Posters Available and Contest Giveaway

Posters by Jamie Watson

 I am excited to announce a new line of posters in my CocoBohemia Big Cartel shop!  There are surf, skate, Hawaii and California themed images by both my husband, photographer Jay Watson and myself!  I love the quality of these 18x24 posters, which are on a heavy-weight matte paper.

Posters by Jay Watson

To celebrate, there will be a contest.  We will be giving away one poster from Jay Watson, and one poster from my collection.  To participate, all you need to do is leave a comment here naming your favorite poster from each collection.  Winners will be randomly selected and will be given one of their favorites.  I'll make the announcement on Surf Friday, February 8 at 12:00pm Pacific.

To click on the posters and see them large and in charge, please check out the CocoBohemia Big Cartel shop.

Good luck!  Of course, you are all winners in my book!  

Guerilla Art Project

What is guerilla art?
Guerilla art, also known as "street art", is leaving art in public spaces for others to find and enjoy.

Intro:
For the past two months, I have been a mentor to two 8th grade students, Heydi Orozco and Robert Jimenez from Spark, a national non-profit whose mission is to provide life-changing apprenticeships to youth in underserved communities.  Robert and Heydi were assigned to me because they want to be artists.  We have been working on a guerrilla art project and each week we meet at my studio to discuss our inspirations, ideas, and make art.  Heydi and Robert are amazing, smart and talented kids who love learning and love making art.  Heydi is interested in Japanese culture, especially anime, manga and Japanese rock music.  Robert wants to paint with oils and learn to do landscapes.

Heydi and Robert have produced individual monotypes with the sole purpose of displaying and distributing their work for free in public spaces within our community. Our goals are 1) We want art to be accessible for everyone to enjoy and 2) that when you create something that you love and send it out into the world, good will come from it.   

The "Free Art" sticker on the front of each piece means we want you to own it, display it, or share it. Yes you can take it home and frame it! We hope you will be inspired in some way.

What you can do:
If you were lucky enough to discover Robert or Heydi's work in Redwood City or Palo Alto, please leave a comment telling us about it! 

If you have time, please send us a photo showing where your new artwork rests and I will repost it here.  Please send your photo to pineappleluv at gmail dot com.  When Robert and Heydi talk to me about what is most fulfilling about this project, they each say that they're excited about who may find their artwork. 

So thank you from the bottom of my heart for participating!

Art headed to Maine

I made this monotype for the River Louten Benefit Gala this Friday night in Portland, Maine.  I'm really glad that curator Tyler McGinley asked me to donate art.  Donating art gives me one of the best feelings in life because it makes me feel like a useful human being.  I hope this piece warms someone up in Maine and that it helps beautiful River.

Photos from the Rainbowlogical Show

ESPN reviewed the Rainbowlogical show. How cool is that!? Jon Coen writes a great blog for ESPN, revolving around the surf community.


Since I couldn't be there for opening night, I loved seeing the photos. You can check them out here by clicking on Current Show, and using the grey scroll bar underneath to slide through.


All of the work from the show is in Corduroy's online shop. It's great to see all of the colors together, and here is the link to my violet pieces, which are all monotypes.


Early Hawaii


Plaza Mexico 1953

Color Fields

I found a couple of monotypes I printed that I never posted. I have a tiny studio in a town nearby, but I'm moving it home to our garage this month. Jay and I are going to try and make a cool art space out of it. Garages are underrated.

Spiral Mollusk Blue 1 and Blue 2

The universe is cool

When we got the last Surfrider Foundation mag in the mail, I immediately thought, "How beautiful is this cover?!" When Jay came home, I had my 'Maui Days' original framed and ready to ship to Corduroy. I held the mag next to my print and said, "Jay, see this Surfrider cover? It reminds me of 'Maui Days' and this is kind of how my brain sees things when I paint."

Later, I ripped off the cover of the mag and hung it in my studio for inspiration. Just a few weeks after that, I read on Ryan Tatar's blog that he was the photographer who shot it. That's just more proof that the universe is infinitely cool.

