San Francisco Sightems

Blue Wall - San Francisco  2013

Tree, Parking Lot - San Francisco  2013

Sightems seen while strolling around with Hanna.

Pasadena Art Exhibit

Seal (Samaras Video) - Pasadena  2013

Joe, Samaras Exhibit - Pasadena  2013

Joe and I went to see an interesting show at the Pasadena Armory last month. Getting to Pasadena was a treat; it's been years since I've gone on the Arroyo Seco (aka Pasadena) Freeway. Very scenic! Once in Pasadena we found a parking spot across the street, fed the meter (operating on a Sunday) and entered the gallery.

The main exhibit was a selection of photos by Connie Samaras titled "Tales of Tomorrow." Here's some background on the artist from her website:

Her ongoing interests include: the variable membrane between fiction and real world; political geographies and psychological dislocation in the everyday; speculative landscapes and architectural narratives; science fiction genres and future imaginaries; the legacy of U.S. social change movements in a shifting global economy; paradox and the political unconscious; desire, popular culture, feminist and queer theory; art as historical artifact, the aesthetics of time, and differing systems of cataloguing history.

Whoa. Heavy-duty stuff!

Anyway, it was just, I don't know, intriguing to see a group of photographs not being presented as a photography show. I asked the attendant if he knew what kind of camera Ms. Samaras used. He didn't, but he did know that she used film (not digital). I had heard that "Art" artists are almost exclusively using film; I guess that's correct. In this context, asking what kind of camera was used is maybe a borderline gauche question. You might as well ask Picasso what kind of brush he used!

Santa Barbara Flowers 2

Red Flowers - Santa Barbara  2013

Plants on Steps - Santa Barbara  2013

Don't know what kind of flowers these are. Yes, yes, I should use Google Image Search.

The steps, although having a handrail, don't appear to go anywhere, but they certainly serve as a nice backdrop for the succulents.

Santa Barbara Flowers 1

Agave & Sage - Santa Barbara 2013

Spanish Lavender - Santa Barbara  2013

I've made stopping off at the Santa Barbara Mission a regular feature of my return trips from L.A. heading up highway 101.

The interior of the mission (entrance fee required) is actually quite nice, although you can only visit a portion of the grounds. On this particular day, there was still enough of an overcast to give me some nice diffused light.

Monday Duck Blogging

Duck - Point Lobos  2013

He was standing next to the picturesque tide pools at Weston Beach in Point Lobos, protected from incoming waves by a rock wall. He seemed to be using the salt water as a kind of scrub, maybe for antiseptic purposes (?)

Bubbleheads

Bubblehead 1 - Los Angeles  2013

Bubblehead 2 - Los Angeles  2013

Bubblehead 3 - Los Angeles  2013

More obscure bus bench art in Los Angeles.

I was able to find this investigative piece, for what it's worth.

Corned Meats

Corned Meats - San Francisco  2013

Corned Meats - San Francisco  2013

On Bryant Street. Closer view seen earlier in a povi masima post.

L.A. Cow, L.A. Bird

Blue Cow - Los Angeles  2013

Tweet Tweet - Los Angeles  2013

Cow in front of Mendocino Farms sandwich place on Third St.

Bird spotted in an alley in back of Melrose Avenue.

Canter's

Canter's - Los Angeles  2013

Canter's - Los Angeles  2006

Two photographs . . . top one taken last month with an Olympus E-PL1. Bottom one taken in 2006 with a Sony R1.

From My Motel Window

Ambulance - Los Angeles  2013

Red Car - Los Angeles  2013

. . . overlooking Beverly Boulevard. Nice view of ambulances going by! And anonymous cars . . . a redhead in a red car.

Most mysterious happening was when a car pulled up just below and parked at 2:30 AM, rap music blasting. Four or five people got out. Hushed conversations lasting some time, then they all walked off.

They came back at 4:30 AM and drove off.

Censored

Censored Bench #1 - Los Angeles  2013

Censored Bench #2 - Los Angeles  2013

OK, so I have no idea what this is. Google is of no help, alas.

Monday Cat Blogging

Cat - Los Angeles  2013

Cat wasn't particularly interested in the photographer.

Dancer (Mural)

Dancer, Gas Station - Los Angeles  2013

Dancer, Self-Portrait - Los Angeles  2013

Seen near a gas station at the corner of Fairfax and Beverly. Top photo taken in the afternoon. Then a return early morning visit for the bottom photo.

Red Cars

Jaguar - Monterey  2013

BMW - Los Angeles  2013

Nice-lookin' cars!

Top: Jaguar in Monterey.

Bottom: BMW in Los Angeles.