exchange show

My printmaking workshop GAW has done a print exchange with a small gallery in Yokohama, Japan. It's very exciting! The exhibition of both our work and their work will be on show at the GAW gallery from next week 9 September to 1 October on fridays and saturdays, 12-5pm. I'm showing two of my San Francisco snowdome prints. The lighter one will be on show in Yokohama, the darker one in SF. There will be a reception at GAW on saturday 10 September 3-5pm. Hope to see you there!

There will be a reception at Launchpad Gallery, Yokohama, on saturday 17 September 7-10pm, with the show running from 16 - 26 September. Hope you can make it one or the other of the shows.

Nathan's wedding

My friend Nathan asked me to create some illustrations for his wedding invitations, and I came up with several ideas for the three different event cards. Each card had a slightly different level of formality, so I tried to accommodate that.I also drew a little vignette of their names for the cards, that could be used on various stationery. I was asked for 'rustic but stylish', as the wedding was in Yosemite National Park, so I thought about the time I'd been there, and concentrated on the sweeping views and sequoia trees. The first event was on the lawn at the Wawona hotel, where I drew the lovely floral arrangements in the glowing early evening light.The wedding ceremony took place on the lawn of the Ahwahnee hotel, with the glorious mountains as a backdrop, on a perfect summer day.As a wedding favour each guest was given a waterbottle with my illustration of Half Dome on, but as a special thank you, Nathan and Strawn gave me a set of glasses as well, and I couldn't resist taking this picture. Congratulations to the happy couple!

Yosemite

We went to Yosemite National Park at the weekend to attend a wedding, and I loved being surrounded by the trees in the wonderful clear air.We stayed at the historic Wawona hotel (now renamed the Big Trees Lodge), and completely relaxed.We went up to Glacier Point twice, the first time at midnight to watch the Perseid shower, and the second time during the day. The meteor shower was one of the most magical things I've ever seen: the night was totally dark and all the stars in the milky way were visible. And then the stars fell, some brightly, some quickly, and some leaving a trail of sparkles. During the day the view was spectacular, with blue mountains and valleys all around as far as the eye can see. Truly a marvel of the world...

watercolour sketches

I've been experimenting with watercolours these last few weeks, every time we've been to see the Pacific Ocean along the west coast.These two are beaches some way below Half Moon Bay...

San Francisco snowdome

I've been working on a new etching this week for an exchange project between my print workshop and a gallery in Japan. The theme is 'my San Francisco' and I decided to go for the ultimate kitschy object, the snowdome. I still feel like a tourist here and I looked for all the things that really appealled to me when I first arrived. I feel like the Bay is San Francisco's heart, so I featured watery icons like the seal, the bridge, and the ferry building. And of course I couldn't leave out the fog, and the sutro tower, that you can see from everywhere...I did several different versions of the print, some with colour/gold/stars and am still deciding which to show. We'll have the exhibition in our gallery in September and also in Japan around the same time. More details to follow!

improv theatre

Last weekend we went to see The Iron Stage doing a Game of Thrones improv night in San Francisco, it was amazing! I did lots of sketches while I watched...I said hello to the cast afterwards and showed them my drawings and they posted them on their facebook page, hurrah!Next month, Star Trek improv!~

print exchange

I took part in a print exchange between my own print studio the Graphic Arts Workshop and the Print Club of Rochester which is now on show in the GAW gallery. There was no specific theme, so I decided to do a new playing card in my ongoing series.I sketched all sorts of wading birds and chose sandpipers doing a spot of fishing. The opening reception is this afternoon 3-5pm, please do pop in if you can!

Here's how they look on the walls...

not a lemon

I have a piece in a group show opening next week in San Francisco called Not a Lemon. It features the work of 50 Bay Area artists and there'll be paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures. I had my first real California moment when I made lemon curd from lemons from my very own little lemon tree growing on the balcony, so for this show I created a hand-lettered recipe. I printed a woodcut lemon branch and wrote the recipe in pen and ink. I made 3 different versions, to experiment with type style and spacing, and they'll all be available at the exhibition.The opening reception will be on thursday 7th July 6-9pm. I'll be there, it would be great to see you! Hope you can all make it to see the show while it's up.

photography exhibition

One of my photos has been chosen to be in the annual juried plastic camera show at the prestigious rayko photo center in San Francisco. This is a double-exposure medium format shot I took with my trusty Holga when I was travelling in India. I'm not a photographer, but I do love analogue photography so much. The opening reception is this wednesday evening, March 9th, 6-8pm if you're around! Show continues until April 29th.

