Vardos

I have been wanting a vardo (i.e., Traveller wagon) since seeing the movie Into the West (1993) again the other day.

Feeding Chickens

Summer

Steel Pulse

Steel Pulse is one of the few bands I have listened to consistently for the last 20 years. I was introduced to them by my older brother when I was 15, and have seen them live several times. It is amazing to me how relevant their lyrics are to today's world. The biggest Steel Pulse fans reside in Hopiland. I loved seeing all the young men sporting Steel Pulse t-shirts at Indian gatherings when I lived in Arizona. 



Here is a picture of Mutabaruka (not part of Steel Pulse) visiting a Hopi school from the Reggae in Hopiland site.

Spring finally came to the Northwest

Here are a few pictures from our house.

San Juan Islands

Visited the San Juan Islands when my parents were in town. What an amazing place!

George Spencer

One of George Spencer's Boxers. He really captures the essence of the boxer in this painting.


image from http://www.aestheteblog.com/

Chickens

We recently got chickens. They are almost old enough to put out in the coop, and we are excited to have them cruising around the yard. They are currently looking more like mini dinosaurs than the baby chickens we brought home in the picture.

TEEPEE

Got this custom teepee for my daughter. It has been a lot of fun so far. Looking forward to the rain slowing down so that I can set it up outside.

Chris Duncan

I really appreciate Chris' work. I love the subtle use of string. I am always curious about the symbolism of the birds and pyramids in many of his pieces.

Looks like the Jeff Baily Gallery  http://www.baileygallery.com/artists_02.cfm?fid=139# and the Gregory Lind Gallery http://www.gregorylindgallery.com/artists/duncan/ have some nice pieces available

Images from :
simplelovely.blogspot.com
design-milk.com
dearada.typepad.com
oneartworld.com
gregorylindgallery.com

Ratatat

I usually have Pandora playing when I am at work. I am somewhat oblivious to the music, and just use it as a way to focus and block out distractions. However, today I have had to stop what I have been doing twice to listen to songs that have come on from the band Ratatat. I am not a big fan of electronic music, but I have to say I love their music. Take a listen if you haven't heard it yet. It taps into something unique.

Date Farmers

If you aren't familiar with the Date Farmers they are worth checking out. They currently have a show at Ace Gallery through April. Pretty amazing work! Their art reminds me of graffitti you might see in an alley down in TJ. I first saw their work back in 2005 at a show in SF at the Luggage Store. I went to see the Neckface pieces but instead couldn't stop looking at the Date Farmers' work. I bought a few really small pieces, I should have bought some of the larger pieces. You can check out these images and more at http://www.acegallery.net/artistmenu.php?Artist=117.

Quora

"Our belief is that more than 90% of the information people want to know is still not available on the web in a format that's easy for them to quickly understand." Adam D'Angelo

I have been reading a lot about Quora this week. I am curious to see what happens with this company and how it will evolve. If you haven't checked it out yet take a look. You might actually get an answer to that burning question you could never find an accurate answer to.

From Quora.com

Quora is a continually improving collection of questions and answers created, edited, and organized by everyone who uses it. Quora was founded in April 2009 by Adam D'Angelo, who was previously CTO and VP of engineering at Facebook, and Charlie Cheever, who led Facebook Connect and Facebook Platform. Quora is privately held and funded by Benchmark Capital, and is based in Palo Alto, CA.

P.S.

If you are interested in a job, "You should be ready to make this startup the primary focus of your life" (Quora.com).

Casey Jex Smith

Casey is one of my favorite artists from the Bay Area. I had the opportunity to get to know him fairly well while living out there in 2003/2004. Casey was educated in Utah (BFA) and California (MFA). He has had solo shows in New York, The Bay Area, Chicago, etc. He does an amazing job of integrating the complex elements of his life into his art, and is one of the few artists who captures a spirituality through art that feels relevant to my experiences. Check out his work at his website http://www.caseyjexsmith.com/.

Danner Boots

I frequently see posts about boot manufacturers and their latest creations and/or takes on old classics. Rarely, do I read anything about Danner boots, a company I think is up there with the best of them. I purchased my Danners (pictured below) in 1997. I have been wearing them a lot since our move to the Northwest. I have to say that I could not be more happy with a pair of boots. They stay warm when it is cold and keep the water out. The orthopedic insert in the heel makes them extremely comfortable. I even wore them to trek across Ireland several years back. I think they, along with stamps in my passport from countries throughout the Middle East, contributed to an extended stop and chat with the guards at the Northern Ireland border. I still haven't been down to the Danner Outlet Store in Portland. I am curious if anyone out there has been to it, and if it is worth checking out?

Danner provides a recrafting service that I might have to take advantage of one of these days to get them back to looking like this.

Hiro Kurata

I have felt like it is difficult to stay excited with the core of young artists out there. Hiro Kurata is one of the few young painters who has really captured my interest lately. There is something about this guy's work that intrigues me and draws me in. Kurata was born in Osaka Japan, educated at Parsons School of Design, and has shown at prestigious galleries such as Joshua Liner Gallery and the Richard Heller Gallery in the past few years. His work really needs to be seen in person to fully appreciate. This is a piece I purchased last year. Spend some time checking out his work online at his website shiloku.com. I am excited to see how his work progresses over the next 5 years.

Small Towns

Visiting the city yesterday reminded me that sometimes it is nice to be able to visit the city without having to live in the rat race. My wife and I have both lived in big cities (e.g., New York & San Francisco) and really thrive on the culture that cities provide. My current job has taken me to a small town about a half an hour outside a big city. I have to say that although I miss so many things about living in the city, there are so many cool things about living in a small town. This little snack shack is really close to my house. It is hard to believe that stuff like this still exists in small towns in the USA.

Farms

There is something amazing about old barns and farm houses. I have posted a few pictures of my local favorites including a few shots from my own property.

OS Gemeos in San Diego (MCASD)

I purchased a drawing by the Brazilian artists Os Gemeos from the Luggage Store Gallery several years back. Since that time I have always enjoyed seeing their work in galleries and on the street. I have especially fond memories of checking out their murals in New York while visiting my wife (who I was only dating at the time). I had the chance to see some of their work in my hometown of San Diego last month. Their work never fails to inspire.

Painting on the Horton Plaza Parking Garage

Paintings from Viva la Revolución: A Dialogue with the Urban Landscape at the MCASD

The Fellowship- Frank Lloyd Wright

Over the years I have read several books about the architect Frank Lloyd Wright. I recently finished The Fellowship: The Untold Story of Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Fellowship. Although this book has not been well received by many Wright fans, I could not put it down. The authors (Friedland & Zellman) do an amazing job of capturing the complexities of Wright and his inspiring and at times depressing life. In addition, they portray a fascinating time in history that is hard to fathom. This book is focused on Wright and his life more than his architecture. It explores Wright's complicated leadership style, his willingness to assume huge levels of risk, pursue his vision, change the way we all live, and his many dysfunctional relationships. You finish this book wondering how one individual could live such a colorful life. More info about Wright (including a list of 20 books he authored) can be found at franklloydwright.org