Science Geekdom

in
A collector and friend of mine, Madeleine, whom I've mentioned before, sent me word of her incredibly exciting news this week. She just had her first paper published in the April issue of Nature Biotechnology!! Woooo!! Congrats, Madeleine!!

And, just for icing on an already delicious cake, they used the artwork she submitted as the cover too! Check it out:


Isn't that awesome? :oD Hooray for science geeks pursuing science!! You make the world go round!! Well, okay, you help explain how and why it does, but that's incredibly important!!

:oD

Adventures in Sushi

in
So we went to Gen Kai again last weekend. :o) It started out simple enough.



But when you order Omakase, you never know what will happen. This would be mackerel sashimi:


Honestly, it was some of the best sashimi I've ever had. And what a [mildly alarming] presentation!

Here's Colin eating the fish head, after it was sent to the kitchen to be deep fried.
(P.S. I ate a fish eyeball. Yep.)

Sashimi Roll:



Then... Jun-san brought out the squid. The whole squid. A whole squid, I tell you:


I hadn't eaten a whole squid before. It was... squid-like. I also hadn't tried salmon roe either! (the orange stuff.) It's like inflated, balloon-like caviar.


And that's my story.

:o)

New ACEOs

in
I know, they look familiar.




I did my initial sketches for Nami in ACEO size, because... why not? Then I'd have more ACEOs.

I actually have another (similar) one that isn't finished yet. Same concept, but orange and pink. :o)

Both are in my shop.

this place is ducky

Please. Indulge me:






Yep, so that's pretty much what I've been doing since they hatched last weekend. This is just the duck family near our condo, there are numerous duck families all over the complex. It's insanity here. In a cute way. Cute insanity.

Egret Interlude:



On our eco-system exploration walk on Sunday, (meaning, we walked around the complex) we also discovered a gigantic orange koi and a good sized turtle. This place constantly amazes me. My landlord told me, "Just wait for summer!" but if it actually gets better than this, I'll be knocked over with majestic hysteria.

Love it here.

This won't be the last time I gush about this.

You are warned.

Nami - 36x60 inches - 2009

in


1. natural lighting
2. combined uv and artificial lighting
3. no light (glow in the dark)

Ingredients: acrylic, beach sand, crushed sea shells, crushed glass, phosphorescent pigments, varnish, water & light on canvas.

Nami is the word for Wave in Japanese. :o) The "sky" is made with thick layers of sand and shells. Already today, I've had 3 people ask me if that's the sun or the moon.

I'm leaving that one up to you.

A story: One day I had a vision to do a wave painting, although I wasn't exactly sure what that would look like, since I hadn't really done waves before. Squiggly lines, yes, but no waves. I sketched a few things out and quickly had a concept for something that I was really excited about. The sketch was put in a drawer for later, until my birthday rolled around, when the fam and I were eating at THE BEST sushi place in Orange County (that's right) and I had another idea.

Yada yada yada, I suddenly had a project to do a painting for Gen Kai (Dana Point), my favorite restaurant ever, which I've been going to for basically half my life. Of course, my immediate thought after I got home and the shock and excitement wore off a bit was: My wave painting!! How perfect.

Ta daaaa:

Nami now hangs on the wall in the lobby, the first thing you see when you walk through the door. There's bright filtered sunlight in the room all day, and then dim, romantic lights in the evening. Perfect to show off the light reactive fun. I equipped them with a blacklight flashlight to show anyone that's interested how brightly it glows.

I have to say, in my totally biased opinion, that it looks AWESOME there, and I'm absolutely giddy about this whole thing. Sushi and Art! Together!!!

If you'd like to see Nami in person (!!) stop by Gen Kai.

34143 Pacific Coast Hwy
Dana Point, CA 92629
(949) 240-2004‎

Their weekday lunch specials are incredible, and the sushi bar is second to none. The chefs are amazing, the fish is the freshest, and the whole place just rocks. I'm truly honored, and completely thrilled. I have a feeling we'll be spending more time in Dana Point in the future.

Yay!

Painting Preview


Pardon the seemingly poor quality of that picture, it was actually taken in the low light of the evening. Yes, that's how much it's glowing when it's still light out.

