Nature’s most incredible palate was in the desert this past week.

I took Rocket-the-Dog and we went camping in Big Red—not Rocket’s first road trip, but the first for Big Red in her new life as a camping van. They both did great.

Big Red in Borrego Springs. We had perfect weather.

Rocket living the good life, and keeping my feet warm. Good boy! Good, good boy!

The World is run by those who show up. Plenty of showing up will soon be ours.

The Alliance Française of San Diego has art and cooking classes! Learn a little French, make a little art. Get down all right. Get down all right. 

I’ve enrolled in the candle-making workshop. Hot diggity!

https://www.afsandiego.org/events-1/candle-workshop 

I love print-making. I’ll go to an exhibit about making, viewing, collecting prints any chance I can. I will certainly be checking this out next month:

Oceanside Museum of Art

Matrix multiplied: hybrid approaches to printmaking

February 21–August 2, 2026

Curated By Danielle Deery

https://oma-online.org/exhibitions-oma

Paste paper print by yours truly

Have a great week. Until next Sunday

 

Another beautiful day in paradise!

I’m taking Big Red camping in the Anza Borrego tomorrow for a 5-day art and nature retreat. Hot diggity!

Big Red has morphed into a minimalist campVAN, i.e. cute and comfy, but not crowded. There's even room in her for making art. Of course there is.

The weather is expected to be perfect for making paste paper, and as I am running low on mine, I’m bringing plenty of colorants, wallpaper paste and paper bags---they make great art paper. There will be book-stitching, too, Corkbot making, really great meals. Do I know what makes a sweet art retreat, or what?

What’s coming soon that I hope you’ll attend:

January 24-March 7^th at the Fallbrook Arts Center

Baja Art Exhibition https://www.fallbrookartcenter.org/2026calendar

February 1-27 at the Bonita Museum and Cultural Center

The Ric Todd Collection, including Keith Haring, Steve R. Allen, Jaimee Todd, and Ric Todd

https://bonitahistoricalsociety.org/ric-todd-collection-at-the-museum

February 24^th 09-1pm:

San Diego Art Matters is bringing back Creative Conversations, co-hosted with North County’s newly formed Arts and Culture Alliance.

The event is free, with RSVP required:
https://sdartmatters.org/creative-conversations-2026/

Event details:
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (lunch included)
California Center for the Arts, Escondido

 

Good Sunday, everyone.

I’ve been off Face-Too-Much for a month. I can attest that I’m not missing it. 

So much more time, so much more art.

Today and this month, I’ll be posting important Arts and Culture events…repeatedly…hey, sorry, but these events matter and I hope you’ll attend. Just scroll on past if you’ve already registered/signed up.

February 24^th 09-1pm:

San Diego Art Matters is bringing back Creative Conversations, co-hosted with North County’s newly formed Arts and Culture Alliance, it will focus on the opportunities, challenges, and creative assets of rural and unincorporated communities across the region. Please attend! You won’t be lectured at; you will be listened to. Plus, you’ll have a great time.

The event is free, with RSVP required:
https://sdartmatters.org/creative-conversations-2026/

Event details:
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (lunch included)
California Center for the Arts, Escondido

This past week I put in some serious time wearing my commissioner nametag for the San Diego County Arts and Culture Commission. We will be out in the County, meeting folks, listening to folks, applying your feedback as best we can. Each County District will host an event, starting next month in District 4 (think south), followed by District 3 (think North County Coast) in March, District 2 (think east county, Julian to way south) in April. All are open to the public no matter what County district you live or do business in. I’ll keep posting details as I know them.

Inspired By III is coming back to the Rancho San Diego County Library on June 3^rd, in time for the County-wide summer reading program. Below, a sample of what you’ll see there.

                         "Valadon", inspired by Utrillo's Mother

"La Diva Nicotina" inspired by How Tobacco Seduced the World

"12 Steps" inspired by The Gambler

Until next Sunday

 

Happy, happy new year! 

May 2026 bring us daily opportunities to be the Creatives that we are.

So much is coming down the pike this coming year. Below is a sampling of hands-on art and culture happenings that I hope you can attend. I’ll be attending them, too.

January 22nd (3pm)-25th (12pm) the West Coast Glampers are holding their annual rally in Borrego Springs, about as far north-east as you can get in San Diego County. I’ll be staying nearby at the Anza Borrego State Campground in our new camp-and-make-art van, "Big Red". The glampers will be at 221 Palm Canyon Dr, Borrego Springs, CA 92004.

February 24^th 09-1pm: To all the creatives in rural and unincorporated San Diego County, this one is for us.

San Diego Art Matters is bringing back Creative Conversations, co-hosted with North County’s newly formed Arts and Culture Alliance, it will focus on the opportunities, challenges, and creative assets of rural and unincorporated communities across the region. I participated last year, the key word being participate. You won’t be lectured at; you will be listened to. Plus, you’ll have a great time.

Event details:
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (lunch included)
California Center for the Arts, Escondido

Let our voices, thoughts, concerns be shared. Please attend this with me.

The event is free, with RSVP required:
https://sdartmatters.org/creative-conversations-2026/

Saturday February 28^th 5:30-9p.m.

Mark your Calendars for the Del Dios Chili cook-off FUNdraiser.

Yes indeed, I will make my delish duck and white-bean chili. So, so yummy. The tastings and voting by Y.O.U.  will be held at The Old Del Dios Firehouse, aka the Del Dios Community Center, 20155 Elm Lane, Escondido, CA 92029 starting at 5:30pm. Awards at 7p.m. followed by all-you-can eat of the remaining chili until 10 p.m.

Music, food, drink in support of a great non-profit. Life is good. $15/person. Free parking.

March 5 and 6, I’m teaching a 2-part hardcover stab-stitch workshop at Front Porch Gallery in Carlsbad. FREE

March 13th also at Front Porch Gallery I bring back the accordion book format, this time we'll add a hard cover. FREE

FPG requires pre-registration through their website. All the ones I taught last year filled. Go to their website and sign up for their email notices to get early alerts on registering:

https://www.frontporchgallery.org/programs

O.k. New art for 2026 as promised! Starting the New year with fused glass sushi plates and small wasabi bowls. Perfect for SPAM musubi. That’s right, SPAM musubi is a thing. Don’t knock it until you try it. Which you can easily now because as I said, it’s a thing. Getting to be almost as popular here around Escondido as it is in Hawai’i.       

Until next Sunday