Fruition:

Man, that was a long nap! Pardon me while I stretch the fingers here for a minute. Unfortunately, I do this all too often, this disappearing act before a short lived triumphant return to this blog. You see, it's usually because I'm so caught up in the plethora (<--- Three Amigos!) of 'things' I find myself interested in. The same holds true for the last few months.

Months ago, late last year, during the midst of the Great Broadway Books Burrito Caper, I was doing some pro-bono marketing work for Upper Playground. As apparel companies do, they were working on a few projects to be released later in 2009 and since this year marks their 10-year anniversary the projects were of the coolest nature. When I moved to San Francisco I made a handful of connections in the apparel/footwear industry during my job search. One such connection happened to be the CEO at a bag company I've always been quite fond of, Chrome.

During my three month stint with Upper Playground I was lucky enough to introduce UP and Chrome to one another. They then agreed to work with one another on two co-branded messenger bags. As these things take time, the bags were just released in late August. Local contemporary artists Jeremy Fish and Sam Flores provided the artwork for Upper Playground and Chrome manufactured the bags and had them fully embroidered. While I wasn't behind the scenes during the latter stages of the planning on these bags I will take credit for making this happen. The bags are beautiful, have a look:

Luckily I was able to get my hands on one of the two bags without having to pay for it. While I'm sure you think it was due to me I can assure you that, due to the price of these things, I almost felt bad taking one. Almost. In fact, it was only because I've made friends with Jeremy Fish that I was able to have one.

I've been a fan of Jeremy's for a few years. Hell, if you go back a couple years here on the blog you can see where I met Jeremy in Portland and traded him a beer to draw Yogi a 'birthday' card (that was actually meant for Christmas but whatever). As it were, I met Jeremy again last winter while I was working with Upper Playground. Over time, Jeremy and I have become great acquaintances, friends even. I put Birkenstock footwear on his feet, he put artwork in my house. We're cut from the same cloth when it comes to our reliance on the barter system.

Recently, Jeremy asked if I'd be willing to assist him with his next art show, both physically hanging the show and helping him to promote it. While I've always paid attention to the art scene here and surrounding many of the artists that associate themselves with Upper Playground I knew that Jeremy's previous assistants had been close friends of his. People he respects and trusts. You can imagine how honored I was to be asked and of course I accepted immediately.

His show is at the Laguna Beach Art Museum the weekend of November 7-8th. I've been lucky enough to sit in his studio shooting the shit while he's working on this thing and... damn. We're all in for a treat. He's got some tricks up his tattooed sleves and I'm looking forward to being there for the opening to watch people go bonkers. Please, have a look at a couple gratuitous stray shots Jeremy's art as seen by me recently before you leave. And if you have a few extra bucks, buy his art before Robin Williams buys it all, he's been known to collect Jeremy's stuff before.




best,
a

Vanity:

Who are these assholes!?! That's what I ask myself every time I see a ridiculous vanity license plate. I've started to notice how prevalent they really are here in California and, since I've usually got my camera within an arms-length, I've started snapping pictures of them. Here are just a few, the real dandy is all the way at the bottom, so you'll have to scroll down to read that one. Peep the rest of the vanity plates I've come across in the flickr set I've made for them here.

This one's for Yogi.

Unfortunately, Heidi Klum wasn't driving this Jag.

He's afraid of snakes.


Wow.

cheers,
a

Art Wall @ Grove and Central:

A few weeks back Mary called me to tell me that she'd just spoken with a gentleman across the street from her house who was working on a graffiti-style mural on a wooden wall there which had been erected to mask the reconstruction on the restaurant in the building. Because I hadn't much going on at the time I made my way down to check it out. I also met and spoke with the fellow who'd organized the mural project. He informed me that they had the permission of both the building owner and the neighborhood association, NOPNA. After a few minutes of talking to him he'd invited me to come down with a stencil and he gave me a small plot on the wall he said they'd save for me.

I'd been working on a piece of another friend for a few weeks. Or rather, I'd started working on it a few weeks prior and just hadn't got to printing it, cutting it, and spraying it. This was the needed motivation. I'd chosen a picture of another friend, Simon, to work on because I loved the smile he wore in the picture. Wanting to focus some of the stencil projects I assume on smiles, I thought this to be the perfect jumping off photo. Well, I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Seen here with his special lady friend and business partner, Ainsley.

The photoshopped image.

In process, the cutting.

Finished product, on the wall.

The rest of the wall and a couple from a day later.

