June 28—29

This weekend was filled with activities in all levels. I didnt let the smoke get me down, or the ashes falling from the sky all weekend. O, thats right, i went outside.

One of my close friends and I went out to the Earthbound Farms for a raspberry festival which was fun and good to go outside and hang out. I got a little Thai basil plant, pretty exited about that. There was face painting, raspberry picking, gussing how many raspberries were in a pie, cooking demonstrations, and lots of organic foods. Mmm. As im looking at my image, i mostly just took close shots of nature that interested me.






After the Saturday, play day I hopped into the studio after a visit to Monastery Beach in Carmel. This visit was to inspire and collect kelp for my kelp pour that i am currently working on. I would like to keep going with this series, i have completed four so far, and working on more.

This red piece is part of my Tangled Hearts Series 6x6 encaustic on wood panel.


Here are some of the kelp pours. They are real interesting to create. I have a lot of fun playing with the shape, color, and texture i want to venture in every peice. I cant wait to get a larger working space, so i can work larger than a cookie sheet.


In between studio work, i came up to visit my inspiration in a box. Oh, Mater is so cute.

Tuesday Waxday

Well, right when i got home today, i started to heat the wok. I had a plan, and like most of my plans, this one steered away from the original goal, however i think thats always a great thing (in the studio). I have had these pieces of amazing kelp a friend and his mom, who is also a painter, collected here at the Monterey Bay. I never really knew what i was going to do with them. Tonights goal was to be, a theme of, Labor, Land and Love of Country. So i worked on this 6x6 triptych concentrating on color and numbers which i would some how it into one of these categories. I got to this point, and wanted to work on something else. Below you can see these little leaves, they are pressed cyanothis, native to Monterey, they are almond shape :) I love the middle one but the other two need more work.


All of a sudden i heard kelp screaming for freedom, from their plastic bag home, under a drop cloth, inside a cardboard box that use to hold blocks of wax. So, i listened. I went for them, searching under the rubble i found them. I wanted to do pours with the kelp to focus on shape color and simplicity, here are process shots, not the final. I had to make dinner. Here they are, enjoy. i just love pours. So i am playing with the different shapes and colors and such, and the last one, well it just made me smile.

Studio Work June 23

Well, this weekend has been full of creation and processing. The weather here in Monterey has been real interesting and unexpected, starting with some hot days, (83 degrees). I went to the beach yesterday to think about my work and gather inspiration for my acrylic work. It was so amazing, im sitting outside, laying on my flannel blanket, eating almonds, thinking how nice it is to feel the heat on my pasty skin. As I listen to the ocean wash on shore, i lay in the sun, while watching the clouds slowly dance by. The clouds become darker and the sun hide a little more behind the clouds. I sit up and look out to the sea and watch lighting strike the calm sea. I heard thunder rumbling in the air. The plans for the day have slightly changed. So i packed up my things after siting watching the lighting show off the Monterey Bay. I also watch all the tourist pack their beach balls and umbrellas. I walk home, and to the studio i go.

I had a wonderful eight hour day in the studio. I painted in acrylics, (while my power was out) and then later i turned up the heat and got my wax on.

This new jellie peice is interesting, not sure where it is going, but, i cant help to love the jellie on the bottom left. There is something magical and story like about these jellies. I saw a few washed up on shore yesterday, however they were all clear and round, These are my Sea Nettle inspired jellies.

This is an in progress piece of the forest series i have created. A similar piece was accepted to KVIE's Art Auction, and shown at Monterey Museum of Art.

Here is the piece at the end. I think i am going to take out that black cloud. It is distracting to me. Encaustics never photograph well, this piece is so magical in person.

Living Life

So everything is going well here, and I have been busy as a bee gathering inspiration for upcoming work. Since the Octopi show, i have been indulging in nature, going camping with one of my best friends, Andi. She is an amazing soul and we always have such an awesome time together.
That was Memorial Day weekend, in Truckee. Nice and cold, it even snowed, I dont see the snow very often so this was a nice bone chilling experience that should be kept to a minimum.


This is one of my latest pieces, titled, "Number Nine" It is beeswax, found objects on wood panel. I just love the use of color and that amazingly pressed orchid. After making that peice, i stuck with similar color value and created, "Stuido Storm"


i just love the strips of paper on the left side, interesting colors.


My up coming work will be inspired from labor, the land, and the love of country... i will be researching about farmers and their love of land and why they farm and stay connected with the land.
My love for land has takin me and my friends to Pinnacles National Monument this weekend where we did a six mile hike to a cool cave...that we were unable to explore because we did not bring flash lights. So now we are going to camp soon, bring flashlights, and explore all the land has to offer.

leaves of three, let them be...leave o four, have some more.