am i an [artist]?

 my first commissioned art piece.

finding a sketch i had done of ocean beach on instagram, someone reached out to me to see if i could draw their yoga studio for them.  naturally, i sad yes!  the price was agreed upon and i started sketching.  i sent her a draft, she sent the cash, then i physically mailed the final product to her, to which she wrote me back that she was thrilled!

does this mean i'm an artist?

[home] away from [home] away from [home]

there have been places in this world i've traveled to for the first time and for some unknown reason they felt like home.

ouray, colorado
manhattan, kansas
san diego, california
portland, oregan
austin, texas

and now...

boothbay, maine

it's a hard feeling to describe, how someplace can just *feel* like home, but as i look over the cities on my list, i know it has something to do with expectations, first impressions and instant memories.

as a kid growing up in kansas, colorado is a magical place. drive just eight hours and you're in a whole new world.  i couldn't wait to visit ouray, colorado as a kid.  i was told we would be staying in an old hotel in a secluded mountain town and that's exactly what we did. becoming friends with the family who owned the hotel may have helped add to the experience. i was able to explore a place which had been in operation since the 1800's, an amazing adventure to have as a kid and exceeded any expectations my little adolescent brain had.  memories from that trip have stayed with me to this day, including the best peanut butter pie i've ever had. it felt like home.

manhaattan kansas was a different feeling.  i was trying to decide where to go to college and kansas state was not on my list,  i didn't want to visit it and i didn't want to like it.  my expectations were low.  however after spending a day on campus i loved it.  i loved how the limestone buildings bordered the grass filled quad.  the tress filled in their fall foliage put the vision over the top.  in my mind, it felt the way college was suppose to feel, it felt like home.

my whole life i had wanted to visit california. a place where things happened, a place with culture, a place with an ocean.  my expectations were high when i finally visited the state at age 18.  i saw celebrities, i surfed, i saw a shark and i watched the sun set over the pacific ocean. there was just something about california and especially san diego.  it felt alive and youthful. maybe it didn't feel like home as much as i just wanted it to be home; which i eventually did for a little bit years later.

portland and austin were hipster fantasy lands in the mid oughts.  everything in my life i was interested in during that time was pointing me towards these two cities. music, coffee, beer, food trucks, flannel shirts, trucker hats.....these two cities at that time were peaks in the hipster timeline and i was glad i had a chance to visit them when i did.  a home of culture.

boothbay was different.  i had no real expectations, it was just a regular weekend trip.  however upon entering this little village tucked around a small bay, if felt quintessentially maine. lobster boats by the dock and seafood restaurants on the shore.  to add to the experience it was a weekend of their "harbor fest" so everyone was in goods spirits.  in the short time we were there the locals made us feel incredibly welcome. somehow in the middle of all this friendliness i was entered into an oyster chucking contest. a contest that brought more humor to those watching me than anything else.  expectations were exceeded, the first impression was picturesque and the whole weekend was filled with memories and even a few souvenirs.  i was gifted an oyster chucking knife and glove for my effort.

for a few days, i felt a part of a small community.  for a guy who grew up in a town of 2,000 it really did feel like a home...away from home...away from home.

my own [fountainhead]

it's coming up on my ten year anniversary of blogging. to honor that digital milestone i thought i'd take a look back at the beginning....the very beginning.

ten years ago i started an eight month internship which was part of my architectural education. in order to validate my time and receive a grade, every week found me keeping track and writing about what i was learning and experiencing, and sending it to my professors. doing this week after week seem to train my brain to keep mental notes and seek out the "interesting" in the everyday, sometimes mundane routine.  without a doubt, this quality was eventually put towards my blog, which i started near the end of this experience

not only is this a look back for me to see where my "blogging" started, it's very entertaining to read what i was doing as a 23 year old intern and relate that to the slightly more i know now as a licensed architect.  below are excerpts from my internship journal ten years ago.  the inspiration for this blog as well as the start of my architectural career.

week 1 - organizing the product library. to this day the reason i know my division numbers.

week 2 - building models, still one of the best ways to communicate with a client.

week 3 - the inevitable start of cad drawings

week 4 - weeks like this is why i went into architecture

license to [draw]

now for a post i've delayed writing about for sometime.  i've avoided it for a few reasons, one because of its personal nature and the depth of the information necessary to explain it. secondly because i feel in a some small way, its the end of a huge chapter of this blog.

