King of Prussia

A GTC - Glue-Trading-Card- created from 5 magazine clippings.

Prussion Virtues: perfect organization, sacrifice, the rule of law. At the end of the 1st century the Prussion settlements were divided into tribal domains, separated from one another by uninhabitated areas of forest, swamps and marsh. In each tribe the leader was responsible for the supervision of everyday matters, while the chief was in charge of the road and watertower buildings. Prussia was abolished by the Nazis in 1934 - since then the term's relevence has been limited to historical, geographical or cultural usuages.

This fella looks "kingly" enough to take back Prussia!

And then there is Prussion Blue - any of numerous blue iron pigments formerly regarded as ferric ferrocyanide.

ID Recorded

ID Recorded is a mixed media piece representing the state of our current world conditions. The phrases and stamps were on envelopes I received from France and Australia.

Suddenly There IS A Palm Tree!

Headlines: The Central Coast is Blasted With Wind and Rain.

What a shock to discover that there is a Palm tree in our neighborhood primarily known for its pine and oak trees! The majestic oak had covered up the fact that a palm tree has infiltrated the street. Fortunately, the oak tree was only a few feet from the house, so when the mighty wind uprooted it the tree merely leaned against the roof as if to take a nap until the storm passed. Sadly, the oak was beyond saving and now there is only a hole where it once proudly stood. I photographed this scene right after the branches had been cut from the tree and before the trunk was removed. No damage to the roof! But my view is ruined by the out-of-place palm in desperate need of dead frond prunning.

The fence in my front yard decided to play a game of dominoes beginning with the gate as board-by-board fell finally stopping when a solid post was reached. Termites, the main culprit first weakened the wood and then saturated by the storms the fence only needed a little push from the wind. It's times like this that I'm only to happy to point out the problem to my landlady!

The Door Opens on 2005!

Page from my art journal, created with a little more abandon than my usual quiet sepia palette.

The Queen of Hearts playing card is a door, hinged to the page with duct tape. Inside the door is a quote by Edith Lovejoy Pierce: "We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on these ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. "

The beauty of a decaying Oak tree

I feel that I have a lot in common with this close-up photo of a decaying oak tree! Perhaps we're becoming more interesting with age.

On a recent walk through an oak grove in Carmel Valley I happened upon the kind of texture that excites me and is impossible to duplicate outside of nature. As is the case of this photo, sometimes film can capture what the eye doesn't see.