CATALINA GIFT

I went to Catalina and painted murals with a crew of amazing artists at the school. This is my story.

The only way to get there is by ferry. Here we are in line. Tim and Beth, Jai, Chris, Geoff, Hi-Dutch all wondering where are we going to eat.

Here is excellent artist Geoff McFettridge explaining the correct angle

It is not a lie, Catalina is quite beautiful at dusk. Look: it’s a personal submarine, even.

fast forward to the next morning when I had some coffee and met this bird.

These letters and numbers are outrageous and some of the most beautiful forms i’ve seen in my long life so far.

This is the wall I am to paint. I have a plan and it is real. It’s really something lovely and wonderful to be on site early in the morning, drinking coffee and getting things in order before you start. I like that feeling and it’s one I hold on to and remember every time. It’s something I’ll put in the book.

Yes, I am working but I am still spot checking. I don’t think California people really understand how different it is here. I never even saw a bank to ledge until I was in my 20s. When I saw this I immediately texted my friend Andy, who I have skate with since I was 15, and his response was the same as mine. You don’t know how good you got it.

I started. It’s the crack that get you. You may have heard of the banality of evil ,but what do you know about the banality of big image making? sometimes it is just painting the same color over and over and getting into all the cracks. But that is still fun and better than digging a ditch.

Just up the way was Chis Johanson, a brilliant artist and nice person, just getting started. What a gift to be among these wonderful folks just doing their thing.

These signs were all over the place for the last week of school and I really appreciated them. Sometimes I think I need to get a job as an elementary school librarian and just do sneaky cool shit from time to time. It would be a relief, honestly.

Catalina taco report: guacamole is just standard?!?! I am a fan.

Geoff is a real master. He camped out at the school and did this whole thing in a day. A real mensch. What a gift.

Ah yes, Lookout & Wonderland. Some of my favorite people and my favorite artists. I love them and they are great. We got to walk around the island at night and see drunk grandmothers and every kind of fool you could imagine. Buy their art and give them all your money.

It’s called margarita time and now you know.

CJ taking form

Catalina burrito report. Foot shown for scale.

Hi-Dutch: busted. What a good dude. He once drove me around in Tokyo and took me to some cool art shows. Now it is his time in California to eat tacos and paint fruit for the children.

Ed Templeton: busted. Ed has been a part of my brain since his Pro Spotlight in ‘91 Transworld and it was kind of funny getting used to him just being some guy hanging around, but that’s my problem. Here he is with Clint who was being very funny painting a face on Chris’s wall.

There is Ed’s face and there is my face very close by. I guess this means we are best friends now.

Jeff Canham and I brought the same 15 year old tote bag to Catalina, unbeknownst to each other. What a bag, what a shop, what a guy.

this is my mural almost done but not totally done. It is hard to photograph from this angle but you get it.

almost like a face. or a tailor the whale. or a door into forever. who knows?!

The ferry home. Tired guys.

The next day in Paramount, it was time for rocking. What a gift!

If this isn’t freaking, I don’t know what is.

and then I got a beer with Louis. What a trip! Thank you Operation Creative Freedom, thank you artists, thank you helpers, thank you Catalina. I am glad I get to do things like this. PEACE.