Spiral Mollusk

Thought you might want to see a new print I made. I've always collected seashells and was thinking recently that they are kind of like jewels to me!

It's a fine, rainy day in northern California, and the Tour of California cyclists made it over the Golden Gate Bridge and are on their way to Santa Cruz. I have the day off and am getting organized at home before heading to the studio.

Stay tuned for a fun new interview next Wednesday...

Aloha.

Brasil, Brazil

Palm Nation

Sea Floor

Tomorrow is the final day of the Santos SurfArt Festival in Brazil. I know many of us have been thinking about it all week, imagining how much fun everyone is having... some of us wishing we could be there in person, for sure. I had a brief correspondence with festival director Jair Bartoleto, who has been incredibly busy but is getting to surf with a couple of cool cats who flew in. He promises to tell us more when things cool down. I hope that guy gets to take a vacation.

I sent these two pieces and I'm so happy they are in Brazil...one day I too will get there! If any readers attended the festival, we'd love to hear about the great time you are having. Obrigado! xo

Sneak Peek

Tonight is the opening night and reception for the TOMS Sole Surfing art show in Venice. I wish I could be there tonight to meet everyone and see all the art and hear the music...Tell me how it was and how much fun you had!

Although we can't go tonight, Jay and I will be going on Saturday, November 15th. I'll give more details soon in hopes that we are able to meet anyone there that evening.

Here is a sneak peek of something I sent to Venice. No time to scan or photograph the work properly, so I hope you'll forgive the glare.


My awesome father in law told me he was thirsty for a cold glass of Taco Beer.

Love to everyone, jw xo

Experimenting with stencils and monotypes

Rodeo King

Rodeo King is one of my most recent prints. I like it because I don't think I've done such deep and saturated colors before. It's a monotype, using the process of chine-collé with a vintage rodeo postcard. The bottom of the postcard reads, F. STEVENSON LEAVING SURE SHOT.

---

Funky 16 Corners is one of the coolest blogs I've ever come across. The guy spends tons of time uploading MP3s of rare, old soul songs for our listening pleasure. There are days and nights of learning and grooving on Larry's site ~ Enjoy.

Joshua Tree

This is a mixed media monotype I did, using the process of chine-collé with an old map I bought at the Alameda Antique Fair. I did some overprinting and it was fun to make. I also bought some old wood type letters at that same fair and can't wait to use them at the next studio sesh.

Surf Fridays!

surf contest

big wave surfer

Last weekend I got a call from Janet at Habilitat, a successful drug addiction treatment facility in Oahu, HI. For the past 8 years, Habilitat has had a Luau and Art Auction to raise money for their good cause. Jay has been donating prints to the event for the past 3 years.

He was on the phone with Janet recently when she told him they needed more art. Jay told her he bet his wife would love to help out. I got so excited when I spoke to her, because I have never had the opportunity to donate my art. Plus when the conversation ended, I got to say "Aloha" and hear it back with smiles in our voices. I chose these two monotypes related to surfing and shipped them very carefully to Oahu earlier this week.

That brings me to a quote from Rabbit Kekai, a legendary surfer from Oahu. He is surfing in his mid 80's and hopes to do it until he's 100.

Rabbit contends that the ocean is the key to eternal youth. "The water is so good," he says thoughtfully. "It keeps me young while my friends are so old. I tell them to get in the water. It calms you - no stress - and brings you back to earth."

Beautiful isn't it? The ocean brings you back to earth.

A quick note for your movie list - if you want to feel good, I highly recommend the documentary, Surfing for Life. You will just love it, no matter if you surf or not! Have a wonderful weekend and with a smile in my voice, Aloha!

When doves fly

I went to my studio last Sunday, intending to work. And do you know what I did? Nothing. I sat there and read a long article about Grace Kelly. I wasn't too hard on myself, though. Sometimes it is good to just be in my space.

Recently Jay took some photos of recent work that I showed in December. I'll post a couple every now and then. The doves prints are small, probably about 5x9. I was thinking about flags and different countries. I used gold ink, which is not as easy to use as other colors as it has a dry and somewhat flaky texture to it.

