Life on the Coast

Pelicans enjoying the sun on the Cayucos Pier.

So are we!!

From the Bookshelf

This is the final book I've picked up to finish my  Sibella Court quartet.  This one's a bit different.  It showcases all those delicious shops and venues in NYC where she hunts and gathers her amazing finds. For all of us who love the old, the quirky, the off-the-beaten-track, here's a list of where to find it in the Big Apple.  One of the great things about Sibella's books are the listings in the back of her most loved shops, museums and flea markets.  This volume is that from start to finish!  One of the dreams of my life is to visit New York and now I have even more (many, many more) reasons to get there!  A lovely armchair tour of the best NYC has to offer.

Wonder Web Wednesday

This is not an art website, not a decorating website or even a rusty website - but for all of us who love to read.  Art has been my passion for the last nine years, but reading has been with me since I started grade school. I've never been without a book since.

And what I like to read most is fiction.  And the fiction I like to read most are series.  That's where this wonderful web  comes in.  Look up an author - there are all the series written by that author in order! - I know!  Look up a book and it will give you a link to the author and the list of series.  Some people can read series out of order - but that's not me (and I know it's not you either) so this website is a god-send.  It's all there, at your fingertips whenever you need to know. In order, with a short synopsis and picture of the cover.  There are also links to different sites in the UK and USA where one can purchase said books.  If you love to read, this is definitely a web to "bookmark!"

Museum Monday San Francisco MOMA

photo courtesy of artravel.com 

 One of my favourite museums - one reason is because it's only 4 hours away. The art I've visited here has had a major impact on my work and provides a constant source of inspiration.

From their website - Founded in 1935, SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast devoted to modern and contemporary art. From the outset, the museum has championed the most innovative and challenging art of its time, and we continue to exhibit and collect work by both modern masters and younger, less-established artists.

We always have a dynamic schedule of thought-provoking exhibitions on view, including special exhibitions and changing presentations from our collection of more than 27,000 artworks, photographs, and design objects. Audio guides, docent tours, video screenings, interactive kiosks, and public programs offer opportunities to learn more about modern art.

Located just a short walk from downtown San Francisco, our landmark building features a soaring atrium topped by our signature turret and oculus skylight. The MuseumStore offers the West Coast's finest selection of modern and contemporary art books, as well as exceptional design objects, furniture, jewelry, and children's products. Meanwhile, our cafe serves gourmet fare in a light-filled space with indoor and outdoor seating.

 Cornell Retrospective  6x9"

Several years ago we went to see the Joseph Cornell exhibit which opened my eyes to the myriad joys of assemblage.  I literally spent hours filling my creative well with image after image, and took copious notes and sketches in my journal.  I created the above after returning home as a tribute to the grand master.

I Hope the Leaving is Easy  16x20"

The MOMA's Frida Kahlo exhibit to celebrate the 100th anniversary of her birth was another marvelous experience of colour and raw creativity.  It is always such a joy to see paintings in person after years of admiring them in art books.  The size always surprises - bigger, sometimes much smaller, than one expects and the textures and colours!  In the above piece I used a quote spoken on her death bed "I hope the leaving is easy and I hope never to return."

Collection  80x90"

No matter what the special exhibit is, whenever I go to MOMA, I always stop by their second floor permanent collection and say hello to this glorious work by Robert Rauschenberg Collection. I see something new in it every time.  For those of us who love drips and splatters and found objects it's a touchstone.

When you're in San Francisco make time for the MOMA - 

you won't be disappointed.

Suitcase Saturday Travel Score

Borrowed from Lisa Hoffman's Gypsy Bonfire

Green Awnings on Rue Moufftard -
 Elaine Moynihan Lisle

Paris. In the spring.  And on our honeymoon no less.  We stayed in the charming little hotel at the right side of the picture above.

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame and, best of all, the shopping!   

Margot and scarf with Eifel Tower

We found a delicious little stall at the Place Monge Market with gorgeous silk and chiffon scarves for a few Euro each.  After the first purchase, Margot said to me “Let’s each buy a scarf everyday we’re here!”  

