High anxiety.

Two stressful things going on right now - a still unsold condo and a very sick cat. Sigh.

Art recommendation - San Francisco.

If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, you'll want to check out a show opening this weekend at Studio Gallery in San Francisco. Two friends of mine (and superb artists) Sadie Valeri and Chris Leib are showing work as part of a group figurative show on exhibit from May 13 - June 7. The opening reception is this coming Sunday, May 17, from 2-6pm - the gallery is located at 1815 Polk Street in SF, between Washington and Jackson Streets. Go check it out!

Below are pieces that Sadie and Chris will have in the show:

Winged Victory by Sadie Valeri - chalk and charcoal on toned paper, 19"x25".

Kitsch Baby by Chris Leib – pencil on paper, 10"x12".

Studio Gallery is a great place, focusing on San Francisco Bay Area-based artists. I used to show there myself back when we still lived in the Bay Area. The owners are great people, and well worth supporting by stopping by (and maybe picking up some local art!)

Still reminiscin'.

Sigh. This time last year I was spending my last day in Paris... and I haven't been back since. I'm suffering some serious withdrawal symptoms.

If you want to mope and reminisce along with me, click here, or enjoy the following photos from my last morning in Paris:

Very punny poster

Me hanging out in Susan and Linda's apartment in Montmartre

Isn't this cool? They painted over the windows on this house in the 12th, near the Gare de Lyon. Awesome. I'd like to try this at home. Sigh. Paris.

Art on BART.

Reading this article reminds me that once we're back living in the San Francisco Bay Area again – and likely living in Oakland again – I would like to resume work on this blog I started a couple of years ago, when I used to commute via BART either to work or to my studio in San Francisco. On the (increasingly rare!) occasion when a seat was available and conditions were right, I was able to sketch my fellow passengers. Stealthfully, like an art ninja. Haha. No really, I don't think most people noticed. Or any. Here's an example:Please check back at ole www.bartsketches.blogspot.com in the next couple of months, I swear I'll be back. Back in action. Yeah!!

It's a draw.

Finally went to the long pose drawing session over at Artspace this morning, now that it's the last session until the fall (drat!). I should get in the swing of going to the Tuesday night drawing sessions there, even if they don't have terribly long poses - it's been entirely too long since I've drawn, and especially from life. Sigh. Here's what I came up with - unfortunately, I still felt like I was battling the same old drawing demons, though I had a *minor* mental breakthrough on some level which I hope works its way into my drawings soon...I also headed over to the Bain Project to check it out, and also over to Rebus Works - lots of good stuff there, including the Casey Porn/David Eichenberger show "Epic Battle." Good stuff, Raleigh art scene. I will miss you. Sniff.

More reminiscin'

So in addition to being happy about celebrating 10 years of the awesomeness of John, I am also sadly thinking on how I missed the opportunity to study with Studio Escalier this spring, like I did last year. In fact, one year ago today, I was in Paris, drawing and learning and drawing and seeing art and drawing and exploring Paris and drawing. And it was glorious. Click here to see photos of what I was doing this time last year (sniff).

Bonus!! Here are some other photos I never posted to the blog during that lovely, lovely month in Paris (with side trips to Nuernberg, Germany, and Dublin and Ballycastle, Ireland)...

Some of the peeps from class at the Louvre, before going to draw from the museum's collection. Left to right: Sarah Meredith, our awesome teacher Michelle Tully, Susan Vaughan, and Linda Scott.

With apologies for the terrible quality thereof, above is a photo of one of the drawings I did in class, one of the shorter sessions.

Another class drawing, slightly longer pose I think?

Poster for a theatrical performance in town. I might need to check the veracity of this assertion with some people I know...

This was a print from a show we checked out at the Louvre...

"Boubou"... I love it. This was a find from the Marché aux Puces St-Ouen, wish I had bought it, in retrospect...

Sickly-complexioned self-portrait in front of a shop window at night, Rue Dupin, Paris.

Ah, Paris. Sigh.

Decade.

Today John and I celebrate the 10-year mark of our relationship, our "dating anniversary." I suppose in some ways this anniversary is even more meaningful than our wedding anniversary (7th coming up this July) only because this anniversary commemorates the actual relationship, while a wedding (while lovely, of course) really ends up being a formal acknowledgment of said relationship.

So, happy 10th to us! Whooo!! Best ten years of my life. Hoping John will choose to renew his option for 10 more.

In New Rochelle, NY, summer '08.