Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Metamorphology, continued

Opteron Two, 2009
Oil crayon, oil pastel, oil paint on illustration board
5 1/4 x 9 1/4 inches

The series continues with a new image. By the time Gallery 115's annual Winter Show rolls around in December, I should have five or seven more ready for the exhibition.

The first in this series was donated to a silent auction to benefit the works of the Hirsch Wellness Network. That auction takes place on Saturday, August 8 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., at Gallery 115. For more information, call Lynn Gibbs at 336.856.0815.

Tomorrow: More Japan diary with Baumkuchen and Mr. Donut!



Sunday, July 19, 2009

Our Men in Japan - Day Thirteen - Oklahoma City

The downside of travel is always the return, it seems. There is the inevitable delay and the missed connection. And the plane gets re-routed due to supposed bad weather, even though there was not a cloud in the sky.

And it all happens when you least need it; when you have a cold drink and a nice steak dinner waiting at home.

And the person behind the gate counter looks like she would eat your mother. So you don't dare ask her what your chances of getting on the next flight out are.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Matilda the Corgi puppy awaits her masters' return by playing ball.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Our Men in Japan - Photo Diary, Days 11 and 12 - Kyoto and Tokyo

"He say you brade runner"
Find the son in the picture
Pharaoh Building
by Takamatsu Shin

Kyoto

Kyoto Pottery Barn

Temple, Kyoto

Les Bicyclettes du Kyoto

City stream and willows, Kyoto

Kyoto Train Station

On Friday our men had the good fortune to meet the architect Takamatsu Shin (see here). It's a long story, and one that they will write down once they return, but for now I will say that it was a rare and wonderful opportunity. They had planned to spend Friday back up in Tokyo, visiting some of the sites that they had missed during their first few days there, but when the opportunity to visit the headquarters of STAA presented itself, our men switched their plans, stayed in Kyoto on Friday, then took the Shinkansen to Tokyo on Saturday. They took the Shinkansen back to Kyoto Saturday evening, from where they will leave to return to Colorado on Sunday.

View from Shinkansen

Tocho, Tokyo City Hall
From the observation deck on top, our men saw all of Tokyo

Interior, Tocho

Tokyo Tower

Earthtecture Sub 1
Takamatsu Shin
Tokyo


Our men will be sad to leave Japan. They have had a most excellent trip.


Thursday, July 16, 2009

The Future is Now - Our Men in Japan, Day 10 - Kyoto

Tower of Babel, still from Metropolis

The vision of the future presented in director Fritz Lang's 1927 masterpiece is alive and well. It lives courtesy of architect Shin Takamatsu. All the images below are his buildings. All are located in Kyoto. Our men in Japan toured them yesterday. Click on the images for a larger view.

Maruto IV


Cupola of Maruto IV


MK Station


Cella Retail Building

Cella Retail Building

Cella Retail Building

Ining' 23

Ining' 23

Week


Week

Week

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Our Men in Japan - Photo Diary, Days Eight and Nine - Takayama and Miyajima

The view in Takayama


Miyajima Native



Miyajima Pagoda

Our men are now in Kyoto, have access to internet, and have sent photos of their time in Takayama, and Miyajima.

Evidently, the deer on the island of Miyajima have the run of the place. Our men report that one of them ate their map of Japan.

Today (it is 11:06 a.m. Thursday, July 16th their time) our men have plans to visit as many of the architect Shin Takamatsu's buildings as they have time for.




Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Opteron One



Sorry there are no new photos from Japan today. There was no WiFi in the ryokan in Miyajima. However, our men report a unique dining experience, as well as a very close encounter with some island deer.

No new video of Matilda the Corgi puppy either. More tomorrow, I promise. We bought her a Frisbee today...

In the meantime, I have completed the first work in a new series called Metamorphology (I know, it's not a real word). Image - including two details - above. This painting has been donated to a silent auction that will benefit the programs of an organization called the Hirsch Wellness Network and is sponsored and organized by Gallery 115.

The auction takes place on Saturday, August 8, 2009 from 5:00 to 8:00p.m at the Gallery. The cause is a good one, and many local artists and artisans have donated their time and talent to the event. Hope you can make it!

More paintings in this series will be exhibited in Gallery 115's annual winter show in December, so it's back to the studio for me.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Our Men in Japan - Photo Diary, Days Six and Seven - Takayama and Shirakawa-go

Restaurant sign in Takayama.


From here, our men went to , Shirakawa-go, a preserved traditional Japanese village.

One view of Shirakawa-go


Find the frog

Tomorrow it's on to Miyajima, an island south of Hiroshima, for a one-night stay in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Matilda the Corgi puppy discovers something in her space that wasn't there before.


Saturday, July 11, 2009

Our Men in Japan - Photo Diary, Day Five - Holiday in Hakone


This one and one-half inch long fellow lives in the waterfall, above.

Hakone is a day trip from Tokyo, and a get-away spot for city dwellers. It's about 80 km southwest of Tokyo, and in the mountains. Our men report that air is dryer and cooler than in Tokyo, and is a welcome relief. They are here for only one day and night before catching a bus, then the Shinkansen (bullet train), to Takayama. Takayama is a small town located in the "Japan Alps," in the Gifu prefecture.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Matilda plays with a ball. No barking this time!





Friday, July 10, 2009

Our Men in Tokyo-Japan Photo Diary, Day Four

Imanishi Motoakasaka
Designed by Shin Takamatsu


Located on Odaiba

The Ueno Green Club
(for Bonsai exhibitions)
also designed by Shin Takamatsu


Koban, or police station, in Tokyo

And now for some Japanese architecture. I know what and where some of these buildings are, but not all. In any case, they are all visually arresting. I have linked some of the captions to explanations, so be sure to click on them for more information. Also, clicking on the photos themselves will bring up larger images.

Meanwhile, back on the ranch, Matilda the Corgi puppy decides to take a drink from the kitchen sink.



Thursday, July 9, 2009

Our Men in Tokyo-Japan Photo Diary, Day Three

Studio Ghibli Store
Unfortunately closed for renovations
, which means that a Totoro doll will not be headed this way.


The mushroom-shaped ice comes from the hotel vending machine.
The robot who wants a drink came from a toy store, perhaps in Akihabara.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, and while we are on the subject of animated creatures and robots, here is what Matilda has been up to.


Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Our Men in Tokyo-Japan Photo Diary, Day Two

The ubiquitous vending machine. One can purchase almost anything from these.


Phone Box


Capsule Hotel. It appears to have been taken over by squatters.


Train station. Our men report that the trains themselves are spotless.


Sensory overload

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Matilda the Corgi puppy is fascinated by a potato.