Down yonder and over there

Last week I ventured down South and "Golden Age" at New Puppy Gallery was the first stop. Here's Dabs & Myla reveling in the completion of their first large-scale US show.

Great mixed crowd with the band Cosio playing above.


Some details of the Aussie duo's work inspired by the last 5 months of their LA/American experience.


3 pieces I had supplied for the exhibit. I hadn't shown in Southern California for a bit, so it was nice to premier my newer work with these amazing people in such a beautiful space.

Honky Kong

Dabs and LC who is so smooth his drinks even match his clothing.

Dabs, Myla and Craola collaboration piece

Also got to meet Paul Chatem and his lovely lady here in person. I've been digging his work at The Shooting Gallery for a while now.

Peat Wollaeger

The Ice Cream Man (Matt) who I got the pleasure of traveling, rollercoastering and adventuring with last year. Wish we could have hung out more, but will be hanging out next week again in Miami along with several of these folks here for Art Basel. Check out his Road Trippin' travelling show where musicians such as Daniel Johnston, MGMT and Band of Horses happily perform in cozy locations including the ice cream truck on his travelling guitar. Well done sir, your life is awesome!

Met Patrick and Tanya from C.A.V.E. Gallery who I've heard nothing but greatness about from artists and patrons alike. I'll be showing with them for the first time in January.





Dabs and Myla's friends travelled from Oz for the show and a 2 week American road trip fueled by donuts, burgers and hot dogs.

Stayed with some talented Renoites and Reno-LA transplants I've had the pleasure of knowing as far back as middle school. What we have here are filmakers, designers, djs, musicians and artists leaving for a 2 week Japanese adventure–look out! We also were treated to some of Kara's home-made Kambucha. So good, plus, it's like making $1 with each gulp.

This is Danny hanging loose and posing for his "skater" graduation photo. We met skating in San Diego some years back and although we're not what we used to be, we still managed to have an epicly mediocre LA street session.

Off to San Diego to visit friends, family and our dogs who both live there now. Here's Rosy's grandfather Howie (on banjo) playing with one of his 7 bands. Did I mention he's 93? Now get off your ass.

Sergio Hernandez (Surge), who also had work in "Golden Age" was also having a solo show the next night at Voz Alta in San Diego. He's probably the most prolific artist I know.


He has really cool, funny and endearing written descriptions for each piece. You should go there and read them to smile.




Our aforementioned dogs.

Staying with Eva, Chris and Aaron has it's benefits like being on the beach, good times and 14 boards to choose from.

And then I was eaten.

Shrooms!

Rosy and I went mushroom hunting by Mendocino for her birthday. This one made me feel like less of a man.

The foray was organized by the Mycological Society of San Francisco who also happens to run that amazing Mushroom store in the Ferry building.

Our cabins were built under FDR's original New Deal Civilian Conservation Corps program. One of the organizers said that the camp is the only other currently used CCC building besides camp David. I have a feeling that may be untrue. Still good 'n old though.

Jellies

Coral shrooms

These are some of the other mushroom hunters. There were a lot of biology and mycology students along with several other older folk who all carried a vast wealth of mushroom knowledge and scientific names. We knew close to nothing. Luckily, there were a couple other folks like the couple above who we could relate.


This is the most photographed mushroom. It's the one from Alice and Wonderland. Although this slug has no problem munching away at this, don't eat it. This one will make you sick, not hallucinate. Don't fret, those "liberty" mushrooms were found too...of course, it's in Mendocino.

This is one of several buildings of this shape with rooftop lookouts in the seaside own of Mendocino.

One giant coral mushroom.

Yep, that's a mushroom.


These mushrooms that grow on leaves were my favorite.

These only grow on pine cones.

This is just the samples of our group's table after a one-day foray. Apparently there are 4000-5000 species of mushroom in California alone. They're everywhere once you start looking.

These shoot out spores when you squeeze 'em. Neat.

We ate all of our edible mushrooms.

The "rock stars" of mycology were all there including this guest visitor from New York who leads forays through central park. He was really entertaining and definitely one of the more charismatic mushroom experts. He also enlightened us on mushroom farming leaf cutter ants.

The leaf cutters provide leaves that are taken back to their farms to grow mushrooms which they must have to feed their young. These can be giant farms, some as large as football fields that a human could freely walk around in. The specific duties of each ant in the colony is fascinating. There are ants that ride on the backs of carrier ants to fend off flies from laying eggs which could infect their mushroom farms. Additionally, the queen and other select key ants carry varieties of anti bacteria which they may need at times to attack the bacterias that attack their farms. Now, there are yeasts that have developed to attack the ants' anti bacteria that attacks the bacteria that is attacking the mushrooms and so nature goes on.

Anyway, I'd highly recommend this to anyone looking for a northern adventure in the woodlands and likes mushrooms.

Speaking of shrooms. Ever see Alex Pardee's "Guilty Smurf"? Brilliant!