At last - Visa paintings are done!

Here are the paintings packed up and on my cart ready to go downstairs to the loading dock.

By the middle of this week my paintings for Visa's new San Francisco offices were finished and ready to photograph. They are too big for me to carry around so Don came to my place and set up his own photography studio there with enormous white panels to bounce the light. He took some great images.

Story of a Painting.

Here are some of the development stages of a recent painting. Read from the bottom up.

Demolition Site

I stumbled across this almost-demolished building while visiting some Open Studios yesterday. By tomorrow evening it will probably be gone. The layers of graffiti make the concete walls look like a tapestry, and the fragmented, colorful effect of the few remaining panes of glass hanging against the sky was lovely. One of my ambitions is to be an "artist in residence " on a demolition site, recording things revealed as layers are peeled away. Any demolition contractors reading this?

Sausalito Houseboats

I went to the Headlands Center for the Arts on Sunday where the studios of the resident and affiliate artists were open to the public. I love going there - the light, the hills, the view of Rodeo Beach, and of course - the art. I had an interesting afternoon and felt the need to create some art of my own so on the way home I went into Sausalito to sketch some of the houseboats.

View from studio window

This is the view from the window of my studio yesterday as the sun was going down and the last rays were hitting the bus depot on the other side of Bryant Street. What I haven't shown is the small plane which just flew past dragging a large banner which read "I'm sorry". Who? What did you do? Were you forgiven? I'd love to know. I love this urban energy and am so glad to have my studio in this part of San Francisco.

Figure Drawing

This week I started drawing from the figure again after a break through the summer. It was fun as always. Nice group of people and we now get together at 1890 Bryant St so I just have to stop work and walk downstairs. Couldn't be more convenient!

Open Studio

I'm opening my studio to the public on Sunday 11th October between 11.00 and 6.00. All the artists in the building (over 40 I think) will be opening so it will be an exciting vibe at 1890 Bryant Street! (Check out the other artists on www.1890bryant.com ) This is the first time I will attempt to do some work while people are wandering in and out of my studio - don't know how successful that will be!
I am working to a deadline at the moment (I still have 3 pieces to finish for my Visa commission) so I decided not to do the usual make-studio-clean-and-gallery-like and wear-nice-clothes event. So if you do come, and you drop something edible on my floor - DON"T pick it up! I haven't cleaned.

Port of Oakland Adventure

I went to the Port of Oakland with my friends Teresa and Michael this week. Michael was training with his bicycling team while Teresa and I were exploring. The light was fading but I saw enough stacks of freight containers and loading cranes to know that I would have to return in daylight with a camera and my bicycle (the place is huge). The photo above shows some of the yard tickets I collected which were blowing around on the sidewalks and caught up in the chain-link fencing. I love the faded numbers!