Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Rhapsody in Many Colors, Really


There is a tunnel between concourses B and C in Chicago O'Hare, where Rhapsody in Blue usually plays, and where the tunnel has been turned into a rather successful art installation.  I sent these images to friends who have been to O'Hare, but have never passed through.  It is quite an installation.

Did I mention Chicago (27 August)


I've passed through Chicago, but have never really spent time there.  This is still true, but at least I've been out and about a little bit in downtown.

In Praise of Virgin Hotel Chicago's Design Elements


I was at the Virgin Hotel in Chicago, which took over an older building and preserved its details while adding Virgin's own style.  And that shade of red they love so much.


It was easy to find my room: I just had to look for my ceramic dog.


I was advised to brace myself before entering the bathroom, but she should have told me to brace myself for brightness and delight.  It is a very fashionable yet low-budget strategy!  (And the bathroom remained immaculate.)

Here is a detail from the ceiling.  I think they had new pieces cast, as they were very clean.

There were many other nice details I didn't photograph, but the environment was enjoyable.


 

Saturday, August 17, 2024

What Feels Like Giant Owl's Clover


Wikipedia tells me it is White Clover, trifolium repens, of some sort.  So huge! So happy in front of my local library, where volunteers are keeping it happy in its pot.

Larger Moth Family


So bright and lovely...  The orchids that came from the office in sympathy for a death in my family bloom gloriously again. 

Monday, August 12, 2024

Fresh mural (11 August 2024)


 Nicely done!

Muni in Aggregate (11 August 2024)


When I was a child, I could read from a very young age, but still assumed the MUNI logo was an abstract symbol.  I am not ashamed of this - I mean, look at it!

Nice job on embedding this in concrete.   

Canna (10 August 2024)


I remembered its name when I photographed it, but forgot it until today.   

Free Palestine (Valencia Wall)(11 August 2024)


 

Sunday, August 11, 2024

The Ahhhh in Dahlia (10 August 2024)


Golden Gate Park's Dahlia Garden (just east of the Conservatory of Flowers) is in its full glory right now.  I had the pleasure of taking friends there, one of whom had never known it was there.  The colors! The variety of forms! The shapes!  I'm just choose three similar forms for this collage, but it is floral glory right now. 

Sunday, August 4, 2024

Polished Ascent (2 August 2024)


It is a long way up from the T platform to Union Square/Powell Station.  I do like the way the polished walls bring down the colors from the station's ceiling art installation.

New York Vibe (1 August 2024)


The tanks on the roof are what do it.  But the style of lacy texture on the facade contributes! 

Old Brick Wall in the Sun (1 August 2024)


The texture of these buildings, the faint painted sign, the segmental arches (structural work over the windows also done in brick), the color variations between the bricks... These are so visually delightful to me!  (And yes, the building can support the modern rooftop structures added later, which are appealing when viewed from Salesforce Park.)

View from Crab Cove (1 August 2024)

The water is surprisingly clear...

 

Abstract Latté Dove (31 July 2024)


This is a new-to-me barista.  When my regular baristas make my almond milk latte, even if I am chatting with my commute pal I., I can tell who made it by the pattern.  So yes, I have recently ramped up my latte consumption. 

Saturday, July 27, 2024

Weekend watercolor play


My arms are sore, for some reason, so I'm not holding a pen, but I can hold a big brush, so I spent some time playing with the metallic paints as a break from reading.  It was pleasant.

Growing Moth Family


With more on the way. I'm happy this plant is happy. 

Friday, July 26, 2024

Tea light, literally (24 July 2024)


 The patterns are beautiful.

Sunday, July 21, 2024

Sunday afternoon abstracts


Simple shapes, floating through my mind, and out onto paper with metallic watercolors. 

Djerassi Landscapes (20 July 2024)


I had the pleasure of visiting the Djerassi Resident Artist Program, on their gorgeous 600-ish-acre property, to attend their annual, one-day open house program, a collaboration with Leonardo to focus on arts with a scientific element.  

My dear friend, Sanna Fogelvik, is currently a Resident Artist, so I was able to see their new work, along with the work of other artists in their cohort with diverse practices.


The property is a classic Northern California coastal landscape, complete with second growth redwood forest, and all of the magic that includes.


For anyone who wants to have a chance to see all of the art installed in the landscape, I don't want to spoil the surprise of encountering the pieces, though I can't resist sharing an interior of the Old Barn with our hiking group in it.  The barn contains multiple installations that are deeply satisfying as experiences.  

The art throughout the property is well-placed, very site-specific, and often just perfectly lit by rays of sun coming through the redwood canopy.

Viewing art throughout the guided hike in this landscape was wonderful, and each microclimate had something, from the dry exposed hills to the fairy rings of redwood regrowth.  The art was spaced far apart, with neighborhood-like groups of art when the artists wanted to engage with the spaces, and so it was both a multi-hour hike experience and treats of art spaced well apart - there was no fear of missing something.  It was well balanced, and professionally organized and led. 


The Open House was spectacular - I don't have many opportunities to engage with working artists so closely (outside of my long-distance friend circle, and we are primarily-but-not-exclusively photographers).  It was a very positive experience to see their work in progress (with a glorious emphasis on the process, not only the finished product!), and speak with them directly about it.  The resident artists have diverse practices - dance, musical composition, digital art, analog photography, natural soundscapes, poetry, photography, speculative futures - and also aren't limited to one practice, so a group project to collect and work with local clay had participation from artists of many disciplines.  That is also such a joy to see - we don't need to be in just one art box!

I'm sure it was tiring for them to answer so many questions, but they did so well, and the conversations were satisfying for me.  Even listening to stories from the highly engaged other visitors were fun, as they brought their own enthusiasm and prior art experiences to their questions.  Alumni from the program were present and engaging, and some of them have ongoing work that started with their resident projects. Other visitors were also in non-profits and/or working artists, and they were completely delightful - and were kind enough to take me back to SF from the program's remote ranch!

I'm exhausted in a pleasant way.