Sunday, May 24, 2015

Sketching Highland Park Billiards

Here is a sketch I did a few days ago of Highland Park Billiards. I've been taking yoga classes in Namaste Highland Park for the past two weeks.  It's an awesome place to practice yoga!  On my walks to class, I enjoy observing the old architecture.  The billiards and cleaners building caught my eye.  I appreciated them more because I knew they were old businesses that were around  for a long time.  I also love looking at the subtle art deco details that were part of the original building.  There is so much cool architecture in L.A. if you take the time to pay attention to the details.  It's so easy to pass by and not notice the history of the architecture.  I guess that is the artist and matte painter in me that appreciates the small details.  Anywho,  In the past few years there have been drastic changes that have been going on in Highland Park.  Highland Park use to be the hood, now its a place full of trendy stores and hip restaurants.  But amongst all these changes there are still a handful of mom and pop shops that have been here for a very long time. You have the choice to pay $1.50 for a taco or $5 for a coffee.  It's interesting to see the old with the new. I'm hoping that the old will be able to survive these changes.  As I was sketching I met a few locals who were interested in what I was drawing.   I asked for their opinion about the changes in the neighborhood.  To my surprise, most of the people I talked to who lived in the area for 20+ years are happy with the changes.  I automatically assumed that there would be a bunch of angry locals.  As I continue to sketch in the area, I'm sure I will meet other views.

Monday, May 11, 2015

Sketching in San Francisco's Mission District (La Parilla Grill)


This was a sketch I did at the mission district in San Francisco . This is one of the many taquerias in the area.  Oddly enough I never ate at La Parilla Grill, but I was sitting right across street at Philz Coffee where I met a lot of interesting people.  I met a lot of locals who have lived in the mission for a very long time.  A lot of them had strong opinions about all the changes that were going on in SF.  One older homeless guy was speaking to a "techie", "We made this happen for you." "I'm going to die over here."  I lived in San Francisco two separate times in the past four years, and things have changed drastically.  A lot of the old residents and artists have been forced to leave the city because of the high cost of living. Gentrification...

Sketching carriages in Angel Camp Museum





Painting 63: Cynthia's Home

Here was where I stayed in Moaning Cave in Calaveras County for two and a half weeks.  I initially planned to only stay for two nights and three days.  My main purpose for coming to Moaning Cave was to attend a  3 day painting workshop in Murphys with Kathleen Dunphy.  Murphys is about an 8 minute drive from where I was staying. 
I found this place in airbnb.  As soon as I met the owner, Cynthia, we hit it off.  She really welcomed me to her home. She was such a kind and sweet lady. I told her about my passion for painting, drawing, and traveling.  I told her that my dreams were to be a bohemian and paint and travel.  I showed her some of the paintings I did in the workshop.  Cynthia mentioned I should stay longer and paint different parts of Calaveras County.  Since I knew she liked my paintings, I  put it out there.  I told her that I could make a painting of her house for a trade of accommodation.  She instantly thought that was a great idea.  And that is what I did.
Using the new techniques that I learned from Kathleen's workshop, I started off with a few sketches for composition.  Then I did a wash of yellow cadmium pale for the underwash.  I sketched the drawing of the house from the chosen composition with cadmium red medium.  Then I started to paint the dark values.  Then mid values. Lastly light values. Then tweak and finesse. 
Since I wasn't rushing, I decided that I will work on this painting for 2-3 hrs a day for about 5 days. I decided to work on it little by little because I didn't want to chase the light and I was painting larger than usual.
I was pretty disciplined to wake up early and set up was relatively quick because all my equipment was where I was painting. I woke up about 6:30am.  Wrote a little in my journal.  Ate breakfast.  Brushed my teeth. Took a quick shower. Got dressed. Checked my email. Then put on my favorite podcasts, then I was ready to rock and roll.  I mean paint!  Same difference! 
I liked how this painting came out.  I really enjoyed the process because I wasn't rushing.  Since I left Vancouver, I felt that my paintings were rushed.  Mainly because I have been on the go. It's nice to stay in one place, explore the area, and take your time.  I was very fortunate to have this experience.  I consider Cynthia a really good friend now, and I'm hoping that I will return again in the future and paint more of Calaveras County!  I'm a bohemian and I paint and travel! Yes!