last weekend of exhibition

Today and tomorrow are the last days to see my show at GAW in San Francisco. Hope you can make it! You can view these two hand-detailed mokuhanga prints of a jug and a mug...It's a series of four, with pen-drawn lines, but these two just seem to go so nicely together.

exhibition prints

My show continues for 2 more weekends, and I'll be at the studio this afternoon (saturday) so please feel free to drop in!Here are two of the newer pieces in the show. I've been experimenting with adding different media onto prints: the pink jug is a mokuhanga print with added pen line drawing, and the bird mug is an etching with watercolour.Graphic Arts Workshop: 2565 3rd St #305, San Francisco, CA 94107

exhibition continues

My show opened last weekend in Dogpatch, San Francisco. Here's me hanging my work...Thank you to everyone who came to the opening reception, I am full of love for you all!The show runs from February 5th – 27th on Fridays and Saturdays noon – 5pm, and by appointment at other times. I'll be at the studio most saturdays while the show is up, if you'd like to drop by! Graphic Arts Workshop: 2565 3rd St #305, San Francisco, CA 94107

upcoming exhibition

I'm going to have a solo show in San Francisco, yay! It's in the little gallery at the front of my printmaking workshop in Dogpatch. The reception is on saturday 6 February from 2-5pm, I'd love to see you there!I'll be showing a selection of my ongoing playing card etching series, along with a new collection of mokuhanga woodcuts and etchings about tea. The show runs from February 5th – 27th on Fridays and Saturdays noon – 5pm, and by appointment at other times.

There will be a presentation by Linda Marshall about handmade Japanese washi paper at 1pm, just before the reception, so please do come along to that if  you're interested!

Graphic Arts Workshop: 2565 3rd St #305, San Francisco, CA 94107

Joshua Tree

I recently got some film developed and found these images of my trip to Joshua Tree National Park last year. I still find the sight of these ancient landscapes so moving, and alien.

This last one reminds of a 1970's road trip movie...

Sometimes I just can't believe how beautiful the world is.

Point Reyes

Hope everyone is having a relaxing winter break. I just got back from a little visit up the coast to Point Reyes National Seashore, which was chilly but oh so beautiful! We visited the Point Reyes lighthouse, and saw grey whales on their way to Baha.In Inverness, right by the water, the sunrise glow with mist over the water, was pink and golden and like a dream...Limantour beach was wild and empty, and I lay on the sand in the sunshine and painted the grasses in the sand dunes.Really, really, can't wait to go back again and discover more!

open studios this weekend

Today was the first day of our annual open studios at Graphic Arts Workshop. Here's the sunny studio all ready and waiting for the first visitors.I set up my portfolios, wrapped prints and picture wall, featuring most of my newest artwork in a variety of frames.I've been working on a new series of little prints based on the zodiac horoscope signs which are on show here for the first time.I hope you'll all pop in to visit tomorrow, I'll be there from 11-6. Thank you to everyone who came to see us today. Happy Halloween!

open studios in a week

Next weekend: 31 Oct and 1 Nov, I'll be showing my work at the annual San Francisco Open Studios event, in my print studio in Dogpatch. You can find all the info you need about the Graphic Art Workshop here. I'll be showing new work, like this hand-detailed mokuhanga print,and some new playing card prints like these.Of course I'll be showing a wide variety of ceramic etchings, like this popular blue peonies print,which you can also see at the preview show in SOMArts gallery in downtown San Francsico right now.I do hope you can make it to the open studios, I'll be there from 11-6 on saturday and sunday. It's always nice to buy art direct from the artists! Please do come and say hello.

Darjeeling book talk

A few weeks ago I went to a fascinating book talk at Omnivore books in San Francisco, about Darjeeling tea. Author Jeff Koehler spent time in the various tea gardens there and learnt about the tea, how it's picked and processed and made into 'the champagne of tea'.You know I love tea, and everything about it, and now I can't wait to try Darjeeling again! You can check out his book here.

botanical garden

I went to the botanical garden inside the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco with my friend Aude Van Ryn when she was visiting, to do a spot of sketching.I have a soft spot for succulents and cactii, so I spent quite a bit of time looking at all the colours and textures...

birthday!

It's my birthday weekend, yay! We had a picnic in the park......where we ate many tasty cakes and enjoyed the sunshine.So wonderful to spend time with friends. Thank you all!