my [intern] title is now inaccurate; as i am now an officially a licensed architect.

my eleven year journey came to an end last march when i received a letter stating i had passed my seventh and final exam.  i don't believe i've ever worked so hard to achieve a goal in my life, and i wanted to take some time to share my story and thank the numerous people who helped me, without which, i could have never accomplished my goal.

first of all i have to thank my college girlfriend, who was the sole reason i got into architecture.  i was studying engineering when i met a wonderful and beautiful architecture student.  we started dating and i fell in love with everything about her, one of which was what she was studying.  countless nights i would go and visit her in studio and found myself fascinated with what she was designing and building.  after about a year of this, and with her encouragement, i switched majors.  by far one of the best decisions of my life.

the process to switch majors took a year to happen. i applied to get into the college of architecture in the fall of 2001. the following spring, i found out i had been rejected.  never being more sure of what i wanted, i didn't take "no" for an answer and made an appointment to speak with the dean.  i discovered i had been rejected because my grades in engineering were less than stellar.  however he made a deal with me, if i could show an improvement in my grades during the semester, he would "see what he could do."  i worked my ass off that semester, never missing a class and attending every study session.  i ended the semester with 4 A's and a B.  having those grades to show my motivation that summer i received a letter stating he had found a spot for me in the 2nd year studio.

i entered architecture school in the fall of 2002, not knowing a thing.  i want to thank everyone i met during that first studio who helped me out and answered my numerous questions. not surprisingly most of whom are now some of my best friends. i couldn't have made it through that first semester without them, and i will be eternally grateful for that.

the years went by and our class became a close knit group of friends.  we held parities, went on road trips, played practical jokes, drank at bars, studied for tests, pulled all-nighters, passed quizzes, and rocked critiques.  basically created amazing memories that could fill any great college movie.  without a doubt, some of the best years of my life.

i'd like to thank all the wonderful professors i had, especially those who took me under their wing, helping me be more active in school, and eventually taking on the role of mentors.

next, i'd like to thank the architecture firm of hanna gabriel wells, who let me intern for them during my fourth year.  they took a chance hiring someone they had never met, but it meant the world to me.  the lessons learned those seven months still echo in my head today.  it was a wonderful time in my life and i can't thank them enough for allowing me to work for them.  the experiences and memories created during that amazing time is what gave birth to this blog back in 2005.

i'd like to thank the employers i've had since graduating.  firms who allowed me to learn and grow as an intern giving me the knowledge necessary to pass my exams.  going along with that, i'd like to thank the  numerous co-workers who became mentors as well.  i've learned something valuable from everyone i've ever worked with.  any moment they've taken out of their lives to explain something to me in extra detail really was a gift i'm thankful for.

i also need to thank those individuals who gave me a job when i was unemployed.  jered, eric and lauren gave me a chance to keep the passion of architecture flowing by giving me construction jobs helping with their design/build firms.  the kindness they shared during a very chaotic time in my life was priceless.

i'd also like to thank fellow interns who have become friends these last four years. knowing other people are also going through the same challenges as you and hearing them concur them is amazing motivation.

finally, i'd like to thank all my friends and family who have been their for me, and dealt with me over the years.  whether is was being cranky after an all nighter or being extremely tired because i've been studying for a test, thank you for putting up with me.

it's a weird feeling finishing a goal you've spent the last eleven years trying to accomplish.  i have this sense of "what do i do now?" there are numerous things to go after, but which one?  it's a crazy world out there, but i'm sure something will present itself and allow me to once again pour my heart into achieving it.  which in a way brings me back to the title of this blog [intern] life.  a title i believe i will keep.

i'm learning it doesn't matter how old i get or what i achieve...life is about learning...and getting paid with experience.

