After the show gathering...
This morning I headed out to Discovery Park again - in the hopes of bringing back materials to work with.
Shipment to the Houston gallery is in its way and today I prepare a package for the Palo Alto gallery.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Oct 30 2007
The 3rd Tuning the Air show at CHAC last night. Those with an eye for detail will note that an 8th column of awesomeness has been added behind Taylor. 
After the show gathering...
This morning I headed out to Discovery Park again - in the hopes of bringing back materials to work with.
Shipment to the Houston gallery is in its way and today I prepare a package for the Palo Alto gallery.
After the show gathering...
This morning I headed out to Discovery Park again - in the hopes of bringing back materials to work with.
Shipment to the Houston gallery is in its way and today I prepare a package for the Palo Alto gallery.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Discovery Park
Visited Microsoft on Wednesday. Was surprised to find a vibrant, unstuffy, decidedly not 'retro-geeky' corner of the company. No one in this group appeared to have the glazed-over, harried look of engineers. Deanna was positively delightful. Except for the commute experience, this would be a truly interesting place to work. Color me surprised.
On Friday, I shipped off six prints to Houston, two of which are intended for inclusion in an upcoming show.
~~~
Finally visited Discovery Park - a place I have heard much about. This visit was thanks to Janette. After nearly seven months of residency in Seattle, she and I finally managed to get together.
~~~
This morning, Ian and IgorK and I met to work on 'Asturias' and 'Eye of the Needle'.
A productive workout. We even managed to make real music briefly while working on Asturias' twinkles.
A call from Modernbook for prints...
On Friday, I shipped off six prints to Houston, two of which are intended for inclusion in an upcoming show.
~~~
Finally visited Discovery Park - a place I have heard much about. This visit was thanks to Janette. After nearly seven months of residency in Seattle, she and I finally managed to get together.
~~~
This morning, Ian and IgorK and I met to work on 'Asturias' and 'Eye of the Needle'.
A productive workout. We even managed to make real music briefly while working on Asturias' twinkles.
A call from Modernbook for prints...
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Sophie visits Tuning the Air
SteveB's firstborn made her first visit to Tuning the Air this evening.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Job Hunting - it had to happen eventually
I keep putting off posting because it seems good news is just around the corner - but the good news doesn't seem to be materializing.
Submitted a resume to a non-profit that provides library tools - for a job I could easily have done - but my lack of a degree and lack of directly applicable experience (i.e. web development for libraries) caused my resume submission to effectively abort. (The submission tool included several yes and no questions - about things like degrees and direct experience - questions I answered honestly. When I checked the status of my resume minutes after submitting it, it was already declined.
Saw an ad for a Project Manager at Getty Images. Also noted they were having a job fair. So I dropped by - and hit the roadblock of having no direct experience managing large web development projects. The job fair itself was surreal - held in a bar (that Curt tells me is the local 'false ID' hangout) - they made no attempt to professionalize the scene - I was offered a drink upon entering and had to yell to be heard over the loud music and billiard games.
This evening I registered with Manpower Professional Services - the temp agency I've contracted through for my last few contract gigs. Next week I have an informational interview at Microsoft, courtesy of my friend David. Also - on a lark, I put in a call at a housekeeping agency that works primarily in my part of Seattle. They pay as much as some of the jobs I've seen - plus I'd have part-time flexible hours and get exercise to boot!
~~~
After speaking with Peggy Weiss last week, I decided to investigate several of her suggestions - one of which was the Photographic Center Northwest (PCNW). Noticed an annual juried exhibition with an Oct 20th deadline - and decided this might make a nice introduction to the local photographic community - so I prepared a submission. Crossing my fingers that my work is well received by the juror - about whom I could find nothing.
Also preparing 4 images for Watermark Gallery, two of which are expected to be included in the upcoming Botanicals show. Ran out of paper after working out the printing of two of these - and await a paper order I fortunately placed several days ago. These are the images they selected:
~~~
Today was a day of weather extremes. Beautiful sunny early morning, over cast and rainy mid morning, by lunch torrential rains and hail so thick, the roads looked as though it had snowed and inch or two last night. Yet - this was all limited to my neighborhood - as I drove to Fremont, I found it simply overcast - and even sunny for brief periods. Driving back home (about 5 miles) I was back into the storm. What is weird is that there are no significant geographical features between my place and Fremont.
