Finally finished up my new window :)
A pause, with my grandma Joan
Hi everyone,
I keep on doubling back to this insanely beautiful glass wall at the Miami Airport. It’s called Harmonic Convergence by Christopher Janney. It was quite literally, a sanity check-point while navigating a long pilgrimage from The Florida Keys to Chicago with my 86 year old grandmother, Joan. After having to psychically body check a woman who almost knocked my grandmother over, we took a moment to gather our bearings and reposition our luggage. With our luck, it happened in front of Janney’s windows.
‘Dear rude lady - thank you for almost knocking my grandmother over because if you hadn’t, we would have never paused to admire this installation.’
Meanwhile in Chicago, we had a nice time riding through O’hare Airport. This is Sky’s The Limit, a 1987 permanent installation by Michael Hayden. Having grown up in Chicago, I’ve spent hours of my life walking through this installation. It is still one of my favorite experiential pieces. It also started my life long romance with airport art.
And Today, It's Raining
Spent some time this morning drinking coffee and listening to Michael Hurley, trying to find inspiration online. I came across Yan Cong, an artist and cartoonist living in Beijing. Thought his work was something more than special and wanted to share with you all. The image clicks through to a gallery in Beijing that shows his work. The artist bio below was also borrowed from that gallery.
Yan Cong (b. 1983, Hubei, China)
Yan Cong, birth name Peng Han, is currently based in Beijing and was graduated from The Central Academy of Fine Arts, Chinese painting department in Beijing. His creation of work is diversifying, like comic, painting, collage and even fabric art. The content of the works tend to himself as the protagonist, the structure is in his own life as the foundation, but in which mixed with a lot of fiction fantasy, let the audience mistakenly think that work is the artist's life, There is a sense of "reality".
Michael Hurley - Penguins
Flyer making with Kelly
Found an old flyer Kelly and I made while having fun after work one Friday night. Sadly, this party never came to fruition…
“‘Bring your best velour coutoure to the chambourd she-bang schmorgaecsbourg next fri-day only’
Bring your juicy, gucci, donna karan, rick james, versace, swatch, cognac”
Progress ☺️
So... I’m almost done with my new panel 😬 just need to cap the sides, solder and putty 🙃
Window Progress WIP
Here’s a progress photo of my newest window :) I hope to finish up within the next couple weeks.
The Donaldson's Inn - Negril, Jamaica
This December my dad and I spent two weeks together in Negril, Jamaica. Having never attempted travel drawing or studying the ocean, I took it as an opportunity to get to know the landscape. Every morning I woke up and made my way to the 7 mile beach. I spent a lot of time drawing the cliffs, the cove, and fishing boats that would wash up on shore to sell their catch in the morning. My favorite drawing was the day after a heavy storm hit. It washed mass amounts of seaweed onshore, and brought the water level up to the back doors of many cottages on the beach. I got to know a lot of people living and working in the tourism trade and spent a good amount of time studying the catamarans anchored a bit off shore. It is in no way a full picture of the environment I experienced. After leaving and looking at all the work I made I am sad to say how incomplete my journal was. In many ways, the people living and working in Jamaica are who make the environment so special. If I ever return, I will spend the next block of time working on portraits, and drawing studies of my favorite stops along the way.
On Christmas Eve, my dad and I walked down Seven Mile Beach and found a nice place to play Gin Rummy at sunset.
Here is one of my early morning drawings of a catamaran and glass bottom boat anchored off shore near The Donaldson’s Inn.
“This Is Ossie, Have you seen him” My dad and I stayed at The Donaldson’s Inn, where he’s been coming for over 30 years. Ossie owns the Jerk Chicken Shack across the street, and this is a painting his brother made of him. From what i’ve been told, Ossie is also an artist, but as he comically explained to me, he is a lazy one.
Mirav
Went digging in the stacks tonight and found some nice old drawings of Mirav. Some of my favorite drawings are of her.
Last night's long pose with Tulee
Made a bunch of awkward drawings last night - and my question is - What makes something MORE than just a drawing? Also, how do you ruin a drawing? I’ve started a list. Tulee held the pose below for 5 sessions, each 20 minutes long.
Should also probably mention that the air quality is so bad here in San Francisco that government buildings and schools were shut down today. For everyone not in California, this is a horrible, horrible fire. Here are a couple signs in my neighborhood…
Gettin' there! *Undertoe Rugs*
I honestly can’t believe how long I’ve spent on one individual piece - THATS SOLE PURPOSE IS TO BE STEPPED ON! - now i understand why you don’t see latch hook rugs anymore. Well, here I am! Bailing on plans, hunched over like a psycho binge watching Outlander and Battlestar Galactica, just trying to finish the dang thing…. here’s what it looks like, 7 months later…. 800 HOURS AND COUNTING!
One step closer ya'll! *** Stained Glass ***
Couple weeks into my new window. Its so difficult making progress when I only have a 3.5 hours a week to dedicate to glass works. Hopefully the tide will change and I’ll be able to spend more time in the studio.
Stained Glass Blueprint
Finally finished preliminary sketch for my next stained glass window. It doesn’t look like much now but just wait! More pictures to come…
New day, new drawing
Here are two 15 min drawings of Tendai from yesterday morning. After a long work weekend it feels really good to get into the studio and draw.
September 2018
This past week has been a test of endurance! Wednesday I finished my first stained glass window, Thursday night I worked on a 3 hour long pose of Tendai and topped the evening off with my friend Natalie at the Lone Palm. Then I tended bar at the 500 club Friday night, attended a wedding in Oakland Saturday, worked happy hour at the 5 on Sunday and started Monday morning off with a triptych of 15 minute drawings. Tomorrow I officially start my second window! more pictures to come :)
Tuesday Night at Cradle of the Sun
Tryin’ to hammer out the final design for my next window 👋🏽🕺🏻
(collage with crayon, paper and glass)
Monday Morning at 23rd Street Studio
Spent Monday morning drawing at 23rd Street Studio. Here are a couple sketches of our model Jeremy during that session. Full (15 min pose) Portrait (40 min pose)
New Stained Glass
Here's a new window in the works -
Each window i'm making is supposed to pair with one of my latch hook rugs. I would love to eventually sell them as sets and work on commission for unique homes and spaces. More photos to come!
