Middle of the Road

Truly. Literally. 

That's where I was over the weekend.

One of the best chalk festivals in the nation is held every June in San Rafael. This was their 22nd event! My first festival was 1998 I think!

The Italian Street Painting Marin had a theme this year of Venetian Carnivale- artists created murals of masks, costumes, gondolas... A wonderful variety of colors and textures and scenes. There were also people in costumes parading through the festival!

I always come up with an original design and this year I wanted to give a nod to the fantasy, beauty and surrealism of a Carnivale.

My piece is 'Bella Dea' or 'Beautiful Goddess'. She appears in the canals in a gondola, her hat (which is the night sky) casts a shadow across her face which is her mask.

I have two very talented little nieces who assist me each year. They're 9 and 12. We talk about color and light sources, school and plans for the summer. most of all, we laugh a lot.

Huge kudos to the ISPM organizers and volunteers for a wonderful event and congratulations to all the artists on their amazing talents and stunning murals!!

Official Paint Out Day

Over 100 artists painted today along Hell's Backbone Rd. It's a loop actually and connects with Hwy 12 between Escalante and Boulder.

I'd driven the washboard road section of HBR and decided I'd rather go for a vista piece off the paved Hwy. 

I usually choose scenes that have a central or close subject, so to stand up overlooking an entire canyon just as daylight hits the upper peaks was a huge shift for me! 

From the start I was taken with these subtle colors on the light sandstone; lemon and melon and a beautiful salmon pink and violet! Gorgeous! Plus, all along the furthest range, called the Straights, were these ribbons of pale cool green and lavender. Yes! I can paint here!

Our finished piece had to be turned in between 3 & 5pm, I glued mine down to the floater frame, told them leave it flat on a table until the glue dries (!) at 3:30pm.

Diego y Frida: A Chalk Mural

Marin held a 'Pop-Up' Street Painting festival this year; a little smaller, invitation only. It was wonderful! Amazing talent. Spot on organized. Perfect weather. Most of all, a great opportunity to play and create with my chalk friends.

This year, the event had a theme. That's fun, that's new! The theme: 1940s.

The illustrator in me thrived on the theme. Research and photos and articles... the thread wove in and out and around so many interesting subjects and then. I found. Diego Rivera.

At the World's Fair in San Francisco, 1939-1940, Diego Rivera was invited to participate in the 'Art in Action' program. Visitors to Treasure Island were able to watch artists create, and Diego Rivera created a 72' long mural that can now be seen at SF City College. While here in SF working, Frida Kahlo (his ex-wife) decided to remarry. They were wed at SF City Hall on December 8, 1940 (Rivera's birthday.) 

My sketch made it into the Pink Section in the SF Chronicle and I just am so happy with my finished mural! My nieces joined me too this year, they always do and they are spectacular artists!