Submitted a resume to a non-profit that provides library tools - for a job I could easily have done - but my lack of a degree and lack of directly applicable experience (i.e. web development for libraries) caused my resume submission to effectively abort. (The submission tool included several yes and no questions - about things like degrees and direct experience - questions I answered honestly. When I checked the status of my resume minutes after submitting it, it was already declined.
Saw an ad for a Project Manager at Getty Images. Also noted they were having a job fair. So I dropped by - and hit the roadblock of having no direct experience managing large web development projects. The job fair itself was surreal - held in a bar (that Curt tells me is the local 'false ID' hangout) - they made no attempt to professionalize the scene - I was offered a drink upon entering and had to yell to be heard over the loud music and billiard games.
This evening I registered with Manpower Professional Services - the temp agency I've contracted through for my last few contract gigs. Next week I have an informational interview at Microsoft, courtesy of my friend David. Also - on a lark, I put in a call at a housekeeping agency that works primarily in my part of Seattle. They pay as much as some of the jobs I've seen - plus I'd have part-time flexible hours and get exercise to boot!
~~~
After speaking with Peggy Weiss last week, I decided to investigate several of her suggestions - one of which was the Photographic Center Northwest (PCNW). Noticed an annual juried exhibition with an Oct 20th deadline - and decided this might make a nice introduction to the local photographic community - so I prepared a submission. Crossing my fingers that my work is well received by the juror - about whom I could find nothing.
Also preparing 4 images for Watermark Gallery, two of which are expected to be included in the upcoming Botanicals show. Ran out of paper after working out the printing of two of these - and await a paper order I fortunately placed several days ago. These are the images they selected:
~~~
Today was a day of weather extremes. Beautiful sunny early morning, over cast and rainy mid morning, by lunch torrential rains and hail so thick, the roads looked as though it had snowed and inch or two last night. Yet - this was all limited to my neighborhood - as I drove to Fremont, I found it simply overcast - and even sunny for brief periods. Driving back home (about 5 miles) I was back into the storm. What is weird is that there are no significant geographical features between my place and Fremont.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Opening Night at CHAC
More on this later (I hope) but just a quick posting with a photo from last night's pre-show
rehearsal.
rehearsal.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
seattle sunday
It is a bright Seattle Sunday. The sun is low in the sky and it really feels like winter day as a result. I guess I'm in for a real surprise when I learn just how low in the sky the sun will get here at this latitude.
On Friday, when I met Curt at his mobile office Cafe Ladro to discuss TTA business, I noticed a poster on the wall for a job fair for Getty Images. I remarked on this to Curt, and he told me that T.H. works there. T. doesn't really know me. However, since Igor and Travis M are in one of his bands, I have attended performances and sent the band images afterwards. It was a long shot, but I emailed T.H., introduced myself, attached my resume and asked for a chance to speak. We had that chance this morning. It sounds promising. T. H. will check on Monday to answer a few questions I have before submitting my resume.
Last night, I started looking forward to the poster design for Tuning the Air's next season. Here's a draft design
On Friday, when I met Curt at his mobile office Cafe Ladro to discuss TTA business, I noticed a poster on the wall for a job fair for Getty Images. I remarked on this to Curt, and he told me that T.H. works there. T. doesn't really know me. However, since Igor and Travis M are in one of his bands, I have attended performances and sent the band images afterwards. It was a long shot, but I emailed T.H., introduced myself, attached my resume and asked for a chance to speak. We had that chance this morning. It sounds promising. T. H. will check on Monday to answer a few questions I have before submitting my resume.
Last night, I started looking forward to the poster design for Tuning the Air's next season. Here's a draft design
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
a good meeting
Had a delightful meeting with Peggy Weiss, the Art Program Manager for Harbor View Medical Center this morning. Hit it off immediately. She liked my work (and had no qualms about indicating that my work was 'very reasonably priced' for the quality.) She explained in detail how the art purchases are made - and she is in no position to acquire work right now, but the materials I prepared for her are now 'in the box' she turns to when she can make a purchase. She also made two recommendations for additional contacts I should pursue. The meeting was delightful because she is simple and straightforward - what you see is what you get. Reminds me of Bobbi in many ways.
