Chine colle, etching, letterpress. All printmaking terms and all used in this kookie, sunny piece.

I’m studying Plato’s cave allegory this week. And here I always thought a cave is where one went to retreat. It’s interesting how the philosopher’s parable can apply to so many situations, isn’t it?

Since it’s still June and that means love and weddings I offer up this love-struck cave dweller…

I wonder how many people learn this fundamental philosophy at a young age. I’m only finally getting it…

I’m late for Illustration Friday where the word is worn.

I don’t carry my camera around like a real photographer but I had to take this photo (and had the opportunity to go home and get the robot).

This sentiment made my Thursday and gave me the Skywatch photo too. Then I went to the Redlands Farmer’s Market and anyone who knows me knows I rarely take my camera out of auto mode. These images feel like authentic art to me. So what if they’re out of focus, right?

I’ve been drawn to double (triple?) exposures since I was a kid and had a good ol’ Pentax tlr. These make me want to go find some old images I have from the 20th century…

I’m going to haul my camera around more often…

I was looking for the freeway in Riverside today, by the university. I got lost and part of me was glad.

I like this bw version too:

Happy Skywatch Friday! 

…Like the night when the northern lights perform. There’ll be icicles and birthday clothes and maybe there’ll be sorrow. Joni Mitchell

When this child was born, the universe cracked and delivered a thing so rare, so beautiful that it could only be described with the trumpets of angels.

Happy birthday Jordan Leigh.

Ah - drifting. Continents. Apart. Get my? Those concepts for the Illustration Friday word are all too easy for me.

Plus, I’m way too engrossed in Battlestar Galactica right now. When someone asked me this week if there are chickens in space, I made the only connections that made sense and let my mind drift to the galaxies.

Happy Illustration Friday!

I’m getting closer for my future online store in the print department. Here’s an etching I wouldn’t be too embarrassed to sell.

Our friends and family are the hapless beta testers if you will, for my future wares. Gosh, I hope they don’t mind!

So, I went to the California central coast last weekend. A girls trip! With Hannah and her friends and mine.

There’s Hearst Castle, a big draw for the princesses. It’s lovely and excessive.

And Cambria! Precious, pricey — tourist geared.

But the thing that puts me over the moon every time I visit is the unspoiled swath of coastline. I could look at it forever and never get bored. Read the rest of this entry »

porcelain birdhouse

I’ve been practicing. Because creating a ceramic piece that doesn’t look like craft fair dreck isn’t easy. And while I have quite a way to go, I believe these pieces aren’t worse than some I saw this weekend at an art fair in Cambria.

porcelain “test tile” chimes (sound really pretty!)

I’m being particularly stringent on myself.

See, ceramics have permanence. A multi-thousand year half life! (Like what was recently found in China) Not much like a newspaper illustration that’s seen briefly then fast forgotten.

image transfer vases

After all, I want to be really careful about what I put out in the world that might live in someone’s  house for awhile. Or, if I’m lucky might BE someone’s house for awhile.

Oooooo! I want one so badly. But I need another pet in my life like I need a new pair of shoes. I know a little about them. They curl into a ball and show their spikes when they’re angry or scared. The best color is “snowflake.” They’re carnivores and they hibernate in winter.

So, ridding myself of the thought of having a hedgehog and round-aboutly offering up this post for Illustration Friday where the word for the week is unfold (lookie, 2 in a row!). Because, as cute as this little guy is folded into an angry ball for being shaken out in the spring clean, I think I’d prefer him unfolded.

Oh what a cryptic post. But it makes sense to me. It’s about what I’m craving right this minute! Yes, you have to be an Elvis fan (and I don’t mean Presley). You have to know the song too. Finally, you need to know today’s the last day for Illustration Friday’s word craving. Get it? It took me a week but this is my entry.

‘Cause I said I wouldn’t post about them again. But who can resist an image like this? Poor Kiki lives on the roof now that Millie the dog is here (apologies to a certain reporter who visits looking for anything but cats!).

The sky in SoCal is drizzly and gray — this was taken last week. I’m not craving blue sky just so you know. I’m still loving this gloom! For the view of other skies around the world, visit the link here:

Yesterday Hannah’s posse celebrated her 14th at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure Park. What a blast.

While there, I was reminded of a couple of things:

One, “Converse tennies” are as popular as they were when I was her age (can you guess which feet are Hannah’s?) Not convinced? Then go watch this vid  (thanks to Suzanne’s blog.)

photo by Katie Simmons

2. I love being Hannah (and Jordan and Ethan’s) mom!

If you lived in So Cal, you’d find this a predictable post for Skywatch Friday. We’re having some real weather this week! The clouds looked like they’d send down some twisters to me but nope, only a little touch of the midwest instead. With mountains. And palm trees!

