Montage 49

San Francisco - the city by the bay; where fog calls home; the infinite city - is where I live. I am by no means a city boy, but this is a really special city. Perched at the tip of the peninsula, SF is confined to an area 7 miles by 7 miles. From the micro-climates to the intense cultural identities of the many neighborhoods, this is a very diverse city for it's relatively small size. One of the many great and unique aspects of San Francisco is the ample creative inspiration bound within the city limits.

Many people are familiar with the Victorian houses that adorn the steep streets. One of the more artistic expressions, I have found, comes in the front gate of these houses and other residences in the city. For this project, I took pictures of gates from all over the city and made a montage of them. I found it fitting to put them in a 7x7 grid - hence the project title of 'Montage 49'. A huge thanks to Dave for helping me with the task of montaging the pictures.

Enjoy!

Transcendentalism (Part 2)

My second and last installment of a decorative-cheesy-wall-hanging incorporates a similar poem to the first. Written in wake of the true period of transcendentalism, it exhibits the same motives, tone and inspiration as RWE's 'Success'.

This is what you shall do:

Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and the crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body.

-- Walt Whitman

The first time I read this poem, I was floored by WW's potent and elegant words; a true genius.

As for my adornment...

Inspiration for this piece came over time and from many places. It started with the poem, which was shared with me by someone very important to me. The color scheme used was derived from a special textile I bought while in Thailand. The design itself was inspired from a fabric I saw in a friend's home, and a decorative tea box. 

Unlike my previous attempt at a wall worthy hanging, I really enjoyed the production and product of this one. If you would like one, specially made for your wall, commissions are free of charge.

For now.