!!

Crunch time this week. The painting will be finished on Friday, when I'm hanging it at that cool place I'm not going to name yet. Well, I'm hoping, I'm not exactly sure it will fit in either of our cars. (It's 36x60 inches.) I'll take all the pictures on Thursday, and post them on Friday.

I'm really, really excited about this piece.

I have some matching ACEOs that I used to sketch out ideas in the early stages of making this. I'll be listing those in my shop soon too.

Starlit Hour . 24x36 . 2009





1. artificial lighting (regular interior lighting)
2. natural lighting (near a sunny window)
3. combined uv and artificial lighting
4. uv lighting only (with a black light)
5. no light (glow in the dark for hours!)

Ingredients: acrylic, phosphorescent pigments, varnish, water & light on canvas.

In my mind, this painting takes place in a night sky, or maybe even right before dawn. It's bright and colorful and on fire, because of course, that's what a star (like our sun) would look like up close. The heat and warmth are enveloping, seeming to actually light op the sky. Have you ever been outside in the dark and noticed how bright it can get?

:o)

This painting is 24x36 inches, on stretched canvas with a gallery wrapped (1.5 inch thick) edge and is ready to hang. The sides are painted black. Made with artist quality paints. Signed and varnished.

*High quality phosphorescent pigments make this painting glow in the dark for hours after the lights are turned off. It will probably still be glowing in the morning!

Ebb and Flow

Meaning my motivation, and inspiration, I think.


Actually, what I'm really excited about right now is that unfinished painting right there. It's going to eventually be hanging somewhere really cool, which I will refrain from telling you about until it's officially hanging there. But, trust me. It's cool.

I've been experimenting in dialogue lately. I've been practicing the art of talking about my art. It's difficult for me to explain my motivations and inspirations, especially when you see someone's eyes glaze over at the words "zen," "science," or "spirituality." More than that, I'm not sure that's even what I mean to say.

What I mean to say is that I love to color. I like to sit on the ground with my colors and make a picture look pretty (or cool or weird or dark or whatever it is that I'm interested in making.) I like to play with the texture and the shadows and the light, and see how it looks. I like to mix colors together, and mix stuff into the colors (like sand) and see how it changes the overall piece. To me, all my paintings are part of a neverending coloring book that I'm always adding new pages to. I don't have a coloring book that contains the images I want to color, so I have to make them myself. What comes out is a reflection of "zen," and "science," and "spirituality," but that's just because that's what my brain is filled with, after 29 years of interest in those things.

The point is to color.

The point is to wake up in my jammies and sit on the floor with my dog and dream of pretty pictures and make them a reality while the birds sing outside and the sun pours through the windows inside.

I'm not sure how I would phrase that to someone in the art business that expects me to sound intelligent. Maybe I don't have to, maybe it's not expected of me at all. Maybe people who love art understand "coloring on the ground like a 5 year old" more than any snooty, self-important, self-analytical, "intelligent" artist statement nonsense that I could ever come up with anyway.

Maybe I just hate talking about myself. I much prefer to express my life with actions and art. Actions are real. Talking is noise.

New paintings + Art Walk



Starlit Hour and Dusk. Be the first to see them up close tonight at the William Meire Gallery during the monthly First Thursdays Art Walk in Laguna Beach.

The William Meire Gallery is located at:
1590 South Coast Hwy, Unit #1
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

It's on the corner of PCH and Bluebird. I'll be there from 6-9pm. Stop by, drink some wine, look at some art!

Musings

I think I've been too introspective to say much lately. I'm taking everything in.


This is my view a few days per week now.

At home, I'm working on paintings at lightning speed, in hopes of switching out a few of my bluish paintings on the gallery wall with some new (warmer) art. The goal is next week. I'll keep you posted, but you can also see them by stopping by the gallery during March's First Thursdays Art Walk.

It's been educational at the gallery. I like watching people react to my art, and what questions they ask regarding it. Some people don't seem to "get" it (or at least don't react to it), while others find it downright fascinating. They like the sand, and how it "sparkles." They say it "looks like stained glass."

People like red in Laguna Beach. They say it when they walk through the door.

