THE ART BARN

It might seem like cyber-hibernation.  But it hasn't been.  Mea culpa.  It's been a bee's life, not a bear's.

And so, it was a delight to slow down today during a visit to an artist's studio in the mountains.  If the drive through redwoods wasn't meditative enough, the mountain perch of the barn-studio was enough to soothe our souls …  except that the artwork was charged with contemporary energy!  So we happily swapped serenity for stimulation.

Our warm and gracious host was the prolific Bay Area artist, Sal Pecoraro.  A student of Richard Diebenkorn's in the 1950s, he made his own name with innovative public and private commissions all over the Bay.   When he showed us photographs of his works, we were all surprised by how often we'd seen them around.

Here he is with one of his Sky paintings,  a series he painted in the 1970s.  In the spirit of the Contemporary, we took a few selfies in front of it too, pretending to be outdoors.

Sal's site specific sculptures are house-sized versions of this piece on his table top.  He combines the geometric with the organic effortlessly in this Archaeo-Tectonic series from the '90s.

We took a short walk to the barn, where Arabian horses from its pre-studio days had chewed off the stable walls in boredom.  (I never knew that tidbit about horses, but the phrase "chomping at the bit" now makes sense.)  Many of Sal's vertical sculptures line the path.

The white stone/marble sculptures below reach out to me in an anthropomorphic way.  I almost want to pat them on the head, if you can call those heads.  (And I love the crumbling machinery, possibly still quite functional, all over the barn!)

You can sense the scale of his indoor pieces here versus the outdoor ones.   That one right outside the barn is small compared to his other sculptures in public and corporate buildings.

So, you all thought Angelina Jolie had the most famous lips?  For art students in Italy, David's (the one by Michelangelo) are more familiar!  That cast, apparently, is sold everywhere.  "Lips" is Sal's humorous take on it, down to painting it over in Van Gogh brush strokes.  I suppose David's ear would have been even funnier.

The stacks of art on the the barn floor reminded me of my friend's house.  Virginia, my dear friend (whom I now wonder might have been in the same Berkeley/Oakland art circles as Sal), still has her gallery full of art in every space conceivable, including floor stacks like this.  The thrill of the treasure hunt resurfaces every time we carefully riffle through the layers.  In Sal's stacks, you can see the diversity of inspirations that result in a piece of art - from holy icons to mundane keys.

But my favorite treasure-hunting thrill whenever I visit an artist's studio is the one of discovering forgotten corners.

Like stumbling on this Lilliputian collection of vintage vehicles, nearly swept under the rugs.

Or noticing the wall of pigments from years of wiping off the paintbrush.

And what about the views sprung by chance (or were they carefully orchestrated?).

And finally, there are the human touches of domesticity, like Sal's love of succulents and cacti, that frame our understanding of the artist beyond his works.

But clearly, this artist is most in his element when surrounded by his works and people who appreciate them.  We were enthralled by all his stories and life's wisdom, and many young artists in our group left inspired.

Our heartfelt thanks to Sal and his lovely wife for opening their home, studio and art to us!

This post is in memory of a friend in Art, who lost a brief but fierce battle with cancer today.  She had arranged this gathering at Sal's studio, fully expecting to be with us.  Alas, she could not, but her spirit and warmth were strongly present.  None of us expected it would be her last day.  When I heard, all I could think of was "out, out, brief candle."  I was blessed to have felt her warmth and light for the few years I came close to her flame.

ISLAND LIFE

Gone on vacation.  At least, my mind has.

The tropical islands have been my inspiration for a new design project.  But contrary to an idyllic retreat, the past few weeks have resembled typhoon season.  Tossed sketches overflow in the waste bin.  GPS routes trace a maelstrom.  Unattended laundry floods the hamper.  Even my neglected hair was a tsunami of overgrown layers.  (That is, until yesterday, when I could stand it no longer and took to the scissors.)

Inspiration: island living
I never dared sparkly, blue toes before but dreaming of turquoise waters spurred me on!

In other words, it's been great fun!  I love creative whirlwinds.  And the tempest is primarily caused by my deadline -- next month's vacation.  Looking so forward to seeing family and friends in the island archipelago we call home.  Like I said, my mind is already there.

