It was so beautiful this evening that I had to stop my bike, untangle my phone (odometer and camera) and take some photos.
6:32 pm looking west from the wooden bridge
6:32 pm looking east from the wooden bridge
Painting Class
Every Wednesday evening I take an online painting class from my old San Francisco teacher, Mel. The class focuses on painting a series. There are ten participants. It’s a joy to be able to paint and talk together, even over Zoom.
We're working on statements for our work; my series might be about AI:
I want to express my affection for creatures we humans endow with artificial intelligence. The portraits in my series are named after creatures I've read about and seen in movies: Clara, of “Clara and the Sun;” Rachael of “Bladerunner;” Meena, of Google. These creatures are bursting inside with their own type of humanity and I believe we should show them the same courtesy and respect we offer our friends. I wrap these beings in cozy colors and patterns I think they’d like. I paint them with precision, knowing I could never come close to their own handiwork.
in progress
Jeep Trip With The Boys
Tom, John, and Tom
Jewels bought out of the back of a car at Tsegi Overlook.
Kids Day at the ABQ Balloon Fiesta
Nadav Soroker for the Albuquerque Journal
October
Two Lindas and a Tom
This evening we were invited out to Linda C.’s. After the sun set, we moved into her gazebo with a bottle of wine and a tray of incredible snacks. What kind of snacks? A salmon spread on cucumber slices, apples wrapped in cheese, cold shrimp, fruit salad.
p.s. That’s Linda C.’s dog Max.
I miss this little gallery in San Francisco so much–and its owners too. But I’m happy to say we’re all still working together even though I’ve lived in Albuquerque the past 2 1/2 years. That’s our latest poster (above). I emailed the file to Anne, she walked it over to FedEx and set it up in the gallery window – all in the course of one afternoon.
Our Man Dan
This is Dan, our magnificent contractor. Everything nice in our house has been built by him. And today we got to meet his wife, Rebecca!
Big Jim's Farm
Big Jim’s makes the best watermelon agua fresca.
Our Beautiful Bike Trail
This bike bridge crosses the Rio Grande River alongside I-40.
September
photo by James Salazar
Circle Under Berry
My incredible friend Carter Higgins has a book coming out on September 14th called Circle Under Berry. She’s written and illustrated it – and a few weeks ago she announced in her newsletter:
"I've got a bunch of happy stuff to shove inside an envelope, and I'd love to send it your way.”
The instant I read that, I jumped at the chance to be one of the first lucky ten people to respond. But I was the eleventh. But she sent me the happy pack anyway! It's ingenious, and such a perfect introduction to her new book.
My agent extraordinaire, Rubin, with Carter
Coming September 24
Can you get over these stamps? See the tiny stickers around the edges? You can use them to personalize the monsters! I’ve pre-ordered a truckload. They’re designed by Antonio Alcala and illustrated by one of my very favorite illustrators, Elise Gravel.
Target and Christian Robinson, one of my very favorite illustrators, have collaborated on a collection of 70 items for home and kids’ clothing. I snagged the next-to-the-last throw at our Albuquerque store––isn’t it wonderful?
This magnificent bookend also landed in my cart.
Not only is she gorgeous–she’s super smart, too. That’s Melissa, our niece, with her husband Detrick. We canceled our flight to their wedding reception due to COVID, and moped around at home while everybody else danced the night away.
Bike-In Coffee for Breakfast
Blues Under the Stars
Featuring Joanie Cere, Zenobia, Wendy Beach, & Abby Maxwell–and Our Own Arnaldo on the drums. The moon was waxing, a breeze was blowing, we were dancing.
You gotta admit, this is magnificent! (@writtenbyashleyperrotti)
That’s MILO in the foreground––and Tom, Tim, and Amy in back.