YOU'VE GOT IT BAD GIRL

One solid season of commissions

The studio walls have been vibrating with the births of new projects this entire Spring. I've been one hell of a busy maker, spending most days knee deep in paintings and beards made for beloved friends. All three of these pieces now live on their new walls in San Francisco, Arcata and San Diego.

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The first in the trio is of the cetaceous variety

The recipe for this commission was one part daydream about the underwater ascension of whale spirits and one part St. James Infirmary as performed by Louis Armstrong. 

The Last Wish Of The Dying Whale or The Unfortunate Rake

acrylic on panel

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The second in the trio is of the portrait variety

The recipe for this commission is one part dreamtime vision and one part mid 70's painting style as performed by Barkley Hendricks.

A Portrait Of The Man As A Young Supernova
acrylic on panel

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The final piece in the trio is of the whiskered variety

The recipe for this commission is one part family tree and one part Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono.

The Brown's Beard
acrylic on paper and felt

Much love and gratitude is due to the three fine folks who now own these pieces. It was an honor to work with you and your beautiful visions.  

Take me to the Rivers

Sometimes I forget that i'm a painter. Whenever i'm confronted with the advent of beginning a painting, I start by getting a little nervous and then I consult a short list of pros for sagely advice.
The second man on the short list is Larry Rivers.

A deluxe split level for my dusty ole pile of records

I've always wanted to build something with my mom. She's a carpenter by trade and has a full wood shop at my folks house on the west side of Santa Cruz. She built the garage with her bare hands when I was a little girl and I watched her every step of the way. Because of that memory and others like it, I think of her as a woman who can build anything. So when I decided that my vinyl collection needed a little something next level to live in, naturally I turned to her.
In my dreams, we'll conquer a big project together some time, like a cabin built on a flatbed, or a bed made out of driftwood. But first thing's first, we needed to make something small and simple together.

Mom and I in the hot tub in our Santa Cruz backyard.
The back of this photograph reads:
Late in the month 8/83, 10 months old
She loved the hot tub today- but sometimes she doesn't

This hot tub once belonged to my aunt and uncle. it lived in the backyard of their home in the San Jose foothills. When they decided to replace the old Finnish style redwood tub with a new one, my mom swooped in and gathered the demoed lumber. She brought it back to our Santa Cruz home and rebuilt the tub for our family. That tub was a permanent fixture on our back deck for over 20 years. 

When my folks decided to tear the tub down, my mom wisely kept all the wood. Like most mid century things made out of redwood in northern California, that wood is clear heart, old growth, straight grain, ancient, rare, gorgeous treasure. It was from the larger planks of this cache (the tub seats and floor boards) that we made a split level shelving unit for my record pile.

                            

                            

Hot tub turned shelf magic in my Oakland home. 

I am so grateful for my mom who was very patient with me learning how to use new tools. I had such a great time working with you momma. Let's definitely do it again. xoxoxox

*if you replaced the stacks and stacks of Tom Petty records that Todd references in this song with stacks and stacks of Joni Mitchell records, then we'd have identical collections. Just sayin', vinyl soul mate.

Tony Tony Tony

My beautiful best friend (see lovely ringed hands below) commissioned me to paint her partner, Tony a little something magical for his birthday. Tony is a north coast native with a heart connected to the sea (Pisces, duh). Loving him is easy and compiling the things he loves for this painting in celebration of him  came just as easily.

Jah bless

Amir H. Fallah + Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers

The only feeling that rivals finding a new fave painter is finding a new fave band. For the lucky, these discoveries can come knocking during the same week, under a crescent moon while Mercury retrogrades away and away and away.......

Amir H. Fallah

I came across Fallah's work on In The Make which is a fantastic art blog based out of the Bay Area.

Zoe Muth and the Lost City High Rollers came to me via KPIG, live and direct from Freedom, California.

M E G A B E T H

   

Beth with rings on her fingers and time on her hands.