Our family has always had a fascination with the old, falling-down house or barn. One may pass it while driving through the countryside. I don’t quite know what it is that captivates us, but it’s many a falling-down house or barn that has been the object of my father’s or mother’s (or even my own) paint.

Maybe it’s the human connection we find, seeing a once strong and vital home in a more vulnerable and passing state – that it’s now recognizable the daily toils the structure undergoes.

Perhap it’s because the result is inevitable. Where earlier the building could have been repaired, expanded, painted, or remodeled, we know now it will not. Now the fate is certain and near.

It isn’t an accident scene response. People respond to a crash scene trusting or hoping the situation is affecting a stranger. There is a belief it would not happen to one’s self.

It is the opposite in both senses. We like to look at such a building as an old friend, who might still tell a great story.

Whether we blink at it while whizzing by in the car, or have set up our easels and watercolors to capture it on a sunny afternoon, I savor the experience. The next look may not be the same.

Here are more pictures of a falling-down house and barn I came across recently…

Members from Peggy’s branch of our family tree stayed with us for our loosely arranged family reunion last week. Instead of a specifically arranged date we established a week when people could come and go as they please. For the most part there was overlap of times when people were here and everyone got to see each other and catch up. It was a fantastic week.

What’s funny is our house is very small. Really. It is roughly 550 sq/ft… So we set up tents around the open areas of our yard, had folks sleep in the clay studios, and had a wonderful time camping.

Mealtimes were assemblyline style and/or bucket brigade. Our kitchen and living room were just large enough to house the whole group (incredibly). Movement at breakfast and dinner was like a sliding tile puzzle. When someone moved, it was necessary for another person to move, and so on, in a chain reaction of small space allocation.

While it was tight, it was also perfect. Somehow everyone had a chair, couch, bench, cushion, or lap, and we spent a lot of quality time together. We told stories as a group, played music together (a family drum circle no less!), and shared the latest news. A larger space may not have inspired the same connectedness.

Our warmest thanks and love to everyone.

Peggy has practiced Tai Chi for more than 13 years and has recently taught some classes at Liu Yu’s Wushu Tai Chi Center. In the photo Peggy demonstrates the fan form – and will be demonstrating at the Wushu Tai Chi Center annual open house this May 22nd.

Liu Yu, Peggy’s teacher and an inspiration, will be demonstrating her incredible techniques. Here are images of Liu Yu… We find her absolutely amazing.

Peggy will be doing 2 sword forms, a fan form, a spear form, and several open hand forms.

It’s always an exciting event and open to anyone who’s interested: San Luis Obispo, CA at the Veterans Hall, 10:00am-12:00pm… with a feast to follow!

For more information please call the Wushu Tai Chi Center at 805-547-9643.

It was really a day in the sun – about 80 degrees with a light wind – absolutely perfect weather. It was a great crowd and we had very good sales. Again this week, as at Saratoga, patrons bought some very nice pieces of both our collaborative work and my individual work. There was a great funk/R&B band playing, wine tasting, BBQ, and art. What more could you ask for?

Our daughter Emily, with her daughter Zoë, and our son Josh, with his daughter Heidi and son Carter all stopped by for visits. It was a wonderfully fun day in Templeton.

We had our first weekend of expansion at our gallery at Studios on the Park, too. We are both thrilled with the new displays and more cohesive space. We’ve been working so hard in preparation that the space is already full! We’re very excited and looking forward to showing off the space… Here are our first photos.

Peggy’s collaboration with D’Ambino Winery and Cellars, a winery owned and operated by a family of talented and fun loving musician/winemakers, has shaped and inspired her to make pieces with music as a central theme.

Like the D’Ambinos, we’re a family of music lovers, too. Many years ago – way before MySpace, color computer monitors, and almost before the Internet was invented – we were in the band Up in the Air. Peggy played flute and Michael played conga drums. It was great fun and we still have our original instruments decorating our home.

Peggy has always enjoyed illustrating and glazing people in her wax-resist work. It’s a natural next step and adventure to capture musical life, and she is eagerly exploring and inspired to do more musical designs.

The photo of the hanging plate above is the 3rd piece capturing musical life. It’s not for sale – we’re keeping it. The first two, including “D’Ambino Family at Play,” were sold during the Art of Wine auction on April 16th, 2010.

We’ve had a beautiful day hiking and enjoying the coast.  If you find yourself in Cambria and visit us at our home/studio, this is my studio in the pines.