From the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Asian Art Museum (AAM), two vessels from ancient times show the relationship between artists and the animals that inspire them. These vessels could have been designed strictly to follow the functions of their use, but their makers incorporated animal forms into their design.
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| Crab vessel from Columbia, 1500 BCE |
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| Rhino vessel from China, 1100 BCE |
CoWaBunGA
Much thanks to everyone who came out to the Old Oakland Summer Stroll last night. It was a fun party with food, custom cars, vendors, music, and art! Additional thanks to those who supported local artists and purchased an unique work of art.
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| Old Oakland Summer Stroll |
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| The party was just getting started... |
While visiting the new Geffen addition to LACMA, I ran into one of my favorite Impressionist painters: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Although from a wealthy family, Toulouse-Lautrec lived a relatively hard life due to his health and short stature. He haunted the underworld of Paris society, enjoying the theater, night life, and depicted those experiences in his paintings.
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| Messalina, Toulouse-Lautrec, LACMA - 7/2026 |
Late in his life, he was inspired by the opera Messaline and painted six works of the opera. The colors are so rich and the depth of the composition puts you right on the stage.
CoWaBunGA
Last year, I rode my motorbike to the Grand Canyon and made a stop to Sedona, Arizona, to see the red rocks. It was awe-inspiring and an unforgettable experience. So, when I revisited LACMA last weekend and saw Richard Serra's "Band," it brought me back to Sedona.
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| Band, Serra, LACMA, 7/2026 |
To be immersed in the bands of cor-ten steel, with its "grains" of rust and rich orange/red hues, you feel like you're riding in the Sedona canyons again.
CoWaBunGA!
Amazing sunset colors within Monet's painting "San Giorgio Maggiore at dusk" - see for yourself at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco.
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| San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk, Monet, DeYoung Museum - 7/2026 |
You can see how Monet's trip to Venice broke his artist block.
CoWaBunGA!
Another painting of Venice canals in the Monet and Venice exhibit at the De Young Museum in San Francisco, composed of colors and no outlines. The effect is beautiful but very difficult to sketch.
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| The Riodella Salute, Monet, De Young Museum, SF - 7/2026 |
CoWaBunGA!
This work by Hilary Harkness, "Answered Prayers," currently on exhibit at SFMOMA as part of the Modern Scandal show is mysterious and ripe for great stories. Although the painting is a tribute to Gertrude Stein and Alice Toklas, it evokes classic film noir scenes.
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| Harkness, "Answered Prayers", SFMOMA, 7/2026 |
CoWaBunGA