There was one more dove, which I left in New York. I don't know if anyone found it, but it's time to leave a new piece in San Francisco.

A happy show

the view from my studio
from l to r: artists Kalani Engles, Sean Smith, Jess Nichols of Rosina Red, Jay Watson

my studio

A surprise visit by good friend, Wendy Oropeza

Oh did we have fun last Saturday. I think we are still recovering from the scurrying and preparations and late nights, and this weekend isn't here a moment too soon. Thank you to all who came to visit and to those who wanted to be there and asked about the show. I feel the show was a success, even though we didn't have the coverage and traffic that goes with Silicon Valley Open Studios. We all sold something which is wonderful, but the best part to me is the process. Making new art, meeting new people, talking about my work, hanging out with the other artists and eating their snacks - this is what brings joy to me.

Our next show will be in the Spring and we are going to have a meeting about having it be a green show. We'll incorporate using recycled materials in our artwork and print our own flyers on recycled paper...I am already excited about it!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Remember, if you feel stress, stop and take a moment for yourself. Ask for a hug. Make a cup of cocoa, snuggle under a blanket to read and daydream and doze off. Life isn't a dress rehearsal. Make your moments count, now.

Working

Tomorrow I am showing my work at the warehouse where I rent space with other artists. I am pretty excited about it! Jess will be there with Rosina Red Designs and Jay will be there with his photos. I have to go hang some little posters at some coffee shops on my lunch break today. My Mom is baking a ton of chocolate chip cookies for it.

Linden Street Warehouse Artists
Holiday Open Studios!
This Saturday, Dec. 1, 10am - 5pm
275B Linden Street, Redwood City
Across the street from Target, behind Sleep Train

Participating Artists:

Adele Seltzer
Annie Ahern
Bonny Novesky
Colleen Sullivan
Jamie Welsh Watson
Jay Watson Photography
Kalani Engles
Lisa Atoji
Rosina Red Designs
Sean Smith
Stephen Browning

I left my art in NYC

I was talking to Jay about my desire to leave art in different cities around the world. He suggested, why not start when you go to New York?

So I chose a monotype, put it in a sealed celophane bag, added a sticker on it that said "FREE ART! Take me home!" and wrote the following on a card to place behind the print:

Hello! I am a piece of original art (monotype) from San Carlos, CA. Send me a message! http://pineappleluv.blogspot.com

I tacked it to a wall with other posters on it, at E. 39th and Lexington. I wonder if anyone will notice it and want to take it home. I sure hope so. Regardless, I felt so happy to do it. My career as a guerilla artist has just begun.

Something awesome in Portland

I happened upon this artist, Flora S. Bowley, whose work I am just loving!! It is so beautiful and colorful and imaginative!

Well, she is curating a show in Portland on Dec. 7th called "Thirty". The description from her website reads:

Thirty! I am the curator/organizer and also a participant of this amazing affordable art extravaganza. Thirty artists will have thirty days to create thirty small paintings (8" x 8") each. All 900 paintings will be for sale for $30 each!!

Gosh doesn't that sound like so much fun!? I wish I could fly to PDX to go to this event. I love, love, love it when artists do things like this to make art affordable for the general public.

For at least 15 years, I have had a guerilla-artist-type dream of making monotypes, then flying to different cities with them. PDX, LAX, NYC, Miami, NOLA, Salt Lake, et al. I would place them in cellophane bags and staple them to poles with existing posters such as "lost cat" or "ani difranco - nov. 11th!"

I'd perhaps have a little mission statement in the bag and I wouldn't worry if it got rained on, or if someone took it and did not take care of it. I would just let it go after the staple clicked.

This is going to be one of my main goals in 2008.

New monotypes

I've been having a lot of fun working in my studio lately. I work in a warehouse with other artists. We've just decided to have a holiday sale on Dec. 1st, so my weekends til then will be spent there. I feel really good about everything I'm doing lately. My favorite feelings are happening all at once, of peace, happiness and excitement.