Alex Blau’s Pattern Paintings

My friend Camille knows how much I’m obsessed with pattern right now, so she introduced me to Alex Blau’s paintings she saw recently on a visit to Anderson Ranch in Aspen, Colorado.


Ms. Blau’s paintings are relatively small, but are intricately detailed... using colors and graphic elements inspired by candy and junk food packaging. The use of acrylic polymer gives the paintings a little extra candy-goodness with a shiny gloss that isn’t altogether natural or healthy.

These paintings remind me of Krispy Kreme doughnuts — they look and taste soooo good in the moment, but ten or fifteen minutes later, you feel completely gross from all the sugar. It’s that attraction/repulsion of these sweet paintings that is so compelling.

Patterns on the Brain

Alan The Gallant

I’ve been filling all my spare time studying patterns... working on this book proposal. It’s a lot of work, but I’m learning a lot and seeing a lot of inspiring images. These are just four of the hundreds of patterns I’ve seen over the last few weeks. I’ll post more inspirations later.

Jessica Gonacha

Carla Arocha

Paul Alexander Thornton

Meditate with Me on April 19, 5pm

Meditation comes in many forms— some are rooted in stillness and others are more dynamic. The similarities lie in the ability to connect your body, mind, and spirit in ways that promote a sense of peace and well-being.

Join me for a meditation workshop to center yourself and explore your own inner strength.

• Moving Meditation (asana)
• Breathing Meditation (pranayama)
• Vocal Meditation (mantra)
• Lucid Sleep & Relaxation (yoga nidra)

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When: April 19, 5–6:30 pm

Where: Yoga Vinyassa
2500 Broadway (near Albertsons in the Redlands)

How Much: $16

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Bountiful is Beautiful!

I’m working on so many things right now... but they aren’t really in any visible stages that I can share with you now.

1. I’m almost finished with a new design for the FIDM College Catalog. The final book is due out in July. I have some fun specialty options on this book, so it’s going to be a bear on press.

2. I’m also working on some new paintings for a show called “Sun Worshipers and Junk Yard Dogs” coming up this September in Colorado. I need to finish at least six paintings for the show... I have two done now, and two in process, two still inside my head. I'm experimenting with some new materials (new to me) so keep your fingers crossed that everything will work.

3. Last week I was commissioned to write a serious proposal for a pattern design book with Rotovision. I’m working on the BLAD (Basic Layout and Design) now, which includes researching and writing several sample sections and designing the sample pages as they would look in a final book. If the rights to the book get purchased, then I’ll get the commission to complete the entire project. [Update 6/3/09—My editor got laid off, so they assigned me to a new editor, who basically changed the whole direction of the book. I decided to decline to continue working on this project... I already learned everything I wanted to know about patterns, so writing the book didn’t really seem necessary any more.]

4. And later this summer, I’m planning to work on a book design for a Southern California-based non profit group called Kids of Kilomanjaro. They raise money to provide lunches to school children in Africa. This book will be a documentary-style coffee table book showcasing the children and their environment, and will be used as a fundraising tool for the organization.

Send me lots of positive energy to help me keep all these balls in the air!