The Noguchi garden in Costa Mesa: CA Scenario

I had heard about the Noguchi garden in Costa Mesa for some time and finally had a chance to visit last month.  It's tucked away in a courtyard surrounded by skyscrapers and parking lots near South Coast Plaza and the Segerstrom Arts Center.

Isamu Noguchi was a Japanese American sculptor who experimented with such organic forms as wood, marble, and physical landscapes.  His work is minimal, abstract, and seems to exude peace and mystery at the same time.  I instantly felt calm entering the garden, and marveled at the lines of his work, and the interplay of man-made sculptures, trees, water, and stone.  His garden made me think about my previous post on minimalist sculptures.

I highly recommend a visit if you're in the area (I suggest going on a weekend or after business hours; I parked in a nearby lot by the TGIF restaurant for free):
611 Anton
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Ahhh, summer!

Summer is my favorite season of the year! 
I celebrated tonight with a refreshing watermelon salad (spinach, chicken, watermelon, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cracked pepper) and a nice glass of sangria.  Here's to summer!

Kehinde Wiley

I was looking at Compai blog today (a really fun design and inspiration blog), and I stumbled upon her post on artist Kehinde Wiley.

WOW.  His paintings made me stop in my tracks.  There was all at once the mix of the feminine in his floral patterns, and masculine in his portrayal of male subjects.  It was also a mix of old world skill (think Rembrandt and others) and urban modern in his portrayal of everyday men.

I did some research and found out that Wiley paints portraits of men of color and has them pose in classically European poses in order to insert these men in the narratives of power associated traditionally with white males.

It is now a life goal to visit his paintings in person.

Image from http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/recognize/paintings.html
Three Graces
Kehinde Wiley, 2005
Oil and enamel on canvas
182.9 x 423.8 cm (72 x 96 in)
Hort Family Collection, courtesy Roberts & Tilton, Los Angeles, California
© Kehinde Wiley

It's been a busy season

I've been so busy that I really haven't had time to blog.  I had hoped that by starting this blog I could post insightful, interesting, and thoughtful posts but it's been a mixed bag.  Oh well, as long as I keep enjoying it.  I hope to post a lot more once I get past these last few weeks of deadlines and projects.

That said, I've really enjoyed Netflix's extensive library of art documentaries and art films.  This is one I recently watched on Maya Lin - the woman who designed the Vietnam Veteran's memorial.  Ahh, such a great film and such an inspiring woman.  I'll have to write more on her at another time.

Randoms

I generally love Southern CA weather but one thing I do not look forward to are the Santa Ana winds.  The hot, dry wind drives me crazy!  I hate the feeling of hot dry wind on my skin and my allergies start to act up.  Yet on Saturday, in the midst of Santa Ana wind craziness, I found my apartment complex littered with branches--branches of every shape and length.  I went to town while walking the dog and picked up almost every branch I could find because they were just so darn sculptural and pretty (I'd actually like to learn the names of the plants and trees I see every day at some point but for now I will call them trees and plants).

I'm loving the curve of these branches.  It's a little hard to tell but the vase the flowers are in used to be the base of a hookah pipe.

There's always an occasion for fresh flowers!

In other news-- although most people know by now--I'm moving to Los Angeles in the summer.  I have lived in Orange County for the past 12 years so it's exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time to think about the big move.  I'll also be transitioning careers . . . there's lots of change going on in my life but I'm excited.  Change is good.

Back to the branches . . . this find was EPICally awesome.  I don't know what to do with it yet so it's on our porch for now.

I got this broken garden pagoda top for free on Craigslist and I want to make a table top out of it.  

This blog could be called "Things on Tables, and Things I've Found in the Street".  Here are some more lovely pics from the past few weeks . . .

My mom used to display onions in the kitchen when they'd start to sprout so that inspired me.

Tired of regular Greek salad?  Why not bake the ingredients?  I'd cut the feta into smaller pieces.

On my mind

Swift Things are Beautiful
Elizabeth Coatsworth

Swift things are beautiful:
Swallows and deer,
And lightening that falls
Bright-veined and clear,
Rivers and meteors,
Wind in the wheat,
The strong-withered horse,
The runner's sure feet.

And slow things are beautiful:
The closing of day,
The pause of the wave
That curves downward to spray,
The ember that crumbles,
The opening flower,
And the ox that moves on
In the quiet of power.

I love patterns!

It's no surprise . . . I am in love with patterns and interesting textiles.  I had entertained the thought last year to get a certificate in textile design at a local art school but we'll see.  It seems I have an ongoing list of things I want to do and it changes every month.

I created this pattern using hot pink duct tape and wall decals.

I found this traditional Korean origami paper at a gift shop in Koreatown.  LOVE!

The table runner was a gift from an old co-worker who brought it back from Indonesia.  The vase was from the good old Salvation Army.