On the Tuning the Air front, a craigslist ad once again points us to a property on Greenwood and N 76th St. This is a property we looked at back in August but were told it was in negotiation with potential tenants. They'd get back to us. This morning, the same property turns up again on Craigslist - and again, the realtor insists it is leased. This is a very interesting property, having just about all the necessary characteristics for Tuning the Air. So, I'm still pursuing it through two other channels.
On the Tuning the Air front, a craigslist ad once again points us to a property on Greenwood and N 76th St. This is a property we looked at back in August but were told it was in negotiation with potential tenants. They'd get back to us. This morning, the same property turns up again on Craigslist - and again, the realtor insists it is leased. This is a very interesting property, having just about all the necessary characteristics for Tuning the Air. So, I'm still pursuing it through two other channels.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Another tech rehearsal at CHAC
The Tuning the Air team had our second and final technical rehearsal at the Capitol Hill Art Center on Saturday.
Caught another new TedTalk this morning. This one by the planetary scientist, Carolyn Porco. Images of space are often beautiful to me, but one in particular from her talk is this one - a solar eclipse from Saturn.
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
~~~~~~
Caught another new TedTalk this morning. This one by the planetary scientist, Carolyn Porco. Images of space are often beautiful to me, but one in particular from her talk is this one - a solar eclipse from Saturn.
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science InstituteTuesday, October 2, 2007
Ryan Larkin
Someone recently posted (in two parts) a video - an animated documentary - about the filmmaker Ryan Larkin. I found this to be really moving. Watching this online isn't quite the same, but I hope the taste of it is conveyed.
Ryan - Part One
Ryan - Part Two
Tuning the Air, Show # 104
Last night's show - number 104 for the team - included several guests. Tony Geballe's brother, Jonathan and his wife, the international stage director, Karin Coonrod.
Also in attendance was Bill Wolfe, my potter friend from the art studios in Belmont CA. He and Igor got to re-acquaint in better circumstances than when they met - which was my moving day this past March when Bill helped load the truck with my possessions. The very truck Igor drove for me to get my things to Seattle. I would link to Bill's website if only he'd finally get around to making one.
Also in attendance was Bill Wolfe, my potter friend from the art studios in Belmont CA. He and Igor got to re-acquaint in better circumstances than when they met - which was my moving day this past March when Bill helped load the truck with my possessions. The very truck Igor drove for me to get my things to Seattle. I would link to Bill's website if only he'd finally get around to making one.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Brrr!
On Wednesday, I sensed a distinct turn in the weather, so I checked the forecast.
So far it has proved quite accurate. This is what I have to look forward to....
As recent posts indicate, I have finally begun making images here. (It took almost exactly six months!) My live work space lacks any good spaces for working with natural light. In fact, this is about it:
It is a pretty cramped arrangement and my tripod often slips off the edge of the workspace. Seattle's weather being what it is, even this space will now not provide much light.
So, I have been working outdoors more than ever before. Enamoured with the fading blue hydrangea of Seattle, I sent out an email to everyone on the team asking them for leads. Curt pointed me to a particular household where the entire front yard is blue hydrangeas.
Working on my resume, I decide to check in on several former bosses. It is a toss-up as to whether it was a procrastination technique or not, but it was truly enjoyable to connect with these people. I am lucky to have had some wonderful bosses. Oddly enough, two former bosses seem to have dissappeared entirely. Their tracks led me to a phone number in Southern California where curiously they seem to have shared a phone number - a number that is now disconnected. Chrissy Raines, Bruce Meachim, where are you?
So far it has proved quite accurate. This is what I have to look forward to....
As recent posts indicate, I have finally begun making images here. (It took almost exactly six months!) My live work space lacks any good spaces for working with natural light. In fact, this is about it:
It is a pretty cramped arrangement and my tripod often slips off the edge of the workspace. Seattle's weather being what it is, even this space will now not provide much light.
So, I have been working outdoors more than ever before. Enamoured with the fading blue hydrangea of Seattle, I sent out an email to everyone on the team asking them for leads. Curt pointed me to a particular household where the entire front yard is blue hydrangeas.