The San Francisco Police did come in the middle of my stencil application, I was interrupted by a "Hey buddy." As I placed one of the layers on the wall. Upon hearing that we didn't have a permit but did have the permission of the building owner and the neighborhood association the police woman simply said, "Well, it looks great," and then drove off. Killer.

I'm hoping to mail Simon a home-version soon. The best part about stencils is you can use them over and over and over.......

a

Just Sayin:

Owls:

I keep meaning to write this down so's it goes on record.

Been seeing owls everywhere of late. EVERYWHERE. Yes, I got one tattooed on my leg. However, I don't think I'd really noticed the pervasiveness with which they infiltrated my world until sometime after I'd received said tattoo. That's a lie. I know exactly when I'd noticed it. Upon returning from my trip to Portland last month I received a wedding invitation from the wonderful gentleman who'd just tattooed my owl on me. The wedding invitation also had an owl on it that I imagine he designed.



It was at this time, this brow-scrunching, head-cocked, eyes-to-the-ceiling moment when I realized that I'd seen a SHIT TON OF OWLS in recent months. Other places I recall owls:
- undisclosed art project created by someone else
- in discussion at the disc golf tournament in Oregon
- on a t-shirt at the bus stop the day after I made this realization
- on a couple Jeremy Fish stickers I'd recently applied to my computer and bicycle
- salt and pepper shakers
- Upper Playground shirts
- a stenciled wheat-paste on Haight St. (see below)


I'm sure there are many more. Feel free to add some if you can remember them better than I can.

What I'm not sure about is the meaning behind all of this. Maybe I'm just more aware when I see them. Maybe this is my chance to go out on a Native American vision quest, though it's a little late in life for that. Owls are nocturnal, maybe that has something to do with it. Mayyyyyybbeeee it doesn't mean a thing and just happens to be a pretty cool coincidence of circumstances. Either way, I'm amused.

a

Life Is Good Today:

I haven't missed being in Portland yet quite like I do today. I share the above tattoo (minus the star) with close to 20 people who have love in their hearts for a dear friend whose life we celebrate each June 1st.

The tattoo reminds us all that despite any hardships we may face we all have our health and, best of all, each other.

Life is good today because I have my friends, my health and my family. One could not exist without the other. I wish for everyone the quality relationships I've built with my closest friends in Portland. Today, I miss them so much. Tomorrow, I hope I get to see them. I love them all.

Notorious BBC forever.



<3
A

Rediscovering Portland:

I spent this last weekend in Portland, having flown up to compete in a disc golf tournament and to visit friends and family. I played poorly, as has been the case this year. Not so sure what that's all about but my intention is to keep on keepin' on with the understanding that I'll practice often and work through the slump. I saw as many people as I was able to see with the limited time I had away from the golf course. I spent most of my nights at home with the folks which was awesome, really think they appreciated it.

Throughout the course of the weekend I found myself feeling a little nostalgic about things there. Everytime I see an Oregon license plate on the road here in California I feel A) like smiling and B) like I need to speed up cause there's a good chance I'll know the people in the car (haven't known one yet). All weekend long I had that feeling, driving to and from the tournament and being out and about.

My time there this weekend also made me familiar with a few aspects about life in Portland that I'd either lost sight of or had taken for granted. Things I appreciate. For instance, everyone my age in Portland in the neighborhood I lived in and love: covered in tattoos. Everyone. For some reason that brings me a sense of comfort and normalcy. Does it cheapen the experience of being a young tattooed lad? I don't think so. Especially not when you're not around these people all the time. I suppose that's how I had lost sight of my appreciation for my fellow tatted 20-somethings, I was around them too much.

Things happen slower in Portland. People take their time, and rarely is anyone in a huge rush to get anywhere. The fast lane on the freeways moves at a whopping 65MPH. You stay in your car to have your gas pumped for you. Sure it takes a couple minutes longer but WHO GIVES A SHIT. It's convenient. It helps to perpetuate the easy-going attitude there by which Portlanders operate. Even when there's nothing to do in Portland it seems like there's less to do than when there's nothing to do in other cities. Sure it can be boring yet sometimes I wish I had boring minutes in my life.

The people in Portland are generally outgoing and very nice to one another regardless of societal differences.

It felt good to have those feelings while I was there. Portland, that was rad. I owe you a burrito. Also, I drove to work in the slow lane today.
-a

Future ---> Bright:

Romito is in town. I've got two awesome disc golf tournaments ahead of me in the next two weeks, one of which allows me to see my family and friends at home in PDX. Stoked on music like whoa right now. Job is awesome. Creativity flows. Holla.