Oaks Bottom Mural, update

After being commissioned by the Urban Greenspaces Institute to document the historic painting in October, we're starting to shoot again now that the Summer weather has arrived.  

Yes, even if you weren't thinking it: 50,000 square-feet is a kinda large for a painting. While most large murals are being made using printed vinyl sheets, the mural at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge is being hand-painted. Much of the artwork is created using broad brushstrokes, but you  can't tell this while looking across the Bottoms. A couple surprises are included for avid birdwatchers, like the red tail hawk near the center. The giant bird is completed in fine detail down to the feather. 

Hauling and hanging aluminum scaffolding isn't in most artists' vocabulary. And judging from the Portland cafes I drop into, the closest most artists come to this is in carrying around their MacBooks. Artists Dan Cohen and Shane Bennet spending time with aluminum, below. 

If the ground looks funny, that's because it's the roof of Portland Memorial. Photos from the 8th floor coming soon. We set up a few cameras around the roof; this one has just been set up to capture a time-lapse of the West Wall being completed.

-Andrew

Bolivian Threads Spotting

Pick up this month's Decline mountain bike magazine and spot the garb straight from La Paz. My buddy Zach and I have been working on a fun side project, which profiles bike riders who do much for their scenes and bike communities. So far we've gone through hobo camps in L.A., beaches in Santa Cruz and on up to the grit in Portland, Oregon. Oddly, Zach and I may have become the subjects too, as we're profiled in an upcoming issue of the mag.

Things to remember

Alex outside 11 Spring Street, Manhattan, New York

Used toilet paper goes in the toilet, don’t kiss men on the cheek when I meet them, wear warm clothes, speak English. Back in the United States for less than two weeks, trying to adjust to life in the northern hemisphere.

One unusual thing that happened as Alex and I got off the Argentine plane and approached customs at Miami International Airport: Everyone was speaking Spanish. I was really excited to be back were I could walk into a store and ask for anything, in detail, and be understood. But all the airport staff, from janitors to police were speaking Spanish, everyone!

In New York City, my good friend Van Nguyen did a great job in helping me reacclimatize to USA life. She started with a take-out dinner of good Thai food and Champaign followed by a bottle of red wine. Then we basically just ate, drank and went/watched movies for three days straight: Chinese soup noodles, sushi, bagels, pizza, more Thai food, Brooklyn Beer and our favorite Indian restaurant, Panna II on First Avenue at 6th Street (up the stairs and to the right).

Van Nguyen in Panna II Indian restaraunt, New York City

Now I am in St. Louis, staying at my sister Thea’s. My brother-in-law Rolando has three rules for me:

1. No walking around the house in boxer shorts
2. No empty beer bottles on the kitchen counter
3. No overnight guests

He knows me too well.

It was both my mother’s and my nephew Ben’s birthday on the 22nd. Below is a picture with the best Santa I have ever seen, taken at Grant’s Farm on their birthday. Anheuser Busch owns Grants Farm so they serve free beer. Santa and free beer, not bad.

Santa, Ben & Morgan, Grants Farm, St. Louis

I would love to thank everyone who helped us in Argentina and Bolivia but I’m not sure the Internet is large enough to hold all their names. I’ll name a few and take the wrath of those I do not. First I would like to thank Soledad Sosa who somehow managed to teach me Spanish. Kristie over at the Argentimes for being a good friend and for holding much of our gear as we traveled. Mateo’s uncle in Bolivia also held some of our stuff when we went to Lake Titicaca. Don Nico for help with everything. Matias, Coqui and Gary at the best hostel in Buenos Airs, the La Casa Fitz Roy, for all of their help. Carolyn, Natasha, Rodrigo & Ceci who helped us so much with the Pena piece. Fabricio and Charlie who helped us with the Dog Walker piece. Sarah Holmes for her help with the Fashion piece and for being such a good friend. The good people of La Cumbrecita. B Small for all the fun we had together. Eduardo “El Tiburon” Renebaldi for all he did for GTM. Thank you to the many who helped us that I have not mentioned here. A productive and very fun four months. Thanks everyone.

And I want to thank all of you who are reading and commenting on this blog. You really keep us going when we get homesick, when nothing is working the way we want it to with the filmming and when Andrews socks smell really bad. Thanks for being a part of the project.