The Hotel Adams, Athens

Our second floor room is old but clean, and has a partial view of the Acropolis, which is conveniently located a few blocks away. Setting down my backpack, I pull back the curtains revealing a shallow balcony complete with bistro table and two chairs. Fortunately, the rain that welcomed us to Athens has stopped, but its presence can still be seen as water drips from the balcony above. I slide open the door and step outside just as a motorcycle whizzes along the narrow street below, leaving behind a faint smell of exhaust. From this view, the Acropolis towers above the city, a fortress embedded in a mountain of rock.

Temple of Isis with Rain Drops

(Excerpt from my book, The Artist on the Road: Impressions of Greece)

The Island of Delos, Greece~ We arrive at the dock and exit to partly cloudy skies. We pay the fee at the entrance, and I pick up a free map before shuffling off through the ruins. Lizards crawl everywhere, big ones too, a foot long head-to-tail. The island is uninhabited by humans but teeming with life. Artemis, the Goddess of all things wild, was born on this island, so maybe that’s the reason this place overflows with critters.

At the far end of the site, I see a temple on a hill that looks particularly interesting. The map I picked up at the entrance reveals the ruin as the Temple of the Egyptian goddess Isis. Walking through an ancient theater to reach it, I find conditions there damp with a few puddles, but am excited about drawing today, and with my newfound enthusiasm, a little rain is not going to stop me.

My dad takes off to climb Mt. Kynthos, the highest spot on the island, but I stay behind to draw. Raindrops splash on my page, but I continue until the rain really picks up and forces me to stop. I pack my gear and hunt for shelter but with no success. Then as quickly as it started, the rain stops, so I unpack my gear and once again continue to draw. The rain returns, but this time I’m saved by Dad’s umbrella. He made it back from Mt. Kynthos just in time. Overall, the weather has cooperated quite nicely for this time of year in Greece, so I have nothing to complain about.

Boat Called “The Margarita” Takes Us to Delos

(Excerpt from my book, The Artist on the Road: Impressions of Greece)

As we head back toward the docks, the smell of fish and sea water reminds me how close we are to the bay. When we arrive at the dock, our boat, the Margarita, appears filling with tourists within minutes. We are among the first onboard and choose seats with a view out the side window. The boat ride is short, less than an hour. I had worried that the storm might roughen the water, but don’t feel even a tinge of seasickness. Looking towards the bridge, I see the captain at the helm and think the scene would make a good drawing. But I feel myself resisting because too many people are milling about. A bit later, the woman nearest the bridge rises from her seat and heads out on deck to take a look around. Here’s the opportunity I’ve been waiting for, so I grab my sketchbook, and half-kneeling on her now-vacant seat, sketch the captain at the helm as the boat putters on towards Delos.

Foot Bridge Crossing the Petaluma River

Recently, I met with a few friends at the Apple Box café in downtown Petaluma, CA for some sketching, coffee, and light conversation. For the last several years, Petaluma has been regentrifying the downtown area along the river, with many new outdoor cafes and walkways. The place looks great but thankfully, there are still a few industrial buildings left to make it eclectic and interesting. I brought my landscape Moleskine watercolor sketchbook in hopes of finding a good place to draw. I chose the foot bridge crossing the Petaluma river as my subject. While I was painting, a small dog tried to crawl through the metal fence I was leaning on and stuck it’s self half way through. Its owner pushed and pulled trying to loosen the dog but eventually had to climb over the fence and pull the poor dog through. People sitting at the cafe laughed and cheered as they watched the event unfold.

Last night I discovered the First Annual Rivertown Revival in Petaluma got underway not long after we left. There were apparently swarms of people boating and dressed up in vintage costumes. Had I’d know beforehand, I’d have stuck around for the opportunity to draw the event.

“Emerging Visual Artists”- Sonoma County Artists Awards – Finalists exhibition

I was selected as a finalist for the Emerging Visual Arists Award and have three etchings in this show. These etchings are VERY different from my sketches. More moody and conceptual.
“emerging visual artists”- Sonoma County Artists Awards – Finalists exhibition
Show runs July 23-August 21
Hours: Mon – Sat / 12pm – 4pm
Opening reception July 23 from 5 – 7 pm.
ArtSpace404
Arts Council of Sonoma County
404 Mendocino Avenue Suite C
Santa Rosa, CA 9540
Press release:
Artspace404 is showcasing the work of the following emerging visual artists finalists: Brian Anderson, Gordon Beebe, Joey Castor, Angie Crabtree, Devon Doss, David Farish, Itzul Gutierrez, Gene McClelland, Andrew Merriss, Alissa Polan, Richard Sheppard, Alexander Treu and Agneta Viklund. Finalists in the Sonoma County Awards, these artists are expected to have a significant impact on art in the future. The annual Sonoma County Arts Awards program directly recognizes and supports artists and their contribution to our community. It is designed to encourage, reward, recognize and reinforce creative excellence. Not to be missed!

