Join in to make the ‘Climate River Art Installation’ Warner Springs CA at the Hub
We will be painting rocks with messages that we have researched.
All the rocks will be together to form a river outside the Hub for a big
event July 22nd.
​Did I mention its free!
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Back from a trip to Oceano and Pismo Beach in California.

When Ralf was a kid he would mix sand and water and sort of plop the sand to make shapes. I had some great plops. Two small forms in a huge vast expanse of dune.

The Gang of Five Reconnected at the University of Oklahoma where we went to school 40 years ago. The exhibit was in the Lightwell Gallery where we first exhibited way back then.
Honestly, I expected only a handful of folks. It was Thanksgiving holiday. The big football game was going on, who would go to hear an artists' talk? Packed. We were so excited. Caroline Farris is at the lectern, I'm on the left then Ying Kit Chan, Laura Warriner and David Hailey. 
Old friends, new connections. Stories. New work to talk about. Driving the cities to see new museums and discovered that this time around I could find vegetarian food! Just wonderful.  November 2022

In October (2022) I did a talk for the San Diego Association of Geologists for their field trip to Chihuahua Valley Road in Warner Springs. While I am not a geologist and not a specialist about Dr. Bronner's Soap, I have lots to say about his life and concept to make a rainforest in Warner Springs. It was great fun. For future field trips check out https://www.sandiegogeologists.org/

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday: Noon - 5 p.m.
Wednesday: Noon - 7 p.m.
More information: 442-339-2021.   Admission is free. 
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Upcoming exhibitionartists showcase The ChairSept. 10 – Dec. 3, 2022
Opening reception: Saturday, Sept. 10, 5-7 p.m.
The Chair is an exhibition of one-of-a-kind chairs. “The chair represents the most sacred meeting of form and function; it’s a piece synonymous with support, the reliable foundation of our everyday lives. And yet the simple chair is in perpetual reinvention mode: it is the unending challenge for the artist and designer.” For this special exhibition, the selected works will range from fully functional examples to pieces of pure art and sculpture.
Artists: Erin Behling, John Cederquist, David Fobes, Matthew Hebert, Paul Henry, Roy Jenuine, Nina Karavasiles, Seth Keller, Adam John Manley, Wendy Maruyama, DeLoss McGraw, Christopher Polentz, Lee Puffer, Cheryl Tall, James Watts, and Gabriel Weise.  

​I have just completed the re-do of a planter surround for Coronado Senior Apartments on Orange Ave. I had been the artist for this affordable housing complex in 2007. The original bench was concrete, steel, woven copper and lights. It was attached to a very old tiny wall that contained the palm tree. The concrete was cracking, the steel was evaporating and the light and been cut by accident. There are a few stories/reason for all this, but I like this one the best. The normally quiet (and elderly) residents have a front row seat on 4th of July. The parade goes right down Orange Ave. They climbed up on the bench and jumping and cheering. Cracking occurs. Isn’t that the best reason to have construction issues?
The image below was the original planter surround with copper.

​I loved the concept of ‘woven’ to describe a life interconnected, and so I didn’t want to lose that aesthetic in this renovation. I designed a new surround to fabricated in concrete and figured I would make a vertical stamp to imprint the woven texture. Sun Country Builders will do the big work, as they had built the complex 15 years ago. I didn’t want to burden them with the complications of an art aspect, so I designed it so there would be a strip of circumference design - 7 inches tall and 40 feet long that I would do after they left.
Thanks Gerry and crew.

​In my studio I made a positive pattern. Then I built a dam to hold the urethane (Smooth-On brand). This was 7” x 16”. I used a Buddy Rhodes Vertical Mix so that the concrete wouldn’t slump and fall off and made my way around the 40 feet. This took 3 days and lots of involvement with the landscape plants including a broken sprinkler which made mud. All of my products were temperature sensitive and so I had umbrellas set up to deflect the sun. To make things more complicated, I had our brand new adopted dog in the van who was barking at every dog and person who walked down the sidewalk, of which there were many.

​I stained the cured concrete to accent the the woven pattern and then sealed it. During that time I got to speak with many residents. While I often do projects for affordable housing, my work is always before people move in. Designers always have the end user in mind, but rarely do we get to meet them. They were very supportive and friendly as was the staff (that I don’t normally meet either).

At the Tiny Fest in Del Mar, I had the privilege of meeting Annette McNamara who was in  Atticus, a pink schoolie, taking photographs. She started www.Beautifulstrength.org. Ralf and I were blown away by her concept, energy and ability to get some amazing portraits.


After one’s photo is taken in the studio portion of the bus (a black background which converts into her bed at night) the subject collaborates by writing on a tablet around or over their image about themselves. There is also the person’s name, age and the location. The images are then posted on the website.
Below is the image Annette took of me and a link to that page so you can see all the others. This was an amazing experience, which I heartily recommend viewing, participating the next time Atticus comes to town, and supporting her concept. We did!
3/12/22


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https://www.beautifulstrength.org/2022-mar-apr-may

Sketchbook classes at Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Beach, CA

Learn your way around this native plant preservation area by means of your sketchbook. Shipley has lots of variety and lovely places to sit, take in the view and draw. Different times of year, the plants are different. We will embrace the 'down times' beautifully.
Sketchbooks are important as a way to work out many aspects, like compositions, perspectives and mediums, even if the finished art is ultimately painted and not drawn. It's what you have on hand quickly during the day. It's what you take with you on vacation to document your travels. It can augment photographs. A quick sketch can capture a visual thought that isn't literal. Sketchbooking is not just for professional artists.
Who can resist a blank book of your own?

There will be focused observations and a moment to Take Time in nature. 

Link here to Eventbrite to get tickets for the class.
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