

I got some window frames from a contractor friend. I will be using these for several upcoming projects. The idea here is that the small watercolor needs a picture frame, rather than these large window frames. 

Day 49 Make a sudden, destructive unpredictable action; incorporate

This was an interesting one. I originally intended to make a really beautiful painting and rip it to pieces, but that felt premeditated. I sat at the table at Makeshift Society before my Publishing for Creatives class and brainstormed. I started thinking of fires, explosions and those kinds of destructive things. I was going to paint something on fire with billows of smoke when I looked up at the donut piñata and thought "Oh! I could have it bust open!" So, here it is. I kind of love that it was so spontaneous.

Day 50 Remember  .those quiet evenings

Once in a blue moon. This month, there are two full moons. The first was July 2nd and now tonight. The moon won't be blue in color, but it is a nice occasion that we get two full ones in a month. 

And that's 50! 

Armstrong Redwoods & Russian River

Last week I ran off for two days to the Russian River with my friend Kelli. When we camp in the North Bay, I take Caltrain to go meet her. It makes the trip somewhat adventurous. I usually sketch a little something while on the train and this time I ended up with a few pages of passenger sketches. It's always a challenge to try not to stare at people and be sneaky when you are drawing them. 

Our first stop was breakfast at Hallie's Diner in Petaluma. We both got the Maya Tipico and it was great: black beans, eggs, plantains. That with some fresh squeezed orange juice perked me up. 

Food for Humans natural food store

We rolled into Guerneville around 2pm and hit the grocery store before the campground. I love that Guerneville has a store called Food for Humans right next to the Safeway. I have to say I miss the old school health food stores my mom took me to as a kid. The big box health food stores make me feel that it's a good thing people are increasing their interest in healthy living, but these little guys are my favorite. 

Outside of the grocery store, two young girls were giving away kittens. They were so cute (kittens and kids). The girls really wanted me to take one. I hope they all found a good home. 

We found a great beach spot thanks to Kelli. It was nice and secluded and had this little view of houses and the bridge. Everything looked so green and blue out there. People of all ages were kayaking down the river. 

Pretty much any time I have this backpack with me, I'm in a good place. 

See? Beach to ourselves. With the exception of a few locals chatting with us a couple times, we were pretty much the only people here. I love swimming in natural water while staring up at trees and giant birds. We made the best picnic too. 

We stayed at Bullfrong Pond Campground. It's a 3-mile single lane trek up past a redwood grove. This was our view near the campground. It was so nice up here, away from town and barely anyone was camped here during the week. We came up to sit at the picnic tables and watch the sunset both nights. 

Another view of the skyline and the moon

I'm not always one to paint plein air, but I really liked doing it while on this little trip. The sunset view was pretty magical as you can see here. At first with the painting, I didn't want to paint a sunset, but a streak of paint got in the sky, so that changed. 

I managed to get two paintings done for the 100 Day Project while I was out there. It helps that Kelli paints too. 

We did a 3 or 4 mile hike. It was super hot, but nice to get to the Gilliam River. I found this giant swing-like limb and had to climb up on it. It was so nice to be down here and away from the sun. 

Since I spent two nights looking at this view, this painting feels special to me. I also really like it when my landscapes take on more surreal look. It reminded me of the work of Dustin Adams, a friend who makes beautiful photos exposed to colored light and holographic paper. Not exactly like it, but maybe how he might see things. 

All in all, a perfect two day getaway. Since I took time off during the week, I had to work all weekend and it was so insanely productive and full of ideas. I worked on commission sketches, painted, started a book proposal, made a flyer for tonight's sketch night and added new things to my website (including gift certificates!). I think I need to start doing this monthly! Thanks Kelli.

Inside Out

It has taken me forever to get around to cleaning up the rest of the backyard and improving it. At last, this weekend, we moved some things around and did a little cleaning. I really need to get all this done so we can enjoy the yard for summer and fall. The outside is starting to feel like inside with shelving and seating. 

We mainly worked on the patio and I found it looking better already. The fence wall below formerly had a bunch of junk and the trash cans against it. It may not be too exciting, but I love the way it is looking.

I think the fern blends right in with my painting, don't you? The trunk on the left is filled with blankets and extra lights for when we entertain. The small shelves mounted above it have various natural things like rocks, shells and a succulent.

The green shelf is not quite complete yet, but looks pretty good for now. The shelf on the right has rocks and things from various hikes displayed on it. 

We finally decided where the fire pit would go. The "seat" you see hear is actually my friend Chris Patton's first reclaimed wood table. He made us a new one so this one is now outside. Last year we were in the North Bay and a coffee shop had these giant coffee bags for something like $2 each. We put pillows inside and voila! Outdoor seating. The elephant hanging you see in the foreground was something I found in a Capitola gift shop a few weeks ago for $14. I liked the combination of mirrored shapes and the tin elephants. Elephants are good luck too.

The cats seem pretty happy with the space...or maybe they don't really care.

We are still planning on doing a lot more California Native landscaping and getting rid of a lot of the lawn. One thing at a time. If you look closely, you can see the first little aloe plant we planted directly in the lawn. I think this may be how we'll phase out the lawn. Just get a plant, dig out the lawn, repeat. I've never really done things the normal way anyway. 

From the 100 Day Project

I'd like the house to look a little more like this. I just have to be patient.

On the to do list:

• New hammock
• Tented reading nook
• California Native drought resistant landscaping in the front and much of the back
• More cacti