MoreCulture!

Culture is more than the sum of its parts- art, film, music and literature.  It's the novel you can't bear to put down, or the movie so good- you saw it twice.  It's the painting that fills you with joy, or a piece of music that moves you to tears. Culture is the reward that makes it worthwhile for us to work our butts off during the week.

Fun + Food + "4H" ers = Fair (Marin County Style)

It's either a case of pure genius or incredible good luck. 

Fair planners had no idea that a gallon of gas would be nearly $5, and the environment on everyone's mind, a year-and-a-half ago when they came up with the 'green' theme for this years fair.  Marin is at the forefront of sustainable consciousness (if not living), and what better place to showcase the ways one can drive, live and consume in a green fashion. 

And green it is; from the moment you enter and stroll through the alternate fuel vehicles display, pass the sustainable living booths and into the main exhibition hall where all manner of carbonless living ethos threads its way through the more traditional exhibits of baked goods, textiles and fine arts displays. 

When we first heard about this year's theme, we wondered how fair planners would successfully knit together their green goal with the more traditional fair attractions of farm animals, ferris wheels and funnel cakes.   We needn't have worried.  Everyone- even the kids- were enthralled with the truck that ran on alcohol ("Powered by moonshine" read the bumper sticker), the prettier-than-they-sound glass earrings that used recycled beer and champagne bottles and the punk-style, shiny black handbag made entirely of reclaimed tire inner tubes.

One nice thing that struck us while we perused the exhibits of ecologically oriented products; going green can involve many consumer choices.  In the vehicle exhibit, for instance, you could find electric bikes for those who don't mind going a bit slower (20mph), sitting alongside electric motorcycles capable of going 110 mph for the speedier set.  Prius' are common in Marin, but the fine-art painted, plug-in one we saw, was a beauty.  A stylish, classic 1966 Ford Mustang convertible that has been converted entirely to electrical power was right next to the truck that runs on biodiesel (soybeans).  One car is even plugged into a bunch of solar panels in a next-door exhibit, making it the ultimate green car; runs on electricity provide by the sun.  You don't get much greener than that.

Fair organizers have thoughtfully managed to incorporate the green theme in the food court too.  All vendor food is served in recycled and biodegradable containers and utensils.  And there are signs ("Healthy options available") out in front of each food vendor listing a low-fat, sustainable or organic variation of what they are serving, although most of the families we see in the umbrella-shaded eating patio, are enjoying the more typical fair food like hot-dogs, burgers and grilled corn.

After a decidedly un-green lunch of barbecue and potato salad, we paid a visit to the main exhibition hall that houses the household arts (quilts, preserves and baked goods) featured at every county fair.  Dot Miller, a small, elderly woman is sitting next the cookie display and just a few feet away from the pies.  We ask her if she's there to thwart anyone trying to sneak a sample.  She is, she says, and so far no one has dared try!  We can however, take a moment to stop and smell the roses (our favorite- the mauve hybrid tea).  Award winners are standing proudly in their vases across from the baked goods. 

Around the corner from the preserves (traditional) and water bottles decorated with recyclables (green) are the quilts where the vintage "log-cabin" creations mix nicely with the free-form "going green" designs.  At the end of the hall is the "The Green Life" exhibit featuring furniture built with sustainably forested wood and organic cotton bedsheets. There is also an extremely large earth globe spinning away in the middle of it all, just in case you've forgotten the theme.  We're tired, but we can't sit in most of the chairs on display; they are the art chairs, another competitive exhibit. 

Over in the corner, Chef Eric Gower, the Breakaway Cook, is cooking away in his demonstration kitchen.  People crowd around as he hands out samples.  It's a blend of vegies, herbs and flowers all sauteed together in olive oil.  A young girl pronounces it good, if a bit salty.  She likes the idea of eating flowers.  Meredith McCarty, another chef (Healing Cuisine) and exhibitor, is taking a break from her booth and samples it too.  She agrees with the girl; good, but salty.

Outside, the fair is in full swing; families, couples, teens and seniors try their luck at the games and take a whirl on the rides in between visits to the hemp and bamboo clothing booths in the green exhibit aisle.  Fernwood Cemetery even has a booth here, which suggests being green doesn't need to end at death.  A Johnny Cash tune drifts out from the animal barnyard where the usual suspects (chickens, goats, cows, horses and the aforementioned Wilbur) lay around waiting to be petted.  Not usual, are the llamas.  Inside the barn, 10 year-old Jenna Wagner from San Rafael is presenting her chicken to the judge in the showmanship competition.  The animal contingent seems smaller than the county fair of memory.  Maybe methane-producing cows aren't really PC here at the "Greenest County Fair On Earth".

In the concert hall, singer and Marin native, Lara Johnston (who sounds like Bonnie Raitt and looks like your kid sister) is belting out a soul standard.  The crowd is appreciative, for the music and the shade.  Everyone is enjoying the musical vibe.  Themes come and go, but some things- like good music- never change.

Details:

The Marin County Fair runs through Sunday, July 6. 

Hours: 11a to 11p

Prices: Adults $14, Kids (4-12) and Seniors are $12 and Kids under 4 are Free.

