Category Archives: miscellaneous

BANG! Happy Birthday Ol’ Gal.

Last night I witnessed the culmination of the Golden Gate Bridge’s 75th birthday celebration from the deck of a tugboat, bobbing on the undulating bay.  Life is sweet.

I didn’t participate in any of the month-long or day-intensive events leading up to the evening’s pyrotechnics show, but I was inspired to not miss the grand finalé by the email blast of a friend, quoting another friend who was actually on the pyro crew for the event.

His words encapsulate the sheer awesomeness of the display far better than mine could…

I am working on the pyro crew for the event and we are putting on the largest display I have ever worked on or seen. The entire 4000 feet of the Bridge will be covered with pyro positions.  Numerous barges will be on the bay loaded to the gunnels with huge, beautiful and expensive shells that make me weep to handle…

Wow, I can not say enough about this one.
Except. You would be F—ed to miss it.

And so I went.

Here are a couple pics… not my best work, but I’m a bit out of practice and feeling quite rusty.  Maybe I need some International Orange slapped on this ol’ girl’s joints.

golden gate bridge, 75th anniversary, fireworks display, golden gate bridge celebration, golden gate bridge fireworks
fireworks on golden gate, golden gate bridge, bridge 75th anniversary, golden gate bridge birthday
golden gate bridge anniversary 2012, golden gate bridge, bridge fireworks 75th anniversary

Some great pics & history on the bridge for others, like myself, who may have missed out on the bulk of the festivities: The Color, Romance, and Impact of the Golden Gate at 75 (The Atlantic).

the wild wild west…

I’ve said it before… the thing I love about West Oakland is that you never know what you are going to find. On a recent sunny stretch down the Mandela Parkway, I came across this muraled building on an empty lot (determined to be an environmental clean up site upon closer inspection of the posted sign and related fine print), next to what appeared to be a small chicken farm… beautiful birds with their own fancy red house and a huge yard in which to strut their stuff.

west oakland, environmental clean up site, mandela parkway

For those too young to “get” the reference in the mural above… see the original photograph and a brief description in my post Diversity is the one thing we all have in common.

rooster in the hen house, red hen house, west oakland chicken farm

west oakland rooster, cockadoodle doo, west oakland chicken farm

west oakland art, mandela parkway mural,

west oakland mural, west oakland pink building with green robot, power salute

A short summer break.

sign on door, back in 10

Hey kids. I’m taking a break. Just a short one. A short summer break.

Some events have conspired to make me very busy in the next month or few… namely a new job, and an old one.

So since I’ll be working double time, I’ve decided instead of feeling guilty and inadequate for each couple of days that go by without a post, I’ll just let myself off the hook in advance.  I can’t do it all dammit.

So I hope you guys have a great summer.  If you want to write any guest posts, let me know.

And I’ll plan to be back in September (August 31 will be two years!)

You can make art anywhere…

Hey all, I’ve been a bit remiss in my blogging duties… last week got away from me as I working hard in advance of the long weekend (my birthday weekend no less), which was glorious.  Hope you all had festive fourths as well!

I will likely be sporadic and pithy over the next week or so as I am still catching up, digging out, and generally working too much (the price paid for a sweet sweet vacation).

Spotted this sidewalk chalk art in the cemetery a while back…

chalk art in the road, mountain view cemetery

Isn’t this girl lovely?

art in the road, sidewalk chalk art in cemetery

It reminds me that we can make art almost anywhere!