Yesterday my brother and I were wandering around Union Square and stopping in to a few art galleries to see what was there. In one of them, Tangent, I became completely enamored with a painting of Venice that moved as you walked by it. I probably walked back and forth a hundred times watching it move. When you get up close you can see that there is a strange mathematically designed architectural shape that the painting is on top of and that’s what creates the ability for the painting to change perspective as you go by it or move in and out away from it.

I had my brother ask who the artist was because I loved it so much and the helpful guy at the gallery told us all about the artist, Patrick Hughes, who I’d never heard of before. Patrick Hughes is in his eighties and has been showing his work for over four decades. He is a UK artist whose work is only sold through three places right now including this gallery in San Francisco. He does large paintings and he also does lithographs. It turned out that there were several lithographs in the gallery, too, that we were able to take a look at.

One of the things that he’s well known for is his series of doors. There are several doors in a row against some type of background and as you walk from left to right the doors will open and close. It’s hard to explain this because it’s all about the way that the perspective of the piece tricks the mind into thinking that something is happening there that isn’t. When you get up close you can see the angles of the piece and how they make the different shapes that create this illusion but even when you know the trick of it your mind still sees it as though it’s moving. The guy at the gallery said he’s owned one Hughes painting for fourteen years and even though he knows it inside and out the painting still moves every time he looks at it and it never loses its magic because of it. I love the amazing skill that had to go into creating something like that but it’s that magic that really captures me.

The Venice painting was my favorite piece that we saw but a close runner up is a Picasso piece. Hughes created a visual of what looks like a museum installation with paintings on the walls and each of the paintings is a famous Picasso painting from various periods of his work. And the way that the walls of the “museum” are designed the piece moves back and forth as you walk by it. It’s stunning close up and still has that magic as you walk by. Apparently this piece developed from a series because artist Edward Hopper commented that Hughes was selling art and Hopper wasn’t so he said something about how Hughes should do a piece showing Hopper’s work in a museum setting and that’s what he did. That launched a whole style where he’s done that with the work of other artists like Picasso as well as Warhol.

I wish there was a way for me to show how amazing the artwork is. The gallery guy said that one of the reasons Hughes isn’t so well known to many people is precisely because you can’t capture the magic of the work in a photo so you have to see it in person to know how amazing he is. I’m so entranced by this guy now and want to learn everything about him. His website seems to have tons of information so I’m going to have to dig in when I get a free moment.

Tags: creative art, optical illusion, patrick hughes

I was up earlier than usual today. I typically wake up around nine these days. That’s varied a lot over the years. I’ve never been one to sleep in very late but I have been known to be an early bird in the past. One of the things that I love about working for myself is that I don’t have to wake or sleep on a clock so I can give my body what it needs in terms of a sleep schedule. I think that’s hugely important to both mental and physical wellbeing and feel lucky that I get to have that.

My morning routine these days isn’t quite what I want it to be. I used to wake up in the morning and do some edifying or inspiring reading. It’s been awhile since I’ve done that. I’ve gotten into a habit of turning on the TV first thing in the morning and catching up on whatever shows I missed from the night before. This morning it was Criminal Minds and American Idol.

While I’m watching, I catch up on my iPod games with friends. I play Words with Friends, which I’m good at but only win some of the time and I play Scramble with Friends, which I almost never get beat at. I keep the maximum number of games allowed going on both of those games at all times so I catch up with them all in the morning while the TV is on. And of course, I drink my first cup or two of coffee which is something I’ve done for as long as I remember.

It hasn’t been a bad routine. It suited me fine for awhile. I was really having some dragging energy healthwise and it was taking me time to get going in the morning. But lately I’ve had more energy. I’ve needed fewer naps. I’ve felt a little more upbeat. I attribute it to a combination of thyroid medication and iron supplements for anemia. Now that I’m starting to get more energy, I feel like I can start to have more productive or active mornings than I’ve had in awhile.

I’d like to exercise in the mornings but I have to figure out how to make that work. The thing is, I can’t exercise until after I’ve eaten because I always always feel sick if I do. And I am not someone who can pop out of bed and eat breakfast immediately on most days. So there has to be some sort of morning ritual that allows me to wake up, have my coffee, ease into the day a bit then eat my breakfast and exercise. And I don’t know quite how doing all of that before getting started on work will work out realistically with a writing schedule.

But it’s something worth figuring out I think. So I’m getting on top of it, starting by turning off the TV now and at least doing a little personal blogging here before I move on to other things. That could be part of this new routine. We’ll see.

I’ve read a few books lately that I really liked. And I’ve started a few others that I couldn’t get into at all.

