Interview with Ronald Hobbs: I met Ronald Hobbs long ago. In those days, in the late sixties, should the conversation have taken a certain turn, I might have laid a claim to poetry myself. I'd read at the “I and Thou” on Haight Street, had run an open-mike poetry program in the basement of a Presbyterian church on Oak St. and had even taken a first prize in San Francisco’s Ina Coolbrith Circle’s poetry competition.  But Ron was in another league. In the mid-1960s he'd established himself in the New York poetry scene. He'd done college campus tours to recite his own ... Jul 23, 2004, 12511 reads

A Weaver's Reflections: A Conversation with Pam Hiller I met with Pam Hiller during a break on a day when she was leading a team of women who had designed and were weaving a knotted rug in the traditional Turkish manner. Their work on this project also included a study of dyeing wool using natural vegetable dyes from sources such as redwood bark, madder root, weld, indigo and cochineal. Coincidentally, their weaving workshop is situated on property just down the hill from Marguerite Wildenhain's Pond Farm and in fact housed Wildenhain's students when she was teaching during the late 1950s through the 70s and into the 80s.-Rue ... Aug 5, 2010, 13813 reads

Interview: Milford Zornes: An Artist's Life I was in Claremont, California—a town I knew well from my college days. But in recent years my visits were to see my mother who was living there in a retirement community. We'd spent the morning together and I'd gone into town to pick up something for her and also because I wanted to wander around and look in on some old haunts. While strolling along Yale Avenue I noticed a sign: Claremont Fine Arts. Hmm. I didn't remember the place and peeking through the window, I saw a room full of conventional landscapes and still lifes. Stepping in for a better ... Jul 11, 2008, 45622 reads

A Conversation with Reverend Heng Sure: Cultivation and Practice Beginning in the summer of 1977, two American monks in the Chinese Mahayana Buddhist tradition committed to taking three steps and one bow for 800 miles along California’s Highway 1. A pilgrimage to bring peace within and without, their journey took them through some of the most beautiful and also some of the most dangerous parts of California. Two and a half years later, they completed their pilgrimage at the steps of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, in Ukiah, Californi One of these monks was bestowed the name Rev. Heng Sure, or “Constantly Real.” Born ... Sep 16, 2014, 42652 reads

An American Artist In Japan: Katina Huston I came to Japan by accident and opportunity and the generosity of Kikuko Sakota, a former student in an art class I taught in San Francisco four summers ago. Three years later she called. Kikuko was returning to Japan. Could I come? —If I were to have a show I could. 7/8 Tokyo I arrive in Tokyo at 8 pm Sunday night and Reiko Nakamura, another former student of mine meets me at the airport. The trip to my guest house is two hours by train and then three subways. I find myself uncomfortable with her generosity. I don’t know her very well and she is ... , 13457 reads

Remembering Robert Lax—A Conversation with Steve Georgiou: My introduction to S. T. Georgiou came via his most recent book: In the Beginning Was Love: Contemplative Words of Robert Lax. That name rang a bell. It was buried in memory, but wrapped in an aura connected with Thomas Merton. I’d never followed up on Lax and had forgotten about him long ago. So I was surprised to find myself suddenly alert in front of that name.      The book had arrived with Georgiou’s handwritten note. Perhaps I’d take an interest. It happened that I was headed for a getaway. Perfect. The beauty of the northern Oregon ... May 11, 2017, 12508 reads

A Conversation with Craig Downer & Elyse Gardner: The Plight of the Wild Horses On an overcast Sunday morning I drove across the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge to meet wildlife biologist Craig Downer at the Tiburon Baptist Church. The service had just ended and Craig met me with his friend Elyse Gardner who joined us in a conversation about the plight of wild horses in the western U.S. As we talked, I found Downer to be a quiet, thoughtful man, but it wasn't long before I could sense the depth of his feeling about his subject. I soon learned that Elyse shared his passion for these beautiful animals. Both have an ongoing and deep commitment to ... Aug 30, 2011, 26483 reads

A Lost Mariposa Garden: Jacqueline Airamé at work in her garden in Mariposa, CA (date unknown) Coming home late one evening, I found a message on my voice mail. I didn’t know Jan Peters, but next morning I returned her call. "I'm eighty, she told me, and an artist." Jan wanted me to know about a unique garden in the little town of Mariposa not far from Yosemite - about a three-hour drive from the Bay Area.      It was being bulldozed. "Soon, nothing will be left," she said with strong emotion. "Could you go up there and see what's ... Apr 2, 2006, 10343 reads

For the Love of Bees—A Conversation with Meredith May: I heard about Meredith May from the founders of UC Davis’ Art and Science Fusion program, artist Donna Billick and entomologist Diane Ullman. As part of their program they've created a honeybee haven and forage garden.      “A reporter from the San Francisco Chronicle was up here," Donna told me, "Meredith May. She has two beehives on top of the SF Chronicle building.”      A few days later, I was at UC Davis interviewing Billick and Ullman. What they're doing at UC Davis is inspiring on several levels. And what ... Aug 24, 2013, 28130 reads

Pottery and the Ancient Life: A Conversation with Michael Miller I met Michael Miller through John Toki. He called me one day around noon and said, "Richard, there’s a guy giving a presentation to my class who I think you’d like. I know this is late notice. He’ll be here in an hour. Any chance you can make it?" I did make it.      Here’s a brief note Toki wrote about this potter from Louisiana: Michael Miller’s first slide at his lecture on the wood kiln firing process at the California College of the Arts Ceramics Department was of a tent. I thought it was a unique first image for a slide ... Apr 2, 2007, 14759 reads