Sunset over Samoa or can an old smokestack be beautiful?

17 days until the vernissage at Piante in Old Town, Eureka, Saturday August 6, 2011

This is what happened. We had some time to kill between dinner out and a movie, so we decided to walk along the shore in Eureka, washed over by one of those icy cold and vibrant winter sunsets.

Without paying much attention, we ended up inside some large wire enclosures...and kept walking and taking photos and talking about the end of the pulp mill era. The end of the stink, and the end of the jobs. The rusting hulk, and the seeping toxins. How when we moved here our real estate broker pointed out the active smokestack with its plume across the bay. He thought it enhanced our view. He was part of the generation that saw this as progress.

Well, we got stuck, the gates were closed when we wanted to get back to the car. My man, manly as he is, wanted to climb over the tall fence. Luckily, before he actually did so, we found a way out of the maze. Don't know if my painting is based on his or my photo. We often photograph the same thing and then argue about who got the best shot. It is a three color registration monotype diptych.

For an extensive and unique exploration of human impact on our earth take a look at local artist and art professor Cynthia Hooper's paintings and videos. I quote from her website: "My videos, paintings, and interdisciplinary projects investigate landscapes transfigured by social and environmental contingency. My work is meditative and poetic, but also takes a generously observational and generally factual approach toward the places I examine."

Mendenhall Glacier - Reflection, diptych: it is retreating for good?

As these majestic rivers of ice melt, we face the prospect of a world without them - and their fate will affect us all. I seek to bring the intense beauty of remote glacial landscapers into your life and make the dilemma real.

This painting of the Mendenhall Glacier is inspired by a photo by my friend David Smith. I am grateful for his permission.

" The Juneau Icefield Research Program has monitored the outlet glaciers of Juneau Icefield since 1942, including Mendenhall Glacier. From 1951-1958 the terminus of the glacier, which flows into suburban Juneau, has retreated 1,900 feet (580m). The glacier has also receded 1.75 miles (2.82 km) since 1958, when Mendenhall Lake was created, and over 2.5 miles (4.0 km) since 1500. The end of the glacier currently has limited crevassing, a negative glacier mass balance and will continue to retreat in the foreseeable future."

19 days until the vernissage at Piante in Old Town, Eureka, Saturday August 6, 2011

Naiad over Beagle Channel: Glacier Art Project

20 days until the vernissage at Piante in Old Town, Saturday August 6, 2011

I am not sure why these figures entered the Glacier Art Project, but they pushed in, and I feel strongly that they belong. I think they connect the remote glacial landscapes to humans. They make a link between the melting ice, the rising waters and us. Some of them seem frozen, some are playful at waters' edge. At the exhibit you will see them grouped with glaciers. They are my own invention. I find them surprising and cool!

Greek mythology gives us a multitude of nymphs associated with life giving waters: Nereids, nymphs of the Mediterranean Sea, Hyades, rain, Limnades, lakes, Potameides, rivers, Oceanids, salty water and Naiads, of fresh water. At the splintering edge of a tide water glacier one can imagine playful Naiads, bathing, dancing, singing, and also raging as the glacier violently calves an iceberg.

Naiad over Beagle channel, monotype 15"x 22"

23 days until opening at Piante: At Water's Edge on the North Coast

In the cozy center room at Piante, I will show a series of favorite shorescape from Humboldt County. Including, Arcata Marsh and the Moonstone Beach. I like walking on our beaches and shores in all kinds of weather. It always lifts my spirit and make me feel whole and happy.

26 days until opening at Piante 8/6. Painting Glaciers in Glacier Alley, Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina & Chile

"In many parts, glaciers extend from the mountainside to the waters' edge. It is scarcely possible to image anything more beautiful than the beryl-like blue of these glaciers" Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle.

Todays blog post is about painting glaciers al fresco in the Beagle Channel, and about feeling vulnerable as an artist getting ready to show a large body of work.

