Happy Fall!

It has cooled down in So Cal and sunlight comes into the kitchen from a lower, leaner position. Hope these fresh temperatures hold for the studio tour this weekend. Cheers to you all.

Claire Iris Schencke's Transfer Drawing

Iris, a member of the Seven Plus artist group, lives in Arcata. I met her this summer when the group invited me to conduct a workshop on transfer drawings. Iris had a natural freeness as she tried the method and has been working on this process ever since. The process can be challenging and unpredictable. The more practice and familiarity, the better. Iris hit some frustrations, but has worked through them. Here is her latest... hits an impressive mark with me.

Dinner Out with Good Friends

After the Studio Tour Artists Reception last night, Joe and I had dinner at Utopia with our good friends Tari and Dean. They are moving to Oregon in increments. Dean, who is a sculptor of large, heavy artworks, required two semi-trucks to move the first portion from his studio, and that wasn't even the half of it. This move has been a challenging, summer-long project. Dean's easy going philosophy: "It's all done, except for the part that isn't."

Early Morning Garden Scene

It was cool and misty this morning, perfect for a little gardening.

Studio Tour Artists Gathered at Utopia Restaurant This Evening for a Pre-Tour Reception

We did a bit of organizational stuff and compared notes on our preparations. It was fun to see everyone.

Caryn Baumgartner and Gisele contributed many hours of leadership to the Tour, including creating our website, poster, and invitations.


Gail Werner also provided great leadership. Thanks to these three artists, our tour has grown bigger and better this year, it's fourth.

The First Two of a New Series

Night Watch (Crown of Thorns), 1
2009
mixed media on paper



Night Watch (Crown of Thorns), 2
2009
mixed media on paper

Mid-City Studio Tour Begins One Week From Today!

You all come! It's free, it's fun, it's a rare opportunity to see private artist studios and a wide range of interesting art. Look or buy at studio prices. Next Saturday and Sunday, October 3rd and 4th from 11 - 5. Find out more at our tour website: www.midcitystudiotour.com. And you can see more of my work at www.anniestromquist.com.

A Nice Thing About Knowing Artists

...is that you might get a beautiful handmade postcard in the mail sometime, like Joe and I did this week from Tari Brand.

New Work

untitled, 2009
ink and watercolor
3" x 3"

Relatives of Mickey, Not So Lovable

Turns out Sophie's skills are in the hunter category. He is very good at catching mice. But, unfortunately, after catching one, the whole situation goes south. As far as I can tell (this happens at night), he brings it into the house, bats it around a bit, gets bored and goes on to something else, such as a nap. The mouse, recognizing a reprieve, slinks into a hidden corner and starts a new life INSIDE THE HOUSE.

We can only guess how many new members of the household exist at this point. More than one.

So, yesterday, Alex from Antimite arrived. Our own Superman. He set traps and we will wait for results. I'll let you know...

Sophie in post-hunt nap mode.

Happy Birthday, Walt!

My favorite brother has just turned 60! (I'm much, much younger than he is.)

And Here Are Some Of The Advanced Students At Work

Gerardo Cueto

Traci Durfee

Dan DeMott

More Photos from Screenprinting Class

These photos were taken last Wednesday, the final work day for Project One. We'll have a critique on Monday. The atmosphere in the room was energetic and focused. Everyone did very well.
Sarah Baker

Zavijava Smith

Damion Ramirez

Nathan Westercamp and Errol Haye

Erwin Recinos

Sandra Babayan

In My Entire Association

...with this lovely new iMac, I have not lost a single game of Freecell. Got to get back to it. Bye for now.

I Can't Believe How Wonderful My New iMac Is!!!!!

It is so wonderful that I can not write anymore now. I have to go play with my iMac. See you later. Cathy, please tell Stan how much I like this!

I'll be off-line for a few days

...while the Apple people set up my new computer and transfer stuff to it from my old one. Watch for new, improved blog posts, even, when I'm back - along with everything else, I think my new computer will be able to think for me, too!

Guard Cat On Duty, Chapter 2

Still no evidence of job skill improvement.

Japanese Puzzle Box

I found a beautiful Japanese puzzle box with inlaid wood at the swapmeet this morning, shown here from two views. Puzzle boxes, popular at various times in history, are intended to be impossible to open by anyone other than the owner, who knows the secret. Through trial and error, I made my way through several of the steps - hidden slats on the sides slide outward in stages - but I still haven't found the key to fully sliding the top open.

