vernal pool

May 29, 10
late afternoon
Mather field vernal pools



no pools in sight at first...


warm, slight breeze - out with Shannon - long wet spring has left it still pretty wet - looking at little special vernal pool flowers - redwing blackbirds fly by and call back - swallows come & scoop insects from the surface of the pool - dragonflies buzz around -


Hawkbit flower



Not sure how my old Polaroid T55 film will hold up, so I'm shooting a bunch with my new little Nikon P90, too - learning how it works as I go along - Shannon points out several vernal pool flowers and tells me each of their names.


White navarretia



Heard a western meadowlark...


Two horned downingia with little purple horns in center of flower


Yellow flowers here are vernal pool goldfields


Field owl's clover


Vernal pool brodiaea


White meadowfoam - cultivated in Oregon for seed oil used in cosmetics!




Shannon says soon the pools will be dry and all these tiny little flowers will dry up blow away with the wind!



Saw a tiny Pacific chorus frog (formerly known as a tree frog...) I found the frog while walking, watching my feet, and noticed what seemed like a big bug - I juggled my two cameras and let Shannon catch the frog - I'm using my new little digital to back up my aging Polaroid film - hopefully the negs will be better than the positive prints - but I'm backing everything up with digital just in case.





The unusual weather patterns this year - more rain, late cool storms - has changed the normal vernal patterns - the fact that there are still pools this late in the season is unusual, and the flowers aren't blooming all at once like normal but more in fits and spurts.



We stop and squat down while I process film, swap out cameras & write in my journal - then talk about how rare these vernal pools are, only 5% of original pools remain here in California - overall a very tiny percentage of our environment with very specialized plants and animals, many of which live nowhere else. Yet here we are on one of the nicest days of the year so far, enjoying it...


Coyote thistle spurs a discussion about the real danger coyotes are to even large breed domestic dogs.


Pretty but invasive medusa head grass


White hyacinth in invasive medusa head grass


Redwing blackbird shows off his patches for us


Used the P90's panoramic assist to shoot this - I'm pretty pleased with the result, it will likely find it's way into a final artwork -

staffy sketches

more sketching

new little works

Been working on a bunch of small pieces - all 6"x6" cradled wood panels. I'll have them with me at the El Dorado Hills Art Affaire this weekend in El Dorado Hills, CA.





































(You can click on an image to see it larger.)

art in the garden

Spent the day in the garden today - just not my own. I was at the home of fellow artist Judy Yemma for Roseville Arts' "Art in the Garden Tour." The weather was perfect except for one gust of wind that hit just right & laid my entire display flat! I am so thankful for all the helping hands that suddenly appeared to help me get everything picked up & put back into place, with some extra weights to keep the incident from repeating itself! (Thanks Diane!)

tulip tree flower

It's been very windy lately and when I took Sparky on a walk today I found this flower from a tulip tree that had been torn off and fallen onto the ground.



Usually the only way I see these flowers is from the ground looking up several feet and I had never had a chance to see one close up before.





My first thought is to press little finds of mine like this for use in artworks later, but this flower wasn't going to lend itself to such methods, especially with the leaves and branch it was attached to, so I figured I'd just photograph it flat & use it that way in a piece.





One thing led to another & I found myself just shooting and enjoying the images I was capturing.





Sometimes I forget that's part of why I fell in love with photography for in the first place.

pope creek

April 25 - late afternoon - Pope Creek
Pope Valley Rd

Out for a ride with Scott through Napa Valley area & around Lake Berryessa



Old highway bridge over Pope Creek - water fairly high after all the rain this year - turtles swimming in the pool just below the bridge - above the bridge a steep little canyon cut & little rapids form a contrast to the still pool.



A few middle aged guys ride up on Harleys, get off & talk about how "if this place could talk" it would tell tales of high school kids, late night parties and young foolishness... Once there was a tire swing hanging from the big tree there - and some that jumped from the bridge to the pool below - aiming, I'm sure, for the deep spot between the huge boulders just under the surface.

