Hi Gang....





















ahh, give us a Smile!! 


I am going on vacation!  yaaaaaay!
I may pop in here and there but will be back for sure in a couple weeks!

have fun everyone!
I wonder if you'll miss me :) ...a little. maybe?





smiley sharks via Swallowtail Society

hey Weekenders...



























If you come across something fancy over the weekend, drop me a note...



see you next week.

new frontier



























I was in class no. 2 for silk screen last night and this is my first foray into silk screen.  We had a bunch of newsprint to practice on and I did four of those and then went straight to the paper, woo hoo!!  I can't even describe the giddy fun I had! 

WOW WEE was it fun!  I had so much fun, I can't wait to go back.  I am going to do another color on this beginning print and see whatelse I can come up with. 

This is a beginning silk screen class taught in a manner to help you set up a DIY printing set up at home. 

Adam Friedman is the instructor at Root Division in SF
Adam Friedman website

check it!

Gulf Charity Poster by HEADS of STATE & Oceana



























The HEADS of STATE charity poster.  SAVE the gulf! 

OCEANA
Please, check out Oceana and see what is and isn't being done. 

emma hack & florence Broadhurst



Emma Hack takes body painting to a whole other level.
Here she has a series of paintings of the brilliant Florence Broadhurst's wallpaper

I admit I'm not sure how I feel about this.  I think the fact that I am a HUGE fan of Florence Broadhurst makes me want to look at this for a while. 

Well?  check it out...leave comments, I do wonder what you think?

the complicated beauty of Ernst Haeckel


























































Many of you may be familiar with Ernst Haeckel.  A contemporary and supporter of Darwin and a controversial figure (what forward thinker isn't controversial?).  He is a noted 19th Century Scientist and as you can see insanely talented as an artist - his illustrations are mind boggling. 

I have an old copy of the artforms in nature, in german; I just ordered a "new" book from Prestel about Haeckel and his work.

If you are not familiar with him, check out the links below and be prepared to be impressed, wowed and amazed!




























dinner?



















































my heavily scheduled life keeps conjuring up pictures of too many plates spinning in the air. over my head. or whirling off in a multitude of directions.

I keep envisioning stacks and stacks of plates.  each unique. each related to one another in some way :)  waiting to be used, enjoyed, filled to the brim with food. 




using porcelain these days and lovin' it!

Molly Hatch rockin' it at The Clay Studio




















I'm a big fan.
I LOVE her work - and now, all this color. fabulous. 
Check out her blog and more about this show at
The Clay Studio


Molly Hatch Blog

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio





































































Familiar as Caravaggio.  Of course, chiaroscuro, begun in the Renaissance and perfected in the High Renaissance by Tinteretto, Veronese & Baglione (later by Rembrandt); however, Caravaggio's intense effects played a significant role in altering the familiar Mannerism.  His work marked the stylistic end of the Renaissance period and ushered in the modern era.  His dramatic manipulation of light, belief in working with human models, and his non-sentimental approach to religious art had a revolutionary flavor and he was much criticized for it.

His well known pugilistic tendencies are not in contrast with the intensity, depth and passion of his work.  He mesmerizes us with light and darkness.

Two of my very lucky friends are in Rome and today had the pleasure of seeing his collective works at the Scuderie.   I have had the luck of seeing only a few of his works in person - but had travelled far and wide to do so; these guys are getting the grand tour in one place! 


How I wish I was there...

More on Caravaggio
HERE
HERE
HERE

AK100







































































I watched Yojimbo last night.  I've already got The Seven Samurai, RAN, Roshomon on the way - I feel compelled to see them again  - I'm actually thinking of purchasing the AK100...

2010 happens to mark the Centennial of the birth of Akira Kurosowa. Thought (and I believe) the greatest director that has ever lived, The "Emperor" of Japan.

Kurosawa's centennial is being celebrated in part by the release of a DVD set OF 25 the AK 100 - a few of which have not yet been released.

More on Kurosawa
here
here
here
here

get his movies on the Netflix list!

Dante & the Pig's daily ride to the parkside

















































the kids. livin' the life...

the Lettuce Farmer




Turns out I'm a decent lettuce farmer? 

the gopher has managed to breach the walls of one of my lettuce fortresses, the bastard.

Alameda Flea Market





Packed with people
HOT as hell
total over stim
moms with the Hummer-strollers
(is it me or have strollers all look like transformers?)
Greasy FOOD
diet coke

deals galore

...remember those grape sculpture center pieces your mom had- the big giant resin ball grapes?  they got those!

SUPER Fu UH un!

Took home a couple gems!   

Jason Dunn & Hue Yang




















































Yesterday, I went to Jason Dunn and Hue Yang's OPEN STUDIO.  Jason and Hue have a great live work space in the Jingletown area of Oakland.  I am happy I had a chance to introduce myself to Hue.  I've been a big fan of her work and have been reading her blog for some time.  Her work is great and she's so darn sweet! 

These guys are a cute little duo, couple of sweethearts really, and they have created a wonderful space!  Jason an amazingly talented potter - doing beautifully thrown altered sculptural forms both wood fire and porcelain work (sorry, my picture of his studio space and work is so blurry I didn't post it) Hue's work is so approachable, friendly and fun, with a great feel in your hand. 

I'm amazed at Hue's tiny little but clearly efficient work space - Jesse Lue has a blog feature on Hue - you can read more about her and her workspace HERE  

I noticed a flower brick form she is working on that really caught my eye! 



About the work: I nabbed two of Jason's cups and three of Hue's, and I wanted more; it was like being in a candy shop! 

 "my teeth look like a tooth brush" ...the whale says.  Come on, it's irresistible...



Jason and Hue
OPEN STUDIOS Weekend 2
June 12 & 13.
HERE for more information


you should go.

Morgan Maassen






































Morgan Maassen Photography

MM's flickr
Bogus Blog
Bogus Media


this kid, he's 19, is the real deal...insane talent!   love the vision and obvious skills.