For My Six Visitors

Hello Friends! I am just going to ramble because I have no big fancy Hollywood party to talk about. No new cat pictures (well, maybe just one). No big gripes, just lttle ones. So I am going to do a big blogging no-no and just talk about random stuff. Luckily I know my good friends will be interested (I hope). Here it goes.

1. We saw Kirsten Dunst the other day on our walk to Trader Joes. On her cel phone in front of her house, which is right close by. Cool. She is tiny, of course.

2. It might rain tomorrow! It actually feels fall-like some days, but it was 90 degrees two days ago. Even after 3 years, the weather still makes it very difficult to feel Christmasy. Haven't been doing any Christmas shopping (which always makes me happy!)because of the writer's strike. (That's okay! I support them. Stand up to The Man!)

3. I was at a birthday party for my friend Frank the other day, and I met two folks who each lost their homes to wildfire. One told me how a policeman came to his door and said,'You are leaving NOW.' He couldn't grab anything, not even his pets. Jesus.

4. I quit my personal assistant job. At the new year, I hope to have something new to occupy my time. Yes, I am very happy!

5. I am so thrilled for the Gannons! Little Hadley is so very cute! Ever since most of my friends started having babies years ago, I witnessed their happiness and seen their gigantic parent love. I still remember the day and the feeling when I realized it was what I wanted too. It's weird how you can know something without really having any clue what it is like.

6. I feel ready for big changes! I am trying new ways of painting. Thinking about how I can make my work more individual, more me, more personal, emotional.

7. Please let me know how you are doing! Even if it a string of random things!

Dream Box

I read about using a 'dream box' in a book. I thought it was a great way to help visualize goals. If you desire something. Like calmness, a new home, a great job, etc. You gather visuals of this goal and keep them in the dream box. You can decorate the box and make it very special. Then you look at the pictures or drawings, or articles, imagine yourself in that environment, and eventually the path to them will appear.

I started a special dream box folder on my computer too. So far it is just pictures of my ideal interiors and environments. I go through it regularly, and I realized that my tastes have changed so much. I now love the cottage look. And I realized my favorite pictures are always with this gorgeous cool light. Of course, this
is still my ultimate dream.
Well I still live in my apartment in Burbank which looks nothing like the places in the photos. But someday. Someday....

My BFWWW Had a Baby !!

Not much is happening in my life. Mark still has a job despite the strike, and I am working on a portrait commission.
But the BIG NEWS is that Christy and Dave made a baby and she is here! I wish I was better with words so that I could express my delerious delight I feel for them. To see my life long friend and the man who adores and loves her beyond hope enjoy their baby girl.... I am so overwhwelmed with empathetic happiness. They will be amazing parents.

Congratulations! And welcome Hadley August Gannon. You are one lucky little girl!

Getty Villa

Went to the Getty Villa with my friends Laurel and Paul last week. It is a special museum perched atop a big hill in Malibu and overlooking the ocean. Very valuable real estate.It was made with the sole purpose of housing J. Paul Getty's(one rich mo-fo) antiques. It was designed and built to resemble what experts believe would be the ideal villa in ancient Rome, right down to the marble and mosaic floors, outdoor Roman theatre, courtyards, and colums all over the place.
Here are a few of the highlights. I loved this fertility figure with her arms out. Considering the crude tools they had, the carving is really amazing. And the other pic of the grouping of carvings is from about 5000 - 7000 B.C. Mindblowing. That's old.
And then a nice shot of the peristyle under a sunset.

Been Busy!

So a few weeks ago was Family Guy's 100th episode party at the Social in Hollywood. It was a media frenzy. You could hardly move around. Except for the dining area where you could relax and eat some amazing food. I couldn't stop eating this curried spinach and sweet potato salad. You can see a picture of some of the voice actors of the show in the pic with the huge cake. And a pic of Mark and I all gussied.

I went to the costume contest at Family Guy too. Here are a couple of pics from that. Mark is the Emperor, who is standing next to Mic who is a deranged tooth fairy, I think. And then Jeff as Marvin the Martian. He made that costume. So amazing.

I have no pics, but we went to Disneyland last weekend too. After eight hours my body had enough of being shaken, twirled, and propelled. The most mind-blowing part was seeing all the work and artistry and money that went into making that place. Seeing all those adorable, thrilled kids was a treat. There were anly 2 or 3 screamy or whiney ones the whole day!

The other night we went to see The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3D with our friends Laurel, Paul, Annie, and Eric. It gave me a little headache, but it was so worth it.

I also started teaching a small class in oil painting in the new dining room studio in the apt. on Saturdays. I can't wait every week! Makes me feel good.

Well, that's pretty much it. Now Thanksgiving to plan!

More Dreamy Dream House Pictures

More pics of Dan Pinkham's house. They said that they inherited a lot of their beautiful furniture. Lucky. Dan and his wife pretty much did everything themselves, including construction, installing windows, doors, and decorating. I think it's the reason the house is much more amazing than if they had just hired out all the work.

My Dream house

These are just a small sampling of the crazed amount of pictures I took of this house. It was perfect for me. It is across the street from the ocean. It inspires me to no end. I will pretend it is my house.