Walking back to our bike on the road, goats grazing nearby give us the eye, and we don't stop to see what they'll do.

new tree story at auburn old town gallery

Spent the day driving to Auburn, then to El Dorado Hills, then back to Auburn and back home again, all just to deliver and move art from gallery to gallery. At least I only have to hang my own work at the Auburn Old Town Gallery, because it's a co-op - so here's my wallspace there, with fresh work straight off the work table. The big one in the middle is "Tahoe Snow" from my Tree Stories series.

I'm also very thankful for Dave at Hang It Up Gallery in El Dorado Hills, for taking care of everything there!

packed car

Delivered my Tree Stories show to the Blue Wing Gallery today - it all fits in my car, even the two 3'x5' canvases - looks like it will be a beautiful show!

tree stories at blue wing gallery

From the Blue Wing Gallery press release:

In celebration of Arbor Day, four very talented artists have joined forces to create an inspiring exhibit dedicated solely to trees. As a point of interest, the first Arbor Day celebration took place on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska and was an immediate success as more than one million trees were planted. Julius Sterling Morton was the founder of Arbor Day and to honor him Nebraska made it an annual legal holiday in 1885, using April 22 to coincide with his birthday. In 1970, President Richard Nixon proclaimed the last Friday in April as National Arbor Day.

Join us for the opening reception on Friday April 2nd, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Blue Wing Gallery, 405 Main Street, Woodland, Ca 95695.



"Tree Stories Chapter Two" is an ongoing project that marries Judith Monroe's photographic images with stories that she has written or found, or that have been shared with her by other writers. Visitors to the Blue Wing Gallery can view these stories in an exhibition binder on display during this exhibit.

"Each artwork tells the story of a tree when the viewer carefully examines the details, though they may not be able to read all of the text and may have to fill in gaps with their own imagination. Likewise, each of us brings our own story to those of others, coloring them with our own experiences; if we listen carefully, we can share a story between us."

"Tree Stories Chapter One," was exhibited April 2006 at a gallery in Sacramento. Four years later, with a new body of work for "Tree Stories Chapter Two," Judith has honed her trademark style of applying her own photographs and other items onto a canvas or panel then adding color with pencils and acrylic glazes. Judith's unique combination of photography, collage, painting, and text in one mixed media art piece is amazing. The end result is clearly recognized as a Monroe masterpiece.

About the artist Steve Cook: "I create three dimensional sculptures from everyday objects and found pieces. I've been told this is called an "assemblage artist" to me that sounds like a fancy title for someone else. I am just the guy you see picking up rusted pieces of castoff junk because I see a sculpture waiting to happen." Steve Cook's art is engaging and humorous on purpose, it is very apparent that he receives great joy from watching how adults and kids interact with his art. "I love to see them smiling and even laughing at my creations. I can only hope that the piece inspires them to open their minds and use their imagination."

Butch White learned to use metal while making jewelry and stained glass in college art classes. This initial outlet for his creativity developed into the intricate wire sculptures he is creating today. He begins each piece with a basic shape, gradually adding dimension by applying solder, refining the shape into a well crafted sculpture.


Chris Frieders' nature inspired iron wall sculptures are embedded with rich patina achieved by applying heat. His oak and pear tree sculptures are specifically influenced by the Sacramento River Delta area, where he grew up and still calls home. Other works capture the spirit of the rugged coastline and the inland mountain terrain of California. "I am a farmer by trade; I live and work on my family's farm near Walnut Grove. I've spent my entire life tending and caring for trees and vines." As we view Chris' artwork it is easy to discern his love of the land, each of his sculptures is a tribute to the beauty of this region.

sketch

first friday reception

Went to the opening reception of "Jacks, Queens & Suicide Kings" at the Blue Wing Gallery in Woodland tonight to see a bunch of my friends, many who had work on the walls. Nate couldn't be there, but his photo got a thumbs up from Allison Carlos, Karen Dukes and me.

studio wall filling up

As I paint & hoard all the pieces for my upcoming "Tree Stories" show, my studio wall is filling up...