seriously

I should take my Pollock app paintings more seriously

and give them the respect they deserve.

Like most art, some take hard work,

and some are pure serendipity.

Some of them stink and get deleted,

but I think some of them are quite good.

I should give those some air.

Speaking of which, these were done at Gate 42.

I did this next one recently before dawn.

I immediately recognized that it must be for Loriann.

yosemite sam

A sure sign of spring.

much too much

If the world was made of chocolate

but a river ran through it,

it would still be too much chocolate.

chocolates

It took a lot of chocolate to paint this.

Photographing it drove me nuts.

Personally, I don't like chocolate and nuts,

so I figured I better just close the box.

another medium

Here are more Pollock iPhone app pieces.

Some appear dark because I did them late at night,

and I can't take a bright screen after midnight.

First, some barns.

I guess you could call this next one a memory painting.

It's a blueberry bog in Maine at night.

Here's another memory.

This time of an old screen door on a cottage.

And another barn.

There's something I love about doing these.

They're good for me; I can't control them.

when color first comes

A week ago, Loriann Signori suggested

we all try to do a memory painting.

This is the one I sent to her.

I've never consciously tried a memory painting before, though I suppose that whenever I've painted without a sketch or photograph, with only an idea of a place or time which left an imprint, it could be called a memory painting. As it turns out, while trying to successfully render a likeness can sometimes be difficult, trying to not be specific can be a good idea. The ideal, of course, is for either process to inform the other.

On February 10th, Loriann generously posted paintings done by nine talented artists who accepted the challenge here.

I love how different they all are.

Thanks for doing this, Loriann.

first wave

I could've painted more in Hawaii, but it seemed superfluous.

Eventually the colors became irresistible, and besides, the humidity kept the acrylics workable for two whole days. Amazing. Here in Colorado, they skin over in less than a half hour. Ironic, since I sat on the porch and watched this

paint itself in no time at all.

beach life

Teach these guys to surf,

and life on the beach will never be the same.

culture clash

I'm B-A-A-ack.

From the sublime...

to the ridiculous...

When I opened the shade on the plane in the morning,

it was clear that it had snowed in the mountains.

Aside from that shock, re-entry was gentle;

the first day back here was 65 degrees.

Joke's on me.

Now it's 14 and going down to 15 below zero tomorrow night.

I'm humbled and holed up in the studio.

P.S. This my blog, so I get to make amends.

Both of these places are ridiculously sublime.

instead

Sorry, it was a NO GO on Thursday for the Eddie.  The judges judged that the waves were big enough but not consistent enough. If the conditions kick up again before February 24th, they'll call everybody back from around the world and do it.  As all the invitees said, they don't care where they are or what they're doing, they'll catch the first plane and be here.  No matter the cost. After all, it's the Eddie. 

Lucky for us, all of the world's best Big Wave riders were already here, all jacked up and nowhere to go. Apparently, word got around that there were monster sets up here at Sunset. By 4 o'clock, they all (40 or so) were here with 5 PWCs (jet skis) and began tow-in surfing.  For the next 3 hours, we got to watch the most amazing athletes do the most amazing things (vocabulary fails me here) and still live to tell about it.  It was absolutely breath-taking.

Instead, though we'll probably never get to actually see the Quiksilver, we did get to watch the best surfers in the world do stuff that was too crazy even for the Eddie.      

  

front row

I brought my sketchbook, 6 canvases, acrylics, 3 brushes, charcoal, a value strip and some red acetate for viewing. I haven't even done as much as a thumbnail, no notans, no nuthin'. I'd like to think I'll produce something, and I will. BUT... 

The computer models are all showing that the biggest swell of the season is coming and will be here by Thursday. The predicted 40-foot waves will guarantee that "The Eddie" will be held in Waimea. Meanwhile, today and tomorrow the Sunset Open is being shown on a live streaming feed for a $10,000 prize. Watch 80 great watermen surf elimination heats. It's also being broadcast on Time Warner so we've got it on the big screen, on the computer, on the iPhone and right off the porch. Front row. Take a look; the feed   

right time right place

Life ain't easy, but it always gets you to the right place at the right time.  Being mere mortals, we can't plan it.  It's in the lap of the gods.  Lap dogs.  Heh.  