Selecting possible materials for the bathroom remodel:
Pebbles, glass mosaics, and textured porcelain tiles.

Ahh, you can take the girl out of the tropics but you can't take the tropics out of the girl.  All my design visions begin with clean, modern lines.  But often, my Asian sense of the organic seeps in to soften the edges.  Perhaps that's why thoughts of pebbles and stones and a hint of turquoise waters have trickled into this re-modeling job.  

Nature is barely kept outdoors here, so it's made sense to continue the theme indoors.  And I know I'll be scouring the woods outside to find just the right bare branches to lean against the tiles.

A willowy Peppertree presents swaying branches
outside the two bathroom windows

Would you call that Modern Exotic?  Or Contemporary wabi-sabi?

At home by the trees and water.
I was running around town in 95-degree heat!

Either way, shouldn't we all design with our roots in mind?  Or at least, reflect who we are in our surroundings? Otherwise, there's no context or connection.  Just like purchasing some mass produced object from a Mall.

Last week, visiting friends were asking about objects in the house, from furniture to daily wares.  I shared how most have a personal meaning -- picked up from our travels, passed down through family, created by a friend, and so on.  I savor an everyday life infused with memories and sensations.  And, whenever anyone asks about something, there's usually a story to tell ...

What materials do you like to surround yourself with?


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An aside:  For the young ones who think Mathematics has no bearing on daily life, think again.  Euclidean Geometry is profound.  It's the best way to calculate if a round tub fits in a corner, or if an oval one can rest diagonally across it.  Both calculations for this project yielded "no"!

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS ... OR CALIFORNIA

Last week at the ballet studio, several people announced they were November-born, including two of the dancers below.  Lovers of life that we all are, we immediately declared a party at our house.

My friends in the rehearsal studio, two years ago.
They created stiff circles of tulle on the floor here.

Picasso or Cole Porter may not have been present, but it dawned on me that our impromptu soirée wasn't too different from a Paris-in-the-'20s scene.  We had dancers, artists, an actor, a musician, arm-chair philosophers (sometimes, even the real thing), and a scientist!  Just missing were the writers and poets.

Our Artistic Director (seated),
formerly from American Ballet Theater,
during our rehearsals

First off, our ballet Artistic Director was celebrating his birthday.  He had danced with world-renowned American Ballet Theater in New York prior to moving out West.  His pregnant wife was surprised his photos were in some of my old, ABT performance books.  (I used to attend ABT's season at the Metropolitan Opera House and pick up the books at the performances.  This was before I knew him personally - and before his wife ever met him.)  We reminisced about his old ABT friends - dancers I admired, even worshipped, and on my very lucky days, shared barres with in NYC. 

My dear friend, Virginia, whom I wrote about in Life is Beautiful, provided all the good bubbly as we celebrated her 86th birthday too.  Months ago, she had been generous enough to offer what gallery paintings we liked for our walls, and to rotate them until we'd found one we couldn't say good-bye to.  (Her art gallery overflows as much as her champagne collection.)  I was ecstatic to serve as her extended exhibit space.  So, we spent a fair amount of time clinking flutes in birthday toasts while engaging in art appreciation.  Now that's a civilized way to spend an evening.

Loaned to us from Virginia's art gallery.
I like discovering textures in it daily.
But is the marred surface
the result of her housekeeper's
vigorous cleaning?!

Another friend, a ceramic artist, was also a celebrant. Her works happen to be around our house too - from wabi sabi vases to our daily serving dishes.  Wabi sabi is a wonderful, Japanese aesthetic - defined by imperfection, transience, and natural beauty.  Does that concept speak to you?  It does to me, especially contrasted against geometric perfection.  We celebrated this theme by putting my friend's irregularly-shaped bowls and plates out for our little party.  (You can check out her whimsical creations here in Yukari Art)

An example of my friend's
wabi sabi vase
on the floor of our foyer

Let's see. We mentioned dancers and artists.  Now, the actress.  She had recently played a small part in a film scene with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson - yes, the protagonist at the core of "Midnight in Paris"!  She was still giddy from the experience.  Of course we pressed her, and she confirmed that Wilson is as cute and charming in life as he is on film.

