The Art of Richard Mayhew: Through Jan. 10. Museum of the African Diaspora, 685 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 358-7200. www.moadsf.org.

Despite not liking San Francisco in general (especially driving there), I want to go see Richard Mayhew’s bright abstract landscapes. They are so full of mood and personality!

“I feel fortunate that I found an element, a life, that I love,” he said. “I know Toni Morrison, and she told me once that she enjoyed writing whether someone read it or not. That’s how I feel. Although I’m pleased when people share in the experience.” –Richard Mayhew

Colored Pencil: The Only 4 Tips You Really Need

All four tips are what works wonderfully for me: work slow, keep your pencils sharp (and may I add, if you don’t need sharp use Prismacolor art sticks), layer colors, work on colored paper. And the author is a Prismacolor person too

Terri Hill presented her unusual approach to watercolors at the FALC meeting today. She starts with an underpainting – an abstract shape in primary colors that will later shine through the finishes artwork, unifying and complementing Terri’s vibrant colors. What else that underpainting does is suggest very natural highlights and shadows as if created by objects not visible in the painting. The result is nothing short of magical.

Terri painted from her own photos, but what I loved was that she was using them as a vague reference, an idea for the subject and composition, but not as something that should be copied.

In an odd way, watching her working on a background that progressed from an abstract to gently moving water helped me to overcome a creative block with one of my colored pencil pieces. Where nothing seemed to work, to the point of not wanting to even try anything anymore, I now see many new possibilities – so nice to feel free again, thank you, Terri!

Watermelon carvings by Takashi Itoh – all hand carved out of watermelons.