Really? That Can't Be True...

Yup, the Big Guy is turning one of those red-letter birthdays, and boy oh boy, is it a big one. Funny how the party napkins match the cat's Bird-Be-Safe collar. May we all be safe and happy these days!

Brag, Brag, Brag #8: Michael Reardon

 So we got out of town. Yup, hard to believe, but we left Luna in the world's most capable and loving hands and headed to Sta. Barbara for an art show. An art show at the Thomas Reynolds Gallery featuring, ta-da!, Michael Reardon. And a bunch of architects who also can paint pretty darn well. 

 We saw family and friends, caught rain and dodged tumbleweeds on the drive, and generally had a wonderful time. The shows up until the end of October, so if you happen to be in the vicinity of Sta. Barbara, I recommend stopping by. 

Brag, Brag, Brag...#7: Michael Reardon

It's done, over, finished, complete. And the outcome is great!

My best guy spent a big chunk of last year writing (mostly illustrating, rather) an instructional book on watercolors - Watercolor Techniques: Painting Light and Color in Landscapes and Cityscapes, published by North Light Books.

And although he is most certainly not responsible for the title, he is quite happy with the results.

Michael will be signing books at Diesel in Oakland on April 3rd. But please, please, please, you can't go out and buy a copy unless you plan on taking up painting...

Drawing on What's Right in Front of You

I just finished reading American Mirror by Deborah Solomon, a new biography of Norman Rockwell, and really enjoyed it. And after having lived with an illustrator for quite a number of years, I have a certain appreciation of the demands that "art on a deadline" can create.

Watercolor Group in Parque del Capricho, Madrid

I was also struck how Rockwell claimed that he was unable to draw unless he had a model, a few costumes or props, a photograph or some sort of reference material right in front of him. Most people (and I include myself in this group) didn't understand: how could he not just draw something plucked from his brain or coughed up from memory, especially after spending so many years doing art full time?

In Spain last fall, the illustrator in my family gave a plein air painting demo to a group of painting friends. Mistake - it poured rain and soaked us all. But the Spaniards persevered, and took us to lunch for the traditional dish Cocido Madrileno.  And by the time dessert came, most of us were more tipsy than damp.

The following day - rain, rain, rain and more rain. So to me, it seemed like a great idea to make little "thank you" paintings for the lovely painters who had treated us so well the day before. I mean, what else to do when all the museums have been visited and painting in the Parque del Retiro is not an option?

Except, except, the painter had nothing in front of him to paint! He, like Norman Rockwell, just couldn't settle down. He whined, he moaned, he huffed and puffed, he paced and squirmed, but I didn't relent. I mean, what else did he have to do on a rainy day except bug me, right? Better to get to work than "help" me knit or read.

iPad to the rescue. Along with a coffee cup borrowed from the kitchen, a stack of pens and pencils, a new tall and skinny painting pad, and an unyielding partner. And in the end, I certainly think it was worth the bother.

A Day Off

Sutter Buttes Painting

One of the very nice things about retirement is the flexible schedule. My Wednesday can now be a "Saturday".

So while everyone else was tearing up the freeway, we tootled off to the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area to check out the locals. I looked and listened to the birds; Michael painted.

Sutter Buttes Photo

White Pelicans

Wascally Wabbit

Larner Seeds

Baby Blues Eyes and Clarkias

California Poppy, Coastal Form

A little while ago my best guy spent the day teaching a watercolor workshop at Point Reyes and I tagged along. Not to paint, but to take a spring hike and visit Larner Seeds, a small seed company located in Bolinas where, as they say it, "we seek to promote the riches of our California flora." How could anyone argue with that?

It was a fun visit, although beware: Larner Seeds is only open on certain weekends of the year. However, you can always order seeds online, anytime of the day or night.

And the hike? Fabulous. Great wildflower displays, marsh wrens singing away in plain view (I rarely get to see marsh wrens) and an osprey family in the making, tucked up high in its branchy nest. 

I heard that the painters also had a wonderful day.

Escape from Alcatraz: Issue 4

Not the movie. Not the triathlon (good Lord!). Nope, it's the comic, or graphic novel, if you so prefer. Yes, the fourth volume in the series of comics describing all of the break-out attempts from Alcatraz (aka "The Rock") from way-back-when, when it was a federal prison (now it's part of the national park system).

And my best guy got to be part of this comic adventure.

So you know when you have a friend who has hidden talents (no, I did not say super powers, but, in fact, that is fairly close to the truth), and this friend invites you out to lunch where you then discover that, in addition to a successful real life, he has another successful life in the land of comics. And best of all, he wants you to be part of the action.

No, this is not one of those imaginary friend things (those guys never pick up the lunch tab) but Wren Nowan. Last year he was commissioned by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, a non-profit which supports the Golden Gate National Parks, to produce this fourth comic in the escape series. Heck, they even paid him.

So at this lunch, Wren asked if Michael would consider collaborating with him on the project and, although I wasn't there, I think the answer sounded something like "you betcha!"

They got to work and now, a few months later, Escape from Alcatraz: The Final Breakout, is ready.

There will be a book signing event at Escapist Comics in Oakland on Sunday, April 27th at 3 pm. Stop on by if you get a chance.

Shameless Plug #4: Michael Reardon

Sonoma Fountain by Michael Reardon

He's off again, leaving Princess and me to take out the garbage and do lovey-dovey on the sofa all by our little furry selves.

Uh huh, Sonoma Plein Air, the week-long festival of plein air painting designed to raise funds for art education in the Sonoma public schools starts tomorrow. And, for the first time in years, there is no rain in the forecast!

The artists (all 40 or so of them) spend the entire week painting outdoors in Sonoma County and then showcase their work at two big public events: a gala dinner and art auction on Friday evening (it's already sold out, so wish them well) and an art show and sale on the Sonoma Plaza on Saturday from 10 - 4pm.

Sounds like fun, huh?

Updates: #1

Some days it seems that nothing is ever going to be different or finished or at least picked up and dusted.  But looking back, occasionally there is positive motion (I refuse to call it "progress"). For example:

The Zucchini Sex Goddess has had remarkable success this summer.  If only "she" could wave her cotton swab and make the tomatoes ripen as well.

Michael Reardon has a number of pieces in a group show at the Thomas Reynolds Gallery in San Francisco (one painting already sold!).

Kathy Kenny will again be at the Oakland Art Murmur on August 3rd.  She sold seven of her lovely handmade jewelry pieces last month.

Two large bags of corks stopped being passengers with me - they had enough driving time completed that they were eligible to take their driving test(s) - and filled up the bin at BevMo last week.

Photo by Ann Rubin

The deadline for sending handmade woolen goods to afghans for Afghans has almost arrived (August 15th), and the response has been wonderful. On Tuesday afternoon I helped pack up nine hundred hats to arrive in time to keep school children warm this winter in Afghanistan.

Peter Nicks, the director of The Waiting Room was interviewed on the PBS NewsHour on July 18th.  We saw the film at the Temescal Street Theater in June.  Hats off to the Street Theater organizers!  Actually, it was so cold that night that you would have kept your hat on (or wished you had borrowed one from afghans for Afghans) and wondered why you didn't bring your gloves and scarf, too.  For information on future screenings of The Waiting Room near you, click here.

And lastly, Princess is back in the pink!

Shameless Plug #1: Michael Reardon

The most important watercolorist in my life has two of his paintings in a show at the George Krevsky Gallery in San Francisco.  The show is a tribute to the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The show runs from May 3rd - June 9, 2012. Stop by, if you get a chance.