nothing says goodbye like pizza and beer

the hanna gabriel wells staff

on tuesady the 2nd the firm i've been interning with the last seven months threw me a going away party. randy hanna had all of us over to his house to enjoy pizza and beer. the night was very enjoyable. our firm is very social, which makes for very enjoyable parties, especially after everyone had had a few beers. after a few stories consisting of mis-haps at the car wash, and skinny dipping at the salk institute, i received a book from the firm, "surf fever", to honor my new found hobby. the book has some amazing photography in it, and everyone signed and put a few goodbye's on the inside cover. i'm glad i've had the pleasure of interning with this firm, and it's an honor i'll get to put their name in my resume. not only do i feel the architecture the firm produces is well designed and thought out, but they truly strive to create buildings that make a positive impact on it's surroundings and for the occupants. i feel the people that make up the firm never forget you're suppose to be having fun with design and architecture, and don't get too caught up with the other b.s. piling up in other firms. what i'll miss most of all is the interaction and family quality that took place in our firm. i was able to learn something from everyone in the firm, and felt they genuinely cared about me and went out of there way to see that i had the best internship possible.

chris enjoying the pizza

sean and his wife

build it and they will come......hopefully

checking the spec's on the rotary girders

this thursday i went along on a site visit, with some co-workers, to chula vista. we went to check on the progress of the steel construction on a community/rec center that we are working on. most of the structure is exposed steel, so we went out to make sure everything was coming together correctly. a couple of months ago i had the [pleasure] of reviewing and checking the shop drawings for this building. i learned fast how much communication place a part, between the engineer, architect, and contractor. overall it was great to get out of the office and onto a site. i decided to take my camera and was able to take a few shots. as you can see, i changed most of them to black and white. i was going for sort of [lunchmen on beam in new york 1932] look, you know, that one picture, anyway. i'm not sure if i achieved it,...........maybe if we would have had some tools.











double checking the welds













welding the girders on the gym













orange pallets
(just couldn't delete the color on this pic)

if i could only get you oceanside..........

the group at the beach

this sunday i was able to meet up with some friends that i hadn't seen in a while. a friend of mine, mike, who i've known since i was in diapers, called to let me know that he and his girlfriend, krista, were going to be near l.a. and wanted to make sure that we met up. he also informed me that another rose hill high alumni, rhett was stationed at camp pendleton with his wife lori. after a conversation on the phone and using the new [google earth] program we decided that the best place to meet would be oceanside. rhett was able to get all of us on base so we could get to del mar beach, and we spent the day there grilling, and surfing. as much as i tried, to avoid getting burnt by using the standard defenses such as sun block, and staying covered, i still managed to get a tad "crispy". however, i did find out that walking into the office monday morning looking like john candy from "summer rental" is a great conversation stimulator. also, i don't know if this is possible but i think i sun burnt my eyeballs. here's to aloe.

krista and mike

pay no attention to the shadow behind the board

final jeopardy

well, the last six years of college are starting to pay off. yesterday on jeopardy, the final category was [architects]. i of course bet everything i had, answered correctly and doubled my fake money. the other three contestants, however, all got it wrong. so i pose the question to anyone out there that reads this. [what architect stated that he introduced the glass box, and then 50 years later, broke it] no cheating and remember to answer in the form of a question.

the [imperial beach] strikes back

imperial beach pier


on sunday i drove down to imperial beach, which is five miles north of the usa/mexican border to check out the 25th annual u.s sandcastle competition. now, i had read about this in my trusty "secret san diego" guidebook, but had forgotten that it was this weekend. thankfully a friend of mine reminded me. so i took the short 15 minute drive down. i was halfway expecting just a handful of teams and people on the beach playing in the sand. needless to say i was surprised to see that this little ocean front town turns it into a huge celebration with a carnival and several stages for bands to play. walking through the carnival i caught a whiff of one of the best smells in the world, funnel cake, i however resisted the urge to indulge myself in this deliciously decadent treat and made my way to the beach. walking past the entries i was amazed at the craft and detail they were able to sculpt using only sand and water and a few tools. walking past there were several "star wars" exhibits. even though i'm no star wars fanatic, i did think that the sculpture of darth vadar was the best out of all the entries. it is interesting that so much time goes into this, only to have these sculptures destroyed in a frenzy on the third day after judging. of course i'm sure the $10,000 grand prize helps with the pain.











darth_sand











crowd at beach










sand castle

over_the_line________

over the line

last weekend i made it to the world famous [over the line] tournament. to say the least it was crazy. over the line is a sport that is basically three man softball with no bases. no bases because that would require running, an it's hard to run when your completely tanked. it's a two weekend tournament held on fiesta island. some teams take it serious, others don't. actually as famous as it is, it's hard to put any of it on the television, because the teams names are so offensive, as well as the behavior of most of the spectators. it's was a great site to see. i took a bus over to the island. my bus driver looked and acted just like chris farley, see picture below. I spent about three and a half hours watching the games and other various happenings. i met up with my neighbor bruce who is a huge fan of "otl" and he let me into the silver fox's tent, a local bar in o.b., for all the free bbq and beer we could drink. i'm thinking this could catch on at k-state.

