...a man can dream can't he?

I stopped to take photos of this massive driftwood while on a beach run with a good friend when an elder beachcomber joined us for the moment and asked,
"What are you doing?"
I replied in jest,
"We're thinking of taking this home and making a coffee table."
He said with a smile,
"A man can dream can't he?"
His response was exactly what we needed to hear that morning and continues to resonate today.

...kelp mandala mural concept.

Designed to grace a big wall in the outer Sunset District, this concept of the kelp mandala is based upon the mounds of seaweed that sometimes punctuate the shoreline of Ocean Beach here on San Francisco's west side. Kelp forests exist as a vital underwater ecosystem and are usually broken up by surging tides and stormy seas. Once on shore these mounds are fascinating labyrinths of amber and green knots that have captured my imagination since childhood. The shoreline is a daily mecca for me and the kelp mandala represents its spiritual significance.

...a surge of transitory bliss.

...tropical triptych.

Luscious flowers, volcanoes and prehistoric hummingbirds....every painting should have them.

...an elaborate set of private rituals.

...sketching.

Several recent random sketches that accompany my journaling...

...more strolling.

Wordless haikus.

...strolling in the hood.

Studio Details

Three Paintings

Past, present and future artwork coexist briefly in my studio.

Kelp Mandala happening.

Mounds of kelp. Sometimes found on Ocean Beach, they are the inspiration behind this artwork in progress. As I paint this third variation I get lost in the labyrinth which, of course, is where I want to be.

...the magic cave.

Pears & Plums...

Two new paintings close to leaving the studio: Taijitu Pears and Two Plums in Tissue.

...fragments from a remembered dream.

...fragments from an unremembered dream.

...doing lines.

...the transmigration of souls.

Usually I get the year wrong not the month.

First Sketch of 2012

I'm beginning to think that sketching is a way for me to express my own contradictions. Ambiguity, contrast and paradox are the names of the wise men who speak to me lately.

Last Sketch of 2011

What a beautiful day today in San Francisco. Both sunrise and sunset were melting layers of an orange sherbet push-up popsicle and a Cherry Garcia ice cream wedge. In between each display people spilled outdoors to embrace the day; a crisp and vibrant year-end gift. The above scribble-fest is this year's last. I titled it there's no here without there.

Holiday Season Hours

With a few days remaining why not consider making artwork a gift? A painting or drawing has the true potential to become a family heirloom. It's a gift born from imagination. Not only that of the artist but also the insight and vision of the gift-giver. Art feeds the soul and stimulates the intangibles within. It's made by hand and grown locally in my case. So give it some thought if you're facing creative block while looking for that unique present.
My studio hours:
Friday 12p-7p
Saturday11a-3p
Actually I'm there all day this week except for Thursday so....

Chubby.

I can't help myself. Donuts are fun to paint. Especially the sculptural ones found at 18th and Mission. The frame is a vintage egg and dart I found in Santa Barbara. I decided they belong together. Classic and whimsical at the same time.