Working on my resume, I decide to check in on several former bosses. It is a toss-up as to whether it was a procrastination technique or not, but it was truly enjoyable to connect with these people. I am lucky to have had some wonderful bosses. Oddly enough, two former bosses seem to have dissappeared entirely. Their tracks led me to a phone number in Southern California where curiously they seem to have shared a phone number - a number that is now disconnected. Chrissy Raines, Bruce Meachim, where are you?
Sunday, September 23, 2007
leaf & Lake
Sunday morning walk at Greenlake:
Leaf Lake
Saturday - yesterday - was intense. 8am calisthenics with Curt and Taylor. Curt's suggestion a few days ago to work with the A major scale paid off. A rapid tempo. A drone pattern of four notes - the open A. Then the first of these four is replaced with the successive notes of the A major scale. We travel up and down many times. Then Curt begins to call out changes. 'flat the 7th' I can barely make out what he says, but I make the adjustment. He proceeds to flatten other notes - in a pattern I do not recognize nor remember, but the work I've done helps me keep up anyway. Then, the adjusted notes are adjusted back gradually. I find this the hardest - how to remember which of the intervals are still diminished and which not yet. Then Taylor begins to play a third above our notes. Later Curt makes some other shift (a fifth?) It remains a challenging, but for the first time, thoroughly enjoyable calisthenics session.
Later, Taylor, Curt and I head to Vera's for a big breakfast to tide us over for the workday at CHAC. The session at CHAC is mixed . We have many surprises, some good and some not so good. The set design issues take precedence over all the other considerations, so Igor K and I are only able to address some of the issues we must address together for the 'house'. After four hours, we are all pretty beat, but at least we have a sense of what will be required to set up the set.
~~~~
Spent a chunk of today working on printing some of the new images that have been emerging from my camera.
Leaf LakeSaturday - yesterday - was intense. 8am calisthenics with Curt and Taylor. Curt's suggestion a few days ago to work with the A major scale paid off. A rapid tempo. A drone pattern of four notes - the open A. Then the first of these four is replaced with the successive notes of the A major scale. We travel up and down many times. Then Curt begins to call out changes. 'flat the 7th' I can barely make out what he says, but I make the adjustment. He proceeds to flatten other notes - in a pattern I do not recognize nor remember, but the work I've done helps me keep up anyway. Then, the adjusted notes are adjusted back gradually. I find this the hardest - how to remember which of the intervals are still diminished and which not yet. Then Taylor begins to play a third above our notes. Later Curt makes some other shift (a fifth?) It remains a challenging, but for the first time, thoroughly enjoyable calisthenics session.
Later, Taylor, Curt and I head to Vera's for a big breakfast to tide us over for the workday at CHAC. The session at CHAC is mixed . We have many surprises, some good and some not so good. The set design issues take precedence over all the other considerations, so Igor K and I are only able to address some of the issues we must address together for the 'house'. After four hours, we are all pretty beat, but at least we have a sense of what will be required to set up the set.
~~~~
Spent a chunk of today working on printing some of the new images that have been emerging from my camera.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
a day at CHAC
Today was devoted to a technical rehearsal at the Capitol Hill Arts Center. It was exhausting, so I'm off for a nap...
Friday, September 21, 2007
A rope for David
This one is for David (aka DAE). It is his influence that encourages me to notice this sort of thing.
Still hopelessly attracted to this tree:
Still hopelessly attracted to this tree:
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Asiatic Lilies
Asiatic Lilies were today's subject. And they may be tomorrow's subject too. We'll see.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
TTA set design assembly
Today several of us met at Travgor's to work on the fabric panels that will hang behind the players in the new set designed for the Tuning the Air shows that will be held at the Capitol Hill Arts Center. Here's Curt (and Jaxie) working on the dowls that will be used to suspend the panels.
After we got done with the set design preparations, we had a small potluck gathering. Eve (Jaxie & Bob's youngest daughter) became interested in Travis' new haircut:
This was followed a little later by a staring contest bewteen Curt and Eve:
And as you can see here, someone attempted to distract his opponent during the contest.
Relaxing with Jaxie....