Sketching Columbia State Park




Sketching Cynthia's backyard



Sketching Mark Twain in Angel Camp

This was a very interesting day.  As I was exploring more of Angels Camp, I came across the Utica Park where there was a statue of Mark Twain.  Mark Twain was an important figure in Angels Camp. This was the place that sparked his career as the American author and humorist.  Before he headed to Angels Camp he had worked as a journalist. I actually didn't know that Mark Twain was his pen name for Samuel Clemens.  I had always thought that Mark Twain was his real name! I found it interesting that he had a lot of other jobs before he became the Mark Twain we know of today. He was a typesetter for a newspaper, a river boat pilot, and a journalist. All of his experiences led to the inspiration for his creative writing.

This was not the interesting part of the day.  As I was sketching the statue of Mark Twain, a young 21 yr. old man approached me.  Keep in mind that I was at a public park with a lot of people.  The guy's name was oddly enough Mark and his last name initial was J. for junior. My initials are M.J.  So I was M.J. speaking to Mark Junior drawing Mark Twain.  Kind of funny, but that was not the best part of the conversation.
So I continue to sketch Mark Twain as I speak to Mark junior.  As we were speaking, I find out that Mark junior was a troubled young man who didn't have the best upbringing. He was homeless for awhile up until the past week. He had just gotten a job from the nearby market and was fortunate that his mother's friend offered him a place to stay in her trailer while he saved some money. Mark continued to tell me more about his life.  I find out that he had an abusive upbringing and that he wanted to go to the police academy.  Unfortunately he didn't have the best grades or confidence to forge ahead and pursue his interest in becoming a police officer. Looking as young as I do, Mark thought we were the same age.  So when I was trying to give him advice about life and my own experiences he was surprised that I had a lot to say.  I told him that I was 30 yrs. old and he was shocked.  I told him that Asians don't crack, and he started to laugh. I was seriously trying to motivate this kid, because I felt bad that he didn't have the best situation.  I told him that he could make something out of himself and that he didn't have to let his past dictate his future.  This was about a 15-20 minute conversation until he asked if he could ask me a question.  I say go ahead.  Mark Junior says, "I've only been with one girl and its been a long time, do you want to have sex?"  I was shocked but not shocked. I had a weird reaction.  My response was, "Thanks for the offer, but I'm not interested."  I think he was embarrassed.  It reminded me of an episode of the HBO show, Girls.  I told him that this was going in the books.  He felt relieved.  The old me would have felt violated, but these days I'm trying to be a bit more open minded.  Plus there were a good amount of people in the park, so I knew I could've yelled for help if I was really concerned. Plus I had some pepper spray next to my bag for backup. So more than getting pissed, I was curious about this young man. The more I asked him questions, the more I realized why he was the way he was.
We ended up talking for a couple more hours. I realized that Mark had a good soul, but was a bit lost. We ended up talking about life and relationships.  We talked about the Calaveras County history.   We talked about Mark Twain's awesome but also troubling life.  I was even tried to convince him to take a greyhound and move to Portland. I told him that he would love it, and it would be a good place to start a new beginning.  I told him that he could probably find a girlfriend over there.
So long story short.  M.J. tries to give life advice to Mark Junior while she draws a sketch of Mark Twain.  Check!