Books I’ve Liked Lately

The Man in the Gray Flannel Skirt

I absolutely loved this memoir by Jon-Jon Goulian. He’s an androgynous male who writes about the experience of figuring out what that meant for him and adjusting to the larger world around himself in the face of it. Although at first glance it might seem like a memoir with a limited niche (how many people truly struggle with sincere androgyny, after all?) it’s actually got a wide appeal in my opinion because ultimately what it’s about is figuring out how to learn who you are and how to fit into the world around you. That’s something that we all have to figure out. The author’s incisive, sometimes self-deprecating, wit actually had me laughing aloud which I can’t say I do often when reading a book at home alone. Loved it.

Luna by Julie Anne Peters

This is another story about finding and defining yourself but this one is a young adult novel. I’m not even really sure why I picked it up but I ended up kind of liking it. It’s about a transgender teenage boy during the stage when he’s beginning to dress as a woman. I think what made me like it, though, is that it’s told from the perspective of his younger sister who is the only one at first to know the boy’s secret. This unique perspective made an otherwise “whatever” book a lot more interesting to me.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

This is another young adult book and to be honest the only reason I picked it up is because I needed something to read while I was at the airport and the selection at the newsstand in my terminal in LA was really limited. I ended up liking it, though. It’s about an era in which all of society is divided into five factions that each values a certain virtue (like amity or candor) and at the age of sixteen the members need to pick the faction that they want to be a part of. It’s the story of one main character who makes that choice. So I guess I’m on a theme these days of reading these “how do I define myself?” books!

I Am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World

This is a collection of fictional monologues about the fiery passion and difficult lives of teenage girls. It touches on topics both small and large. I didn’t like every single part of it. And it’s something that I think would be a lot more fun to see performed on a stage than read in a book. That said, I liked the gist of it and enjoyed reading pieces of it here and there. It was tough being a teenage girl and this book reminded me to celebrate and honor that toughness.

Books I Couldn’t Get Into

Summer Friends by Holly Chamberlin

I picked up this book because I wanted a light summery novel to read on the plane to LA. I actually did read the entire thing so I can’t say I totally didn’t get into it. But I’m pretty indifferent to it. It’s about two friends who were close in high school and then lost touch for twenty years and now they’re becoming friends again. It’s about their journeys through lives, the differences in the choices they made, etc. It’s not a bad book just not exceptional for me.

Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel’s Secret War by Hal Vaughan

This is the story of Coco Chanel and I really, really want to read it because it covers a “secret” period of Chanel’s during the WWII era. It sounds intriguing. However, I can’t seem to get more than a few pages into it before I get bored. It’s too heavy-handed or dense or something. I may try again. We’ll see.

A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Dugard

This is the true story of someone who underwent the terrible experience of being kidnapped and then held captive for eighteen years. She was treated horrible, had two children in captivity … it’s a powerful story. And I wanted to learn more about it but I just couldn’t get into the writing. I seem to be really restless with reading lately and if something doesn’t capture me immediately then I move on to something else. I think I’d rather see a documentary on this one than read the book.

Worth Fighting For: Love, Loss, and Moving Forward

This is a book by the wife of Patrick Swayze that shares what it was like to spend twenty months with him undergoing intense cancer treatment and passing away. I just tried starting it this morning and I couldn’t get into it. It actually seems like a good book but for some reason I just can’t get the cheesy Dirty Dancing Swayze out of my head and it makes me not like the story that much. I think I’ll try again before returning it to the library, though, because the bias seems weird and sill.

So, that’s what I’m reading. What’s on your nightstand?

Tags: books, reading

I didn’t do too well with my plan to watch classic romance films in February. I watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s for the first time and loved it and then didn’t really watch any others. That’s okay. For March I decided to go with a film category that it is one of my favorites: documentaries.

So far I’ve watched:

and

Grizzly Man is the true story of Timothy Treadwell who went and lived up close and personal with Alaska’s wild bears for thirteen summers in a row but that ended tragically when he and his girlfriend were eaten alive. It’s a traditional documentary that combines Treadwell’s own footage with narration of the story and interviews with those people who were involved in some way.

Awful Normal reminds me a bit more of some of the experimental documentaries I watched a little of in January. It’s the true story of two adult women who were molested as girls by a family friend and their journey to go confront him to get closure. There are some odd film moments such as when they turn the camera off at the man’s request but keep the audio rolling so you only see a black screen. All in all, I felt like it was a powerful documentary with truth at the heart of it.

Tags: awful normal, documentary, films, grizzly man

From Discarded to Divine 2011

I mentioned previously that I’m excited about Discarded to Divine. I’ve just seen a new press release about it and even more excited.

