transformation

I was asked to create a presentation for the city of how an old, boxy building might be transformed into a Japanese community center.  The building was for sale and some community leaders had some great ideas for it.

Naturally, anything is possible in the digital world, though I still took budget into account.  It was fun to alter just a few elements to turn it into this:

The original is far less attractive ~ practically neighborhood blight ~ though I have to say that I met the people working there and they seemed very kind.

Nothing has happened yet on the actual transformation.  As far as I know, the building has not even been sold yet.  But it's nice to imagine that one day, there might be a new community center to dress up the neighborhood.

levi's workshop

Almost as soon as they arrived, it seems they are closing!  When I heard that the Levi's Workshop was packing up and reappearing in New York, I hurried on over to get a glimpse of the action before they were gone forever.  And I'm glad I did, as there was so much goodness to behold.

Here on the zine wall I found a lot of inspiration for The Sketchbook Project.  These were really fun to read.

Artists were at work.

Supplies for the printer.

Drying racks.

Printed work on the walls.

I did a little stamping with some stamps designed by artists.  Admired mini-accordion books printed with poems and watched the printers at work.  Now I know that if I want to learn to use the press, I'll have to go to the San Francisco Center for the Book.

Good-bye Levi's Workshop ~ have fun in New York.

not-so-urban sketch ~ {crystal springs}

Took a walk around the reservoir on a beautiful day.  Quite a number of people had the same idea.  The water and sky were so blue; it deserved a sketch.

826

Some photos from the quirky world of pirates and writers to enjoy ~

There's always something new at the pirate shop.  This time there were attacking mopheads that dropped down from the ceiling on unsuspecting shoppers.  A sign explained how to behave should one be subject to the "mopping".

The bulletin board was full of pirate notices:

"Sixteen men needed for dead man's chest.  Will provide rum."

"HAVE YOU BEEN IMPRESSED AGAINST YOUR WILL?"

"NAUTICAL NIT NITE!  Come, and let us delouse in a discrete and respectful environment."

The fish tank theater, with notices posted regarding fishy moods each day of the week.

Employees of the month are commonplace, but Missing Employees of the Month and where they were last seen ~ hmm, that's new.

Everything purchased at the 826 Pirate Shop supports the writers' tutoring center.  If you don't live close by, you can still visit online!  My sister bought:  "Beards are the New Black", an irresistible message and graphic.

nature photos ~ {yosemite}

It's summertime, the perfect time for camping.  I just returned from Yosemite National Park, where I took some photos.  Mere pictures can't express everything that Yosemite inspires.  Imagining the glaciers carving through the granite, lifting huge boulders, eventually melting and depositing their rocky residue across the valley ... gazing up at cliffs taller than the Empire State ... wading in streams from icy waterfalls and sharing the land with wildlife .... Here are some of the moments I captured through my lens.

Half Dome from the valley

On a giant's game board?

Half Dome from Olmstead Point

Tenaya Lake

Night hike

Sunset with Venus

Valley view

Can you find the tiny people on the falls?

Tuolumne Meadows

remember peace

Visiting the Hiroshima Peace Park and museum as a child, I saw the suffering caused by the atomic bomb and couldn't understand the volume of nuclear weapons still on the planet.   Draped over the statue for Sadako were thousands of folded paper cranes in bright colors, sent to her from children around the world.  These thoughtful gifts let me see that many people besides me were wishing for peace.  The memorial ceremony held each August 6th also gave me hope that one day the threat of nuclear war would be null.  When dozens of white doves flew into the sky at the ceremony's end, I felt my heart lift, too.

Some special links in remembrance:

* Hiroshima Peace Site
* Photographs of Hiroshima & Nagasaki
* The Exploratorium Memory Project:  Nagasaki
* Thoughts from Lucy Walker, Director of Countdown to Zero
* A-bomb Survivors from Hiroshima Talk About Peace

nature photos ~ {mt. madonna}

I spent the other day hiking around Mt. Madonna with a group of students.  The landscape changes from forest to field to chaparral.  Lots of moss-covered logs, lichens, flowers, clover, huckleberries and tall, tall trees all around.

We feel so small in the forest.