Attended the opening of The Toy Show at View Art last night. GJ is the featured artist. The show runs until December 24. There is lots to look at so check it out if you’re in Victoria!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3LRmFHQX08
The magnificent Dale Roberts (left), the magical John Harris (centre), and the dashing and beloved GJ Pearson (right).
A grouping of GJ's machines.
Left to right, Buddy, Bunny and Reginald Bearman.
This is Professor Cornelius Fogbottom, by Victoria artist Randy Belyk.
Caught some cute pics while GJ was holding TC last night.
Wiggling ...
... and relaxing in GJ's arms.
Oh the air was so fresh today! So we walked; just our usual route, but it was splendid. Just took a couple pics. I was looking for the ultimate shot of amazing colour, but didn’t quite find it yet. There is a lot of green still in the trees. Another week or so I’m sure will bring the full autumn experience.
The sky and the ocean were moody today, spooky even.
The hips of the wild roses which grow all along the waterfront walkway.
Here are some of the lovely new things GJ will have at View Art from November 4 to December 24.
Little Sister (close up) © GJ Pearson 2011
Seven Teds © GJ Pearson 2011
Reginald Bearman © GJ Pearson 2011
Here are some magical little heads. They were sewn into some old gutted teddy bears to make something even better than the sum of their parts. Also a link to Little Sister, the newest sculpture recently completed and more recently put to film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3LRmFHQX08
Some heads and hands for some new Teds.
Nothing so perfect as just the right basket.
Today’s lesson: when one insists on putting oneself in the way of an artist, one may end up wearing a scarf once belonging to a teddy bear.
Sigh; sometimes it's hard to be cute.
OCTOBER 18, 2011. Unlike the slow, yet delightful, journey south, our journey home found it’s delight in the speed with which it occurred. Had a relaxed breakfast at Café Majestic, quick shuttle to the airport, speedy flight to Vancouver and zip, pow jump to Victoria. Another quick shuttle and it was time to snuggle that cat!
Grateful thanks to the Hotel Majestic for a lovely eight nights, especially Camile and Alex who provided excellent concierge service.
http://www.thehotelmajestic.com/
Hotel Majestic, San Francisco CA.
Café Majestic, long view.
Café Majestic, cosy corner.
Hotel Majestic, partial lobby view.
Sky view.
Me and TC falling asleep on the sofa.
OCTOBER 17, 2011. Sad, but excited to be going home, especially to see our kitty. Spent most of the day at SFMOMA. Such a beautiful gallery with some very interesting shows on right now. Started with a coffee and tea in the cafe at the gallery. They serve Blue Bottle Coffee, a local roaster that GJ says has been the best coffee he’s had in SF. We took a break for lunch across the square at Sanraku and later, an afternoon snack at the Gallery’s fifth-floor coffee bar. So full from eating all day that no dinner was required! Will deliver a final post tomorrow once we are home. Cheerie-oh friends!
http://www.bluebottlecoffee.net/
GJ calles this one Denise and Duchamp. Since he's been taking the photos, there have been a lot of photos of me when I'm not looking! Duchamp's Fountain (1917).
One of my favourite artists, Joseph Stella: Bridge (1936).
View from inside of the rooftop garden.
Our afternoon snack at SFMOMA's fifth-floor coffee bar, right beside the gorgeous rooftop sculpture garden.
Cake description, drool.
OCTOBER 16, 2011. Slept in, way in, today. Weren’t really sure what to do so we did some research about what museums we had yet to explore. Decided on the Contemporary Jewish Museum which had a very nice Houdini exhibit and the last day of an exhibit called Charlotte Salomon: Life? or Theatre? which is a huge body of work created by a young woman shortly before she died at Auschwitz. We were hungry for a snack and found an amazing place called Samovar Tea Lounge where we had tea and a delicious brownie. After that treat we wandered around the Yerba Buena Gardens, including the Martin Luther King Memorial. Then we found the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts galleries which was free today as the entire Yerba Buena site was hosting a Family Day which included live entertainment and free admission to many of the galleries in the area. The YBCA had just opened an amazing show called The Matter Within: New Contemporary Art of India. My favourite among the wonderful artists represented was Nikhil Chopra. I’ve included his website with the links below. That led us to dinner time so we stopped at a Sushi place not far from the hotel called Sudachi. Yum! Tomorrow is our last full day and we have a full day planned.
http://samovarlife.com/lounges/yerba-buena-gardens/
http://www.nikhilchopra.net/home/
The Contemporary Jewish Museum San Francisco.
A partial view of the interior of Samovar Tea Lounge.
Our delicious snack at Samovar.
A section of the Martin Luther King Memorial which is an absolutely gorgeous water garden work of art.
There were several of these panels with different MLK quotes engraved on them in English and one other language.
The Yerba Buena Center for Arts.
Looking down on The Matter Within.
A lovely courtyard and pond inside the Yerba Buena Centre for Arts.
This is what we found as we exited the YBCA; so beautiful.
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