Exploring the Island of Santorini by Car

(Excerpt from my book, The Artist on the Road: Impressions of Greece)

Today, we’ll rent a car to explore the rest of the Island. Ancient Thera is the only archeological site open, since Akrotiri’s roof collapsed a couple of years ago. This is unfortunate because that’s where the wall paintings I love so much were unearthed. I’m also interested in seeing Oia, a city known for its spectacular views overlooking the caldera, but our first destination is Ancient Thera. It’s located near the village of Kamari, high atop the mountain Messa Vouno.

We drive southeast across the island, negotiating unmarked roads and up and down small hills. Even with the recent rains, the landscape looks bone dry. Scrubby brush and sun-bleached weeds only partially cover the arid, rocky soil. Off in the distance, Messa Vouno rises up from the landscape and guides us to our destination. But as we make our way up the mountain to the Ancient city of Thera, I discover it’s one of the most difficult, winding roads I’ve ever negotiated. Switchbacks snake us up the mountain and have an almost undriveable cobblestone surface. Adding to the difficulty, the road doesn’t have guardrails and is so narrow that it’s barely wide enough to pass. It’s a good thing we rented a tiny car or we could never make it up.

Pension Petros, Santorini

(Excerpt from my book, The Artist on the Road: Impressions of Greece)

When we arrive at the pension, Ms. Petros greets us from the reception desk. Behind her, I notice gracefully painted murals throughout the hotel lobby and around the spa. I recognize most of them as reproductions of the Akrotiri wall paintings. Their daughter shows us to our room. Running this pension is a real family affair. She tells us that Internet WiFi is included in the price and provides the password. Through the guide books, we had heard WiFi was ubiquitous in Greece, but that has not been our experience in the inexpensive hotels. She also informs us that for a few euros more, we can have a larger, quieter room with views, in the rear of the hotel.

We follow our host up the steps at the far end of the pension and across the private terrace of the new room. A partial view of the island, complete with a blue domed church and the sea just beyond, is visible from up here. Opening the door, tiled floors welcome us inside. Stepping around a small single bed near the door, I see a spacious, full poster bed sitting along the opposite wall. I call dibs on the poster bed. Just beyond it, on the far wall, a shuttered window opens up to a partial view of the countryside. This room is more than we bargained for and well worth the extra euros. Now settled in the best room we’ve had yet, I can relax. Greece has real old-world charm, and I feel that we will be well cared for by a Greek family.

Greek Wine Shop in Athens

(Excerpt from my book, The Artist on the Road: Impressions of Greece)

Nearing Hotel Adams, I see the wine shop I noticed when we first arrived in Greece. Since my dad and I will be going to Irene’s for dinner tonight, we would like to bring a hostess gift for her. This will provide an excellent opportunity to become more familiar with Greek wine. I enter the shop and see an abundance of wine bottles in wooden racks lining the walls. In the far corner, a girl of eight or nine sits on a stack of wine boxes and says hello to me as I enter. Seeing no one else in the shop, I tell her that I’m looking for a bottle of Greek white wine. She says, “Just a minute,” and runs across the street calling up to her mother through an open window on the second floor. Moments later, a woman enters the shop with a smile and asks, “Are you looking for something in particular?” I tell her that I’m looking for a bottle of white wine for a dinner party but that I’m unfamiliar with Greek wines. She pulls out a bottle of Chardonnay from a rack. I ask her if the wine is strongly oaked with a smooth buttery character, which I find typical of Californian Chardonnay. She smiles and replies, “Yes.” I tell her that I’m more interested  in an earthier wine with less oak and a bit more of a kick to it, like a Sauvignon Blanc. She recommends two bottles, and I choose the one that was stainless steel fermented. She wraps the bottle in a colorful bag and ties it with a bow, perfect for our hostess.

I swing by the hotel to pick up my dad, and together we take the train from the Monastiraki station to the northern town of Kifissia, where Irene lives. She meets us just outside the station and drives us to her house where friends, family, and food are waiting.