The press release introduced some of the new designers and what they made. More than 60% of the designers are local students debuting at Discarded to Divine. They include

• Rachel Heald from FIDM recycled upholstery fabric, jersey, and blouses into a silk appliqued dress and hooded vest.
• Jonathan Luk Man Cheung from SFSU made a man’s kilt and striped shirt from assorted oxford cloth and trim.
• Barbara Kelly of CCA turned five knit scarves into a chic, hooded “track suit.

I’m looking forward to seeing it all in person.

See photos of past designs and designers at http://discardedtodivine.org/.

Tags: bay area, discarded to divine, Fashion, upcycled

Earlier this month I participated in the Second Annual Craft Social Swap via Swapbot. I hadn’t done a swap in awhile and I’d never made a mug rug, which is what we were swapping, so I thought it was a good swap to participate in.

I have just received my cute mug rug, along with an additional coffee cup cozy, from my swap partner so I thought I’d share it here.

And here’s a look at the two crochet mug rugs that I sent to my swap partner:

Have you ever made a mug rug? Using what craft?

Tags: craft social, crochet, mug rugs, sewing, swap

I’m decluttering and trying to get rid of some physical stuff I don’t need anymore like my random drawings and doodlings. Thought I’d share a few. For each pair of images, the first one is the doodle as I drew it and the second is a version edited with Fotoflexer.

Tags: art, creativity, doodles, drawing

‘That’s the Key!’ Etsy Treasury

I love the way that old keys, which have no real function, can be reinvented in creative ways.

Steampunk Skeleton Key Ring-… bellamantra $28.00	KEY to your heart three cha… touchsoul $4.99
150 Plantable Paper Skeleton… recycledideas $129.00	Amore is the Key to Life Nec… BeadedTreasure… $36.00
OLD KEY ornate pendant charm… PatinaWorx $1.95	Victorian Silver Dragonfly -… TrashAndTrinke… $38.00
Bird Skeleton Key Necklace mcstoneworks $32.00	8×10 Barnwood frame with vin… DelHutson $28.00
Vintage Bottle with Old Map … 505Vintage $42.00	Old Key Necklace – The Secre… HeatherBerry $19.00
Antiqued Brass Key Necklace,… Shininggift $2.99	brass Antique Pocket Watch s… baidns $3.99

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Tags: etsy, jewelry, keys, old keys, repurposed, treasury, vintage

I know that I watch a lot of TV. I usually have it on in the background most of the day. But I’m not quite sure how much is “a lot” so I thought I’d track what I watch for a week.

Here’s what I’ve watched since last Sunday afternoon:

• Once Upon a Time
• Hoarders
• Intervention
• House
• Protecting Our Children
• Cold Case Files
• Alcatraz
• Glam Fairy
• BBC1′s Prisoner’s Wives (actually quite a good drama)
• Celebrity Wife Swap (that’s an embarrassing one to add to the list!)
• Snake Man of Appalachia (also a bit embarrassing, right?)
• The Good Wife
• Law and Order Criminal Intent
• Law and Order UK
• Private Practice
• Gray’s Anatomy
• American Idol
• Remodeled
• The Firm
• Fashion Fund
• A National Geographic Show on Wild Seahorses (see I actually do watch some educational stuff too!)
• Teen Mom 2 (I’ll admit that I actually really adore this show even though I realize how trashy it is)
• Confessions: Animal Hoarding
• Ally McBeal
• Kitchen Nightmares

Tags: television, too much tv, tv watching

Although I do watch a lot of TV I’m trying to see more movies instead of just shows. Last month I delved into experimental films a little bit. I have to say that although it was an interesting genre, it was a little too odd for me to get really wrapped up in it. This month, since it’s Valentine’s and all, I’ve decided to go with romance. More specifically, classic romance. I’m going to watch all of those love stories that everyone else has seen but I haven’t ranging from truly classic (Breakfast at Tiffany’s) to modern classics (When Harry Met Sally). We’ll see how this adventure goes.

Recapping the Experimental Films

I watched at least part of each of these films:

• The Eyes of Me. A documentary of students at a school for the blind. I actually didn’t see what was so experimental about this. It had a little animation in it but nothing too strange. It was a decent movie.
• Santa Sangre. A weird film I mentioned here before.
• Alice. Based on the characters of Alice in Wonderland.
• Queer as F**K. Which I didn’t get far into.
• Poison. Which I reviewed here earlier.
• Room. Couldn’t get into this either.

Starting in on Romance

I’m about to watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s now. We’ll see how this goes. Any classic romances movies you want to recommend for me this month?

Tags: classic romance, experimental film, film