Smoky Sunset is Sensational

Tonight on the way home from work I just had to pull over at the on-ramp to the San Mateo Bridge to snap some photos of the smoky sunset. We've been experiencing these for several weeks, while the California wildfires run rampant. But, I haven't seen them for some reason.

This first shot is looking west across the shallow bay waters.


This second shot is at just past the top of 92, near Skyline/Hwy 35, looking over the Pacific Ocean.

Lawns to be Mowed

Even in a drought, there are lawns to be mowed. Sometimes they are strewn with native Californian jade.

Collage of Some Tiles from The Ferry Building

If you haven't ever been to the Ferry Building, because you are a local and you forget the beauty that is around us, do go. It is a wonderful setting - a great view across the SF Bay of the Bay Bridge and Treasure Island/Yerba Buena. Lots of people (lots!) milling around at their SF Farmer's Market on a Saturday, and inside many great Euro-ecletic shops with salamis, flowers, chocolates, cupcakes, exotic mushrooms and the like. We had a long, luxurious lunch at The Slanted Door which we will review separately on Yelp!.

Here is a montage of the tile work on the walls, and a shot of the mushrooms.

Painted Grates in SF

As always, click on the image to see the detail of the sidewalk grates that had paint on them today in SF, near MOMA.

Mojitos Anyone?!

Sam's Lamp

Taken at dusk last Weds night at Sam's Chowder House. Did I mention that I LOVE my new camera? Canon 40D (digital), 10 MPix. It's all that and makes me seem like a much better photographer than I really am.

Rose Petal Art

A bunch of us got together today to plan a party that will happen in September called Play With Your Food. We did all kinds of flower + food sculptures which we then hung on a branch structure in the yard.

This is one example of a flower remade with rose petals and purple blossoms.

Photo Quilt - Blue & Green

Visual Quilts

I'm toying with the idea of taking art patches I've made and creating visual quilts. I don't have the time to sew real quilts, buts I love the idea (and I admire those who do this work in the physical form).

Disarticulating Baby Quilt

Heidi's Buttons

Coming Out

Afraid Up Close

Another View of Good Paisley Eggs

Contrarian with Heart

Good Paisley Eggs - Experimenting with Photoshop Patterns

Baby Dolls #2

Baby Dolls

I know, I know. People have been doing this Deviant Art/photoshopping with grungy brushes and swirly things and transparency for years. I'm just now catching on to it.

I used "ooops" photos from my iPhone, those ones where you are moving too fast or your finger is partway over the camera eye, as the backgrounds. I used a bunch of grunge and swirly brushes I found through Stumble Upon, and then I put in photos I took of some rescued baby dolls from Thrift Town.

Faceless - Priceless

Legs

Fiery

Dirty Baby Face

More Experimenting with Swirls

Swirly Experiment

Photo of the Day (Two, Actually)

Creepy Crown

Empty Chair

2nd Round - Merging

More Dahlias

Flowers in the Love Area of the Bedroom

I put these flowers in the love area - a feng shui sort of gesture. Soft, sweet pink delicate dahlias from yesterday's Farmer's Market.

Today, by 11:15 am, they worked.

Farmer's Market is Full of Blooms Today

Fill these trees with fruit.

Yesterday at the bookstore, I saw Taro Gomi's A Really Giant Coloring and Doodling Book. This was translated from Japanese in 2006, originally published in 1992.

I love how he sets you up to jump right into doodling. Just draw some fruit - how hard could that be? One small circle - an apple! Then another, and another. Soon, an abundance of fruit which is the start to an orchard. Or a pie. Or arrows that come into the picture, wielded by a scary monster.

You have the freedom with doodles to do whatever you want, and let your mind go where it wants.

In meetings, people now watch me to see if I will doodle, and if so, what. It may be time to resurrect the Doodles Coloring Books for Busy Executives...

Some Days There is No Time to Make Art, And Barely Time to Post It

Enjoy this expanse of nothing-ness in a private zen moment to contemplate your now, or fill it with your own doodle.

Sunflowers To Celebrate Hot Sunny Days

1st Round Doodle

Making a Living on Doodles

I just finished my doodle post today, then went to Salon to check out the latest news. There's a story today about how Lynda Barry has written a book about taking doodles and making them into comics and stories. Yay!

Doodling Frenzy Continues

Between Monday night and now, three more doodles. These are large too - 11x15 inch paper size.

Colored pencil and watercolor with the black fine tipped sharpie.


This one takes off from the colorful design on the stamps from letter I received from Singapore.


Inspired by a flight to LA, over the Channel Islands off Santa Barbara. Treacherous waters and verdant hills.


Random doodling to relax before bedtime. I used the sharpie to draw boxes, then experimented with watercolors layered over one another, punctuated by some bright, pure colors.

Doodles

Doing doodles provides hours of endless pleasure. I do them in meetings, while watching television, waiting for planes or trains, and sometimes intentionally as an evening art activity.

I'm currently taking doodles I've done at work and collaging them on to a large (36" x 48") canvas. I have asked people on my team to submit their doodles to add to this piece. None so far.

Here is a doodle I did last night. I start with a black fine-tipped sharpie on a page in my art journal. My newest art journal is larger, so there is room for larger doodles. Then, I go back over it with colored pencils, or in this case, watercolor. I'm using these doodles as an opportunity to explore color mixing and transparency.

This doodle was inspired by some of the glass I saw on Friday night at the Dale Chihuly exhibit at De Young.

You can see more doodles here.

Commission Brochure

I'm now officially available to do art commissions.