Finally, the culmination of this evening out of Time was sitting by the piano while our musician friend played Gershwin and ragtime.  The live music punctuated our discussion on the origins of rag (which I never knew was a technical term - "ragging out time") and Jazz.  The genre couldn't have been more fitting that night. 

After all the champagne, music and art
Midnight in California

Sometimes, the best experiences are unplanned, fleeting, joyous celebrations of life.  Wabi sabi style.  I didn't even appreciate the evening until everyone had gone and I thought of writing this post.

Now, if I could only round up a poet or two for the next gathering ... 

NAPOLEON COMPLEX

These have got to be my favorite summertime platforms to teeter in.

Sandals: Joe's (maker of Joe's Jeans)

OK, 5-inches may speak "Napoleon Complex".  Totally overcompensating.  But what I think they're really saying, with wood, leather, hemp -- and strips of aqua like exclamation points -- is "Summer"!


These really are too perilous for the pool deck (understand why I'm not in the picture?).  But I find I can gingerly manage dinner or a movie.  The rest of the time, I'm more down to earth.  Five inches down to be exact, in flip flops.


Here I am right before I headed to the public library yesterday to borrow some DVDs (yes, still old-fashioned here).  Notice the sliding doors behind me?  We had initially intended to build a deck out there.  Then, we realized no balcony should obstruct our hillside vista.  I mean, Romeo and Juliet could still have wooed through a window had the view of Verona dictated it, right?

Sandals: Joe's
Dress: Sugarlips
T-shirt: Michael Stars

So, we are left with a giant picture window instead, and a cliff beyond.  For safety, we were required to bolt the door and (essentially) throw away the key.  We're quite pleased with the outcome.  The only thing I miss is being able to sweep straight outdoors or shake off a rug like some medieval housekeeper.

The sandals wanted to enjoy the view from the deck.

Meanwhile, we finally finished the pool deck which overlooks the hills and some vineyards too.  (We did get our deck after all.)  See the dry, south-facing hills there?  We are fortunate to be in the verdant, north-facing side of the mountains.  Yet I love seeing the contrast across of parched land surrounded by lush countryside.  That's Northern California for you.

How is everyone's summer holiday going so far?  I hope everyone is enjoying life on the slower lane, if only for a month or two.

STILL-NESS

"A great free joy surges through me when I work ... with tense slashes and a few thrusts, the beautiful white fields receive their color and the work is finished in a few minutes." 

                                                            -- Clyfford Still, Abstract Expressionist artist

Clyfford Still Museum
Colors, including this visitor's electric blue,
startled me out of my winter doldrums!

Clyfford Still Museum
You can sense the monumental scale of the art.
I love the sliver of red-orange, like sunset on the horizon,
struggling not to sink into the twilight

I'm finally back from the snow-laden slopes of Colorado.  A few hours before our flight home, we decided to swing by the new Clyfford Still Museum in Denver, housing roughly 95% of this reclusive artist's works.  Still was a force in the Abstract Expressionist Movement though he broke away from the art world at the height of his creativity.

Clyfford Still Museum
Color and texture via palette knife and trowel

Clyfford Still Museum
Colors and forms on white canvas

The Still Estate bequeathed nearly his entire oeuvre to Denver.  The lucky city had agreed to carry out the artist's stipulation to only show his works in its (near) entirety.  No competition from fellow abstract expressionists -- Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, etc. -- to distract from his work!  Now I understand why the San Francisco MoMA had an entire gallery of Clyfford Still paintings.  He refused to share walls with his former friends!  

Clyfford Still Museum
The architecture was specifically designed to house Still's works

Clyfford Still Museum
Natural light through holes in the ceiling

We discovered more interesting objects in the basement, like his personal effects.  Still may have lived on a farm but his tastes in literature and music were quite sophisticated.

Clyfford Still Museum
Still's personal effects -- including LPs of opera and classical music,
his book collection and typewriter -- were in the basement

Clyfford Still Museum
I love the hint of cyan marching off the frame

It was marvelous to be enveloped by some of the most original art of the 20th century.  As Still himself said,  "It's intolerable to be stopped by a frame's edge."  Fortunately, we were engulfed by his colors!  

