relative humidity

It has been quite humid for San Diego, today 73%.
Not fun with these hot flashes still coming and going.
High temps at 83F.

During hot flash feels like 120F.
Relative humidity at 100%.

I have seen the difference in light that humidity produces.
Today during our walk/jog I noticed a difference in sound.

I searched on the internet, humidity and sound.

Maybe the sound difference I noticed was a hot flash effect, maybe not.

problem cheap

I am very concerned about the growing acceptance for the use of nuclear energy here in the United States.

There remain many issues related to the production of nuclear energy:
Highly dangerous waste
Mining of uranium
Safety and health
Weapons proliferation
Setting a responsible example
Not a renewable resource

As I listened to Barrack Obama’s acceptance speak for the democratic presidential candidate, I wondered why I did not hear anything about conservation. I am very concerned when I hear him speak about increasing nuclear energy for the US.

It seems we Americans have a self perspective that we are entitled.

I ask:
Why should energy be cheap?
Why should housing be cheap?
Why should the cost of manufactured goods be cheap?
Why should food be cheap?

Why don’t we do with less, pay what something is really worth (resource and labor)?

I will end up voting for Obama, but where is that person who will lead us to setting the example of what it means to be a responsible nation.

http://www.climatechangeconnection.org/Solutions/Nuclearenergy.htm

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/Energy/Nuclear.asp

new drawing

It has been 29 years since I have taken a drawing class.
In those 29 years I have gotten into a rut with how I draw.
Now, it is with great pleasure I find myself doing fundamental drawing exercises in the Principles and Elements of Interior Design class.

We drew on this translucent sketch paper which I have never used before.

Now I am learning how to draw a new way.

And now I am layering.

hangout buildings

Sunday I was up in LA with friends to see the inaugural installation at LACMA’s new building the Broad Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM).

The building was designed by architect Renzo Piano and it is fantastic. The concept is to start on the top, 3rd) floor and work your way down. This floor is flooded with natural light and it was the first time I have had the opportunity to see the works of Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly, and Ed Ruscha in this kind of light.

The space inside this building felt like it could hold anything and accommodated very large painting easily. The elevator is fun to ride, although I had wished there had been glass towards the side with the Barbara Kruger mural commissioned for this space.

Lucky for us the views towards the Hollywood Hills were clear, and I look forward to seeing the park below, once it’s completed.

Then it was absolutely amazing to walk into the 1st floor and see the two Richard Serra pieces. I have never experienced his large scale work indoors, and it was such a different feeling. The pieces seemed even more massive, and more delicate. One of them as you walked through actually put you off balance.

I love buildings that draw me to hang out and LA now has three I find I look forward to returning to again and again, The Getty Center (although it’s many buildings), The Walt Disney Concert Hall, and now BCAM.

mural waste

Friday afternoon I helped install 2 murals, outdoors, for a music concert, one on each side of the stage.


It is amazing how much waste is generated in producing such events.


The murals were up for one day.

our tomato eater

This season we are experimenting with container gardening.
I’m not too sure about this method. We may have to go back to our primitive in ground method.

We are growing red and yellow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and lettuce.

For some reason the yellow tomatoes were being eaten. I thought it was birds; there are so many.

Then last night we found her/him.



That big green caterpillar, blending in so well, and now going after the red tomatoes.

Sunday and LA Architecture

The trip to the RM Schindler house in LA has given me so much.

Being able walk around the property, the interior, and the roof space in was itself incredible.

Then to see Habitat 825 by architect Locan O’Herlihy, built with the awareness and respect of the Schindler house being beside it, from the Schindler house was spectacular.

We looked around Habitat 825 as much as possible.

Today I went through all the information I picked up and looked up the information about the tours of John Lautner’s projects. These are in conjunction with the exhibit Between Earth and Heaven: The Architecture of John Lautner, at the UCLA Hammer Museum.

As I checked out the website I came across a 2 day symposium, Against Reason, John Lautner and Postwar Architecture.

First day is at the Hammer and includes a tour of the exhibit, the second day is at the Getty Center, and the entire event is free.

Information and learning really is a joy. I am grateful to have such opportunities. It seems truely incredible, one fairly quick trip to a place and it keeps on giving!