One of the best parts has been having to answer questions about my philosophy and themes. I often avoid answering that question internally (it seems too complicated), but now I'm required to say something, so I'd best know what I'm talking about. "Why do you paint circles?" is a complicated thought, and one that I don't exactly know how to unpack. I've always painted circles, from the first painting I've painted circles. Hmm. I mean, I have some ideas, I know it's related to spirituality, to science, to the cosmos, to Zen, to completeness. The trick is being able to squish that down into an intelligent sounding sentence.

I'm learning to paint faster without skimping on quality. Mostly this means making a decision about what to do next and then completing that step confidently. What I am skipping is the hemming and hawing, the unnecessary steps and layers that add nothing to the painting except time. I'm learning to know what I want ahead of time, and how to achieve it.

I'd thought I was probably going to move away from sunburst designs this year, and now I find myself obsessively painting them again. I guess they were not perfected enough, maybe they never will be, maybe I'll paint new and interesting sunbursts for eternity. I'm excited about them, truly. I feel like I've opened up a new window in color exploration, and a sunburst holds the color just the way I want.

Warming Up

I have so much going on right now. So much.

All good. Just much.

I was "painting like a millionaire" today and completely ran out of beach sand. I also may or may not have gotten sand and/or paint in my eye. Hopefully I'll live.

Something I've learned already is that I need to be bolder in painting warm-colored paintings. I think I get trapped in my happy aqua-teal-turquoise-cool-aqua paintings too easily. Not that aqua-teal-turquoise-cool-aqua paintings are a bad thing, I just like to challenge myself, and red paintings (for instance) are a challenge. The funny thing is, and I've said this before, I always end up thinking my warm colored paintings are some of my best work. I think the challenge of it brings out new energy and focus.

However, the most exciting painting I'm currently working on is teal and white, and I'm totally okay with that.

But the REALLY exciting part of my Wednesday happens at 9pm. Really REALLY exciting:

Art Walk tomorrow!

I know, I know, short notice again. But I have a good excuse: I didn't find out until yesterday! It's been sort of a whirlwind week. I have some interesting things happening, of which I will get into more when I have more information.

:o)

Anyway, for the time being, I wanted to invite you to stop by the First Thursdays Art Walk in Laguna Beach tomorrow, February 5th from 7-9pm. I will be showing some of my art at the William Meire Gallery, located at:

1590 South Coast Hwy, Unit #1
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

It's right on the corner of Bluebird Canyon and South Coast Highway. Oh look, a map:


View Larger Map

There are, of course, many galleries to visit up and down PCH, so you can get your fill of local art! Also, my friend Andy is playing at Skylab Modern Art at 6:30 and 8pm, literally 0.1 miles north of the William Meire Gallery. I hear they serve martinis there. Woo!

See you there.

New Art! (Finally) :o)



Raindrop and Somewhere.

I hadn't technically meant for these to go so well together (raindrops and rainbows) but I often realize (after the fact) that everything I'm painting at any given time is connected to each other.

At the moment I'm writing this, Raindrop is sitting flat on top of my workbench, and from this angle, it really looks like water rippling out away from a water drop. It's a shame paintings-lying-flat hasn't caught on in a decorative sense yet, but it will certainly look like you captured a water droplet against your wall. :o)

Somewhere was an exploration in technique for me. Whereas many pieces are heavy on jagged, sandy, waxy texture, this one is smooth and flat. It's still very thick, caused by never-ending layers of paint and varnish and glazing, but it's flat. This gives it a cool cloudy, semi-translucent effect, which really brings out the bright primary colors I wanted to showcase. It's very bright, in fact, the UV light just highlights colors already there, kind of like you turned a light on behind it or something. It really seems to glow in broad daylight too.

I'm really, REALLY happy to be getting back into the swing of things, art-wise. :o) I have two more waiting in the wings to be finished: my fuchsia sunburst that I was so excited about in December, and another one that you'll really enjoy if you're a science geek (like me.)

heh

Our New Place

Here's an idea of what we've accomplished in our moving blur over the last month. It finally, truly, actually feels like home.

Iron hanging thing that we inherited from a friend:


Kitchen with sage walls. SAGE, I tell you!


