Edge Of The World

Well, the edge of the continent anyway, this being the view over the Pacific Ocean from the coast of Oregon.  

It feels like the edge of the world there.

Twilight Of The Analog Age

My old desk at Pacific Northwest Bell, circa early/mid 1980's, some three stories down below street level, at rock bottom where a television studio should be.  Here I worked in the audio video engineering department, tracking cabling and connections, and continually updating the drawings.  On occasion, I also did graphic art production.  You can see my handiwork laying on its side under the drawing board, a map-tack map of Seattle.  I see the traces of tools and supplies from a bygone era, such as lead holders, lead pointers, non-photo blue pencils, Mylar, straight edges, and T squares.  I labored here on and off for three years, all the while listening to endless iterations of audio video editing in the background.  I had a strong tolerance for that.  

I was fortunate to get this work.

What Is All In There?

The famed "pink" sands of Bermuda, as seen up close, made possible through the miracle of modern digital photography.  I found the unusual flaky texture of the sand of almost more note than the color.

Lesson In Seeing

These drawings I did some twenty years ago remind me of the value of working with just a pencil from time to time, in this case a green prismacolor pencil.  It is good to be just drawing and seeing and thinking and feeling.  Human hands are enormously complex, of very subtle construction and form, and this becomes quite evident when you attempt to render them.

What You Might See

What you might see, if you look closely in China.

Just Like I Remember It

Pike's Market.  It was good to be back, and now I have an image to remember it all by, recast in one of my favorite color combinations, orange and charcoal gray.

Real to Abstract Image in Grayscale

Does the previous image, cast as a grayscale, have the notan effect, that is, is there an interplay of positive and negative space?  I think so, though this would not be a shining example of notan.  There is present however, variety, repetition, and rhythm.  I think the interplay of positive and negative space probably works better in this composition with color involved.  

Well, I was just having fun, and isn't that the best?! 

Real To Abstract

Not readily apparent, this image started with readable lines on a page and gradually transformed into the abstract.  I find the interplay of positive and negative space, what the Japanese refer to as "notan", quite pleasing.  Also, in my work, I consider it a plus when the eye wanders the image.  Are the four corners different from one another?  Yes, another positive. 

Inscrutable Mask of Time

Ten thousand years of history written across the face of Mount Desert Island granite. 

Roofscape

The image caught my eye as I rounded a corner, a memory preserved.

Paint To Suit

The beloved landmark, Seattle's Rainier Tower, aka, The Pencil Building. recast in new colors. 

Cool Transportation

What a rare treat to spot this 1957 VW Microbus on the streets of Seattle.  The driver remarked, "it gets me around." 

Skyway Revisited

The old Pacific Northwest Bell Building, Seattle, Washington, revisited.  Here I worked from high in the tower to three stories down, in the audio/video studio, at rock bottom.  I tried my hand at graphic design, engineering, and all things mundane.  Yes, this was good experience.

New Work, Not Signed, Not Dry

Above is a record shot of a new work by Professor Ju and me, a collaborative piece. Working title "The Path of Zen Way."

Pastel Of The Day, "Deep Sun"

This image reminds me that it may be time to get the pastels out again. It's been a while. The above image has been digitally refreshed, yes, just for fun. Let's give it a new name, say, "Deep Sun."

Fresh Air

It is a good day to go outside, and get some "Fresh Air."

Image Of The Day

A detail from "Lovers 03."

Fun 03

Fun, with photography, architecture, point of view, and color.

Free Form

Shown above, a detail from my painting "Chambers 03." At times, I find free use of color, and figure elongation, quite satisfying.

Instructions (Mostly) Intuitive

Above is an image from deep in my portfolio, one of many product instruction sheets I created, the drawing of which used to, in part, fill up my hours and days. Yes, the artwork was all drawn by hand, made ready for the stat camera. The design office environment in which this was created had no computer. The work was satisfying.

Bridge With Nine Turns

The bridge with nine turns in Shanghai, PROC. Visitors love it, evil spirits, not so much, at least, according to local lore.

Wholeness

Enjoy the serene beauty of Yu Garden, Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China.

Pursuits, Creative And Otherwise

Geometry and color. These things are all in the public domain. When it comes to art, I say have fun with it.

Crane Three Ways

Crane, three ways. Why? Just for fun.

Embrace The Year Of The Dragon

The Chinese new year is in full swing. Yes, "Embrace The Year Of The Dragon", and yes, that is the name of the painting featured above, a collaborative work by Dr. Ju and me.

Artists, seize your time!

Macro Image

Above is a quick test photo to check the macro setting on my Nikon P7100, and, at the same time, take a closer look at a design classic, manufactured by Mondaine Watch, LTD.

Abarth

The Fiat 500 Abarth is a sexy little car. The commercial is pretty engaging as well.

Logo Impact

That Shelby logo packs some power, especially when the negative space reflects right back at you.

Working Title "Leadership"

Above is a record shot of a very recent painting, a collaborative effort working with Dr. Ju.

If I am not mistaken, it is an updated variation on a old Chinese poem, praising a leader for service well officiated, and at the same time, reminding the leader of the importance of future humility and service to the community.

This detail of the painting shows the layering of images, found so often in our work. More detectable to the in-person viewer, and less so to the viewer on the web, is the under painting. The original layer lays out a kabbalistic map of how energy flows in the universe. Over this is the poem, focused on the world we live in.

The work weaves as one, and renders an intercultural exploration.

Looking At Glass, Through Glass

In passing, an object d'art, in this case with one of my favorite color combinations, red, orange, and yellow. An artisan has brightened our world with beauty.

Fun 02

With words.

Junk Architect

The master artist himself, Jim Healy, Junk Architect, chilling in my studio late Friday afternoon, assessing the week.

Fun

It's everything its cracked up to be.

Keeping With The Color Palette

The Henry Moore scupture, "Vertebrae", poised in front of the Seattle Public Library, a juxtaposition that works.

Emotional Impact

Dr. Ju in the studio, the image having been altered, for emotional impact.

Push Button

Engaging image on the street, outside the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art.