chris farley was my bus driver

ultimate [bummer]

sorry i haven't written in a while, but i have been sick for 8 days now, anxiously waiting to get over it. at first i assumed it would last a couple of days and still give me the fourth of july to get "out and about" but it is still lingering. trying to find a bright side i'm getting caught up on my price is right, macguyver, and jeopardy. i did do very well in the "building terminology" the other day. anywho i hope i can get over this before this weekend, where i will check out the "world famous" over the line tournament a few blocks from my house. if i get better and end up going expect some pictures. later.

gotta get "back in time"

gamble house

on saturday the 25th, i finally made a trip up to l.a. to see some architecture. one of the "must sees" is the gamble house in pasadena, by the architects green and green. this house is regarded as one of the finest examples of the craftsmen style. although the craftsman style does not top the list on my favorite architectural styles, you can not deny the quality and craft put into the construction of this house. i was also surprised to find out how modern it was for it's time. it was built with indoor plumbing and electric lighting. not bad for 1908. it also stood in stark contrast to the other large houses in the area, which were all done in the victorian style. as much as an architectural icon that this is, i do have to admit that it was only about 5% of the reason i went. the other 95% was for the fact that it is doctor emmett l. brown house in "back to the future". the tour guide was fairly knowledgeable, except he didn't know which bathroom the doc was in when he slipped and hit his head on the sink, and came up for the idea of the flux capacitor. overall the tour was great, even if we couldn't take pictures of the inside.

entry of the house

gamble window

custom address light

the running of the, grunion?

grunion on the shore

last night i went to watch the running of the grunion with some friends. honestly i did not believe this was for real. i assumed that this was in the same category as "snipe" hunting. but as i'm always up for anything that will provide me with comic material, i went. now we were "told" that the grunion come up to shore one hour after high tide. so we waited on the beach, to my surprise there were other "grunion watchers" waiting on the shores. an interesting group to say the least, i'd say a couple of small steps ahead of "trekies" only because these people get outside a little. but as i was out there with them, i really don't have room to talk. anyway we waited and waited, but finally the grunion came, and believe you me it is beyond bizarre. the females ride a wave onto shore, do there business with the males, the males head back to sea, the females bury the eggs, and then catch the next wave, for a more technical explanation here is a link: www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/gruschd.html. overall the night was great, it was like being in a discovery channel episode in person. now i just have to get this fish smell off my hands. to see more pictures just click on one.

lone grunion










caught one!

house for an artist.........not bob ross

front of house

this week i built a study model for a new project in the office. the project is a residence for an artist that lives in near the firm. the general concept of the house is two separate buildings connected by an enclosed breeze-way that creates the primary circulation. the overall program was very simple. three bedrooms, two baths, kitchen/living/dining/, with lots of room for outdoor spaces. the one interesting addition to the program was the studio space. since he is a painter the studio created is on the second level with a tilted roof with high windows to let in indirect northern light. now that the study model is built, we can now tear it, rip it, glue it, and
cut it, all in the name of design.











side of house

isn't there a story about this involving pigs?

anza-borrego desert
last weekend i volunteered to help construct a hay bale structure, "i did a report about it in high school," and wanted to check it out. the anza-borrego foundation is building a new archaeological lab, and wanted to use the insulating properties of straw. my friends and i left san diego at 6:30 and traveled the two hour drive out into the desert. after we were given a short lesson on how to build with straw. we were then set to work. [i was surprised to see that there were already two other buildings on the site, one of brick, one of twigs]. most of the time is spent re-binding the bales to the proper size. after you get them to the right size, you can then cut the original bindings, and trim it down with a chainsaw. this new construction method was great, but the best part of the trip was meeting all the other interesting people that came to volunteer. there were architects and designers helping out and then there were old hippies that wanted to build a straw bale structure themselves, and eventually get "off the grid". over all i had a great time, i just wish i would have remembered my gloves.

wedging the bales into place

cutting the bales

lending a helping hand