Chris and Bailen

Our friend Chris was passing through this weekend, and was kind enough to let me paint her, so I took the opportunity to do my first in a series of portraits of felons.  Bailen (puppy) was moving around even more than Chris, so...it's not very finished. But I am hoping to get a few more chances, neither of them seemed to mind sitting for me too much  :)
XO

Weekly #1. Arcata Community Forrest

Hiked about...an hour? maybe through the Arcata forrest. Was on the western edge and think I crossed into the private territory and was following logging paths.  Anyway, settled into this mushroom scene just in time to get about 30 minutes in before it started raining. Then hiked around another hour or more exploring the woods. Just when I thought I might be really lost, I stumbled onto a frisbee golf course! Not lost. Lol.

Muddy boots and good feelings.  Here's to a paintings every week!

Farmer's Market

Mind you, this is the *Winter* farmer's market.

:)

I've never seen varieties of garlic like this in LA, or anywhere, have you?

And this is just a sweet mural in the burrito shop.

The Potawot Community Garden, a cherry I think??

And the Mad River.

Lovely place, no?

Warm up

Settled into workshop!  SO EXCITING.
First two little warm-ups. (From a photo. the same photo, as you can tell that they are almost identical in rendition! Lol)

Arcata second week

Wow. So much has happened.
Where did I stop last time?
About a week of apartment hunting and finding.
Holiday Monday with Jax's lovely family in Marin County.


Tuesday at the De Young with friends. Keith Herring exhibit.

Wednesday slower drive back into Arcata,
First stop was Point Reyes. Nature center was SO FUN!
I'll get the animal pix I took from Jax to post.  We could have spent hours there.
And adopted two new creatures into our clan. So stoked!


Stopped at an honor system farmer's stand :)

Also stopped at an Afghani rug importer's new digs.
(***Will look up business name too)
Such a sweet guy who moved to a beautiful place to live a more peaceful existence. Will barter for certain recreational goods :)
Sat shoe-less in his room of carpets and chatted.  He showed us a documentary about how the rugs are made in Afghanistan.
Jax and I will save up for one. A BIG ONE!
:)

Back in Arcata, Wednesday we signed out lease! 4 Bedroom house. Lovely home that the brother and sister renting to us were raised in.  Never been rented. Great energy. Great shared spaces and yard for gardening, and WORK SHOP!!!

(this is the before.)
It is heavenly.

By Saturday my hands were swollen and all my muscles were sore, but we had a mostly settled in HOME! Just so so so lovely. Jax and I got a night or two alone in the house before roommates started moving in. (Which was also lovely, the community here is top notch)

Second day in, smoking on the side porch, which overlooks the neighbor's simply stunning vegetable garden, two young cats approached and let us (Jax) pet them.  We'd been observing each other from across the yard for two days. Guess that was enough for all parties to determine friendship status.
Jax was delighted. It was adorable. And then they wrassled in the tree next to the porch until one got throw out.

Seriously.  What kind of life was I living before??

Couldn't bear to leave so soon for a few jobs I booked in LA this week so I passed them along.
Feeling fabulous.

 More pictures soon. We don't have internet at home yet.

Love!

WHAT A DAY!

I have had SO MANY of those "post-able" moments today, but I'm not going public about my move to Arcata on facebook.  In a way, it's an element of my artistic path.

Wait, moving here is totally all about my artistic path. Duh, right?

So I will take to noting the note-worthy here.

For starters. During my day today.

The...5th day in Arcata. I believe I arrived on the 13th of November, 2014.

Moved into storage and settled into Jax's apartment on 5th street. Viewed multiple rentals homes. Fell for one.  Baked a bunch with Jax. Went to a house party with a live 6 piece jazz band (students, but music majors) and stand-up paddled/kayaked from a vacation cabin on the Bay. Yesterday was my birthday, so I took a Sunday.

And that brings me to today. The get down to business day.

First thing, I set to researching local production companies, and then contacting them.

Lynette Nutter (A Nutter Production) made a move similar to mine about a decade ago. She was a TV producer.  The contact on her website didn't work, so I found her on facebook. She accepted my friend request right away, but hasn't yet responded to my message.

Alpha Productions has pretty much reseigned their business. Although they may have some "honestly missionary" (was that the phrase he used??) projects in the future, but nothing with...a budget. But he welcomed me to the area, and said there were a few "high-end" more serious production companies, that would only take the big budget projects- $1500, for instance.  Shenandoah was the only one he could come up with by name.

