the box set..

I think it was in the late 1970's when the concept of the "box set" came into my consciousness. neil young..decade--for those of you who may recall--it was a wonderful compilation of all his early and significant songs. then came the more official "box sets" that actually came in a box-- these were albums--so as you can imagine quite cumbersome. then came the CD and the box set was much more manageable-- and usually arrived around the holidays with archival recordings, hard to find singles, B sides (what??) and rarities "never before released"..not sure how well the digital box set translates for those of us oriented towards the tactile..
the box set is a beautiful thing--

which brings me to my box set..
I maintain a steady stream of images in my head that are collected visually--some I will capture with my iphone, others may be torn from a magazine, others just conjured from hearing someone speak of something..and still others drawn from a fleeting glimpse.
sometimes many of these images will come together in some way.
and sometimes its fun to keep them together to tell a bigger story.
Objects are prevalent in my work. like many before me, the portrayal of everyday objects invite more examination and elevation. I collect. I collect images and objects that I find.
and one of my favorite places to do that is the beach out near where I live in the sunset district of san francisco.
this spring, I felt compelled to create a series of plates that depict what I see out at the beach..they belong together. so instead of setting them out one at a time, I created a box set for them..

this is the beach box set.
housed in handmade boxes made by my husband peter- using found and recycled wood to create the perfect container of a sensibility.
accompanied by a set of beach trading cards--cool photos that I have taken out at the beach that inspire me..

there is also a more basic box of objects--perhaps referencing jaspar johns and the beautifully simple way he evoked and considered basic objects-
he said: "The relationship between the object & the event. Can they 2 be separated? Is one a detail of the other? What is the meeting? Air?"

this box set celebrates the simple object- something we may see everyday but deserves its reverie.

these boxes are available direct from me so do get in touch if you are interested.

beach parallel..

whew! it's been a bit crazy around the coop and outside of it..
but managed to get out of San Francisco and wander around a different kind of beach in Puerto Rico..
one where the water is like a warm silken blanket all over you..as opposed to the slap of a cold wet towel here in chilly northern california.
puerto rico is a beautiful place filled with color, texture and music..
parallel pastel everywhere in old san juan..

treasures and detritus collected from the puerto rican beaches..richly textured..

and back at the ranch..the ongoing art installations out at ocean beach...

and the graceful sculpture inherent in the windmills..

finds its way onto a plate..