2017 SECA Art Award Show at SFMOMA

I went with pals yesterday to see the SECA show at SFMOMA, and it very much did not disappoint. The SECA Art Award is a program organized by the museum and its auxiliary the Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary Art to honor Bay Area artists. In many cases -- in all five of this year's artists' cases -- the award show gives the artists their first-ever major museum presentation. And man, did these five deserve it. (As always, what's pictured here are just my favorite bits of what I saw; and not meant to be a complete record of the show as a whole.)

Above and next three images below: (my favorite) Alicia McCarthy

Lindsey White

Liam Everett (who, in addition to hanging paintings and painting the floor, also invited a local dance troupe to have a weekly rehearsal in his gallery - a happening we just happened to be there to catch)

K.r.m. Mooney

Sean McFarland

Color Poem #22

I want color to be a long slash of
spring green at the top of the hill

a stormy gray blue ocean a zinging lemon-yellow skirt
cherry tomatoes and brown turkey figs and the purple
lipstick my kid tries on at a party I want color to be the

glitter shaken down over
the whole of my life by a
benevolent random hand

but heck I will take a highly intentional roomful
of blue soap bottles too if that’s what’s on offer

Lately at Work

Entertaining things that have happened around the office lately: I found the matches from a long-ago Chronicle Books holiday party and they turned out to be the most beautiful matches in the world; I bought a yellow rubber band ball for my desk from the all-yellow shop at the Color Factory; and then cooked up an outfit based on the color-scheme of the packaging it came wrapped in; One of my authors stopped by my desk when I wasn't there and left me the very best note; We joined scads of people on the SoMa sidewalks to see the eclipse; And my coworker dyed her hair pink so now we are pink hair twins.

More Commissions for Charity

I'm very pleased to report that the thing where folks commission drawings from me in exchange for a donation to charity is going well. I'm totally inspired by the fact that so many people want to hand over their hard earned cash to worthy causes!

Because this mostly all happens over Instagram, I'm just identifying folks by their IG handles here. But I'm linking directly to all the great charities they came up with, so you can learn more.

Above, @ironbetty asked for Hershey's Syrup and donated to Kids in Need of Defense, @zelmarose wanted scissors and donated to Team Rubicon.

 @glasscathedrals requested jar of pickles and in exchange donated to DrawBridge.

@magggi requested some bras and donated to the National Network of Abortion Funds. @artschoolgirl asked for a picture of her dog Dasher and donated to Shelly's Angles. And @supertry wanted a drawing of Sushi Cat and is donating to Canine Companions for Independence.

Blue Bathrobe

It can be hard to see your own progress. I started drawing and painting seriously almost exactly two and a half years ago. One of the first pictures I made, in February of 2015, was of my blue bathrobe. The other day I drew that same bathrobe again. When I finished, I wasn't sure I was totally happy with how my picture had turned out. But then it occurred to me to dig out my old version and compare the two. And I was pleasantly surprised to discover: I've improved!

A Visit to the Color Facotry

At the Color Factory pop-up art experience, many things are rainbow-colored...

One of my favorites was this walk-through ribbon installation by Jacob Dahlgren

My pal and author, and Color Factory Creative Director, artist Leah Rosenberg was kind enough to take me on a tour!

Scratch and sniff installation by Leah Rosenberg and Erin Jang

And what's not already a rainbow, you can make a rainbow out of:

Orange room by Tosha Stimage

Ball-pit room murals by Carissa Potter

Imagine my delight to spot my very own book in Randi Brookman Harris' All Yellow Shop!

I matched Andy J. Miller and Andrew Neyer's green coloring room

Balloon installation by Jihan Zencirli

Endless selfie printer-outer room by Tom Stayte