Monthly Archives: March 2009

California native plants

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This weekend, Sarah-Hope and I went to visit her parents up in Napa, and on Saturday I had the opportunity to tag along with Mike as he led an outing of the local branch of the California Native Plant Society at Aetna Springs. The weather was perfect, and the flowers were out in abundance.

Among the flowers we saw were fawn lillies (Erythronium californicum):
Fawn lily

Pedicularis densiflora, commonly known as Indian Warrior:
Indian Warrior

Indian paintbrush, Castilleja affinis:
whatisit

And some flowering manzanita, Arctostaphylos stanfordiana (if I remember correctly):
Manzanita flowers

The trail overlooked scenic Pope Valley:
The view from the trail

And on the way home, we saw someone’s imagination in full bloom as well:
Hub Cap Ranch
Not as beautiful as the flowers, but definitely the source of much discussion in the car.

I was impressed by the knowledge of the members of this group. Birds, flowers, geologic features, and spoken Latin were well within their range. My mother was an avid gardener, and I grew up going to gatherings of the local garden club, but I am a rank novice when it comes to California wildflowers. I may have to go out and get some books. Book shopping: never a hardship!

These photos were all taken by me on Saturday’s walk, but I would highly recommend CalPhotos for further reference pictures of plants, birds, and animals native to California (and other images as well). Another incredibly useful tool is the web index of California Wild Plants, maintained by the California Native Plant Society.

I’ve given the Latin names of these as found on the above reference sites (and as I recall them). Be warned that many plants are currently being re-classified, and names may be changing. Good hunting to you all!

Just a Small Byte, Please

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Recently there’s been some discussion on the Baren Forum — a printmakers’ networking and email group — about drawing by hand vs. using computers, and this has spread into a discussion about computers and art in general. I won’t rehash all the points of view here, but will take the opportunity it presents to talk about how I use computers in my printmaking process.

Right now I’m working on a group of reduction block linoleum prints. Reduction prints use the same block for two different colors (plus the paper makes a third color). First you carve what will be the lighter color, and print as many sheets as you need (more than you need!) of that color. Then you carve away, from the same block, down to the surface you need for the second, darker color. This means there is no going back, and it also means you have to always visualize how you’ll use the same surface for multiple layers. It’s a bit of a puzzle, which is what I find to be the fun challenge of this method.

However, I am also cautious. I don’t want to make that cutting commitment and find out that I’ve made a terrible, terrible mistake. This is where the computer comes in.

My original drawing is always by hand. But once I’ve made my first set of cuts, and have made a test print, I use the computer to determine my next steps. Here’s the print I’m working on now, based on William Blake’s Proverbs of Hell, from his Songs of Innocence and of Experience.

FIrst, I scan the test print. I’ve done the test in black ink, even though the first layer when I really make the print will be in ochre.
Black and white version of the print

Then, using Photoshop, I copy the layer and fill it in with ochre, and then delete areas that will remain black. The last step, and the reason I’m doing this, is to add some white highlights to the tops of the furrows. White is the paper color, which means that I will cut it away from the very first layer, so I have to know up front how much to cut.

Do I want a lot of highlighting?
Large white highlighting on the print

Or do I just want some individual pieces of hay to be highlighted across the furrows?
A touch of white highlighting on the print

I’ve made my decision, and am ready to print! Stay tuned for final images.

A Walk on the Beach

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One of my favorite walks is a quick 3-mile loop from my house down to Seabright beach and back. This route goes through quiet residential neighborhoods, a small commercial strip, a small-boat harbor, and a beautiful quiet beach. (I have not yet experienced the summer tourist season in Santa Cruz; my beach might not be quiet for long!)
Another of my favorite things about Santa Cruz is its sky. Being nestled between the ocean and the mountains gives Santa Cruz an active and changeable sky.
Here are some photos from a recent late-afternoon walk.
Sky reflected on beach

Clouds above the beach

Clouds above the beach

Seabright lighthouse and its sea wall

Foxes vs. Pikas

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Last week I completed a set of drawings for the Education Department at the Oakland Museum of California. There are two separate display cases in the Natural Sciences gallery, one of foxes and one of pikas, and the museum wanted the drawings to show how the animals in the two cases might relate to each other.

First, the displays. Pikas (and a marmot; he’s the big guy):
Pika --and marmot-- in display.

And the foxes:
Pika --and marmot-- in display.

There are seven illustrations in all. Number one, the foxes are huddled in their den. Number two, the foxes are out foraging in the snow. Number three, the pika is also foraging in the snow. Number four, the fox pounces after the pika, who runs for dear life.
Pika runs like mad when fox pounces

There are two endings to the series. One version depicts the pika’s happy ending.
Number five, the pika is safe in the den. Number six, the foxes stare into the pika den; this is basically a drawing of the fox display case.

However, the second version shows the foxes’ happy ending.
Number seven, the aftermath.
The aftermath

The fun part is that the drawings are not numbered –the above description is my interpretation– and the visitors and junior docents can create their own narratives using the drawings.

The Oakland Museum is undergoing extensive renovations, but the Natural Sciences wing is open. It’s well worth a visit — soon!

New site, new blog

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It’s very exciting: I’ve just re-launched my website, www.mswest.com, and now I’m launching a new blog as well.

I’ll be writing about my adventures in painting, printmaking, and on the hiking trails –with the occasional update on my cats, as well. I hope readers will find my entries educational, interesting, and entertaining.

Right now I’m off to make some code changes to clean up the blog’s appearance — but I’ll be back soon!