SummerRomasco.com: New Blog and Website

Dear friends and readers,

I've recently decided to relaunch both my website and blog. From this point on please visit me at my new website (same URL as previously):

www.SummerRomasco.com

and my new blog:
www.SummerRomasco.com/blog

Here's a preview of the new SummerRomasco.com:

The new SummerRomasco.com site and blog (artist's journal)

This change has come after several months of research and testing the various portfolio and blog building sites. In the past I've always used otherpeoplespixels.com which has truly been a great, easy to use, starter portfolio site. I first heard about otherpeoplespixels while considering joining the MFA program at UNC Chapel Hill back in 2010. When I visited the campus, it's what all the graduate students were using at the time. However after nearly three years, I've decided I need a fresh start and a more adaptive template that allows me to better showcase my painting.

In the past I've also used blogger, which again, has been an awesome introduction to the world of blogging, with a clean template and straightforward user interface. While exploring my upgrade options, I tested sites, such as bigblackbag, pixpa, wix, and foliolink, and while bigblackbag came in a close second, I have finally settled on a website builder called squaresapce.com as my new home.

Squarespace.com - home to my new artist site, blog, and soon . . . e-commerce

The Squarespace templates are some of the most dynamic and modern I've come across. I know the term modern is super ambiguous, but honestly, the templates feature horizontal sliders and pictorial navigation that is reminiscent of both uber-designed sites and the ergonomic visual simplicity of the social sites like pinterest and instagram. The most handy part of Squarespace is that with the introduction of the latest edition, Squarespace 6, it has become the all-in-one solution that it promises, an artist portfolio site, blog, and e-commerce outlet all rolled into one.

I'm very excited about the launch of the new site, it's been a lot of work and a long time coming, so please visit me here. Also, at least for the foreseeable future, I intend to continue to update this blog, but please, if you want to learn more, check out the new site!

Sincerely,
Summer Romasco

East Bay Open Studios

I just signed up to participate in the 2013 East Bay Open Studios.

For two weekends in June (June 1 - 2 and 8 - 9) local artists open their studios to the public. The program is part of Pro Arts, an Oakland based contemporary arts organization that connects audiences with contemporary art and vice versa.

I realize this event is 6 months away, but when the time comes, you can find the schedule of events here, and the map of open studios here.

Stop by my studio during  Pro Arts East Bay Open Studios -  June 1-2 and June 8-9, 2013

Work in Progress

A few pieces I'm working on plus a peak at the new studio space.

About North Beach

The Poetry Room @ City Lights Bookstore

When the shadow of the grasshopper
falls across the trail of the field mouse
on green and slimey grass as a red sun rises
above the western horizon silhouetting
a gaunt and tautly muscled Indian warrior
perched with bow and arrow cocked and aimed
straight at you it's time for another martini.

 

 

 

 Red Light District - Nice Signage

Saints Peter and Paul Church (just north of Washington Square Park)

Transamerica Pyramid (Tallest buiding in SF)

Mural - North Side of Broadway between Kearny & Romolo

Moving to San Francisco

I just moved to San Francisco. I'll be posting my touristy photographs as I explore the neighborhoods.

Hotel North Beach - Kearny & Columbus

City Lights Bookstre - A Beat Institution

Vesuvio - Bar & Cafe

Kearny St. goes up a hill & just ends.

Chinatown

Every store is like Pearl Rier Co.

Chinatown window shopping

 

 

 

Blue bowls I want @ a Chinatown market

Cable car lines/tracks

This is called a "fine art" gallery

Ferry terminal

View from ferry terminal

Another view from a ferry terminal

Top & Bottom of a Telegraph Hill staircase

Rex Stout | Nero Wolfe

Rex Stout, Author

 The novels:

Rex Stout is the author of The Nero Wolfe mysteries - a series of detective novels and short stories published between 1934 and 1974. The heroes of the series are an eccentric mammoth-sized detective, named Nero Wolfe, and his confidential assistant (and our narrator), Archie Goodwin. The fact that Wolfe solves all of the mysteries from the comfort of his Manhattan brownstone (since he refuses to leave the house) utilizing only his ‘genius’ and his under-credited legman, Archie, is just one of the series’ enthralling idiosyncrasies. The novels and short stories have enough period ambiance, suspense, violence, murder, and attractive women to satisfy anyone looking for a mystery.

Archie & Nero in an A&E television adaptation of the series.

The best part is:

The series covers 40 years of American history, yet the characters do not age or develop through time. They live and work out of an extravagant brownstone on the West side of Manhattan with a live-in cook and a live-in orchid keeper. And they do so through the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and early 70s.  Wars come and go, women become independent, and the cars get faster, all the while Nero and Archie go on catching thieves, thwarting killers, and saving the day with unparalleled style. 

If you’re not convinced, check some of the Saul Bass-style dust jackets you can find on early editions of the novels:

What I'm Reading Now:

Right now I have this collection of books on my nightstand that I am truly excited about.

Nights at the Circus - Been wanting to check this out forever. Angela Carter is one of my favorite authors.

The Politics of Aesthetics - Very cool outline of the relationships between art and politics and community. "Man is a political animal because he is a literary animal who lets himself be diverted from his 'natural' purpose by the power of words."

The Gothic and The Sublime - These are part of the Documents of Contemporary Art series. I've almost finished reading The Sublime. It's great to have so many writings on the subjects brought together, but the books are composed of excepts, rather than full chapters/essays/articles.