Sunday, February 20, 2011

"All knowledge, the totality of all questions and all answers, is contained in the dog." - Franz Kafka










Instead of at the end, I am going to start this entry with those random sightings. The IPhone photos are stacking up on my MAC! The photo above was on the sidewalk, somewhere in San Francisco... I can't seem to remember where.

Taxie and I walk around San Francisco together quite a bit, I guess we like each others company. Photo is of us walking the bluffs at Sea Ranch in January... this pup is so my bud.











We are always taking new and different routes on our way to the studio and seem to always come across interesting and often amusing, if not laugh out loud sightings. When I come across the ones that make me laugh I am reminded of our common humanity and that this city is a great place to live. We also discover new and older murals and street art. San Francisco is rich with visual street art. It is always a good idea to stop and take the photo as often the next time you pass it is gone.

O.K., now to catch up on some of those sightings that I would like to share.

I am going to start with one that brought me to a standstill on the sidewalk, laughing at it’s simple stupidity. I admit my humor can be a bit adolescent, but think this is funny. It was on Valencia St., glad I took the photo… it was ripped off the wall by the next morning.











If you have not taken a turn off of Valencia Street onto Clinton Park, let me recommend that you do. It is a very short street, be sure to make the turn onto the alley behind, there are some wonderful murals.















































This wonderful wall painting is on an alley off 24th Street in the Mission.











Random moment, just liked the pigions hanging out on another alley in the Mission.









Coastal travels with Taxie... we stopped off in Point Arena (Mendocino County) and saw this amazingly dated door on a local bar. How cool in a kind of chauvinistic way?











I also liked these. Spotted on 20th near Alabama - they are now gone.



























Sidewalk stencil. It's too bad that sidewalk stencils are not seen as much in the past few years. They can be creative statements and not as destructive as painting on private property.















Was walking up Hayes Street... the amazing thing about walking in San Francisco is that you always see something you missed or looked over. During Taxie's pee break I saw this! Is this not too funny - weird?! Can you imagine get'n your 'do' done up real nice there?


















I had an appointment downtown and decided to walk up Howard St. as I had not recently visited Defenestration, now known as The House of Falling Furniture, by artist Brian Goggin in 1997. It is still there and wonderful. I don’t know if he or someone else did the carnivalesque style murals, they are starting to get a bit faded, so I highly recommend seeing for the first time or revisiting this great installation.























And I know you are all waiting to hear "about me", well, cuz this blog is my blog and all about me. But first I have to write about some very special Italian art boys. But what Italian boy is not special? If you know me or follow my web page or blog then you know my heart is always in Italy, for good reason.

I have made friends via Facebook with blogger Urban Painting, artists Gioanto "Ozmo" Gesi and Teo "Moneyless" Pirisi. Facebook is amazing, enabling us to make friends around the world.

My first contact was with Urban Painting and later with Gioanto who in turn introduced me to Teo. I am so grateful for this connection. What wonderful art they create.

Teo aka Moneyless (got to love that artist tag) has been in town for a show at White Walls Gallery. He does some very insightful work that is based in graffiti mural work and now a statement in conceptual. I am an artist and not an art critic, but I must say that his installation floating through the space of the ceiling was a geometric experience, one of the best conceptual experiences in art I have seen. Moneyless is precise in his work and artful in his execution. What an honor to meet him. While at the opening reception Teo introduced me to his friend, artist Francesco Igory Deiana. Francesco has been actively showing while living here in SF, including 111 Minna Gallery.

Photo of White Walls Gallery opening with Moneyless.



















And now all about what's been going on in Studio 202!

I have just finished up a new painting, 4'x4', titled Midtown.













Here are some photos of the progression. This painting has many layers of colors as I wanted a depth when the lighter colors were applied. There is quite a bit of copper and many layers of glaze in the final painting.











Below is a photo of the completed work, however, it has not been professionally photographed yet so the translucency of the glaze layers and copper do not show up on the Iphone photo.























Completing Midtown gave me a bit of time before starting my next painting so I decided to go back to some unfinished projects.

I continued working on Monday Ironing. Below is where it was and where it is now.











Next, I started, or rather, restarted a painting.

This painting of a martini will ultimately live in France and was started in 2009. To explain, I was almost finished with the painting and then decided I was not happy with it. Gesso. Painting gone, new canvas surface!

My client and friend who liked the original was quite patient. She wrote to me saying; "Take your time." I think it is now time to get this done and ship it!

I have the base layers laid in and looking forward to finishing the painting. Hopefully this time we will both be happy!
























I am quite excited to be included in a juried group show in Southern California at the Long Beach Arts and looking forward to the opening reception Sunday, February 27.

And the final news I would like to pass along in this entry is that I have started a Facebook fan page. My goal is for this to be a space where artists and art fans can share information. The page is titled Studio 202. All are welcome to join in.