Art About Town... Berkeley: "s-Hertogenbosch" By John Toki

s-Hertogenbosch 

By John Toki

"Sculpture is like drawing in the air. Filling in space. 

Finding space. Working with contours, planes, light and shadows."

~Denis Hopking

This piece, which is part of the Addison Street Art Walk, and sits at the corner of Addison and Shattuck, in Berkeley, is not one of my favorite sculptures, but it wouldn't be downtown Berkeley without it. I have featured it on my blog in the past, but this a brand new photo, from a slightly different angle then I have posted previously. The name of the sculpture, s-Hertogenbosche is the same as a town in the Netherlands, which translates to, "Duke's Forest." It is a ceramics piece, and is an abstract representation of forms found in nature, such as mountains, sky, water and snow. It always catches my eye when I pass it, and I have spent a fair amount of time studying the shape and color. It's an interesting sculpture, and really has to be seen in person to be appreciated, I never really have done it proper justice with my photographs of it.

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Art About Town: Berkeley... "Expanse" By Artist Carolyn Haydu

 

Addison Streetscape Project

Addison Street, Berkeley, California

February 12th, 2014 

"In the sky there are answers and explanations for everything: 

every pain, every suffering, joy, and confusion."

~Ishmael Neah, 

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs Of A Soldier

From the awesome and inspiring Addison Street Art Walk comes "Expanse" By Carolyn Haydu. With this piece, the artist reminds us of the great contrast of the sky verses the concrete beneath our feet. I know when I begin to feel the stifling feeling of living in a big city, I usually look up and study the sky and look for shapes in the clouds. I love this piece, and drive by it from time to time, just to remind myself that I absolutely can find the art, because it's all around me, even in the sky!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Art About Town: Berkeley, Addison Street Poetry Panels... "A Textbook Of Poetry, 21 By Jack Spicer

"There is something about poetry beyond prose logic, there is mystery in it, not to be explained but admired."

~Edward Young

A Textbook Of Poetry, 21
By Jack Spicer

Hold to the future. With firm hands. The future of each afterlife, of each ghost, of each word that is about to be mentioned.

Don't say put beauty in here for the past, on account of the past.
On account of the past nothing has happened.

Stick to the new. With glue, paste it there continually what God and man created. Your fingers catch at the edge of what you are pasting.

You have left the boy's club where the past matters. The future of your words matters. That future is continually in the past.

That pathology leads to new paths and pathfinding. All the way down past the future. The words go swimming past you as if they were blue fish.

I love the Addison Street Poetry Panels and visit when I can. They inspire me, and calm my nerves, and remind me that even in the toughest time, there is truth and beauty just around the corner! Addison Street is a very special place on this earth.

Art About Town: Berkeley... "In Topaz" By Toyo Suyemoto

"Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen."

~Leonardo da Vinci

Here is one more poem, from the Addison street poetry panels. I like this one very much, but then again, most of the poems in this project speak to me. 

In Topaz
By Toyo Suyemoto

Can this hard earth break wide
   The stiff stillness of snow
And yield me promise that
    This is not always so?

Surely, the warmth of sun
  Can pierce the earth ice-bound,
Until grass comes to life,
  Outwitting barren ground!

The eastern states have had a dreadfully snowy season, and I am sure that the first warm spring day will feel like a little piece of heaven! But this poem speaks to me beyond the obvious. It gives me hope that like cold days, cold relationships don't always last forever. Eventually the sun comes out, again, and that cold is nowhere to be found. Not on the mind. Not in the season.

Just forgiven.

Just forgotten.


Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Ukalele Lessons

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything."

~Plato

While on my little art walk down Addison st last month, I looked up from the poetry panels and noticed this sign outside a music shop. The thought of learning the ukulele made me smile. I have always thought of maybe taking music lessons, but the piano was what I had in mind, I had never considered the ukulele. But somehow, as I was smiling that day, the idea of playing that particular instrument intrigued me! Sure. Why not?

I have officially added ukulele lessons to my bucket list!



Sing, it with me now...

Tip-Toe Thru The Tulips With Me

                                                 Tiptoe, through the window
                                           By the window, that is where I'll be
                                        Come tiptoe through the tulips with me

Ladies And Gentlemen... Tiny Tim (Rowan And Martin's Laugh-In)




I can see myself holding impromptu ukulele concerts. You'd come... right? 

Mood: Silly

~Me :)

Art About Town: Berkeley... "Oh What A Beautiful Morning" On Addison!

"The most important thing is to enjoy your life... to be happy... it's all that matters."

~Audrey Hepburn

In previous entry, I brought you a poem from the Addison street poetry panels, and it was a great poem, but the poetry panels are not all that amazing street has going for it. In fact, there are different kinds of works of art all along the street, including historical panels, mosaics, and the art that is the Berkeley Repertory Theatre! I love walking along the street, and taking it all in! The two pictures featured in this blog post, are among the wonderful, inspiring works of art. In case you don't recognize the words, they are from the marvelous song, "Oh What A Beautiful Morning," from Rodgers and Hammerstein's, Oklahoma! There is no way to walk along Addison and remain in a bad mood. In fact, I dare you not to burst into song! LOL.

Sing It With Me Now...









Smile.

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: Berkeley... Mr. Meter Cover

"For a moment, be the smile on someone else's face."

~ Dejan Stojanovic, The Sun Watches The Sun

I was beginning to wonder if I was going to spot a "face in the crowd" in 2014! We are already 7 weeks in, and I haven't seen any... well... until last Wednesday! I was walking along Addison street, here in Berkeley, photographing the poetry panels, and other assorted works of art along the street, when I suddenly noticed this meter cover. I think it's an underground water meter, but I am not sure. It's a meter lid of some sort. In any case, it made me smile. Not all of the faces I have found have done that, some make me curious, some made me sad, but this one seemed pleasantly content.

What do you think? 

Is Mr. Meter Cover happy?

Mood: Curious

~Me :)

Art About Town: Berkeley... The Poetry Panels On Addison Street

"Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry."

~Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel




I spent the day yesterday lost in Public Art, in and around, Berkeley, a town rich with beautiful pieces of art on display in the open for all to enjoy, as well as gorgeous architecture and natural beauty. But yesterday, it was all about the art, and the poetry panels on Addison street. I had first photographed the panels that line Addison street, back in 2005, but every once in a while I get the urge to return and redo the photos with different lighting and different thoughts running through my mind. It was this particular poem that resonated with me the most yesterday, it left me with a warm feeling of contentment.. I hope you like it.

Spring Harvest Of Snow Peas
By Maxine Hong Kingston

They're taller than me
I taste and eat as I pick along
choose the flat big ones and baby ones,
and leave the bulging pods for shelling or seed.
The purple and Lavender blossoms
and the blue blossoms were above me
and touch my neck.
I stand on the ledge of the box, reach for more,
and remember my mother and father growing snow peas every season.
When she could hardly see anymore, my mother showed me
by feel how to plant 3 seeds per mound.
Every day, enough for dinner, and leaving at neighbors doors.
The birds surround me and eat and sing. I am unequivocally happy.

Isn't that A beautiful Poem?




Mood: Inspired

~Me :)