life on mars

Recycled tube rocket power with my nephew and niece, Charlie and Tessa

city of electric light

I recently discovered the wonderful work of artist Chris Johanson,  a veteran of the Northern California punk/skate scene.  He has a beautiful book Please Listen I Have Something to Tell You About What Is and I particularly love his paintings of cities that often explode the frame, become sculptural, spontaneous, sprawling.

On Thursdays I teach painting and drawing to an amazing group of 6-8 year olds, and last week we made city pictures inspired by Johanson's work. The kids loved the details in his paintings: bright roadways, upside down vehicles, underground hide outs. They became architects of their own gorgeous cities.

piñata power

There are a lot of summer babies in my family. This year was fiesta central and I powered up some pinatas to celebrate all of the people I love.

Cheeseburger pinata for Van Snell family party!

Lion for Rowan's first birthday!

Fierce

Triple scooper for Agata's birthday!

Gem pinatas for the rock party. These babies are filled with rock candy, pop rocks, and gem ring lollies.

Gem pinatas with rock party collection

ice treasure eggs

Remember when it was hot out? My friend Erin at Collage Collage offered some artful ideas for cooling off. My nieces and nephew and I made ice treasure eggs, loading up water balloons with bits and pieces and freezing them. The kids loved rolling them around in the grass, dunking them in water, watching them melt and breaking the treasures out.