being rich

My fortune runs very deep.

Although we struggle financially, and we are really struggling right now, I know how rich my life is.

My parents visit ended yesterday and it was once again hard to say goodbye, we cried.

We saw a lot of art, going to the Oceanside Museum of Art,  SDSU downtown gallery, MCASD downtown, New Contemporaries III reception at Project X, Art Walk, RB Stevenson Gallery and Quint Contemporary Art.

At Quint we met Robert Irwin and briefly watched as he worked on one of the installations.

We went to Museum of Tolerance in LA and met up with family.

We walked the neighborhood.

We watched the Stanley Cup playoffs.

And we ate a lot of food I should avoid.

I wish that financially we were not so strapped. It was not easy when my Dad wanted some cash and I could not give him any. He did not need it, he just wanted a little to have in his pocket. I felt like such a failure when I told him I could not get him any.

But they do not see me as a failure. They are so proud and supportive, as they always have been.

I cannot let our money problems define these times, because I am very fortunate. I have loving, supportive, and interesting family, partner, friends, and colleagues. This is so much more valuable than money.

Chihuly at the Salk

Monday night 8:45 we went over to the Salk Institute for our tour.

The work is beautiful but it reads as plop art. If there is a dialogue between the sculpture and the architecture is was weak. I do not see it as honoring Jonas Salk or Louis Kahn.

Except the shadows which some of the sculptures cast.

These were wonderful.

I wonder if the shadows were of any consideration with this work.

I am glad we saw this work at night.

Apparently some of the pieces will be up over the summer. This will give me an opportunity to see some of them during the day and see if maybe there is more of a relationship with the architecture.

It is such a magnificent space.

I hope the Salk Institute continues a program with artists for installations.

All my pictures can be see at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vklips/sets/72157623952292326

blooming vernal pools

pay attention

Twice now, within a week,  I have had to been shown to see something in a museum.

I could have easily walked by and not have seen what was there.

At MOCA LA

At MCASD

Wendy Jacob

 1998

Thank you to those two very friendly art guards for making me aware of two pieces I would have easily missed.

The gift of discovery can easily be missed.


I must, really must, pay attention.

San Diego east county

Yesterday San Diego celebrated Earth Day in Balbo Park.

We celebrated too.


All day

90+ miles

fireproof fence

art energy in San Diego

The Union Tribune has published a list of the San Diego artist who will participate in the “Here Not There” exhibit this June.

The artists: David Adey, Agitprop, Adam Belt, Susannah Bielak, Brian Black and Ryan Bulis (exhibiting together), Kelsey Brookes, Sheldon Brown, Micha Cardenas and Elle Mehrmand (exhibiting together), Brian Dick, Ricardo Dominguez, Tom Driscoll, Kelly Eginton, James Enos, Steve Gibson, Brian Goeltzenleuchter, Matt Herbert, John Hogan, Jeff Irvine, Glenna Jennings, John Oliver Lewis, Lev Manovich, Heather Martin, May-Ling Martinez, Jessica McCambly, Gretchen Mercedes, Patricia Montoya, Ingram Ober, Christopher Puzio, Andy Ralph, Marisol Rendon, Allison Renshaw, Jason Sherry and Matt Hoyt (exhibiting together), Tristan Shone, The Border Corps (Armando de la Torre, Anthony Vasquez, Endy, Perry Vasquez and Shondra Dawson), Stephen Tompkins, Michael Trigilio, Robert Twomney, Zlatan Vukosavljevic, Vicki Walsh and Allison Wiese.

Of course I am disappointed in not being included, but the list is impressive and I am very excited for all the artists who have been included. It is refreshing to see that MCASD associate curator Lucia Sanroman has chosen what I think is a diverse group, and should give visitors to the museum a glimpse into what is being done by San Diego artists. There were 234 artist submissions, one of which was mine, and others thrown into the pot to bring the number of artists wanting to participate to 350. I am a little surprised it was not more, and where’s my rejection letter!

It feels as though art is happening in San Diego. Saturday I will be on an art run to LA and I wonder if these trips, which take time, money, and gas, will someday be unnecessary. There is more going on here, more fantastic work. The energy is really nice.

In my disappointment in not being included I noticed that although I have let go of any notion of fame as an artist, I had not let go of the notion of “making it” as an artist. And at that moment I realized I am making it as an artist. I have a lot going on, with many opportunities, I’m just not making money.

back to play

Today I started printing on the Grand Canyon Guides again, and there are a lot of guide pages to be printed on.

This summer I will have the opportunity to realize my vision for these prints. I am so grateful to Lynn Susholtz of Art Produce Gallery to have this opportunity. The vision I had for them has morphed into an entire installation which will create a space where people can walk through my canyon. There will also be links to the water which runs through the Grand Canyon to our community here and the importance of the many canyons around San Diego to our eco system.

I have been working out details, floor plans, elevations, mural ideas, etc, but today I am having fun again. I have given myself a gift by lifting the restriction of how the images will be created and printed.

I am back to playing and I remember what Dennis Leon said to me during my thesis review, “don’t loose your wonderful ability for play”.

Today I remember play and Dennis.

ICA Letter

I often wonder what determines if ones work fits into an art organization’s current program. If they like the work will they make it fit? How often does the program change? Does it change with the change of curatorial staff?

I like how each time the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania encloses a copy of their newsletter. They have some wonder programs and events and maybe some day I will be back out there and can check them out.

If I ever have the opportunity to study architecture on the graduate degree level the University of Pennsylvania is where I would want to go. Not only did Louis Kahn teach there, but Stephen Kieran and James Timberlake of Kieran Timberlake both teach there now. The projects they have done and are doing are very interesting and to be in an academic environment with them would be fantastic.

 

I wonder if the art and architecture departments comingle at U of Penn?  Maybe some day I will get over there and can check it all out.

don't mess with Mother Nature

I was going to use the very front yard to experiment with my art as public art. There was to be some weed whacking, and installation of objects, and other vegetation. It was to be an organic process of experimentation and play.

But I love the way nature has taken over. How it changes subtly daily and dramatically seasonally. I have procrastinated in starting this project and today I realized I am afraid that I cannot improve upon what is there and I will ruin what nature has done so effortlessly. Maybe my efforts should not interfere.

Our neighbors to the south have put up a makeshift screen to shield themselves from the sight of your yard. They have told us in no uncertain terms that it is ugly because it is weeds. We find their screen ugly. I wish they could enjoy our natural yard as much as we do.

I wonder if we will be forced to week whack it all down as we did last year. It would be really wonderful if we could let natural take its full course. Sometimes urban living has its downfalls.