Solo Jojos #144, 145 and 146

I'm waiting for more photos from my Jojo Partner, so until then, here are three solo jojos.

All three include photos of flowers I took with my iPhone camera today at Trader Joe's market in San Mateo. I paired them with doodles I've done. The top and bottom jojos are side by side collages. The middle jojo is a multiple exposure treatment - the doodle over the top of the flower photo.

Can't Say Can't

Yesterday it was raining so hard during the middle of the day. I couldn't believe it was coming down with that volume. I was in South San Francisco, and decided to see if I could find a shop that could put my new headlight lamps in. I had high beams, but no low beams. I bought the halogen bulbs at NAPA auto parts that morning and read up on how to install them on the web, but when I tried to get the lamp assembly out, I couldn't see in the dark and cold, rainy day well enough to do it myself.

I pulled in to an auto shop and asked the owner if he could do the job. He said yes and told me the fee would be $50, based on the VW repair guidelines. I said okay and when he found both headlights were out, he told me it was something the dealer should look at - implying that it was an electrical problem rather than just needing the bulbs replaced. I explained that they didn't go out at the same time. He returned to my car in the shop.

I took some photos of the rain coming down some spouts while waiting, and he returned to say that he needed to take out the battery and some other engine components to get the head light assemblies out.

I sighed, and probably rolled my eyes, because I had read the guidelines on the web and also know that companies don't design cars so that you have to do $200 of labor to put in a $5 component. Harumph.

He went back for another try and I took more photos of my reflection in the mag wheels in his shop waiting room, and another of a sports car race on the television.


I waited, and he returned, saying he wanted the special key for the wheel locks. I cocked my head, and probably rolled my eyes again, and he said it was so he could remove the wheels and fender assemblies. Honestly - did he really believe that all that deconstruction would be required just to fix the low beams?!

I felt like laying into him, but I kept my cool and just asked him to return my keys so I could go to the dealer, as he suggested. After several more minutes he returned with my keys and refused any payment for the time. But, no headlights. By then, the rain had let up and I was able to get on the freeway. I went to San Mateo and found a shop that looked promising.

The technician came out to the waiting area and told me he wasn't comfortable doing the work because he was worried he might break part of the assembly. That shop called another, specializing in European auto repair, and I drove down the street. They were waiting for me and ushered me in the shop. The tech took out the assemblies, replaced the bulbs and refused any payment. I was on my way in less than 20 minutes.

Why couldn't the first guy say Can't? So funny, how people are...and I'm glad I now have legal headlights.

Photojojo #143

Photojojo #142

Photojojo #141

Today's photojojo is here.

Photojojo's Get Interesting

Here are three today - because there's no rule that it can only be one per day - and no rule that there has to be one every day! #138 is some negative spaces created when making melon balls (mine) together with my jojo buddy's photo of the hand on a statue.


#139 is crumpled papers from my jojo buddy and rainwater on the red spheres outside Target today at Tanforan Shopping Center.

And . . . (drum roll please) . . . #140 is some lovely lemons (jojo buddy) and an up close of the parking lot crosswalk in the rain. My photos were all taken with the iPhone 3G camera. Not bad eh?

Photojojos #135 and 136

Sunday's photojojo is a composite of a blimp by my photojojo partner and some powerlines (mine).

Today's photojojo (#136) is my buddy's photo of weights and my chowder bowls and plates.

Photojojo #134

Photojojo #133

Photojojo #132 - It's Not Raining

Today's weather was foggy - in fact so foggy a bad small plane crash occurred in Palo Alto where three people from Tesla Motors were killed and that took power out to the city and Stanford for most of the day - but by the time I came out of work in the afternoon, the fog had receded and it was wonderfully warm. No big overcoats and scarves needed - no cutting wind. Just a balmy beautiful almost Spring afternoon.

This morning it started off with some beautiful gauzy sky, and my buddy snapped a photo of a little boy outside having some fun at the supermarket.

The rain will most certainly return, but for now, we will enjoy the sun and warm weather.

