The Cheese Factory

Nestled in a valley outside of Petaluma, stands the landmark where the well-loved cheese Rouge et Noir is made. Known locally as The Cheese Factory, its real name is the Marin French Cheese Company, and it has produced hand-crafted, soft-ripened cheeses in this same location since 1865, making it the oldest cheese manufacturer in the USA. I’ve passed it many times on the way to Point Reyes, always promising to stop next time. Last week I finally took the time to visit and I’m glad I did.

The moment I stepped into the cheese shop, I was invited to taste. I delighted in the various aromas, textures and flavors of brie, Camembert, and bleu cheeses, before taking a mini tour of the facility. Through a window I watched as workers poured warm milk into containers with added culture. From here, the natural process of converting milk to cheese only takes a few hours. Once the curds have thickened, the whey is allowed to drain away and the new cheese is formed into molds. Each cheese is aged for a specified period of time depending on its type, and then finally packaged for sale.

As lunch time approached, I headed back to the shop and picked out a Petite Creme Rouge et Noir, a packet of crackers, and a drink. Resting outside by the duck pond, I savored my snack, along with a view that encouraged me to pull out my watercolor paints. This area of northern California, known for its artisan cheeses, is especially beautiful in late autumn, after seasonal rains have begun to fall. Rolling grass-covered hills that were sere and golden just last month are now a brilliant emerald green. The cows that dot these hillsides are no doubt happier of late, eating newly sprouted grasses.

Russian River Barn

Old barns are common along roadsides in Sonoma County, but I never tire of the character and beauty they add to the landscape. Many are no longer in use; seemingly held together by nothing but peeling paint, their roofs sag and the walls bear holes big enough to accommodate all sorts of critters. Yet somehow these barns manage to keep standing. I like to think they’ve grown roots, like the old oak trees from which they were built, that each is digging ever deeper into the soil in order to prop up its increasingly frail frame. This old barn along West Side Road complements the season’s earthy browns and greens, now that recent rains have washed away much of autumn’s warmer tones.

Philip Glass – “Einstein on the Beach”

Waiting in line to hear Philip Glass, Robert Wilson, and others talk about “Einstein on the Beach.”

Last Sunday afternoon, my wife Marilyn and I attended “Einstein on the Beach” at UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall. Scored by Philip Glass and directed by Robert Wilson, this modern opera first premiered in France in 1976, and after a short European tour, closed in New York City. Since then, millions have heard and embraced the work. And this year, the originators mounted a limited-release revival tour, including the first and only west coast performance.

The Zellerbach Playhouse pre-talk included Glass and Wilson, along with choreographer Lucinda Childs. Childs, who performed in the original production along with Glass and Wilson, joined to reflect on the show’s inspiration, as well as how audience perception has changed since its debut. The opera is famous for both its intermission-less 4-1/2 hour length and lack of a storyline. While the conversation provided background information, the speakers steered clear of explanation and detail to allow the show to be rediscovered and deciphered by today’s audience.

Philip Glass and Robert Wilson Talking about “Einstein on the Beach.”

As we entered the theater, I heard barely perceptible keyboard tones, followed by multiple voices repeating numbers. Though the show had not yet started, these sounds continued as we found our seats, ululating in volume and intensity, blurring the distinction between the worlds outside and inside the auditorium. The pace of the music slowed my busy mind, preparing me for the meditative, minimalist music of Philip Glass.

The lights dimmed and onstage action began at a glacial pace. The stage was awash in blueish grey, highlighted here and there by the occasional splash of red or golden yellow. Musical patterns gradually shifted, unfolding over extended periods of time, though by the second scene, the repetitive nature of the music had me trapped. Waves of musical notes washed over me, and I felt a brief panic, as if drowning in a sea of music. As I let go of fear, my mind and body relaxed and a contemplative state began to build. It was then that I was able to enjoy the performance, by giving into it, and letting go.

Due to the show’s length, the audience was permitted to enter and exit the theater at will, knowing that “Einstein” would be there upon return. Around midpoint, I meandered into the lobby to grab a snack but was struck by the oddness of doing so. I was not alone. Many people sat at bistro tables drinking coffee, tea, and wine as the performance resonated through the theater walls. It felt more like a cafe at a museum where visitors could relax and then reenter the gallery.

My wife Marilyn enjoying a cup of tea and looking through the program in the lobby.

Feeling hungrier than a cookie could satisfy, I walked the half-block to Blondie’s Pizza. I felt in a trance, the music echoing in my mind while I mingled with the people on the street.

