Santa Rosa Veteran's Memorial Monument, 2008

Santa Rosa Press Democrat, July 2, 2008 |  Photo Gallery of Dedication of Veteran's Memorial Monument | Video of Monument dedication

Circle of All Nations,  1995

In celebration of the United Nations 50th Anniversary, artist and friend Kaz Tanahashi, and I, with the help of Robert Brockob and many other volunteers, worked close to a year in preparation of the event, working out a myriad logistical factors.  The goal was to create a 21 foot diameter multi-color circle symbolizing the many countries and peoples coming together in unity, good intentions, and hope for world peace.  The canvas was made up of five separate 30 foot long by 54” wide lengths of canvases, which we intended to hang from the War Memorial Building during the 50th Anniversary celebration.

Children helped to pour paint, while drummers drummed, and 8 volunteer artists held our very large copper brush which I directed in a 15 minute long circular trajectory across the canvases, creating a four foot wide stroke culminating in a 21 foot diameter, multi-colored circle.  Hundreds of people participated in some way during the performance in front of City Hall.

The biggest challenge was hanging it from the façade of the War Memorial Building.  Another friend, Nicholas Weiss, a former yacht captain and expert in maritime rigging, and I, worked it all out on paper and he agreed to help supervise the installation.  The “Circle of All Nations” graced the War Memorial Building for 17 days.  At the end, a similarly complex operation ensued and we took the artwork down.  The “Circle of All Nations” is currently residing at the Peace University in Costa Rica.

Scripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego, California

Stained glass mural 10 feet 6 inches high by 23 feet wide.

The objective was to depict all life energy and form originating from one source.  The final semi-abstract design, included intertwined elements of flora and fauna, ocean and sky, all bathed in a light source from above.

Ramada Hotel Mural: “Spirit of San Diego”.  International mural competition 1989.
Mural is 89 feet high by 210 feet wide, an entire city block. 

When a 24 story high hotel was built in San Diego’s Gas Lamp district, a mostly two and three story building neighborhood in downtown San Diego, the owners received a lot of criticism for blocking the view of the bay, and for designing a 10 story parking garage which offered a solid blank wall as the new view for its neighbors.  The objective of the competition was based on three criteria: the mural should relate to the site, to San Diego history, and be accomplished within a meager budget, which later was quadrupled in size. 

After some research I came up with a design which utilized the building itself as the subject, and gave back the lost sky by painting a gigantic opening which revealed sky and palm trees on the other side.  The building itself was on the original flight path of the trial flights for the Spirit of St. Louis, built just across the bay at Ryan Aeronautical, and the new opening in the building was just big enough to allow the plane to fly right through it, thus tying the mural to San Diego history as well as revealing a bit of history to new generations of San Diegans.  The mostly blue sky mural made it possible to complete within the budget.  The columns on either side of the opening were painted to offer some architectural relief from the stark blank wall of the structure.  The mural was completed in 45 days.