Nortre Dame

So we did; from outdoor markets in le quartier Latin, in the fabric district of Montmartre, at a chic little store under the Louvre, at the closet-sized shop of the Turkish trader on the Rue Mouffetard.  We came home with an entire wardrobe of scarves, to wear, to share, to decorate our new house by the sea in Morro Bay, California. (Note the scarves in several of the photos!)

Erin and scarf  with Eifel Tower

Ah, yes!  The upcoming decoration of our new house is what led us to our most amusing adventure in the City of Lights.  Well, I think it’s amusing.  My darling wife claims she still has sore feet from the experience. It started the day after we arrived – jet lag you say?  No, I never pay attention to jet lag.  Of course, I get it, but I just keep going.  I’m in Paris

and I’m going to waste time sleeping?

Wedding rings and Cafe au lait

 So, first we had breakfast, mmm… café au lait and warm croissants.  Then, on our way to the Metro, we passed the market and that scarf stall, for what turned out to be our first of many purchases there.  We took the Metro to the other side of the Seine way out to the 12th arrondissement  to the Transportation Headquarters.  For some unknown Parisian reason the museum passes that we had purchased on-line back home needed to be picked up there.  After a lengthy wait – also for some unknown Parisian reason- we had the passes in hand.

Margot and scarf at Montmartre carousel 

     A quick jambon et fromage crepe later we were back on the Metro and on our way to the Guimet Museum – full of glorious Asian art and wondrous Buddhas.  Then a bateau trip down the Seine to the Musee d'Orsay to drool over the Impressionists, including my favourite - Manet’s Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe.

Erin and scarf at Shakespeare and Company

Well, after that Margot wanted to take a taxi to our next destination, the Bazaar Hotel de Ville (a fantastic department store that a friend had told us about, full of wonderful home decor) – but I said, “Are you kidding?  We’re in Paris, we’ll cross back over the river on the Pont de la Concorde and walk down the Rue di Rivoli, it can’t be that far.”

Margot and scarf on Japanese Bridge, Monet's Garden

 So, wanting to make me happy, tired as she was, she agreed and we started off.  We stopped at Angelina’s for their famous hot chocolate – so thick and rich it’s like drinking a melted chocolate bar. Each cup is served with a bowl full of whipped crème – to help cut the richness!  Thus revived, we began our trek.  

Erin and scarf at Monet's Garden

Wonderful shop windows to look in; jewelry stores, paper stores, bookstores, shoe stores.  As each block went by I’d say, “I’m sure it’s just ahead.”  But no.  Further we walked and no sight of the Bazaar Hotel de Ville.  And further…  finally there it was!  Voila!  All 5 glorious floors.  Margot headed to the fabric section and found some lovely burgundy embossed material to make kitchen curtains.

Erin and scarf with Venus at the Louvre

I found wonderful ceramic door handles and bought set after set in lime green, hot pink, blue and every other color to go with the Mexicolors we’d painted our new house.  We indulged in several drawer pulls and cabinet handles as well -  metal sculpted twigs and cunning mother of pearl shell shapes.  It was amazing how shopping made us forget that we were exhausted!

Tile Collection Board

On to the tile department.  I collect several tiles wherever I go (which I have since collaged onto a 2x4 foot board that graces our back deck).  Lots of lovelies here and added them to our stash.  By now, dusk was falling and we were more than ready to wend our way back to our little hotel on the Rue Mouffetard.

Rue Mouffetard leading into Place de la Contrescarpe

 The Metro was just across the street; with one transfer we could be a couple of blocks from the hotel.  Down the steps, caught the first train and sank gratefully into our seats-it doesn’t take long for ceramic door handles, drawer pulls and tile to be very heavy to carry around.  “Whew, I’m glad we’ll only have those two blocks to walk back to the hotel”, I said to Margot.  “Me too, remember? I was tired three hours ago,” she chuckled.

Parisienne Flower Market

 We pulled into the transfer station and found out it was one with a long, long walk to the other train we needed  - so long they had a moving sidewalk – that was out of order!  But that’s not the punch line.  When we got to the stair leading down to our train – it was blocked off.  That line stopped running at 9:00  and it was now 9:15!  So, we had to retrace our steps all that way back to the main part of the station and figure out a new route that eventually had us taking 2 trains and having a four block walk back to the hotel, carrying bags of heavy home decorating items!  But that’s not the punch line either.

