Hiking to Arch Rock

Bear Valley Collagescape, mixed media on board, 6”x6”

One of the best ways to spend the day with a group of friends is to head up to Point Reyes and do the long hike (9 miles roundtrip) on the trail to Arch Rock through Bear Valley.  I always sleep well after that long haul to the coast and back.  I often come back ready to paint.  This time a collagescape that includes the shock of pink as the naked ladies make their annual appearance when they bloom late every summer.  

Fort Funston

Fort Funston, acrylic on paper, 16”x20” and Fort Funston Collagescape, mixed media on canvas 4”x4”

The painting of San Francisco’s Fort Funston goes back to 2000.  Of course I did not cut it up, but if I did, and made it into a collagescape, it would end up something like the new piece above.  After reviewing my photos and earlier paintings, I then paint big fields of color onto paper that I cut up for each collagescape.  

Tennessee Valley

Tennessee Valley Collagescape, mixed media on board, 6”x6”

Tennessee Valley is one of the best parts of San Francisco.  Okay, technically it’s Marin County, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.  But it’s all of 10-15 minutes by car from the Golden Gate Bridge to the trailhead.  It’s a long valley where you easily can lose any sense of being close to the City and a leisurely two-mile hike to the beach.  So “remote” that we once even saw a mountain lion strolling up on one of the ridges.  Wildflowers are best in spring, but the fog keeps it moist enough that some color pops out of the grass year round.  It was inevitable that my Collagescape Series would have at least one Tennessee Valley piece.

Six Little Pieces

Six Little Pieces, made from hundreds of smaller pieces, some of the smaller works from the new Collagescapes Series.  These are all 4”x4” each.

Today's art pun....

I am lichen where this is going.  Working on a Pinnacles National Park Collagescape. 

tofuart.com - updated

Every few years it’s time to give my website a good “spring” cleaning, update the site, edit out the work I show, etc.  One of the best reasons to do this is always for me to rediscover older work that I forgot about.  This particular Death Valley painting is a bit uncharacteristic for my work, but it also makes me want to get the red paint out and do more.

Zabriskie Point, acrylic on paper, 24”x19”, 2002

See more at tofuart.com

Joshua Tree Palette

Joshua Tree Collagescape, mixed media on board, 8”x10”

This is the latest collagescape piece.  This one based on one of my favorite places on the planet.  It’s where I go to clear my head and be inspired.  I have painted Joshua Tree National Park many times.  This time I went for an afternoon palette, but I need to plan for a few more collagescapes capturing Joshua Tree at different times of the day as well as springtime after a wet winter when everything blooms.

Prints and other accessories of some of the images from this new series are available from Society 6.  Contact me directly regarding the originals.