Marin County Fair website.

See more photos in our MoreMarin Slide Show.
See all the photos in the MoreMarin Photo Album.

The Fanciest Army Barracks We've Ever Seen

When most of us hear the name Fort Baker, we associate it with that falling-down army place next to the Bay Area Discovery Museum.   About a decade ago, someone got the bright idea to refurbish the historical site and create a luxe resort, that would take advantage of the incomparable location at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, smack dab in middle of Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA).  After some initial objection, most of it from Sausalito residents, the idea has been realized in the form of Cavallo Point.  We visited the site over the weekend, for their grand opening. 

Grand, is the right word, all right.

Marin Symphony Youth Chorus- Singing As One Voice

Woooooo Woooooo!  The sound fills the church, like a roller coaster.  Seventeen pairs of arms shoot up, and then reach back, stretching, stretching.  More movement, and sound- trills, notes gliding up and down the scales- and then at the end one sung word, ethereal and glorious- Alle-le-luia! 

Jenny Bent is smiling at the group of youths assembled on the altar of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Novato.  They have just finished their vocal warm-ups, and all eyes are on Jenny, waiting for the cue to begin singing to the nearly empty church.  Her arms raise up, and the late 1400's Renaissance choral composition "El Grillo (The Cricket)", spills forth filling the space with sound.

A cricket never sounded so good.

Best Reads- Good Enough To Put Your Life On Hold

By Margaret Petrie-

There are a million sites where you can find book reviews of the newest, glossiest best sellers.  We all know where to find them, however, best sellers are often just that- what is selling best- often due to promotions and PR, rather than a great story.  For most of us, our 'best reads' come from friends; the man sitting next to you on the ferry, your mom, proprietors and patrons of book stores, librarians. Favorite picks, book reviews and book club recommendations cannot replace the enthusiasm of a reader, someone whose idea of ultimate pleasure is reading a book, cover to cover, only interrupted by the necessities of daily living.

Not long ago, when I asked several people what I should read next, all mentioned Cormac McCarthy. So I picked up "All The Pretty Horses."  McCarthy writes boldly, strongly, a confident storyteller whose presumably hairy fist comes right out and pulls you into the heart and heat of Mexico.  Several times I had to stop, get up and fetch a cool drink of water to quench John Grady's thirst.  I showered to get off the grime and dust of the cienaga. 

Disregarding grammar, McCarthy forces you into the mind of his characters- was that a thought or spoken? Hard to tell without comma, quotation marks or other hints of punctuation.  An intriguing method for story and character development, McCarthy has you from page one, by page 100 you are still not sure where he is going, you only know you are committed to the ride.  He shows no mercy.  Spanish, integral to the story, is not conveniently translated.   Hey reader, you are in this with me, figure it out.   

Non-readers have a frequent refrain, "I'd rather live my life than read about it", but no matter how hard I try, I will never be a 16 year-old male, abandoned in a Mexican prison to fight his way out, but boy did I love how my my mind twisted and turned and rooted for him. It had been awhile since I was so engrossed by a novel at page 301, and so wildly let-down by page 302- the teaser, the invitation for the sequel.

What are you reading?  What books keep you up at night; cause you to put your life on hold?  Which ones do you keep on the shelf or pack into a box each time you move?  What have you read, and re-read?   We truly love a good story with characters who get under our skin.  We're desperate for a happy, or even better, an unexpected ending- dark, sweet, twisted or funny.   We hold out hope that good will conquer evil and truth will prevail. 

Open Studio- A Tale Of Two Artists

Ian Ross is just applying the first brush strokes on a very large, blank canvas.  I ask him for an interview and he agrees to one, still standing and painting.  As we chat, it's apparent this young artist is used to conversation while he's working.  In fact, Ian often paints "live" in clubs and public spaces.

Painting "live" is a kinetic, free-wheeling approach to his art that involves not just the painter, but the people around him.  While he paints, a nearby camera that Ian has set-up beforehand, records the action until he has completed a work.  Ian then distills the video into time-lapse and posts the shortened pieces on YouTube.   He says it takes about three hours on average to finish a painting, which then gets condensed into a three-minute video.  Ian tells us the nature of his art- both the act of painting and the videos- "is fast, immediate", just like graffiti.

While he doesn't condone vandalism, he has a huge respect for the taggers and graffiti artists that leave their usually unappreciated creations on the sides of buildings and walls.  Ian's work is largely influenced by Doze Green and Damon Soule- artists with 'street art' roots.  Ian admits the closest he got to 'committing graffiti' was a project that involved painting the side of a building that a friend's windows looked out upon in San Francisco.  They got permission from the owner of the building, and Ian found himself "strapped up and suspended like a monkey" up the side of the building, which he then transformed into a three stories high by ten foot wide painting.  Ian also finds inspiration in nature, which he learned to appreciate while growing up surfing and biking in Marin-

"The organic feeling of my work is inspired by nature.  I grew up in Marin, riding my bike on Tam.  I am passionate about open spaces."

