Tiny islands at Deception Pass.
I realize it's been a while since I last wrote. I had a bad bout of COVID last month and I'm still feeling the effects. The good news is that I got a lot of reading done and I started working with some new art materials! I'm done working with paper (for now) and I've switched over to using birch plywood in my art. I find that I can laser cut my desired shapes fairly easily and paint the pieces using acrylic paint. Learning about paint mixing has been really eye opening. I like being able to mix the exact color I want without relying on the limited palette of colored paper.
*I plan to put my paper works on sale on September 16 at 9 AM Pacific Time. Please keep an eye out for the email!
Laser cut and painted shapes based on the totem cactus.
A totem cactus in the "wild" at Postino in Tucson.
- I'm digging the colorful furniture and wall hangings by designer Mana Sazegara. I like that she's not afraid to use bright colors for home design instead of the usual beiges and grays.
- Even when the art world shifted away from abstract expressionism, Sonia Getchoff kept at it for nearly half a decade. I love her moody purples and reds in the painting Celestial Red.
- Friedensreich Hundertwasser was an Austrian artist, architect, and environmentalist. I'm not sure about his idea of "never using a straight line." But I love his use of color and nature themes.
- Van Gogh: The Life is an absorbing biography and I learned a lot about his process but it's also a difficult read. His struggles with mental illness and personality were significant. He tried pretty much everything before figuring things out right before his death at 37.
- The Courage to be Disliked is a controversial title but it's really about not trying to impress others and having the courage to be happy.
- Matt and I enjoyed How to Change Your Mind about how psychedelics are being used again in therapeutic settings to help people deal with terminal illness, addiction, and depression. I plan to read the book by Michael Pollen in the near future.
- The Janes is an excellent documentary about the brave women who provided safe abortions to women pre Roe v. Wade when they had nowhere else to go.
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Strange New Worlds is the latest Star Trek reboot and is one of my favorites so far. It keeps the camp of the original series while dealing with modern issues. I especially like the backstories for Uhura and Spock.
All you can do with your own life is choose the best path that you believe in.
—Ichiro Kishimi
Our journey is our home.
—James Hollis
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