Sketches in near darkness during Einstein on the Beach and a Blondies Pizza sign sketch.

When I returned to my seat twenty minutes later, ballet dancers criss-crossed the stage in flowing beauty, providing a feminine balance to an otherwise masculine production. This new energy invigorated me to reach for my sketchbook. Drawing in near-dark conditions, I realized how visual the music was. The cascading notes formed a rich, solid mass like a tonal landscape on canvas.

At four hours of performance time, the show culminated with a whirlwind of sound, flashing visuals, and a rocket ship moving through space. But at the end, the show finished as quietly as it started. I felt exhausted but enlivened emotionally, creatively, and spiritually.

Sketch in near darkness during “Einstein on the Beach.”

“An Illustrated Journey” by Danny Gregory Book Cover

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Danny Gregory’s new book “An Illustrated Journey” will be published late February 2013, and I am excited to be one of the contributing artists. You can pre-order the book on Amazon and all the contributing artists can be seen on Pinterest. I’m a big fan of Danny’s previous book, “An Illustrated Life” which gave me the inspiration to travel and sketch in Greece. (My book can be found here).

Game Time! The San Francisco Giants

Yesterday, my family (Marilyn my wife, my dad, and I) went to see the San Francisco Giants play in AT&T Park for the first time in a while. Attending a live game is so much better than watching it on TV and it’s nice to get a reminder of the incredible energy that accompanies the live action game.

For this trip, I set out to change my usual sketching routine by creating smaller, looser sketches so I could complete as many as I could. I often feel like I don’t have time to do a sketch and so I set out to prove myself wrong.

Since we live in the North Bay, we decided to take the Larkspur Ferry that goes from Larkspur directly to the Giant’s ball park. (10 minutes sketch while waiting for the ferry to depart)

 

We purchased tickets to and from the ball park at Larkspur Landing. (5 minute sketch)

 

 

The Ferry arrived and after a twenty minute wait, we departed. (3-4minute sketch)

 

 

We sailed past San Quintin Penitentiary. I sketched the buildings as we moved passed so the angles were changing as I drew but somehow it still came together, however inaccurate. Famous inmates include Charles Manson, Sirhan Sirhan, and Stanley “Tookie” Williams. (5-7 minute sketch)

 

Off in the distance, sail boats floated around the bay with fog rolling in behind them. (2 minute sketch, wind blowing through my hair)

 

 

Bouys used as markers help ship captains navigate the San Francisco Bay. (2 minute sketch)

 

 

The island of Alcatraz was barely visible through the fog (2 minute sketch)

 

We cruised under the Bay Bridge shrouded in fog. (4-5 minute sketch)

We arrived at AT&T Park and validated out tickets and asked an usher to help us locate our seats. I commented that they were in the nose bleed section. He replied, “oh no, we don’t have Nose Bleed seats in this ball park, we have View Reserved seats.” And he was right, we walked around the ball park and climbed the stairs to the tippy top of the park and had a great view of the Bay beyond the stadium. (30 minute sketch)

 

 

We enjoyed watching the game even though we lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-2. It was great to see Posey, Lincecum, Panda, and the rest of the gang play ball. Since the Giants had already clinched the National League Title, they were probably taking it easy since this game wasn’t going to help them advance. I can’t wait till the playoffs begin! (Drawn over the course of the game, sometimes with greasy chicken and french fry coated fingers.)

So I proved myself wrong and now I’ve learned that I almost always have time for a quick sketch.

Papapietro Perry Winery

I was recently asked to paint two sketches of Papapietro Perry’s winery. One sketch will be used as a Christmas Card and the other will be used as a birthday party invitation. If you’re in the Dry Creek area of Sonoma County, stop in and taste some of their fine wines and say hello to Barney and the rest of the friendly tasting room staff.

This is the original winery sketch. After drawing in pencil and then ink, I used masking fluid to stop out the white lights before painting.

 

In this final modified version, I used Adobe Illustrator to further enhance the lighting, which is unobtainable in watercolor alone.

 

This is the original patio sketch done in pencil, ink, and watercolor.

 

In this final modified version. I painted the balloons separately on paper then I used Adobe Illustrator to combine the two watercolors and to further enhance the birthday cake.

The Press Democrat Towns Section “Sense of Place” – Limerick Lane

Last Sunday, my Limerick Lane sketch was published in the Press Democrat’s newspaper column “Sense of Place.” So far the sketches selected for publication have come from last years sketchbooks but soon I’ll be sketching new work specifically for the column. I’m looking forward to discovering more of Sonoma County one sketch at a time!