WOW

I have peripherally been watching the 2008 Olympics. It is amazing to see how well maintained and fit the athletes are, what their body and minds can accomplish. Extremely well honed machines that put mine to shame; but help me be motivated to keep it minimally operational.

What I find very inspiring is the architecture which has been built in Beijing.

some day

Recently I bought “Song for Tibet – The Art of Peace” and downloaded it from iTunes.

I have fallen in love with the song by Rupert Hine, “The Heart of the Matter”.

What a treat the entire album is.

How wonderful there is The Art of Peace Foundation
http://www.artofpeacefoundation.org/

How sad that we need such an organization.

How wonderful Art is everywhere, in everything.

How sad that some cannot see it everywhere, in everything.

I am living an extremely blessed live. I need to respect, appreciate, and be aware of my great fortune at all times.

I hope I can also learn to forgive quickly and easily. This is not easy for me.

I will continue to work on being the best I can.

the need to create

There is no need to buy more ink.

There is no need to buy more paper.

There is no need to turn the printer on.


There is no need to sharpen the pencil.

There is no need to use up the crayon.

There is no need to finish the piece.


The need is met in so many ways.

I need to recognize when the need is met.

every two hours

Every two hours.

A hot flash.

How does my body do that?

It’s much better than every hour.

Pictured above, the Gastown Steam Clock (Vancouver BC Canada)

stuff: to produce or not to produce

I have been conflicted for a while now about creating “art”.


Today as I looked for something in the studio I notice I have a lot of stuff: paper, frames, canvases, paint, pencils, crayons, erasers, cutting blades, glues, tapes, old work, work in progress, work to be recycled, beads, wax…………………..

TO MUCH STUFF

It has all contributed to CO2 emissions, landfill, depletion of water, water pollution, exploitation of people……………………………………….



THIS IS AWFUL

Should I stop the practice of creating objects?

What would I do with all the “stuff”?

It saddens me to think of how much I contribute to an unhealthy environment through my art practice.

It saddens me to think I should stop.

It would be helpful to remember that stopping does not need to mean not to create.

If I want to stop, do I do it today, get rid of all the stuff, and donate it or recycle it, or what? Do I continue to create objects and use it up?

I wish I could talk to Robert Irwin. He stopped his studio practice a long time ago, and continues to create.

Robert Irwin garden at the Getty Center and "Nine Trees"

It was up to LA again yesterday, to go to the last two seminars on Southwest Region Green Building Best Practices and LEED.



Just as interesting and informative as the ones last week. Christine Magar of GREENFORM http://www.greenform.net/ , is a very good speaker.

I cannot wait to check out some of the buildings in SoCal which have gotten LEED certification.

NRDC Santa Monica http://www.nrdc.org/cities/building/smoffice/walkthrough.asp#smtop

elevator project

Six weeks went by so fast. My first interior design class is over. The final has been taken.

I very much enjoyed doing the research paper on RM Schindler, the model of an elevator interior for our client (the person we chose to do the research paper on), and all the extra credit activities I did (although I would have done them without being in an interior design class).

Looking down into interior. Walls above wainscotting are polished white on white plaster. Below wainscotting and floor is OSB (Oriented Strand Board). Small pin heads in wall represent LED lights.

Hand rails are recyled rubber. Cut out windows below hand rails view concrete elevator shaft, giving the rider the experience of what the space truely is.


Door wall has sculptural glass wall vase with some LED lights, on left. Right side has hanging CFL bulb, elevator control panel (numbers light up per floor you're on, emergency button and microphone/speaker, and hanging Conical ear devise to listen either to music or if you're using the emergency phone.

It is amazing that I have the ability and opportunity to be studying at a school, and I am thankful.

possible new medium

Yesterday I went to a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) seminar.

It was held at The Gas Company’s Energy Resource Center located in Downey CA.

What a fantastic building. Apparently it was a case study for sustainable building and has since been LEED rated.

I find it all so fantastic. I feel honored to be able to get involved in design and sustainability. It is a wonderful opportunity to help the environment, the community, people, and to contribute in a responsible way.

I am so enthused and inspired.

I wonder; will this become my art medium?