In spite of that basic truth, I find it to be no small miracle that we got here to Sunset Beach 24 hours ago, and today the rumored return of the most legendary surfing event in history is riding what the National Weather Service is calling a extra large swell from the North Pacific directly toward the North Shore of O'ahu.  If it does indeed arrive here as forecasted on Thursday January 20th, it will mean that The Quiksilver In Memory Of Eddie Aikau will be held two years in a row. That link will take you to my previous post about the Quiksilver, where you can learn more about the contest and the coincidence.  Both are really quite phenomenal.  

Hard to believe, but for once, hyperbole fails me.  Like everyone else here, I'm waiting for the waves.  The moon will be full, the tide will roar up the beach and the surf will be stupendous.

 

stormy weather

I hope our scheduled trip to O'ahu is well-timed,

and the current storm will blow over.

Aloha.

This is my photograph.

I took it with my Sony DSLR from the porch of our house

on January 25, 2009.

day's marsh

Day's is a lobster/clam shack along Route 1 in Maine.

My husband lives on their lobster rolls when we're back there.

While he ordered his umpteenth,

I slipped out back and took some pictures.

I did this pastel when we got back.

Dissatisfied, I put it aside a few months ago.

Thought I'd go back to it, but that can drive you crazy.

Better I should shoot it and let it go.

There are more pictures,

and there sure are more lobster rolls.

dog sledding

gracey

Sweet Gracey was our chocolab. She died of bone cancer at Christmas 3 years ago. She was a rescue and had, as they say, issues. During the five years that she lived with us, she gifted me with patience and a more profound understanding of dogdom than I thought possible. She also led us to our next rescue, Garrett the Great, a dog of such excellent disposition, smarts and humor, he was clearly meant as a reward.

During the last year of her life,

she snoozed behind me in the studio while I painted this.

watchdog

Dog, watch over us and protect us.

Happy New Year!

reclipse

I'm as much of a heathen as anyone,

so I regret not staying up to see

the totality of the eclipse on the solstice.

But I did see the moon rise that night.

O my Dog.

before the fall

I like these photos.

They were the last ones I took a couple of weeks ago

before crashing on the cattle guard.

Long tall Sally.

Yup.

This crutch supporting the mountain is actually

a raptor platform for nesting golden eagles.

In hindsight, I should've used it.

More's the pity.

christmas tree

The maple tree's Christmas lights

Every color we've got.

copasetic cosmos

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and fortunate

Solstice, Full Moon & Lunar Eclipse!

Credit: Jim Fakatselis, NASA

deck the halls

face plant

Last weekend, the weather at the ranch was beautiful,

cold and clear.

The dog and I took a walk up the mountain.

How blithe.

As part of my continuing education, called Life, on our way back down the ranch road, my shoelace lassoed a spike on the cattle guard, and I crashed and burned. Did a total face plant down onto the metal bars. Somehow, my Kryptonite sunglasses protected my face. Mostly. I sat for a bit, resumed breathing and took inventory; there was enough blood for good drama, but that was all.

When I got back down to the house, I put my feet up and iced my face. To pass the time, I got out my iPhone and went into the Pollock Zone. That app is a remarkable anesthetic; does wonders for pain and plane rides. I did this wry self-portrait. It's the only image you'll ever see. Take my word for it, it's a fair rendition of the wreckage.

Considering I should be dead, my fat lip was a miracle.

sundance

Nobody naps like a dog.

Sundance

This is dedicated to this proud old guy,

who at age 12 wasn't too old to go out on a toot today

in dogged pursuit of a girl.

Then we "rescued" him and called his mother.

I bet he's sleeping well tonight,

and I bet he's pissed at us.

some cats are okay

We're mostly not cat people,

but sometimes you gotta admire talent.