The Real Stars of LA

I had the thrill of being invited by my friend Frank Serrano to a paintout down in Palos Verdes on Saturday. The very best plein air painters in California were there. The painters painted all morning while collectors and sponsors looked on. Then there was a light lunch. The best part was that I was able to tag along to Dan Pinkham's house (my dream house- I will post about this house!) to get to socialize with some of the artists, Mian Situ, David Gallup, Stephen Mirich, Amy Sidrane, Tim Solliday, and Alexey Steele. Later on, Alexey, Amy, David, Daniel, and Stephen went out to paint and enjoy this amazing sunset. It was like meeting your favorite movie star, but better!

Hollywood

Took these shots while fighting traffic down Hollywood Blvd. I was drawn to the last picture because it has a huge bilboard for a show about a homocidal maniac on what looks to be an old church which sits next to the Snow White Bar and Lounge. Bet you never knew of her side job.

Update: Jury Duty, Art Show and Fullerton

Just and update, dear friends, on my recent activities. Last weekend Mark and I went to the Fullerton Museum to see the J.C. Leyendecker exhibit. A really great show! I sneekily took some pictures. Here is one of the series of Kellogg's cereal ads. They dubbed Leyendecker "America's Other Illustrator" because he was not as well known as Norman Rockwell, but he did many Saturday Evening Post and Colliers covers for 40 years.
We stopped for some Mexican and walked around the cute little downtown Fullerton. I picked up a ragingly gorgeous party dress (for $39!) at a second hand shop. I can't wait to wear it. Happy Birthday to me!
Last Friday, Family Guy had an art show at the office. The employees painted work in the theme of movie posters. Mark did a Sin City illustration with Peter and Lois all Frank Miller style. It was a big hit!
And Friday and Monday I went to the Los Angeles County courthouse in downtown LA to waste two whole days. I was originally pre-selected for a jury, but was excused after the lawyers interviewed me. I guess I am not jury material, but the person who couldn't speak any English and the deaf person who also couldn't speak English were stuck on the jury. Go figure.
Only in LA though will you have an actress, a stripper, the son of THE Lender's bagel guy, and the father of the singer of Maroon 5 with you in the courtroom. The big highlight is that the courthouse is right next to this masterpiece.

San Luis Obispo Paint Out, Part 2

While painting up in SLO, I met a couple of very talented artists. Here is a pic of Lori Putnam and me at the big gala reception. Lori and I stayed in the same host house. She is from Nashville and has the sweetest personality, so it was so fun to get to know her.

And I took a pic of Virginia Vaughn (V...Vaughn). She is from Texas, and she is so fun. I wish I had half of the energy of this woman.

San Luis Obispo Paint Out

The first week of October I went to San Luis Obispo to participate in the SLO Plein Air Festival. It's about a 3 hour drive straight north, where the vineyards and farms and world famous cliffs and rocks by the ocean. And I actually, for some weird, maybe hormonal reason, I did not really want to go. Plus, I had pulled a big muscle in my back at yoga class. Maybe I was psyched out about having to paint and show with some of the best plein air painters in the West. Maybe I was sick of being away from home.... Aaannnyywwayyyyy.... I went a day late, drove around aimlessly, didn't know anyone, didn't know where anything was. But I didn't care. It was so gorgeous there. I mean REALLY nice. The air was so clean and smelled like eucalyptus and lavender and grapes.
The first day I did some quick sketches of cows. Very fun. I love cows. They are so cool, and I feel so good that I don't eat them. Then I labored over this painting of the sun setting behind these amazing trees with rolling golden hills and a creek. And when I was almost done, a big wind came and blew my easel over, and my very wet painting skidded face down in the nice loose gravelly dirt. There was no saving it. Ow, well. Day two and no paintings yet. I had 3 and a half days to produce six showable paintings.(*Gulp*)

Plein air painting is done on location, using no photographs or tricks. One must set up in the elements: wind, cold, heat, sun, traffic, annoying people, no bathroom, no food. And finish a painting in about 3 hours. Or go back day after day at the same time. But I had SIX paintings to do.

Here are the best of the paintings I eventally did. I just loved the old villlage feel of the little towns. And I met some incredible painters and made some friends. I am so glad that I went!

I'm Back!

Hello friends. I am posting about our recent trip to Denver to visit my Best Friend in The Whole Wide World and Her Husband and Their Baby (to be), and Mither Gibthin and Miss Tika. Mark and I arrived on a Friday afternoon. Christy picked us up and we went to meet up with Dave at his work, where we enjoyed a gorgeous vista of the Denver skyline. (see pic)
We then went out to eat(YUM), and then went back to the new Gannon house.
Saturday we went to the Rockies for a short hike and lunch at The Jersey Boys deli. They were really from Jersey. Oh, yeah, and the Rockies were so spectacular. Clean, high altitude dizzy, deep blue sky, super-spectacular gorgeous.
Then that night we lounged at the Gannon house, ate the most amazing fish tacos, and laughed and talked and reminisced. It was a perfect day of eating, exercise, and relaxing.
Sunday we did a little shopping, had some sushi, and then it was to the airport.We had a wonderful time, and Christy and Dave are fun, gracious hosts!
This visit was so special to me. Not just because I was going to see someone who has been a good friend for over 20 years, but I was seeing her while she was making a person! I had a thought that seeing her pregnant might be weird, but it was so cool and natural. And she looked so beautiful.

My New Favorite Clouseau Pic

Clouseau has a shoe fetish.

My New Favorite Cato Pic

This will cure insomnia.

Frizzle

Yes, there is such a chicken as a Frizzle. There are many, many different breeds of chickens. Why?? Who knows, but they are all cute. Even Skeletor here.