The infamous handles - still unattached!

Back home, after four months, three locksmiths, and two handymen later, we were forced to give up on our dream of ceramic French door handles –apparently they take a completely different internal hardware system not available except in France and Sweden and couldn’t be re-tooled.  C’est la vie!

Baker's in Beacon

The Baker's Daughter - 24x36"

 For the third year in a row I've been accepted by the jurors of the Beacon Art Show.  This month long exhibition is sponsored by the United Methodist Church of San Luis Obispo and features work by artists in the county.

 My piece is The Baker's Daughter, a mixed media collage 

done on red rosin paper and mounted on canvas.

The exhibit opens on Friday March 1 6:00-9:00 pm as part of Arts Obispo's Art After Dark and runs through the end of the month Thursdays -Sunday 11:00-4:00.

A Celtic Fable

 A Celtic Fable - (6x9" closed)

Last October when I took a workshop from Lynne Perrella, she brought, as always, a number of examples of red rosin work to show the class.  One was a piece I hadn't seen before with an Asian theme. She had cut and folded it to make it into a book.

 I was struck not only by the design, but by the feel of the paper - there were so many layers of paint on it it felt like leather.  I decided then and there that I wanted to re-create that leather feel on a piece of my own.

  As usual with my ideas it marinated for a few months in my mind and I came up with the concept of doing something Celtic.  A Celtic Fable was conceived and now is born!

 I started by gessoing the front and back of a 16x24" piece of red rosin paper adding some bits of cheesecloth here and there on the front for texture.  When dry, I painted the back using Lumiere's Pearlescent Blue and then stenciled Celtic knots with Golden's Iridescent Gold Deep (fine) and Quinacradone Crimson.

 I used the same three colours on the front side along with an Unbleached Titanium  from Liquetex. The Celtic knot stencils were employed again (thanks to friend Destiny for cutting these for me!) and the small web stencil from  Mary Beth Shaw's Stencil Girl. Sequin scrim (or punchinella) provided the small groups of dots. Portfolio Water Soluble Oil Pastels in red and blue were lightly scrumbled over the cheese cloth and then hit with a heat gun to bring out the colour and affix them to the strands of the cloth.

 Various bits of Celtic imagery (xerox copies) were adhered with matte medium, I rubbed these lightly with a small amount of paint on my fingers to "ghost" them out and make them sink into the surface. Splatters in all four colours were next. A few bits of red cheesecloth (courtesy of Lynne's friend Steve Sorman fine art printer maker) were affixed with matte medium.

I found a small Celtic knot stamp in Margot's stash (a clingmount - couldn't find a designer's mark on it) and sprinkled it throughout the piece using Ranger's Archival Black.  Gold circles were punched out of joss paper and adhered with matte medium.  Sumi ink was used to add "mystic" symbols.  The final touch a few Celtic charms (from earrings) were sewn on with FireLine.

The paper was folded and cut to turn it into book form.  I'm very pleased with how it turned out.  The paper does indeed, with all it's layers, feel very much like leather. Thanks once again to the incomparable  Lynne Perrella for not only the inspiration but for teaching the techniques to achieve it.

Life on the Coast

It's that time of year again on the Central Coast.

  The Japanese Magnolia has burst into bloom!

From the Bookshelf

This vastly over-sized volume (12x14") is a treasure trove of Sunday comic strips, graphic art and advertising from the late 1800s to just prior to WWI.  The World was Joseph Pulitzer's newspaper and one of the first to use colour.  The Funny Side supplement featured a variety of different strips which  became massively popular during these two decades and gave the form its nickname of the "funnies." The World  also used colour in its Sunday magazine which featured a variety of  illustrated articles. The book is not only an eye candy treat, but fascinating for the history buff as well.  In this day of newspaper closures across the country I found it rather poignant to re-visit this era, a hundred years ago, when papers were King and played such a vital part in people's lives.

Journal Pages

Here's a few recent pages from my current daily journal.

Several of these were completed last weekend while

 I was having a chai latte in a coffee shop in Campbell.

I used a couple of vintage photos and

 a retro sewing needle pack that

 our friend Leanne gave me.

I write quite a bit in my journals, chronicling the day's events,

and jotting down those ever important lists!!