11.25.2012 — I have a different reaction these days when I get a submission rejected from somewhere I have sent it: it still doesn't feel good, but I take it less seriously than I used to.

Manzanita Rei: Sketches

10.23.2012 — My daughter, Manzanita Rei Allen, was born May 10th, 2012 in San Francisco. Instead of a coherent essay, for now, here's some pictures, a video, and a couple sketches.

Clouds Animation 1

8.13.2012 — An animation made on my iPhone with the "Animation Creator" app.

Dog Portrait No. 1

5.8.2012 — A portrait of my dog, Zora. Graphite, ink, and watercolor on paper.

3.27.2012 — This is the first of a series of letters to famous and infamous people. I don't have Nick Cave's address, so I mailed it to him care of Mute Records.

Robert Frank’s Focus on the Periphery

3.22.2012 — By unfocusing your lens, straying to the unexpected place, and looking to the periphery, there are all sorts of surprises to be found, and Robert Frank knew that.

3.16.2012 — Leaving Washington for New York this morning - it's been a great few days checking out DC's neighborhoods and monuments.

2.28.2012 — There's a certain kind of uselessness that is entwined with our feelings about art. To make something that is useless is a statement in itself.

Russian River Groves

2.1.2012 — Spent the weekend near the Russian River in Sonoma County. There in the dark groves under the redwood trees there is the feeling of something old and strange.

Turkish Textiles

1.23.2012 — It's pouring rain in San Francisco and there are fireworks exploding. Earlier today I saw some amazing textiles from Anatolia today, dating from the 1700's, at the De Young.

10.19.2011 — Black Panthers, Burning Man, and colorful dystopian paintings: recent posts on The Creosote Journal.

Lake County

10.17.2011 — A few weeks ago I went to a cabin up above Clearlake that I rented for a writing retreat. Here are some pictures I snapped of the place and the surrounding area—five miles up a county road, above Lucerne, California.