Almost the new year.
Here are a few photographs I have taken lately while out in the woods around Eugene.
One of the wondrous things about the trees here, in the winter, is how the lichens replace the leaves. That mixed with the foggy light make for some lovely nature images.

On the side of Mt. June

After the Joe Biden and Sarah Palin debate my husband came up with some really clever new words and phrases that I want to share. So please share these, with full credit going to Michael Stern.

Palindrone: an infinitely repeated answer that does not address the question, a droning phrase that means exactly the same thing whether it is said forwards or backwards.

to Palincomparison: to create such low expectations that the uttering of a complete sentence, even in Palindronic manner, brings about a Palineastic feeling of triumph.

Also, I read in the NYT today that a Canadian journalist, Heather Mallick, has been “reigned in” after writing an op-ed piece for the CBC about the selection of Sarah Palin. Apparently Fox news picked it up and was horribly offended that she might question the sexual prowess of republican males. Click the link below to read her piece.

Heather Mallick on Sarah Palin

Eastside/Harris garden in early September

What a change! All the students and teachers were amazed by the transformation. It has given the whole school yard energy. Now the kids hide in the corn and the flowers during recess. (Scroll down to see the before photos)

We hope to add some more growing projects to this, but in the meantime everyone is enjoying what used to be weeds.

Finally my studio is ready to work in. I bought an 11 tray baking rack/table/cart with fold-up leaves that is perfect for keeping all my paint and waiting for wax pieces.  It feels really good to be eager to create.

Martin Puryear exhibit at MoMA

Exquisite

gulls

I’ve been reviewing some photos I’ve taken recently with the intention of posting one every so often. 

Jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

In the past week I went out to Ridgeview school in Springfield and then to the Goshen elementary school. Both are taking part in a program called The Studio in which they have an artist-in-residence work in an empty classroom. As a reward for good behavior the teachers give the students passes to go visit the artist and talk to him/her. The idea is to demystify visual art and to make it a part of the kids lives, even if only as a spectator. Interesting.I think I will be working at the Goshen school in April.  I took down the Reliquary show monday. I’m glad it is over. The show really didn’t work for me. I felt the work had too little tying it together, so it was hard. 

Last night I went to a planning meeting about visual art in the new Eugene city hall.  It was interesting. A number of people mentioned they really wanted local artists to have a primary shot at getting commissions, to which the reply was, “It depends on your definition of local. It has to be a broad enough to get good entries.” I guess that way local can be defined almost however you want; Eugene, Oregon, Pacific Northwest, West Coast, Western States…   I don’t think they’ll be that broad but I thought it was a funny moment.

They want the building to be inviting, with lots of natural light and open space, native plants, rainwater capture… A “green” building. Isn’t that the catch-phrase these days.

As I left I realized that one question no one answered is just when they think this new city hall might be built. It has to go to a bond measure…

Eugene is such an odd place in some ways. I can’t believe the mixture of pretense and ignorance that tries to pass as sophistication around here. I’m responding to another quickie review of the Jacobs Gallery exhibition this time on KLCC radio. I’m including the link but I’m not sure it is worth much. I hate it when reviews don’t say anything or worse make assertions that are uninformed and inaccurate. And I’m not even writing about what they said about my work! Oh, but don’t worry, after all Eugene is “The World’s Greatest City for the Arts and Outdoors”.
KLCC VizCity