Interestingly, these eye-opening hues were the harbinger of springtime back in California.  Apple, plum and cherry blossoms greeted us upon our return.  Much like his splashes of color against a snowy canvas.

I hope you have all been well and I will catch up with you soon!

MATERIAL GIRL

No, this isn't a homage to '80s Madonna.  Nor is it quite an outfit post.  I merely wanted to illustrate, by way of clothing, what has been taking a lot of my time lately.

We are still coated in sawdust, but nearing the visible part of construction.  For weeks, I have been the Material Girl, zipping around the Bay Area, in search of the right wood, metal, stone, fabrics.  In a way, nothing matches.  But, as we know with outfits, harmony can surface through a cacophony of beautiful materials.

Mixed Materials -- herringbone tweed, velvet, lace, metal; wool, leather, faux fur
Applying the same philosophy to interiors
Dress: Anna Sui for Target (I loved this collection)
Coat: Walter (this coat design always makes me think "Ostrich")

I was surprised by the last design meeting I had in San Francisco, uncovering a panoply of subtly-colored weaves and jewel-toned velvets to complement -- or contrast with -- other materials.  It was a different direction from our initial ideas, and all because I fell in love with the teal fabric on a chair.  In January, I'm also scheduled to brainstorm with a team of artists to design a side table which I want in mixed materials. I'm thinking hammered metal with some distressed wood, but in modern geometries.  We'll see.

Sheer chiffon, satin ribbons and appliqués dressed down with knits
Dress: Vintage couture

The Italians among you will be pleased to know that my labyrinthine quests have often led me down the path of Italian design. What can't these people do beautifully?!  From wood floor, stones and tiles, to lighting fixtures and fabrics, my favorites mostly turn out to be crafted from the land of the Medicis.  It's such an unfair -- or perhaps fair and duly earned -- head start, with their long history in art and architecture!  (Hmmm, I guess Madonna owes her creativity to her Italian heritage.  Now, that lady knew how to mix materials as well...  whaddya know, this post ended up being about the Material Girl after all.)

So, this is just a brief interlude from my Christmas postings -- though I did wear that ostrich-bottomed coat to a Christmas party last week, and the ribboned dress to a holiday show.  

MISSED ON MISSONI

I wanted to see if all the hype was true.  It was.

Missoni's collection for Target was cleaned out within hours.  Piranhas couldn't have done a better job.  The unmistakable striped knitwear flew off the shelves and crashed Target's website after unveiling on September 13th.  Not even a dish or blanket was left.  I heard stories of shoppers stealing from other shoppers' (momentarily) unattended carts.  Would you believe?!

Cardigan from Missoni for Target

I didn't have time to check it out on the 13th so I went on the 14th.  Too late -- the racks were bare.  Unless you were a baby or had size 11 feet.

What you do see here was one of 3 remaining Children's cardigans.  I snapped one up, with a matching children's vest (hooray, there was one Children's Large left!)  Does anyone else like the shrunken proportions achieved from the children's department, including the boy's section?

Cardigan from Missoni for target

Looking at these variegated knits brought me back to my University days in the UK.  Except for the Italians, my closest friend there and I were the only ones on campus sporting bright, multi-colored outfits from hat to toe.  (My friend was born Sri Lankan, schooled in Geneva and England and now based in Vancouver; in other words, another global nomad.)  I had a long, striped cardigan I referred to as "Joseph's Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."  You see, it wasn't fashionable back then.  It was either black, grungy outfits or muted sophistication.

So I conclude that my style really hasn't changed since I was a youth and actually began picking out my own clothes.  I am not counting the days when my sisters and I wore matching dresses to complement my Mom's grown-up version.  We had our von Trapp Family moments.

Has your style evolved?  Do you like Missoni?

TEXTURIZE IT

The sun is shining and I have meetings with architects on our new project.  Can't wait to move into our new place sometime this late summer (Patience is a Virtue).

I wanted to send the architects a message on how I like varied textures -- stone, wood, you know.

Valentino shades
Voom fur vest, Mango top
Theory skirt
Italian tights with Prada shoes
vintage hand bag

Do you think they got the message?

PS  I know it is de rigueur in Blogland to identify our labels.  I feel awkward about it but will try it out for this exercise.