He's just as passionate about art.  Ian claims he knew he wanted to be an artist as early as kindergarten.  It's in his genes too;  Ian's mom, dad and younger brother are all artists.  Ian worked primarily with clay, graduating with a BFA degree from Long Beach State, and continued working in ceramics before switching to painting five years ago.  Ian's paintings are visually compelling, with bold, dramatic lines sweeping in and out of space.  He tends to use earthy colors and paints with "no intention".  He has several paintings going on at one time, often letting them sit for days or even months before working on them again.  He says while they are in his "possession", they are often not finished.  Ian clearly values the freedom his work allows, mentioning that painting will stop if the surf is up.  With a smile, he says-

"I'm allergic to routine, I never have the same day twice."

While he is undeniably happy about his chosen profession, there are aspects of his work that don't exactly thrill him.  When asked what he dislikes most about being an artist, he mentions the "professional aspects...making a living".  He says it feels unnatural "selling his work, selling himself".  Luckily, Ian's girlfriend, Caitlin Hevia manages a lot of that for him.  Ian lives with Caitlin, Caitlin's friend McKenzie, his dog Talach, and Caitlin's cat, Kingsley. 

The canvas he's been painting during our interview, is now full of image and color.  Paintings are propped up in his yard, and they line the pathway to his studio, which sits in the corner of his casual backyard garden.  One painting has been placed in front of his door, and earlier, someone had told him it looked like the door had been painted.  He stops painting for a moment and turns around to face me, and says that might be a good idea...maybe he will start painting doors.  But for now, the doors can wait as he turns his attention back to the canvas.  He's free to do them later.

The first thing you notice when you walk down the driveway to Millicent Tomkins' studio is an archway with a spray of climbing flowers, growing up and over it.  It is like a frame, drawing you into a beautiful world, like a painting.  This, you will learn, is totally appropriate when you view Millicent's art.

Millicent doesn't stop for a second.  She walks around her studio, precisely tilting a painting so that it hangs exactly straight.  She thoughtfully moves stacks of papers to the side of a bench, so that I may sit for our interview.  But she does not sit.  People arrive, and she engages them immediately in conversation.  They walk around admiring the paintings, and Millicent follows them, pointing out details- a poem written in ornate script around the beautiful wood frame of this one; a sly allusion to Bosch in the corner of that one.  It's clear that she revels in detail, allusion and surprise.  And her paintings are full of them. 

The dozens of works, which hang on the wall of her large, airy studio, give you the distinct impression of looking out of framed windows.  The paintings, many of them on wood panels, resemble medieval religious icons, but with renaissance themes.  Several of the paintings contain exact miniature replicas of works by Michaelangelo and Caravaggio.  Many contain columns, frescoes, tiled floors and richly detailed Oriental rugs.  The colors are highly saturated- and  in some, the images so finely drawn, they look like photographs. You peer into the painted frames, looking at the painting within a painting, and then surprise- you see it!  There is the San Francisco skyline across the water; the sweep of a golden California hillside; even Mt. Tam!  Millicent explains-

"I see my art as homage to our modern world, and to art from the past in a continuity of space and time."  And in a reference to the great European painters that are sprinkled through her work, "My painting allows me to keep good company with all the greatest artists in history, here in my studio."

If Ian's work is without intent, then Millicent's paintings are completely intentional.

Millicent says music also inspires her; she herself is an accomplished singer and pianist, and both her daughters are professional musicians.  Leslie, who lives in New York, plays the viola and Berkeley resident Tanya, is a cellist.  One corner in Millicent's studio is filled with family photos and mementos.  It is clearly a treasured space, as she points out family photos and newspaper clippings.  Millicent tells me about her annual trip to the Moab Music Festival in Utah where both daughters perform.  She presses a program from last summer's concert into my hand, to take with me.

Her love of music has also led her to her latest art projects; painting on harpsichord lids.  The large one she is currently working on, sits on a table in the middle of her studio.  The painting is an adaption of Joseph Vernet's work, "A Calm Sea in Moonlight".  It is extraordinarily beautiful painting of a ghostly ship in a bay, silhouetted in front of a cloudy, moonlit sky. 

More people trickle in, and Millicent breaks away to greet them.  Then her daughter Tanya walks in, and Millicent gives her a big hug.  Finally she takes a seat; sitting next to her daughter, they begin to chat.  I decide to leave them alone, and wander outside into her very English-style garden.  There is a profusion of flowers everywhere- roses and clematis, bursting from the ground, climbing the walls and lining the borders.  Here and there, I spot a flowering plant I can't identify.  But the profusion is not untamed; it is ordered and peaceful, full of detail and precision, and the occasional surprise.  It is not unlike her paintings.

Details:

Open Studio is a free, self-guided art tour sponsored here in Marin, by the Marin Arts Council.  It is a yearly event that is also held in other cities nationwide.  It's a great way to see how artists live and work, and an especially nice way to view their art away from the more rigid confines of the art gallery.
Open Studio continues next  weekend, May 10 and 11 in North and West Marin.
                                    
For commissions, purchases or to contact the artists-                                                                           

Ian Ross: ian@ianrossart.com or Caitlin Hevia: red_birdie@earthlink.net
Website

Millicent Tomkins: millicenttomkins@earthlink.net
Website