Let's face it. Art in California can only try to compete with nature. Blue sky, flowers blooming, birds singing, green grass, ocean beach, tall mountains, fruit orchards, giant sequoias, Yosemite, Death Valley. I could go on, but I won't. What's Art got? Let's see. . . Sex, Money and Politics all in a pretty package. Hmmm. I guess it depends how you want to spend your time. OH yeah, you can't touch the Art. Oh what an artist has to put up with. 

Doof or Goofy

It has come to my attention that people get confused about the Doof. They say that the Doof is Goofy, Disney's prized goofball. But as you can see, The Doof does resemble Goofy, but only in the way all early animation cartoon characters are similar. Are they the same character? Compare them with your own eyes. There are similarities  in the drooping ears and large eyes. The Doof does not have buck teeth or sports a cap. (Although the Doof has worn a cowboy hat on occasions.) The noses are different shapes. Goofy also has whiskers. Most importantly, although this could be just my opinion, but doesn't the Doof look just a little more intelligent than Goofy? I rest my case. The Doof might be a far distant cousin but the Doof is not Goofy.

The Art of Diorama

Today is the opening of the show, "The Art of Diorama," at the Bedford Gallery, in Walnut Creek,  CA. Twenty three artists give their interpretation of what a diorama is to them. I am exhibiting a small installation of my Doof collection, including Frozen Doofs, a very chilly diorama of doofs huddled together from the cold. Also, on display will be Doof World, a minature roadside attraction that boasts a museum, cafe, picnic area and ample parking. Surrounding these works are items from the Doof Culture collection; paintings, photos, news articles and souvenirs. This installation is an exercise in developing my project of creating a museum of Doof curiosities that some day will beckon travelers to pull off the road for something cool to drink and nourishment for the mind.

The Fable of the Two Doofs

Two Doofs met while traveling from opposite directions along a rural dirt road one fine sunny day.

"Doof", cried the Doof from the east in greeting.

"Doof", cried the Doof from the west in reply.

They then stared at each other, face to face, quietly waiting for the other to move first.

"Doof," said the Doof from the east to pass the time.

"Doof," replied the Doof from the west.

They did not move for the rest of the day. The next day, they patiently waited, with smiles on their faces until noon time when the D0of from the west spoke.

"Doof."

"Doof'," replied the eastern Doof and they both remained facing each other, smiles on their faces, not moving a muscle. They remained there as the days passed. One day little birds used the shadows cast by the Doofs to shade themselves as they pecked for food. Another day it rained and the Doofs got soaking wet. Another day it was so windy, tree branches and other things pelted the Doofs but they did not notice. They just faced each other waiting for one to make the first move.

The seasons passed, and on a crisp spring day, a man appeared on the horizon and soon came upon the Doofs. He smiled to himself as he watched the two Doofs stand quietly facing each other, waiting, and the man said to himself, "Silly Doofs."

The Smiling man put his hands on his hips and looked over the situation. With a knowing nod of his head, the man picked up the Doof from the west and move it three feet to the left of the eastern Doof. The Doofs now seeing their ways cleared, gave themselves a happy sound and started merrily on their ways. The man watched them as they headed in opposite directions until they faded away into the horizon. He then made his way north through a beautiful field of golden wheat.

The End

Doof Realism a la Courbet

Lately I've been painting landscapes that deal with the Doof as an inanimate object that is part of the landscape. When I was 11 years old, My parents bought me a set of acrylic paints, a pad of canvas paper and some brushes.  I then got an art lesson from my father's friend who had recently took up painting. He showed me how to create a landscape in ten minutes. Later that year, my parents arranged for me to have painting lessons with Minion Kimes, who gave lessons in her home on Saturday mornings. There were seven people painting in a spare bedroom converted into a painting studio. Mrs. Kimes had her paintings stacked against the walls and I would sneak peeks at her still lives, portraits and landscapes. There were only two children there, myself and a girl whose name I can not remember. I do remember that everyone was quiet and busily painted on their paintings. There was a fellow who was making paintings of every Spanish Mission in California. he had a very bohemian haircut and he wore Birkenstocks. Mrs. Kimes, when she accepted me as her student, first had to learn how to use acrylic paints. She and I learned how to use them together. We also composed landscapes out of our imagination at times. It was sort of a collaboration. She would paint on my paintings. I tried to copy what she did.

Now almost 4 decades later, I find myself painting landscapes out of my head again, and now the landscapes have a new feature; a forgotten Doof, left in the wilderness.

Welcome One And All

Welcome, my friends. I now have a fully operational blog. It will be my way of being more spontaneous with the internet. Now it will be possible for me to show all of you out there what is going on inside my studio on an almost daily basis. Plus I am able to write down what is in my head, which may or may not be the best thing.

Today, I will not pontificate, but leave you with a quiet small survey of my ever expanding collection of Doofs.