Puzzle boxes are only a few of the intriguing objects in the puzzle collection of Jerry Slocum, who founded the Puzzle Museum in Beverly Hills. (I am proud to be related to Jerry and Margot Slocum on my father's side of the family.) He recently donated his collection to Indiana University's Lilly Library. The Library has established the Jerry Slocum Mechanical Puzzle Collection in its own room and many of the pieces can be seen online. Go to http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/overview/puzzles.shtml and click on "online database."

A New Mixed Media Work

Night Watch (Crown of Thorns), 1
2009
mixed media on paper


I've finished two from the series started a few weeks ago. I wrote about them then and showed them at various stages. I like this subject matter and will focus on expanding the series after the studio tour on October 3rd and 4th.

A Heavenly Scent

It's the season for Night Blooming Jasmine in southern California. For weeks now, the scent from our large bush has been wafting through the house during the dark hours, spreading a sense of tranquillity and lulling us to sleep.

I'm a Huge Fan of Jonathan Twingley's Illustrations

-from the Op-Ed section of the L.A. Times, 9/1/2009


...which are seen often in the editorial sections of the L.A. Times, New York Times, and other newspapers and magazines. His quirky, angular characters are very appealing. Now, he has written an illustrated novel, The Badlands Saloon, which includes more than thirty of his paintings alongside the text.

Yes, They Have Feelings

In my last post, I reported buying a new iMac on Tuesday. That evening, my current computer malfunctioned for the first time in its nine year history.

Everything's Up To Date In Kansas City

And HERE, too! I bought my new iMac today! Yippee! It will be installed and ready to go early next week, I think. I'm sure I'll be amazed at all the improvements since my current computer came out in 2000.

Thanks, Facebook!

Facebook is a great way to reconnect with friends from the past. This morning, I heard from Kelly Kirby, a friend throughout elementary school and seventh grade in Pittsburg, Kansas. He remembers that we were Junior Fire Marshalls together in Miss Snodgrass' kindergarten class. That was quite prestigious! He and I got to wear red plastic fireman hats while performing our duties during fire drills. I don't actually remember what our duties were but I do remember those great hats.

Through Facebook, I've also recently reconnected with Jane Noble Crain, Cathy Baird and Larry Bennett from those days. It's so gratifying to catch up with the current lives of my old friends.

A Lovely Night, Here.

Saturday night. A break in the heat. Cool breezes. Windows wide open. Music and voices drifting in from a party down the street. Miles Davis coming from the studio, where Joe is painting cabinets. I'm inside, here and there, sifting through projects. Special hours.

Isn't This Beautiful?!

Still Life, 1916
Alexej von Jawlensky

Perhaps I Could Have Waited A Bit Longer To Clean Out The Refrigerator

.... but the groceries I got this morning for the long weekend ahead wouldn't fit in! That was only the first clue I'd been remiss. Other clues: some fresh salsa with a use-by date of 7/20 (hopefully 2009), sour cream with a use-by date of 3/8/09. And in the veggie drawer, there were a couple of packages of mushy stuff. OK, maybe more than a couple.

Being attentive to the needs of the refrigerator is not one of my strengths. I have tried to improve, but I keep falling into my old patterns. Sometimes, Joe and I will be having a perfectly pleasant day, and I'll hear him say from the kitchen, "Oh my god!" There is a particular way he says it that I recognize. Its his the-refrigerator-is-so-disgusting-that-I-can't-keep-from-commenting-any-longer tone of voice. I immediately disappear into a far away room. He cleans it out. I am very thankful and life goes on. But, today, I noticed first. And I did the dirty work. It was a certain kind of tribute to Labor Day, I suppose. Hope it is a good one for you, too!

Off to a Roaring Start

My huge screenprinting class is filled with talented people. Most have begun printing Project 1 and I'm seeing good results. Despite the cramped work space, everyone is working well together and being thoughtful to one another. I think it will be a great semester. Here are a few pictures from the end of today's session.


Alex Vargas and Toby Burger



Cris Hernandez


Leaum Pettigrew and Brittany Hodges



Virginia Drake



Traci Durfee's prints in the drying rack



Jack Roberts



Allison Porterfield