initials

Constructed Graffiti

I snapped photos of graffiti in downtown today. I've tried on several occasions to mimic and draw the spatial illusions that these artists achieve with spraypaint, ladders and rebelliousness. My attempts have been, well, very dorky. As well as I can draw, there's a rhythm to graffiti that I just can't capture. After several more failed attempts, I took a planned detour down to E's workshop and like the big dork I am, went through her trash pulling out wood scraps. Here's my resulting form of graffiti - constructed out of wood, translated into flat space and completely virtual.

goldfinch, conflagrating cloud

I was dreaming hard last night. I dreamt I was out at my parents, on the deck, looking out at the St. Croix. This time there were no terrible hurricanes. We were standing on the deck together and one little cloud floated into view, it was small but not because it was far away, it was literally only 4 feet or so high and just a few yards away from us. Then it started to silently conflagrate, from the top down and not in defined flames but in the way a sparkler burns. We were astounded. Later, I was feeding the birds on the deck, throwing little pieces of cheese out to them. Mostly Robins and Grouse were eating the cheese but there was one little Goldfinch, smaller than the others, waiting patiently. I knelt down with a little bit of cheese cupped in my hand and the Finch bobbed up to me and ate out of my palm. That was the most lucid feeling of the dream; awake now, i can still feel the delicateness and the sensation of the Finch tickling my palm as she nibbles.

The Benefactor

The truth is something that is told, not something that is known.

The ideas which interest me are asymmterical: one enters through one side and exits through a side which is shaped quite differently. Such ideas rouse my appetite.

These are quotes from Susan Sontag's novel The Benefactor. I wanted to read it after watching a PBS doc about Annie Liebovitz. This is how it came about: Liebovitz was assigned to photograph Sontag and as preparation and research of her subject Liebovitz read Sontag's novel, the Benefactor, and was impressed and affected by it, thus setting the stage for an irreversible friendship and subsequent romantic relationship. Curious, I changed my after-work routine one night and coasted down Park Blvd on my red bike to the downtown library where the only copy of The Benefactor in the San Diego Library system lives. The Librarian immediately tuned into my on-a-mission-expression and she very seriously went about the task of retrieving my selection from the archives. I like Sontag's quote above about assymetrical ideas because I think social connectivity works itself out in an assymetrical fashion too. Whether it's in the contexts of business relations, culture-making or dynamics in overlapping circles of friends, there is consistent assymetry in how we shape our connections. Sometimes a singular encounter, in a certain place and in a certain frame of mind is all it takes to begin the outline. You may never be that close to it again but the asymmetrical shape has been started and its exit point and final shape becomes yours to define.
It's easy to glaze over with symmetry, such as the 9-to-5, or circulating amongst the same people year after year, or going to the same places agian and again, because symmetry is easy and easily understood and an aesthetic free pass. I think my appetite agrees very much with Susan's.

look again...

after staring at the photos a 2nd time i guess i did catch venus

wet hair

found in translation

soundtrack: Beautiful - Moby

Instead of Venus

I chased Venus through the streets last night but ended up with this slowly exploding tree instead.

It's a good day when I find a new block.

The Prarie Block, collected in La Jolla on my way to the Museum of
Contemporary Art San Diego to see the work of Vik Muniz.

blossom experiment I

blossom experiment II

*coffee grounds, polystain, ikea shelves

Revision to top 3 SoCal Hot Dogs
Delete Ikea hot dog at spot #3 and replace with San Diego Zoo.
Reason: sesame seed bun and presence of wild animals vs. wild shoppers.

the limits of luck

Last night after work my favorite co-worker and I went to a gathering of the trades at Dal Tile's new showroom. To kickoff their new stuff Dal held a themed "Beach Blanket Bingo" event with a day-spa package, $150 dinner gift certificate and $500 up for grabs. My favorite co-worker wanted to leave after 20 minutes but I made the case for bingo. We played all 3 rounds and he did terrible for the first two hardly getting any numbers. At the start of round 3 I grabbed a broken green glass tile and placed it on his "free space" square and said this will bring good luck. Well, 15 numbers later he got bingo and won $500, almost....because someone else also won and bingo law requires a "bingo-off" at which point my favorite co-worker lost and there went my free lunch for today.

Milkshake in Minneapolis Tonight

This Minneapolis fundraising event in the warehouse district is not to be missed!
My friend Camille has donated art and there will be 50+ items/experiences to bid on total!
The music starts at 7pm and if I can find a cheap airline ticket in the next 6 hours I'm there!

(Probably won't happen but I'll be there in spirit)

here is the difference

5:45am may gray mornings: wake up, leave bed unmade, am not energetic enough to make coffee, have to talk myself into a shower, wear two unique socks, hide after work, unfreeze food.

The sun has now been back for two mornings in a row! and here is the difference:

5:45am: wake up, feel sun, doze off with big grin, wake up again at 6:15am, more grinning, make bed, grind coffee beans with a mission, skip shower and socks altogether, get breakfast one or two times* then skip work** and start next art project!



* there are sooooOOOOoooooo many great breakfast places here!
** pure fantasy