New Weblog

Some may have noticed a recent link to what is now is my primary blog. I'd like to thank all of the friends of "Allen's Zoo" for your comments and hope you'll follow me to my new blog "Allen's New Zoo".

Nuts

While at a place I love to draw & paint something happened
I never saw before. As I approached a tree I heard a fairly loud
thud that could be instinctively perceived as coming from a body
of flesh and bones. On the opposite side of the tree I saw a squirrel
moving at a slow but steady pace back to the trunk of the tree.
Judging from the branches it must have been a 15 foot drop. Of
course this happens but it's startling to see. Like it's unnatural.

Also I'd like to welcome the newest friends of Allen's Zoo just
to the right.
In case your wondering...for those of you using certain browsers,
you probably don't see anything in Friends (Followers).
I believe it's a minor problem and should be fixed sometime
Monday.

Machiavellian 2

Old Man & the Egg

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nice

Although I may have touched on the subject of
creating before I hadn't really expanded on it. For me,
and from what I'm beginning to find not surprisingly
in many visual artists this means the sketchbook. In
Charlie Rose's recent interview with Tim Burton he
asks Tim Burton to explain the sketchbook's he carries
with him. Tim Burton explains his sketching is on a
subconscious level as is the case with myself. One of
my favorite visual artist's states his real art is in his
sketchbook.

The sketching process is one that's not forced and is
relaxed and natural thus, that's where you create. This
would seem to be the case with other artists as well.
While listening to actress Penelope Cruz on Charlie
Rose she states that the acting process can't be forced.
The more you force or try the more you push it away.
This is the same with writers as well, as I've quoted
Charles Bukowski saying on my previous post
"Catalona".

Also..I'd like to welcome our newest friends of
"Allen's Zoo".

Sketches from life & head

As I promised a few posts ago here's some sketches done a Sunday
while at Santa Monica as well as other's while sitting in hotel rooms sketching away.
I've mentioned before Charlie Rose is one of the few shows I watch
on television... right? In fact I watch nothing else ongoing. He
always has interesting guests and conversations.

Seems I was tagged by my friend Jess a couple of posts ago.
Have two & three...one I'll finish soon.
Here are the stipulations that came with this award:
1. Choose 5 stand out blogs.... or as many as you desire.
2. Thank the blogger who gave you this Award. Thank you Jess!
3. Answer the questions below with only one word.
OK? Now do it!

*Where is your phone? Home
*Your hair? Brown
*Your Mother ? Home
*Your Father? Not
*Favorite food? Mediterranean
*Your dream last night? De Niro
*Favorite drinks? Wine
*Your dreams? Sketchbook
*What room are you in? Daughter's
*Your hobby? Blogging
*Your fear? Highways
*Where do you want to be in six years? There
*Where were you last night? Bed
*Something you're not? Unfriendly
*Muffins? Can't
*Wish List Item? Contentment
*Last thing you did? Draw
*What are you wearing? PJ's
*Your pets? Chippy
*Your friends? Somewhere
*Your life? Wonderful
* Your mood? Now?
* Missing someone? All
*Your vehicle? Hyundai
*Something you're not wearing? Rings
*Your favour colour? Orange
*When was the last time you laughed? Mmm
*Last time you cried? Mmm
*Your best friend? Mmm
*One place you go over and over? Home
*One person that e-mails you? Daughter
*Favorite place to eat? Home

Kat Care

How do you suppose a Kat would spend it's birthday had it a choice?

Well this Kat wasn't as free to chose his ideal birthday as was commented below by his friends. None the less he had a good day.
I hope all of yours was as good.

Alvin

My latest creation.

I just watched an amazing film, Il Divo.
In many respects the film sheds light
on Italian history in the most recent
decades.

Catalona

Just some Feline Fun.

I couldn't help but smile upon reading
something writer Charles Bukowski wrote.
I'd like to share with you. "Don't Try"
'Somebody at one of these places ... asked me:
"What do you do? How do you write, create?"
You don't, I told them. You don't try.
That's very important: not to try, either for
Cadillacs, creation or immortality. You wait,
and if nothing happens, you wait some more.
It's like a bug high on the wall. You wait for
it to come to you. When it gets close enough
you reach out, slap out and kill it. Or if you
like its looks you make a pet out of it.'

I liked the looks of it.

Nostalgia

This aged photo brings me back to one of my, and
daughters favorite places.

My friend Kim asked if I would expand on the photo,
so here goes...the location is "El Matador". The girl in
the photo is my daughter Kelsey age nine which makes
it photographed nearly a decade ago. I first happened
upon this place not long after arriving in California a
few years before it was taken. El Matador is located
just off the Pacific Coast Highway north of Malibu.

When a friend asked me of romantic places in this
area this was the first place that came to mind.
Having a majestic look, it made other things
insignificant. I like that aspect in nature. When
first seeing the location it occurred to me, from
certain rock formations not included in the
photo to the left, it was one of the locations
for filming of the first "Planet of the Apes" .