Saturday, January 30, 2010

An email I got today


Hi Mark. I grew up in a commune in Philly near the art museum in the late 60's til about 5th grade around 1977. My dad and mom had started the commune upon their return from the Peace Corps. Anyway, one of the couples that lived with us for a while where John and Claire Dodd. My vague recollection is that Claire was a high school teacher. She brought the piece home from work one day and showed it to me. I so admired it (and still do!) that she gave it to me. Not sure how accurate all of this is, other than Claire gave me it and the timeframe.

In any event, it was on my wall, with thumbtacks all through junior high, high school and college. After that it was put in a poster tube where it has sat for two decades.

I took it into a framer today and on a whim googled you.

I live in the Bay Area, Mill Valley. I see you're in Sacramento. Funny, I have business up there tomorrow.

Do you have a studio or something of that sort? If so, I'd love to swing by and see it.

Anyway, thought you might like this blast from the past!

Oh yeah, one more thing... I married into a family of trekkies!

Warm regards.

Peter

A couple of pictures of Beatnik Studios


...where they have jazz concerts, art shows, and artists' studios.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Monday, January 25, 2010

Formerly the symbol of a paint store,


this sculpture now stands in front of Bloodsource, where I donate blood every eight weeks. I found out today that the other Mark Stivers donates plasma at the same Bloodsource! I hope they keep really accurate records.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Flat in storage room


This piece of a stage flat is stored in the back room of the clubhouse at a gated community where the John Skinner Band played today. It looks like a brown-skinned surfer holding a bikini-clad babe in his lap. I wish I could see the rest. (Why was it cut up?)

Friday, January 22, 2010

Pole Dance Studio


When something is taught in the academy, you know it's dead as an art form.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Foodstuffs illustration


This celebrates the "cheese skirt" made famous by the Squeeze Inn, which is moving from its historic location.

Unheated classroom


I tuned today in a classroom at Hiram Johnson West Campus. There were food drive donations in the room with the piano. I froze my toes off!

Cover art by my nephew Peter


Peter submitted this for the cover of a Portland magazine. They chose another illustration, but I love this one!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Learn from my mistakes


If you see Mr. Pickles hitchhiking, DO NOT PICK HIM UP! I had to learn the hard way.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Corti Brothers has everything.


...including Welsh tea. Quite expensive, at almost 15 cents a bag. Two sides of the box are written in English, the other two in Welsh. (Yes, geometry fans, that leaves the top and bottom unaccounted for. You'll just have to wonder.)

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

The Short North Gazette


The Short North Gazette of Columbus, OH has been publishing my cartoons lately, mostly old stuff from more than ten years ago. This week I photocopied all my cartoons from 1991-1998 and sent them to the editor so she can look them over. That should keep her busy for a while.

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Sunday, January 03, 2010

My favorite part of the supermarket...


...is the north end, where all the cleaning products are. It's the least crowded part. If I were staging a dance number in the store, this is where I'd do it.

Saturday, January 02, 2010

Music party


I went to the usual New Year's party at the Swetts' house. Big fun, as usual. I played jazz, rock, blues, and opera.