June! June! June! Heckuva month. Starts in Spring, ends in Summer.
Here’s a new background for your desktop:

I took this picture on highway 80 because I liked the color of this truck, and I was in stop-and-go traffic so I had plenty of time to admire it. I did a photoshop paintjob and scrawled “June” on the side of the truck. I couldn’t find a good place to put a calendar, so i’m afraid this month you’ll have to rely on something else to tell you what the date is.

A few days late, but ready for download in any of the following sizes: 2880×1800, 2560×1600, 1920×1200, 1680×1050, 1440×900, 1280×800.

I’m very excited to be participating in East Bay Open Studios—a two-weekend event opening over 400 artists’ studios to the public.  The event is a fantastic way to explore the wondrous neighborhoods of the East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley, and everything in between), meet artists, and see some fresh art.  Please join me the weekends of June 1-2 and June 8-9.

Most all of my recent work will be on display and available for purchase, including a small selection of affordable pieces and gifty items.

I’ll be sitting there alternately painting, serving snacks, and shmoozing!  Please come by and chat, hang out, or just have a look.  I’ll have a stack of East Bay Open Studios directories/maps for further exploration.

Gabe Roberts Art
83 Glen Avenue #2
Oakland, CA 94611

June 1st, 2nd, 8th, 9th
11am – 6pm

If you are making a long trip, please call ahead to confirm and make sure that I will be there: (916) 475-3819.

Thanks and looking forward to seeing you!

UPDATE 6/5/2013: My studio will be open Saturday June 8th only. CLOSED JUNE 9th.

In honor of Mother’s day, I’ve added five flower paintings to the Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GabeRobertsArt

They’re mounted on handmade wooden panels and ready to hang on a special wall in your mother’s home.

If you place an order by the end of the day Tuesday, May 7th, I’ll get the painting to you by Saturday, May 11th.  I’ll even give it a snappy gift-wrapping using hand-painted paper and pretty ribbons.

Even if you don’t buy one of these oil paintings, remember to take a moment to tell your mom—or any moms in your life—how special she is to you.

This year I’m very excited to join over 400 artists in the East Bay Open Studios event.  My studio will be open the first two weekends of June.

As part of the preview exhibition, one of my flower paintings is currently on display at the Pro Arts gallery in downtown Oakland:

"Sunflowers in a Brown Jug" For sale at $300

I’ll be at the gallery this Friday, May 3rd, for the First Friday Artist’s Reception.  The 400 pictures by 400 different artists are hung salon-style; it’s a fun way to get a sampling of East Bay artists, and figure out whose studios you want to visit next month.

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Happy May everybody! It’s getting reeeaally warm out here in Oakland, and I’m getting really excited about the summer months ahead.  But before we get there, we’ve still got lovely old May, when all the flowers are in bloom and the air is still cool at night.

I bought a bunch of flowers at the market on Sunday, and this month’s background features a little pencil drawing of a bouquet of ranunculus and sweet peas.

I scanned in a piece of brown paper for a backdrop, and added some spring-colored accents.  Download the wallpaper by clicking one of the following links: 2880×1800, 2560×1600, 1920×1200, 1680×1050, 1440×900, 1280×800.

I hope y’all have a wonderful month.  Don’t forget Mother’s Day is Sunday the 12th!

My dear friend is expecting a baby in June, and she’s going to have her very own painting waiting when she gets home:

Van Gogh painted a picture of a blossoming almond tree for his brother’s newborn son—named Vincent after his uncle:

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“The Houdini Box” by Brian Selznick is the story of a boy who idolizes Harry Houdini and wants to be a magician too.  Victor tries to do the great feats that he reads Houdini can do—escape from a locked trunk, hold his breath for five thousand seconds, or walk through a brick wall—but he never succeeds.

One day he meets Houdini and the magician asks for Victor’s address.  Some days later he receives a letter from Houdini that says “A thousand secrets await you.  Come to my house…”.  When Victor arrives he is greeted by Houdini’s wife.  He hands her the letter.  She goes upstairs and comes back with a box, hands it to Victor, and shows him out.  Crying as she closes the door she says “Houdini died today”.

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Happy April everybody!  My little eyes are tired from making this month’s background, but I had lots of fun:

I took this photo on my way to the Temescal Farmer’s market a couple of Sundays ago.  It was around 8:30am, and there’s nothing quite like a quiet city street on a Sunday morning.

In Photoshop, I painted over the picture with solid shapes, matching or exaggerating the color.

Click any of the following links to open a larger wallpaper image for your desktop:  2880 x 1800, 2560 x 1600, 1920 x 1200, 1680 x 1050, 1440 x 900, 1280 x 800

Just for fun, here’s what the image looks like with only the shapes I painted:

This might actually be way cooler.  Hmm.  Maybe I’ll make this into a calendar and update the post soon.  Until then, enjoy and feel free to share.  Thanks for stopping by!

“Kindly leave Pets OUTSIDE”
Service Animals, Excepted

This sign is posted outside the local library, printed on bright yellow paper to keep pets out of the teeny-tiny library.  I have a serious issue with this sign, and it has nothing to do with the fact that pomeranians are not typically service dogs.

The comma in this sign is unnecessary and confusing. It doesn’t make sense. Why do we need to pause before reading “excepted”? For dramatic effect, I suppose. To sit back and appreciate how much respect the Oakland Public Library has for service dogs and their masters? To think about our own attitudes towards service dogs and people with disabilities? To feel good that our library supports these beloved members of our society, unlike other terrible institutions we can’t think of right now that regularly kick service dogs in the mouth and shove blind people out of their establishments?

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March is well underway, and here’s a new background for your computer desktop:

Please click one of the following links to download: 2880 x 1800, 2560 x 1600, 1920 x 1200, 1680 x 1050, 1440 x 900, 1280 x 800

This lambtastic background features some tender little lamby-pies roaming the massive cemetery at the end of Piedmont Avenue.  In the distance you can see downtown Oakland, and to the right, downtown San Francisco.

Lamb chops are delicious.  Sprinkle some salt and spices, sear them in a pan, then roast in the oven.