Jordan at Shenandoah was also kind. Younger. He admitted that his business is primarily duplication, but I commented on the Native American media aspect and he perked up. In an email I suggested we get coffee.

Rare. or Rarerthan seems to be the most promising. I left messages.

Then. What did I do?

Heated up the soup I made last night.  Although most days have had some sun, today was overcast. Cool inside. It wasn't until later in the afternoon I went outside and discovered it was pleasantly warm.

OH YEAH. This morning, at 6:30am, I went to the Community Yoga Center for Juliet Smith's Ashtanga guided practice.  Amazing.  She has the back-ground Yueni is after, and maybe the future too!  It was my first guided-not led-practice. Left on my own at times. She was just thrilled to have me.  I could tell. And she talked about being friends with her practitioners, not running it like a business, and by the end her whispered instructions included "buying now. Before the interest rates go up."  As have a few others since, she confirmed that I was making a very wise decision to move here. That it is a wonderful place.

I feel almost as if I'd consider living here forever after one day.

Midday I was home alone working at my computer. Very productive, but I got a little anxious. Nervous about there being no local film work and the reality of traveling to LA regularly.

I decided I had cabin fever and I needed to get out.  Looked up used book stores- there were 3 on one block! - smoked a load and headed out. :)

I let myself stop in whichever shops I was interested in- the 'New' furniture store. Which I decided was probably not anything I was interested in. So I didn't even ask if the carpenter was local.

Then into the fine art shop. I thought- if my dad visited, he'd want to come here. Upon closer look I laughed, thinking Therese would probably not be impressed. But the work was beautiful. I gravitated towards these ceramic animals. Roughly hand-made, although well crafted. Brightly glazed. Made me think of Jax. Only $25. Maybe one day I'll get her one...As I walked around, it occurred to me that I could sell my paintings here. The landscapes I intend to do. 

I struck a conversation with the older lady behind the counter.  Its a co-op. The process to get in is rather involved and must be voted on, but she gave me the information. And at the moment there is not much space for display.  I asked which were hers and had my breath taken away when I came around the display wall that held her work. I hadn't noticed it before. Small, framed abstract pieces. Pop-y colors. Matisse stroked and shapes. Stunning. I love them.  ...what was her name??? A name I liked...Mi...?damn. I am going to buy one of her pieces. $125.  There were 3 I would spend that on.

The next store was a "Dry Goods" store. Which was actually an antique store. I decided to indulge myself and walk around. Even though I can't shop. And of course, I found a belt (my pants have been falling off me) and a handkerchief for my mom.  I rushed to the checkout and said something about having to stop myself quickly from buying anything else. The young sales lady, it seems, almost immediately offered me a job. Part time. I was taken aback by how quickly it came out and the thought hadn't even occurred to me, but very quickly I realized...that could work. She started describing how she needs someone to organize things and make displays and clean...and more an dmore I'm just like YES!!!    we talked about my schedule, and that I leave for feature films. She was a bit concerned but said as long as I was professional about it....When I started saying "wow, yes! I'm in " she firmed up a bit and described how I should apply.

I'm totally doing it later tonight.

Day job!!!! Just what I've been wanting!

As long as I can arrange to get off for features this could totally work!!

LOL LIFE!  It is CRAZY in the most complimentary way!

I am an artist and filmmaker and must be PROLIFIC here while I have the chance.

SO FUCKING STOKED.

The book shops were fun too, and I got an application at the movie theater too. I asked about the projector system and explained that I understand harddrives and stuff, but the (young) manager was a bit threatened by that and said he'd likely have something on the floor during the holiday season.

Lol.

Probably not gonna apply to that one. But it was fun to ask. And I bet I'd get hired.

Set up my membership at the food co-op...

What a day.

Looking forward to being settled here and starting to adventure beyond the city.

I am definitely gonna settle in to thriving here. I can tell already. 

Uhaul.

700 miles North in time for winter.

Plein aire 2,3

For mom

Lunch with elderly folks

Sketches done over the course of about ninety minutes. 

underpainting

finally making some progress on this thing I've been thinking about forever.

trying out actually working my surface...5 or 6 layers of gesso, variously shaded with graphite, then sanded down to a smooth finish. 

next step OILS. cant wait.

Quick sketches of Jax