. Pressure

On Valentine's Day we did some pressure printing at Nif's college. You stick a bunch of stuff on a piece of paper and then run it through a letterpress machine. It's good for making interesting textures and backgrounds. Nif told me this repeatedly before we began. But I wanted to make a complete picture, not just a background, so that's what I did. And then when it turned out a bit crap I asked Nif why she hadn't told me just to make a background.

. An Apology

I would like to apologize to my lovely wife for posting my previous post right on top of her post about the Kala Open Studios, which is today, and you should go, cos she's brilliant.

Sorry.

. Kala Open Studios

Kala Artist-in-Residence Open Studio
2990 San Pablo Ave (between Ashby & Heinz)
January 23rd, 11am-5pm
http://kala.org/event/event.html#open_st

. Justification

Earlier this year Plymouth University researchers carried out a series of memory tests.

Doodlers performed 29% better than non-doodlers, the team found.

. Other Doodles

. Doodles

Sometimes in meetings I stop pretending to pay attention and doodle in my sketchbook.

. SF Open Studios 2009

October 24th & 25th, 11am-6pm
185 Clara Street (btwn 4th & 5th, Folsom & Harrison)

. The Streets of San Francisco - Valencia at Liberty Street

. Birthday H0

Model railways are built to various scales. 0 scale (zero scale) is 1:43. So something 43 inches tall in the real world (a small child for example) becomes something 1 inch tall in model railway world. H0 (half zero scale) is 1:87. So your small child would be only 1/2 inch tall. Does that make sense? Do you honestly give a crap?

For my birthday I received this rather fabulous H0 scale Water Tower, pimped out by our splendid friend Michael Shaub. To see photos of its creation, click this.

. This movie made Nif feel a bit strange

. First Thursday

Lovely prints in a lovely little gallery. And I'm one of the lovelies.
Wander by for the opening on Thursday, or any of the other first 29 days in April.

. Daywear

. Kala Open Studio

Want to see the old Heinz ketchup factory where I work? Did I say there'd be free wine? Come visit & keep me company. (Yes, Anthony, there will be snacks.)


Kala Art Institute
Open Studio: (Saturday) 31 January 2009, 11am-5pm
1060 Heinz Ave | Berkeley, CA 94710
studio info: 510.549.2977
http://www.kala.org/event/event.html

. Printing

I helped print our Christmas card. And for some reason I wore a dress. Does it make my bum look big?

. Saucy Lito

Our blog 'mascot' is in a new intaglio & woodblock printmaking exhibition. And next to a room that shows what the Bay Area looks like if zapped by a miniaturizing gamma ray. (update: this room is confusing, smells like mold, & is rubbish -- stay in the gallery)

Systems of Sharing: Below the Surface
California Society of Printmakers Annual Member Exhibition
Bay Model Visitor Center, 2100 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA

Opening Reception: Saturday, December 6, 2008, 1pm - 3:30pm
Gallery Hours: Tues-Sat 9am-4pm

http://www.caprintmakers.org/

. SF Open Studios

If you haven't passed out after watching Saturday morning cartoons & eating your sugary chocolate cocobombs, come visit me at SF Open Studios this weekend.

I will be at Clara Street Studios with fellow Kala printmakers Jack Fahnestock & Dennis Johnson, as well as painters Melissa Wagner & Jerry Ververka.

There will be snacks.

. Carla

. Wood & Wine

Dampened white quartered oak smells like wine. Yeah.

. Aaaaaaaaaaaaart

We (Nif and me) have things in this exhibition at Downtown Bar and Restaurant in sunny downtown Berkeley.

The Artists' Reception is Monday, Sept 22, 6-9pm. What the hell else are you going to do on a Monday night?

. Merav

. Bookworks 2008

The PCBA's triennial artist book exhibition is on display in the San Francisco Main Library's Skylight Gallery. I forgot to post this before the opening reception, so I'm afraid you missed all the free wine. But I'm in it, so wander over if you have time.

. Maria

Veneer [vuh-neer] .noun

-	to give a superficially valuable or pleasing appearance to.
-	a deceptive, superficial show; a façade: a cruel person with a veneer of kindliness.
-	to face or cover (an object) with any material that is more desirable as a surface material than the basic material of the object; to conceal, as something common or crude, with a deceptively attractive outward show.

. Fin

'Fin' (french for 'the end') is a Semordnilap of 'nif,' which is funny to me because I never really finish things. So, in suit, 5 books, 3 boxes, & 2 slip cases are glued, bound, & flat, making this project done enough for now.

The construction zone on our dining room table is cleared & can now be used for food; heavy art books used for weights have been re-alphabetized; glue rubbings are now sucked & stuck in the vacuum; and one artist book set has been turned in to the gallery. It's time to start something new.

Yes, Tina, you know what this means...

. Weighting

There is a little book under there & it better be flat.

. Binding

. Art & Impermanence

One of the three pieces in the Art & Impermanence exhibition.

. Kala Open Studio

Setting up at the Kala Open Studio.
(Photo by Steven of the Halloway's)