Automatic Ice Machine

Can you say iconic? If you've been to downtown St Paul, you've likely seen Mickey's Diner.... and surely you wanted to grab a meal there! Mickey's just grabs your eye; sitting there all red and yellow and shiny and cute. A building and style that conjures delicious images of scratch-made meals.... yum.

Built in 1937 and now on the National Register of Historic places, Mickey's was designed to look like a railroad dining car, a more common experience in those days. Of course, it never was an actual train dining car but coincidentally it was transported from the factory in New Jersey to St Paul by train. I would've liked have seen that; a train car on a train car.

Let me know if you've been to Mickey's recently. I'd like to know how it was. It's on my list.

Not long ago I did a very enjoyable commission for a childhood friend. He wanted to gift his mother a pair of home portraits: the Minnesota home that he grew up in and the Washington state home his parents moved to as empty-nesters. The two houses are so different in architecture it made for a very fun exercise. One a traditional arts and crafts home and the other a more modern coastal design. Thanks for the commish', CJ!

Coming soon ....

More dreams of Japan, this from a street in the Ryugoku neighborhood just west of the Sumida River, mostly famous for being home to the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena. In fact, I happened to be walking back to my hotel after catching the amateur sumo championships there when I came across this colorfully mundane building. My favorite kind, I had to draw it.

The Zumbrota covered bridge, dating back to 1869, is Minnesota's sole surviving "covered timber truss" bridge. Its interior showcases a complex and robust lattice construction technique that greatly enhanced its durability, initially making the middle support pier unnecessary. Notably, despite being covered to protect the wood from the elements, these bridges were often snow-filled in winter to facilitate horse-drawn sleigh crossings. The bridge possesses a time machine-like quality, transporting you to another era while you're inside.

Hey y'all, I'm doing a last-minute market today! If you're out and about in Northeast Minneapolis, please swing on by. Lots going on here with music and awesome vendors. Plus I'm having a Rainy Day Sale to brighten things up - half off! 🙂

More dreams of Japan....
Where, for me, even the most ordinary street holds a visual magic. I love the sites, the museums, the temples and castles. But my favorite thing to do is just walk the streets and alleys and take in the prosaic charm.

Scrolling through travel pictures I came across one that reminded me of a delicious dining experience in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan. The Red Rooster is an eclectic southern comfort food restaurant manned by James Beard-awarded chef Marcus Samuelsson. The name is a nod to a former local speakeasy famous for its folk and jazz music scene. Its walls are adorned with exciting paintings and photos that bring back the spirit of the Rooster and its neighborhood history. As I was doing this drawing I found myself having a Pavlovian reaction to the memories - one of the few times I've had to art with a bib on 😉. Highly recommended.

Work in progress: memories of the French Quarter.

Looking through some pictures from last year I came across a photo of a cool little café I took during a trip to Japan in January. The country is full of photogenic buildings like this, evidenced by the number of drawings of Japanese cafes and stores on Instagram. I came across this one during a nighttime walk through the alleyways of Tokyo. I miss those alleys....

Well it's been a moment since I last posted any art. It's been a summer of packing and selling one home and buying and unpacking another. But I'm finally finding the headspace to pick up pen and paper again.

This commission was a wonderful way to break the artist's block; It's a lovely well-loved home in the Kingfield neighborhood of Minneapolis. When I draw I am usually waiting for some serendipity to happen and it happened here with the composition. I really like the way the home lays across the page.
And it goes without saying that I had to include the owner's beloved dogs to round things out :)