Here’s a view of Mt. San Jacinto, toward Palm Springs.

This view is toward Orange County.

Happy Skywatch Friday!

The word this week for Illustration Friday is adapt. Word! You know me, I say, “adapt or die!”

So, no more chicken talk. Chickens are so OVER. The only cats allowed (since Tony hates cats) on this blog will be kittens with whips. Oh yeah. Lots of half-naked women draped over the top of Mercedes.

Besides, when a person reinvents herself, going from a pussycat to a ball-busting cougar is raging! And IN.

Psyche. But I think I’ll keep the gold Mercedes…

First, I wonder if all the things I’ve discovered about the ordinary mulberry tree in our back yard is interesting to anyone else. For instance, I never knew why they were pruned back so hard until the year we didn’t do it to ours — a million, zillion messy mulberries were dropped!

I’m weird enough to wish I could try my hand at raising silk worms because everybody knows they eat mulberry leaves. But is the from the tree we have (I’m not sure of the variety)?

It was a blow to find out mulberry paper comes from the (what else) the Paper Mulberry tree Broussonetia papyrifera because of course, I want to try to make paper.

Here’s the beautiful painting Van Gogh did while recuperating from physical and mental illness in Saint-Remy. Elevating this very common tree to unforgettable art. It’s at the Norton Simon in Pasadena.

This year, we pruned most of the branches but left some so we have fruit. The second fruit to ripen after blueberries in our yard. They taste like watery, mild blackberries to me.

Look at that blue sky! To see other skies from around the world, check out Skywatch Friday.

Fieri and Lucinda

We’ve all heard of a Bucket List, right? It’s like a “Hump Island” list. What, you don’t know about Hump Island? It’s a magical place where you get a pass to — ahem — spend time with your dreams. Like watching Guy Fieri make dinner and “stuff.”

But Hump Island has it’s limits. You only get to pick five people as your castaways. Plus, there’s no cool boulevard to ride around in a classic, red, convertible Camaro, right?

Fieri’s Camaro

A Bucket List is better. No limits and more latitude for adventure. Lucinda, Lauren’s mom’s got one and she’s so busy marking stuff like sky diving off of it, she barely has time to sit still.

Last Saturday night she got to cross off the item involving celebrity chef and norcal native Guy Fieri. And what a night it was! “Off the hook” aromas of Guy’s cooking in Allan and Kimberly Henderson’s gorgeous kitchen was Lucinda’s chance to hang out with one of her idols.

Fieri was gracious and fun, signing books and posing for photographs. And he promised a spin with Lucinda in the Camaro he drives in “Diner’s, Drive-Ins and Dives” when he’s back in the North Bay — that put Lucinda over the moon.

Oh, there’s a caveat. She had to promise to spike her grown in hair like Guy’s to complete the picture, but she’s game.

Now she’s calling out Michael Chiarello and Sam Elliot for two more list items. Can you hear me guys? Since she’s seen Guy cook and got the G-rated version, you boys will need to up the ante. (shhhhh,  Michael’s list item is rated R and Sam gets the X!).

But in my book who needs those guys? Guy and his crew at the Henderson’s created a night of a lifetime to benefit Cardinal Newman high school and I felt lucky to be included along with Lucinda and Lauren. You can read all about my new favorite chef at GuyFieri.com.

Alexander Calder
American 1898-1976
Big Crinkly 1969
Painted steel

Another art image from the rooftop sculpture garden at San Francisco’s MOMA. Alexander Calder’s “Big Crinkly” didn’t make me swoon but I think the juxtaposition against the building is pretty cool. It’s my entry for this week’s “Skywatch Friday”

You can see sky photos from around the world at the Skywatch Friday blogspot.

Mark Rothko
American, 1903-1970

No. 14, 1960
Oil on canvas

I’m not embellishing this story one bit — it happened exactly as I describe it.

Firstly, when it comes to abstract art, I’m pretty finicky. I’d go on but that’s all I want to say about that so I can get to the good part quick.

While on a visit last Friday to San Francisco MOMA I saw plenty of pieces I liked a lot. Paul Klee etchings, Joan Miro’s smiley-faced “Peinture” — a typically great art museum experience.

But the weirdest thing happened when encountered this Rothko; I entered the space from the left of the painting with my back to it. As I turned to face it, my hair stood on end! It was one of the most visceral reactions I’ve ever had to a painting and I just can’t explain it. I’ve never studied Rothko so I don’t know a thing about his work.

What was most compelling however were the words to describe “No. 14. 1960″:

Read the rest of this entry »