Photojojo #131 - What's for Breakfast?

Now it's my turn with the cappuccino. This is my office mate's "tree" in his morning latte, paired up with my buddy's photo of a breakfast egg. I'm hungry!

Fancy Lunch Sliverware & Plates

I attended a birthday party for my niece. We had croissant sandwiches on fancy plates with silverware. The sandwiches were good and tasted even better on the pretty plates.

Photojojo #130 - Morning Coffee

Pearls and stripes and an artistic morning capuccino. Doesn't get any better than that, does it?

Practicing Taking Photos

Here are some photos I took at a party today. I was practicing using the manual focus on my camera and just going with what was there.

Blank Canvas

Here's the start of my next art project (yes, I actually did some art related things yesterday in celebration of Valentine's Day). This is the embossment of the paper doll on a sheet of printmaking paper (Rives). I did four of them. My plan is to do more, like this, with singles and doubles. I want to explore the relationship of self to the world and self to others.

Photojojo #129 - Sluggish Empty Nests

Today's photojojo is au naturel. My buddy's photo of a sweet little, but empty, nest (maybe mama and babies were out partyin' for Valentine's Day) and my photo of slug on my sliding glass door this morning.

I practiced taking macro photos with my camera on manual focus. I think after having the camera for almost 2 years, I'm finally figuring it out.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Warming Up to Do Art - Pink Things in My Kitchen

Wow - it's been awhile since I've done some real art, out in the studio, on the press, paintbrush or brayer in hand. I feel rusty and unable. So, I always start by reading a good art magazine or two. (Remember to click on the image to see the yummy pink delicious detail.)

Today it was ArtForum, and a really interesting interview of Kaja Silverman called Primal Siblings, and I find it totally fits in with my tribe - phenomenology. She is interviewed by George Baker about her most recently published book Flesh of My Flesh, which just came out this Fall. She talks about how we are more likely wired to be the same rather than different, and how that subject is explored by painters and photographers. It is something I'm thinking about a lot - always about the relationships between men and women - who are obviously different, but in what ways do we share our feelings of societal pressures, disappointments, elation, relationship. The interview with Kara also talked a lot about Gerhard Richter, who is also influential to me. I am fascinated by his appropriation of photography into painting.

Then, the coffee ran out and it was time to either clean the house (procrastination), or take photos. I saw this slug on the window, which I found at once disgusting and interesting.

Then I got the idea that I should go around my kitchen and take pictures of pink things, in honor of it being Valentine's Day and all*. I love the color of pink flesh. I think it's my favorite, if I had to choose. I thought about this exhibit I saw last week with my good friend Laurie at the DeYoung of Amish Quilts.

There were these splashes of pink in many of the quilts, a different pink than I love, but a scandalous pink for the Amish nonetheless. The docent explained that when buying fabrics from traveling salesmen, the bundles of darker fabrics that the Amish preferred would always have a swatch of the pink in them, to get rid of it. The deal was that they had to buy the whole bundle. I love the idea of them being a little rebellious by sneaking the pink in under the pretense of frugality. Can't you just hear Rebecca saying to her husband John "We must use all of what God provided."

There was a strong Amish contingent in Holmes County Ohio, about 40 miles from where I was born and raised. I remember seeing Mennonite and Amish women in the stores on Saturday as a child. They would drive their horse drawn buggies into the small town square and shop in the local Woolworth's.

I love quilts too, and the quilt structure (grids) is a strong influence in my work, as well as creating several works in a series that differ slightly, just to see the divergences as well as the similarities.

This is my next body of work - exploring those themes of similarity, difference, men, women, self - using see saws and teeter totters, quilts, paper dolls and photography.

Stay tuned.

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* Guide to VD2010 Pink.