In 2005 on a trip to visit our son in Chile, my husband and I sailed through the Beagle Channel. We followed Darwin's passage, and I sketched, with frozen fingers, all day long while gliding through Glacier Alley - so named for the numerous, glistening tide-water glaciers that extend into the narrow channel.

I am completely in agreement with Darwin - this was unbelievably beautiful.

Here's a list of the glaciers in order starting from Ushuaia, in Argentine Tierra Del Fuego: Holanda, Italia, Francia, Alemania, Romanche. Romanche, was the best! Huge, and with a magnificent waterfall.

I made several sketches of Romanche, and in the exhibit there will be two monotypes.

I have already dealt with the most vulnerably stage of this show: taking all 34 pieces of art (plus some extras just in case) over to the gallery - wondering what the reaction would be. But it was really good! And the layout seemed to work very well. I thought it looked great! I felt elated! Now it is time to finish the press release and mail it in with images, and hope that the exhibit gets good publicity. Another opportunity to feel vulnerable. Opportunity? My good friend Silke would say that it is good for me.

Here are two photos of me sketching in Glacier Alley. Both taken by Gordon Inkeles. I am very grateful to him for all the fine photos during this voyage. The two monotypes depict the Romanche glacier with its forked waterfall.

Not much left of the old plankway railtrack.

Standing at the Marsh by Cobb lake in last winter's storm, I thought the stumps left of the old plankway railroad would soon not be visible at all. I wanted to document their existence with a painting. Yesterday in the still sunshine and very low tide they seemed much diminished.

Read the plaque and ponder the furious shipping of redwood from Arcata, then called Union.

Iceland Volcanic Eruption. Painting of glacial lake: Gigjoekull lagoon

Eyjafjallajoekull continues to be on my mind. At the lowest point this icecap forms a glacial tongue that slides down into a lagoon, where it breaks off into floating icebergs. Or did when I was there and the volcano under the glacier was dormant. Here is my monotype painting of this glacial lake.

Iceland Volcanic Eruption. The braided glacial river Krossa drains Eyjafjallajoekull

The river Krossa must now be a raging torrent, destroying roads and bridges. We traversed it both coming and going in a huge multi- wheel- drive vehicle. On our return in the late afternoon we were bumped and jostled, as the meltwater made the streams wider and deeper.

Blue Dots, new monotype, WATERS' EDGE SERIES

a new monotype: Arcata Marsh with what remains of the old railroad

When Arcata was called Uniontown and was a mill town, the timber traveled to Eureka on a railroad that crossed the bay. There is a plaque commemorating this railroad down by the Mars

(near Klopp lake). We have seen the black wooden supports grow shorter and more broken up over the years - and soon they will not be visible anymore. The birds don't sit on them anymore either. In this work you can see them as parallel dots disappearing to the other side of the bay.

Look for this piece at the Westhaven Center for the Arts show, starting March 7. See earlier posts.

Ink People's Artists' Challenge: 15 works in 30 days. 1. Lucia looking at Moon

Come to the Ink People and get original art for fantastically low prices. Arts! Alive, Dec. 5, starting at 5 p.m. I know that Patricia Sennott will have great pieces. I'll post more about this as I get more information myself.

Read more about it in the Ink People site

Surfing at College Cove, Humboldt County

A new monotype featuring Matt getting ready to plunge into the freezing waters at College Cove. I was there all bundled in down parka.

Moonrise at Mad River Beach, three color registration monotype

New monotype: Hovering Mourning Cloak

-being created on the glass plate - and reversed after trundled through the large press at the Ink People's printing lab.

Blissed out about this new monotype butterfly! Blue Shadow is its name.

New Butterfly Monotype was born today!

First you see it being created on its plexiglas plate, and then you see it take off. Note that it flips!

Photos by Arlene Broyles.

Hank's Coffeeshop in Bayside is showing art

Hank's, our neighborhood coffeeshop on the corner of Old Arcata Road and Hyland Street (right across the street from Jacoby Creek Charter School) has new management, homemade treats and great service. My favorite is the asparagus and spinach quiche. Stop by to meet Sandy (on the photo) and Gary and to see my monotype: Summer Moth.