Sketching Moe Joe's Love House

This is where the adventure continues!  I was drawing thumbnail sketches for my next possible painting in Angel Camp.  I happened to sketch right next to a local bar, Claussen's Corner.  Apparently Claussen's Corner use to be the place where the Hells Angels use to hang out.   As I continue to sketch, a guy named Moe Joe came out of the bar and started talking to me.   He saw me drawing and was intrigued. He asked where I was coming from. I told him at that point that I was a nomad.  He asked me if I did this for fun and if it was a hobby of mine.  I answered,  "Well, yes this is fun, but I wouldn't define it as a "hobby,"  There isn't anything wrong with hobbies, but drawing isn't one of them.  I'm an artist and this is my passion."  He was intrigued by my explanation. He goes back to the bar as I continued to draw.  Five minutes later, he comes out of the bar.  He says, "in three days it will be my 60th birthday.  I would love to have a drawing of my house.  How much would it costs for a drawing?" I showed him the size of my sketchbook pages, and I come up with a somewhat random number.  I say $90.  He says $75.  I say $80.  We have a deal and we shake on it!
Moe Joe's house was only a block and a half away from the bar.  It was up on a hill that had a Historic Chicken Ladder! Up until then I never knew what a chicken ladder was.  According to Moe Joe, the ladder was made back in the day by home owners who lived down the narrow street.  The ladder helped in walking up and down the steep road.
As I was drawing, Moe Joe stood in front of his house talking in the phone.  Moe Joe was a little hard of hearing, so he didn't realize that I could hear his conversation.  He was about 200 feet away and was speaking to a friend over the phone.  He was telling his friend that he met a young "oriental girl" who was an artist. And that he commissioned her to draw his house for a birthday gift to himself.  He was so excited.  I couldn't help but crack up when he said "oriental."  It was funny because he didn't realized I could hear him.  The old M.J from 5 years ago would of been pissed off by the term, "oriental."  What am I, a carpet?  But these days I'm a bit more open minded.  After all, I was in a small town, and Moe Joe had no ill feelings. He was a kind man, who didn't know that word could be offensive to Asians.  So I let it go and smiled and continued to draw.
I came back to Angels Camp around 12:00ish the next day.  I saw the bartender of Claussen's in front of the bar.  I asked her if she had seen Moe Joe.  She mentioned that Moe Joe was inside, so I decided to go in the bar for a little bit.  Moe Joe jokingly says, "Aren't you supposed to be working."  He giggles. I respond by saying, " I have to wait till 1:00 so that I could have the consistent light from yesterday.  He was happy that I was taking this commission seriously.  He asked me if I wanted a drink, and I told him that I have my coconut water.  I told him that I must focus and that if I had a drink the drawing might get fucked up.  He was cracking up.
So I finished my coconut water and was ready to draw!  I walk up the chicken ladder and continued my drawing for a few more hours. Moe Joe eventually goes back to his house after his drink.  I finally finish up the drawing around 3:30ish.  I show him the final drawing and he says, "I absolutely love it."  Instead of $80 he gave me $100! He tells me that he appreciated my hustle and that I should follow my dreams.  I didn't realize I was hustling. Haha.  I was just being me and having fun!  He also told me that I wasn't a real vagabonder, and that I was too clean for that.  I cracked up!

Angel Camp sketching





Painting 62: Alpine Lake








Today was one of those days that you just got to roll with the punches.  I was painting for about an hour or so and all of a sudden a strong wind pushes my easel towards me.  I literally tasted mineral spirits! I had mineral spirits on my face and all over my clothes.  It was one of those, fuck you moments.  Thank goodness I was by myself because I was cursing like a mad woman. The painting was a failure, but that is ok.  It's part of the process.  I then decided to slow down and just sketch.  Must breathe... Must sketch... If these are my problems, then I have a really good life! Ommmmm.

painting 61: (Kathleen Dunphy's Workshop in Murphys, CA) Day 03



painting 60: (Kathleen Dunphy's Workshop in Murphys, CA) Day 02


painting 59: (Kathleen Dunphy's Workshop in Murphys, CA) Day 01



sketching Laughing Lotus in San Francisco


painting 58: Plein Air Convention (Carmel-by-the-Sea)



I'm really not crazy about this painting, but I learned a lot!  This time I got great advice from another amazing painter, Thomas Jefferson Kitts. He talked about color temperature, repetition of patterns, composition, and scale.  It was a ton of information, but what I got most out of it was how light temperature works.  I never thought about the subtle gradient shifts of light.  Thomas mentioned that the distance of the sun to the objects surrounding it will vary the color temperature.  That there are subtle changes and shifts of temperature based on distance. For awhile, I've been focused on values.  Now its time to step it up, and add some temperature!