Another Yeti (08-09)

This one's sweet...

Yet another Yeti (08-09)

This one's a bully.

Haiku: The Seller's Lament (08-20-09)

A poem by Pascale Steig

My house on Woodward
is lovely and for sale now.
Great neighbors. Much space.

Three bedrooms, two baths,
The best kitchen in the world:
A gourmet’s retreat.

Time passes, so slow.
The house sits immutable,
while my hair turns gray.

Fickle buyers, all.
Only complaints: too spacious;
the tree...too much shade.

Complaints, excuses:
No lawn, no fence, tree too tall,
house and rooms too big.

What about agents?
Large or small, from the same mold:
"Make it bargain cheap!"

"Price low! Give it up!"
But one thing is sacred, one:
The commission, always high.

"Sell my house," I say
to all agents who come by.
No results. Nothing.

Victorian House in Verviers (ca. 11-08)

For all the talk about houses, as this pretty much the focus of my new blog, I want to include a few photos of my absolute Best of Best, the ultimate reference of what I am looking for in a house: high style, and a moody personality, or, as my daughter Valérie would say, "gloomy, slightly impressive."
But there is no such thing on the West Coast...and if there ever was, it would be in a place like rotten part of Los Angeles or San Francisco, would have been abandoned, condemned and/or demolished...
This gem of a Victorian house is in my hometown in Belgium. Like the setting for a 19th century dark novel, it is precariously
set high on the side of a hill and accessed by a narrow dead-end cobblestone path bordered by the river; a tall spiked cast-iron fence secludes it from intruders. But the modern world has encroached: the freeway runs right over the top of the house.

The house's name is Béribou.

Trip to Washington (07-31-11)

I tried to draw some cars on the freeway. I am not very good at cars, but I found that if I focus on the general shapes, I get a result that works, kinda...

Then I tried to draw trees... Here, it was also a matter of getting the general shape down.

In a Coffeeshop (07-11-09)

I stopped by a coffeeshop at the corner of Killingsworth and Albina; there was no one else aside this guy working on his laptop.

Mississippi Street Fair (07-11-09)

I went to the Mississippi Street Fair and had a great time walking around and working on a few sketches.

Street scene

With his soft and subdued demeaner, rap singer Madgesdiq caught my attention.

Madgesdiq

Julia at bottom right

Movie: Jesse James (07-07-09)

We watched the movie The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, and I drew this with a pen that was almost out of ink; yet, there is something about the unusually fine quality of the pen strokes that I find visually pleasant and fitting with the subject matter.

BluesFest (07-05-09)

I love Blues, so I recorded another great Portland event in my sketchboook: the Waterfront Blues Festival! I wandered around from stage to stage, enjoying the wonderful music.

Maxine's BD: My Significant Other, Part 1

...Where G. gets a job and all is well...kinda.

Maxine's BD: My Significant Other, Part 2

...Where P. tried to put herself in G.'s shoes...well, kinda.

Maxine's BD: Attending a Conference on Education (06-23-09)

...Where Maxine gets an education in the field of Education.

Maxine's BD: Trip to San Francisco, Part 1

...Where the CHS Choir embarks on a great adventure, participates in a choir clinic, goes rollerskating, and makes it over the state line.

Maxine's BD: Trip to San Francisco, Part 2

...Where the CHS Choir gets stranded in the middle of nowhere (California), gives an impromptu concert, and finally makes it to San Francisco.

Maxine's BD: Trip to San Francisco, Part 3

...Where the CHS Choir sings in a church, goes to an amusement park and has a pool party.

Maxine's BD: Trip to San Francisco, Part 4

...Where the CHS Choir sees Alcatraz (or doesn't) before leaving for Portland.

(Post Scriptum: Although the author is pretty sure she's got a great memory, the exact chronology of some events may differ, clothes colors may vary, etc.)

Maxine's BD: Vacations to Hungary: Early Memories, Part 1

...Where the author meets her dad's family...and her cousin Tünde.

Maxine's BD: Vacations to Hungary: Early Memories, Part 2

...Where all good things eventually come to an end.

My Life is a Mess (05-19-09)

Anyway, I've got so much material to write about, it's like I am living a sitcom.

So, for now, I'll keep it to happy memories.

On the Bus: Woman and Man (ca. 03-09)

They were not a couple, but I like the way they both are disconnected: the woman looks away to negate the close proximity of other people, and the man has that suspicious look everyone takes on when gazing at others on the bus. (Who knows, with my sketchbook and pen, I may be some sort of crazy freak...Am I?)

On the Bus: Man Sitting (ca. 03-09)

This man looked like he was in his mid-50s, but I felt that he had a lot of life experience (I know, hat sounds inane, but there was something weary and wise about him).

A plant at Thuy's (ca. 03-09)

I liked the graceful shape of this plant in the waiting room at Thuy's (my long-time Vietnamese hairstylist).

Maxine's BD: Vacations in Hungary

...Where young P. gets acquainted with her paternal grand-mother.

Is the author a slacker or a procrastinator? (03-04-09)

Well, I've been sick (one thing after another) and then, I keep getting distracted by such activities as having to make a living (grrr...) when all I want to do is work on my creative projects.

Anyway, I have several stories down on paper and hardly any time to sit down and draw. This is crazy because working on this stuff is my absolute priority in order of importance, and yet, time after time, it gets relegated to whenever, if ever.
The same thing applies to my other blog, "The Hyphenate." Dozens of sketches have been scanned and are still waiting to be organized and posted.

Anyway, check out my Yeti on the "Maxine on the run" blog; it's pretty cute, in a rustic sort of way.

Yeti (03-03-09)

Here is a Yeti.

Movie: "Die Hard 4: Live Free or Die Hard" (2005) (ca. 02-09)

Bruce Willis in another stupid movie...

Food Cart on Hawthorne St. (ca. 02-09)

It was a cold, morose day, so I stopped for a cup of hot and delicious Gumbo from this food cart (the business operating Po' Boys has apparently expanded since).

Pretty Girl (02-18-09)

I drew this girl while waiting in line at the medical clinic. Her eyes and smile reminded me of a friend I haven't seen in a long time.

Movie: "Die Hard 3: With a Vengeance" (1995) (ca. 02-09)

Really, the things I do to make my husband happy...even watch this type of formulaic schlock.

Movie: "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly" (1966) (ca. 02-09)

We watched "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly," a classic Western with Clint Eastwood.

I remember my French teacher in 6th grade using the soundtrack of this movie as background to teach an elective "Relaxation" class, enthusiastically telling us that Ennio Morricone was a living genius. Anyway, it IS a great movie, and the actors' faces are unforgettable.

On the Bus: Woman and Child (ca. 02-09)