1 Two figs from a painting I did in 2003.
2 A first communion favor from my children's stepsister Gabriella.
3 My paper doll, waiting for her new wardrobe.
4 A crush of diaphanous curtain in my family room.
5 Yesterday's collaging event candle for me this year - nutmeg, money.
6 A soft doll someone gave me when I had my twin daughters 25 years ago. You can only see one of the babies.
7 An apple in the morning sun.
8 My favorite gift from CB - a jellyfish in glass.
9 CB's dental impression. This is my favorite shade of pink - fleshy pink.
10 A plastic bag in my credenza.
11 The flower motif on a pillow from my couch.
12 An antique sugar bowl given to me by my mother.
13 A stuffed doll from my sister - An Angel's Work is Never Done.
14 Pink tissues - achoo!
15 A pink marker and the FedEx return label for CB's cell phone.

Happy Valentine's Day

Three Photojojos - #126, 127 and 128

Here are three photojojos to catch us up.


The first one is a draped window in a restaurant taken by my jojo pal, paired up with a winter photo of downtown San Mateo/Redwood City/San Carlos I took this afternoon.


This one works well for Valentine's Day, tomorrow. My pal caught this beauty with her heart-shaped sucker. I caught a mannequin in a local cooking store stirring up some trouble.

And finally, a gourd taken by my pal goes with the lime floating in my water.

Visioning for 2010

Today was the day to meditate and envision what I want for 2010. I get together every year with a group of like-minded professional coaches to ponder what is in store for the coming year. We're a bit late doing it this year, because everyone's year was off to a great start with lots of things to do on the weekends.

Our friend A led us through a guided visualization where we asked our future selves to meet us in a location of our choosing. At that spot, we asked FS for five items. I was handed five outfits for my paper doll, from a beautiful vintage suitcase. The outfits were: 1) a play clothes set, 2) a cuddly robe, 3) a gown with a crown, 4) jeans that fit on my slim figure (ha!) and 4) a swimsuit.

I had bought this paper doll in Bellingham when I was up there over the New Year's holiday, and it is fitting (no pun intended) that I can now fashion some clothing for her. I will also take some time to explore what each of these outfits means for her. That is probably where the juicy information on what 2010 holds for me will be found.

Thanks to all my gal pals for a great day of healthy food, relaxing meditations, and important information for my coming year.

Solo Jojo #125 - Rulers and Spikes

Today is the day I will do my 2010 visioning. We're a bit late this year but it's all good. This is a weird year with the economy being all wonky and everyone a bit out of sorts.

Here's a solo jojo - a photo I took yesterday of my favorite "ruler," which is actually a triangular architect/engineer scale, together with a doodle I drew a few years back (5-6 yrs ago now). I drew this in one of my first MBA classes - macroeconomics I think. There were signs, in those classes, that things were starting to deteriorate. I should have been paying more attention...

Photojojo #124 - Icy Rainbows

The weather's been weird around the country lately. Piles of snow back east and sunshine and rain in the same breath here in Half Moon Bay.

This shot of a rainbow the other day outside Peet's Coffee is paired up with my buddy's jojo of snow or ice on the windshield. Brrrr.

Photojojo #123 - Walkin' on Eggshells

This is a solo jojo - as I wait for a jojo from my tag team partner.

It is a photo I took today of Jessica's sassy heels in the break room, paired up with a drawing I did 12-18 months ago of eggs. I was wanting to draw eggs and just sketched some that ended up being very much the wrong shape. I called them "bad eggs" and when I googled "bad eggs" for an inspiration for more to do with this piece. I came across a snippet from an old newspaper story about how housewives were turning to preparation of more eggs and poultry. Good wives, bad eggs. Maybe if the wives wore more high heels like Jessica's, the whole bad meat situation might have blown over more quickly.

Photojojo #122 - House Plants Imitate Art

My photojojo buddy sent this photo of a bizarre little clown? It goes well with the photo I took this morning while practicing with my camera. I found six or eight great photos from the bed, around my room. This one is of my houseplant in the morning sun.

Solo Jojo #121 - Cars Doodling on the Freeway

I took this photo of cars on the freeway last year. I did the doodle a couple of years ago. I paired them because the colors (or grays) work well together.