After we got done with the set design preparations, we had a small potluck gathering. Eve (Jaxie & Bob's youngest daughter) became interested in Travis' new haircut:
This was followed a little later by a staring contest bewteen Curt and Eve:
And as you can see here, someone attempted to distract his opponent during the contest.
Relaxing with Jaxie....
Saturday, September 15, 2007
simple, sixteenth note, open A drone at 72bpm
These are not from today, but I didn't want to post an image-less post. And I don't think I've posted these before...
Arrived 15 minutes early to calisthenics, but only a few minutes before Curt arrived, I was not yet settled on the stool before he entered. Fortunately, he began in a simple, sixteenth note, open A drone at about 72bpm. (At this point we were working without a metronome.) We stayed with this for a long time, so it was possible to play with it and see how little right-hand effort was necessary. And I tried to keep a count going so as to maintain a conection with where ‘one’ was.
Then Curt – without changing anything about the right hand (or the tapping of his foot, began working in triplets. Three open A’s, three Bb’s, three, C#’s. Repeat. After bit of this, the pattern moved up; three open A’s, three C#’s three D’s. Many repetitions, then up again – the Trapiche lead. (I know I should know what key this represents, but I do not. I will look it up.) Once we started on these patterns, I lost the metronome entirely and couldn’t find one at all. I tried just saying ‘one’ for every metronome click but found it impossible. I tried letting go entirely of the left hand work and returning to the open A drone to re-establish the count, but when I returned to the left hand I’d lose it again. At this point, we (by now we were joined by Greg and Taylor) were just looping the three note patterns, but then Curt brought it down to eight repetitions, then four, then two and then finally just one. Once he introduced this other level of counting, I let go of the effort to find the ‘one’ on the metronome. The most I could do was make certain my down strokes matched everyone else’s down strokes. It was a good workout and it was gratifying afterwards to see that my right hand made it through this without stiffening up or getting sore and tense. During that early part of the open A drone that seemed to go on endlessly - and while not effortless it was anxiety-free.
I made an airport run to pick up Mary Beth, who visits from Boston for the weekend. We got back in time for the last hour or so of rehearsal.
Tonight a few of us plan to attend a dance performance at CHAC to learn a bit more about this space Tuning the Air will inhabit in a month. I plan to make it an early night as I feel myself fighting off a cold.
Arrived 15 minutes early to calisthenics, but only a few minutes before Curt arrived, I was not yet settled on the stool before he entered. Fortunately, he began in a simple, sixteenth note, open A drone at about 72bpm. (At this point we were working without a metronome.) We stayed with this for a long time, so it was possible to play with it and see how little right-hand effort was necessary. And I tried to keep a count going so as to maintain a conection with where ‘one’ was.
Then Curt – without changing anything about the right hand (or the tapping of his foot, began working in triplets. Three open A’s, three Bb’s, three, C#’s. Repeat. After bit of this, the pattern moved up; three open A’s, three C#’s three D’s. Many repetitions, then up again – the Trapiche lead. (I know I should know what key this represents, but I do not. I will look it up.) Once we started on these patterns, I lost the metronome entirely and couldn’t find one at all. I tried just saying ‘one’ for every metronome click but found it impossible. I tried letting go entirely of the left hand work and returning to the open A drone to re-establish the count, but when I returned to the left hand I’d lose it again. At this point, we (by now we were joined by Greg and Taylor) were just looping the three note patterns, but then Curt brought it down to eight repetitions, then four, then two and then finally just one. Once he introduced this other level of counting, I let go of the effort to find the ‘one’ on the metronome. The most I could do was make certain my down strokes matched everyone else’s down strokes. It was a good workout and it was gratifying afterwards to see that my right hand made it through this without stiffening up or getting sore and tense. During that early part of the open A drone that seemed to go on endlessly - and while not effortless it was anxiety-free.
I made an airport run to pick up Mary Beth, who visits from Boston for the weekend. We got back in time for the last hour or so of rehearsal.
Tonight a few of us plan to attend a dance performance at CHAC to learn a bit more about this space Tuning the Air will inhabit in a month. I plan to make it an early night as I feel myself fighting off a cold.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Nature's soft box
My friend David Adam Edelstein likes to refer to Seattle's overcast skies as a giant soft box. Well, for weeks, the weather has been glorious - no softbox. Until this week. This morning I went out to try it out...
