A Quiet Moment Amongst Friends

Heart Hospital 911

Every day on my way to work I pass a temporary mural created by children that sits in front of a construction site at San Francisco's General Hospital. Most of the mural depicts anthropomorphic hearts that have fallen ill. This is their story. 

It had been a normal morning at the hospital before ambulances began showing up with dozens of critically ill hearts. Alarms bells sounded and physicians were called in from every department to begin a triage.

Time was of the essence. 

While the day was stressful in some ways, the doctors couldn't help but smile as they operated on hearts instead of people for a change.

The human patients in the hospital enjoyed meeting the hearts, but the hearts were uncomfortable around the humans.

As soon as the hearts started to feel better, they would get up and dance around. Some of the hearts would also sing. The hospital staff were not amused. 

While there were many happy stories at the hospital that day, sadly, not every heart survived. 

The End. 

Why Are Things So Slow?

Doodle, digital color, 8 x 8 inches, 2010

 

Why are the blog updates coming so slowly, you ask? It's because some people have been very busy and they need time to think up new ideas so that everyone can have a lot of fun later on in the year. You see, if my friends and I just start posting stuff for the sake of posting stuff, it will dilute the blog. Do you know what dilute means? It means when you put too many ice cubes in your soda and it gets very cold, very fast, but then it starts to taste gross when you are only halfway through because the ice melted. 

I want this blog to be luke warm and potent. Stay tuned!

A Quiet Moment at the Beach

iPhone painting, 800 x 550 pixels, 2009

In this digital painting by Jake C, a man takes some time to unwind and watch the waves. I'm guessing this guy's wife and four step-kids don't even know about this secret spot on the beach. It's the perfect place to chill-out.

Jake is pushing iPhone art to new limits. The depth and shading are amazing. Nice work!

Peter Foucault: Rise of the Machines

Art show, drawings, video, art robotics, 2008-2009

My friend Peter Foucault is displaying his recent drawings at a solo show, Attraction/Repulsion, at SFMOMA's Caffe Museo. His work will be up through May 12th. If you are in downtown San Francisco anytime in the next month, you should drop in to SFMOMA's cafe for a cup of coffee and check this out.

 
 

Peter uses automated processes to create the initial framework for his drawings. He then finishes each piece by hand. Most of these drawings were started by attaching ink pens to specially-designed robots that respond to the sound of the audience. At many of his exhibitions, the floor layout resembles a factory where robots plug away at their tasks while the finished drawings steadily go up on the walls throughout the run of the show.

I created a short film in response to the art and artistic process behind Attraction/Repulsion. I focused on the movements of Peter's robot (sans pen) and contrast it with close-ups from his finished pieces. I took the footage for this film while Peter was setting up for his solo show, External Influences, at the Richmond Art Center in October of 2008.

In previous shows, Peter has conscripted a lovable robotic dog with sharpie legs to assist with drawings.

 

In the late 1990s, Peter, Nico C and I worked as valets and doormen at the Mayflower Park Hotel in Seattle. We were amazingly good at it, but we've each moved on to do other things.

Tiny Red Bubbles and a Piece of Mystery Metal

20" x 30", oil on canvas, 2006

Nico C sends in a vibrant original oil painting. It depicts the conflict between the carnival-like excitement of youth and the sobering reality of adulthood. Being an adult is rough, especially when it involves some sort of metal tool with a leather strap on it. 

 

The tool has smashed through the stained-glass window and all of the air is being sucked out!

 

Nico lives in San Francisco and is an avid bicyclist. Perhaps the metal tool is actually a bike part.

Dad with a Book

9"x12" Oil on canvas, 2004

Ben Y submitted this painting of his father reading a book. I've met Ben's father and he looks exactly like this. The degree of realism is remarkable. I can't, however, make out what book is being read. It looks like it might be a picture book about bananas.

Ben lives in New York and writes about the government. He helped come up with the idea for an online repository of doodles and lo-fi artwork ten years ago. There was a slight delay...

(Editor's note: The wisecrack about the banana book was uncalled for. This blog is intended to be a non-judgemental space for people to leave their work. We'll try to reign it in next time. Please submit art.)

The Owl

12"x 9" Oil on canvas

This Great Horned Owl was painted by Anna U. Anna lives in Oregon where owls fill the sky, but she's not really that interested in nature. I'm not sure why she decided to paint this.