Fire:


Egret!


He's my favorite, I am thrilled whenever he visits. He either likes to swoop by my sliding glass doors, or stand on a rock looking majestic. No disrespect to the ducks though. They're just funny. They battle and have duck wars. Also, there are apparently koi in the creek. I didn't think there would be, but I saw one with my own eyes. A lone, beautiful, orange and white koi fishy. There must be more, I doubt he's swimming all by himself. We plan to search for more this weekend.

Oh, and here's the view from the top of the stairs. I'm not making this up:


When we first saw the listing for this place, I thought, "Wow, that's a lot of pictures of the outside they're showing," and now here I am, standing outside on my patio every day, taking pictures of the egret.

This place is awesome. It's entirely idyllic and serene, and it's difficult sometimes to want to do anything other than pretend you're living in a retreat somewhere. It's also very inspiring, and now that I've gotten back to working on my art (!!), it's been highly motivating.

Speaking of which, I will actually have new art listed in my Etsy shop next week! :oD

Show Tonight!

in
That's a wordle made for me by a collector and friend. Hee, fun. :o)

Here's the official info sheet for tonight's A Season of Light show, from the people in charge. Meet the artists! (Click on it to make it bigger.)

NOTE: The address on this flyer is NOT the address of the event, which is listed in my previous blog post. The address for the Buena Park City Chambers, where the event is being held, is:

6650 Beach Blvd.
Buena Park, CA 90620


The reception tonight runs from 6-8pm. Buena Park is nicely situated between Los Angeles and everyone I know in South Orange County.

Hope to see you tonight!

Season of Light Group Show, January 8th from 6-8pm

in ,
My apologies for the short notice on this, I have been completely immersed in moving and unpacking for weeks.






I will be at the Buena Park City Chambers on Thursday, January 8th from 6-8pm, along with a blacklight and 5 of my larger paintings. (Specifically, the ones shown above.) (Sidenote, Broken Sunrise is no longer available and if you want to see it in person, this is your last chance! I'm sending it to the East Coast next month.) If you are local, and would like to see my art in person, please stop by and say hi!

Here is the official press release for the event:

A Season of Light

Shines through Buena Park City Hall

WHAT: A Season of Light Group Exhibition

WHEN: Opening Reception ~ Thursday, January 8th, 2009 from 6pm-8pm

Exhibition runs December 17th through January 30th, 2009

WHERE: Buena Park City Hall ~ Council Chambers

6650 Beach Blvd.
Buena Park, CA 90620

About the Exhibition

The City of Buena Park’s Cultural and Fine Arts Division proudly presents A Season of Light group exhibition. Seven artists from Orange and Los Angeles counties were selected by the Buena Park Fine Arts Commission and invited to exhibit work representing the theme of light and shadows. This year’s exhibiting artists include Arondi, Jeni Bate, Phil Kim, Shayla Maddox, Lori Pond, Wanda Reynolds, and John Urquiza. From painting to photography, this exhibition explores each artist’s representation of reflection and illumination.

About the Reception

The opening reception for A Season of Light will be on Thursday, January 8th from 6pm-8pm. The reception will be at the Buena Park City Hall Council Chambers located at 6650 Beach Blvd. in Buena Park. Light refreshments will be served. Council Chambers is open for public viewing Mondays-Thursdays, 7:30am-5:30pm, and Fridays, 7:30am-4:30pm. Alternate Fridays and weekends are closed. Please call ahead before visiting; viewing availability is subject to change. This exhibition will run from December 16th through January 30th.

About the Exhibiting Artist Program

The goal of the City of Buena Park’s Exhibiting Artist Program is to nurture working relationships and partnerships between artists, presenters, arts organizations, and the greater Buena Park community.

More ACEOs




I started these a long time ago, and just found them in one of my art drawers this past week. It seemed better to finish them and send them out into the universe than to move them to our new place. :oD

Currently, our new place is empty except for large finished paintings, and a cypress Christmas tree in a container. (Living trees!)

This will change today, after we begin filling it with boxes. I'm already dreaming of having a nice log burning and crackling in the wood stove next week, just in time for holiday cheering. Yay.