Michael C
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mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
Michael C
@mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
43 followers 23 following 86 posts
Artist in Burbank, CA.
Gay, over 50, Liberal, creative, mostly harmless.
I try to be nice to everyone but recent developments make me have to protect myself.
Proselytizers, right-wingers, etc will be blocked. If this is you, block me.
We won’t vibe.
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mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
More from #Encinitas morning walk.
September 16, 2025 at 7:52 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
From my morning walk in Encinitas.
I miss living here.
A state in Cardiff by the Sea known locally as “The Kook.” Sometimes the kids dress him up in fun costumes. One of my favorite places on Earth, even when it’s foggy. Swami’s Overlook. Me At Swami’s Overlook in my cute blue hat The Self Realization Center. Locally called “Swami’s”
September 16, 2025 at 7:31 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
Baked some home baked burger buns today. Made use of the new bun making tin.
Of course that means burgers for dinner.
So good with those Vidalia onions on.
September 7, 2025 at 2:08 AM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
#BlueSkyArtShow #sideways
#Chopsticks across a #Sushi plate with remaining drops of sauce. #monochromatic
Chopsticks across an empty sushi plate with remaining drops of sauce. In a blue, monochromatic color scheme.
July 5, 2025 at 7:20 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
#BlueSkyArtShow #GetOutside
The #BonnevilleSaltFlats in Utah after a snowfall. The snow had melted into a giant lake a couple of inches deep. This was one of those right place, right time shots.
#landscapephotography #naturephotography #blackandwhitephotography #reflections #mountains
I was driving from Denver to San Jose and stopped in Salt Lake City. It snowed overnight. In the morning, as I passed the Bonneville Salt Flats, I saw that the snow had melted into a shallow shimmering lake out to the horizon. I pulled into the vista point stop and quickly snapped a pic. I turned it into a black and white image to enhance the amazing reflection of the hills in the water.
June 28, 2025 at 3:25 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
#FloralFriday
I took this photo at the #tulip fields in Woodland, WA. The variety is called Esta Bonita. Quite so.
#tulips #flowerphotography #naturephotography
June 28, 2025 at 12:56 AM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
A #ladybug on a lemon tree leaf for #macromonday.
#insects #naturephotography
A macro photo of a ladybug on a limón tree leaf.
June 23, 2025 at 6:56 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
Just tried a new to me restaurant while visiting my dad in #encinitas.
Currently named #forchettaboutit soon to have a new name under the new owners. We loved it! Support these folks trying to provide #pizza and #italianfood with more fresh and handmade items.
See alt text in photo for full review.
Forchettaboutit Random find on Yelp. We had no idea this place was even here. So very glad we tried it! It took a bit of time from order to table, but that's because it's made to order and not pre made. We're only talking about 20 minutes even so. My meatball sandwich was fantastic! The bread is soft inside and crunchy, crusty outside. Meatballs are tender and hearty. The sauce is bright and fresh, not over seasoned, and has big chunks of tomato and garlic. I mopped up every bit of the sauce. I NEVER do this! It was so good, I didn't want to leave any behind. My dad loved the pizza and commented on the sauce too. I spoke to the new owner, who served us. They just took over and have started making changes to the menu in favor of more fresh and handmade items. There will also be a name change coming soon. I sure do hope this takes off for them so they can keep the fresh made format. It really does make a difference. The look of the place fits in with what you expect of a little beach community. A bit rough, but open, friendly, and clean. As long as the food stays this good, l'd bring a stool and tv tray with me. I'll make a point of coming back each time I visit and I wish the young new owners the best. They have a winner here if they keep the vision.
June 21, 2025 at 8:57 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
#BlueSkyArtShow #narrow
From the lobby floor of the #BradburyBuilding in #LosAngeles. Featured in many films, notably in Blade Runner.
Looking up at the glass roof from the Lobby of the Bradbury Building in Los Angeles.
June 21, 2025 at 3:33 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
For #BlueSkyArtShow this week, I debated how to interpret the theme of #joy.
I took a view from my morning walk of the sun rising and turned it into a painting using a new (to me) technique.
“The 5 at Sunrise” 2019. My first acrylic painting.
Joy in the walk, the view, the painting, the learning.
On my early morning walks when I lived in Encinitas, I snapped a picture of the sun rising over the highway. A few months later, I was taking a class to learn some techniques for acrylic painting. I decided to put what I learned to use in my first real acrylic painting. I still have more practicing to do, but I think I captured the colors and the drama of the sky and the activity of the highway. Overall, I was pleased with the result.
June 14, 2025 at 4:53 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
We’ve been revisiting the old police procedural shows from the 60s and 70s.
Just finished an episode of Ironside.
I’m confident we’d be in a good place by minute 42. 😁
#ironside #RaymondBurr
June 13, 2025 at 6:29 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
#KaleidoscopeFun A good ol’ encherito from Taco Bell. My favorite as a kid in the 70s.
#kaleidoscopicphoto #encherito #oldschoolfastfood #kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscopic image based on a photo of the original encherito from Taco Bell in the 1970s. Old advertisement featuring the original encherito from Taco Bell in the 1970s. This photo was lifted from the internet.
June 11, 2025 at 5:50 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
Got some baking in today while it’s not as hot outside.
I made a sandwich loaf and a rye loaf (pictured). It’s going to be a next level pb&j and egg salad sandwiches kind of week. 😁
#homemadebread #ryebread #homebaking
Homemade rye bread loaf with butter in the background Top view with the slashes in the homemade rye bread loaf I made today.
June 8, 2025 at 12:56 AM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
#BlueSkyArtShow #vibrant
Some heirloom tomatoes I grew one summer.
Some heirloom tomatoes that are bright red with purple marks on the tops sitting on a turquoise colored patio table
June 7, 2025 at 12:54 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
Gay men of my era tend to have a "diva" that was a big influence in their lives. These women were our example of strength and independence in the face of pressure to conform and submit.
The diva that inspired me to live as my real self was #StevieNicks
She defines her own life.
#pridemonth #lovewins
June 6, 2025 at 7:14 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
#monochromemonday #blackandwhitephotography
I know “monochrome” isn’t just black and white, but this week I’ll indulge in the achromatic.
#acromaticphotography #tulips #flowers #gardens
One open tulip among buds ready to open. I created an achromatic version of the to highlight the lines and details revealed in the contrast.
June 2, 2025 at 7:02 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
#macromonday #macrophotography
#japanesedesign
I have a set of figurines that my father brought back from Japan in the 60’s. Each is about 8” tall. Apparently there are several of these based on legends and histories and they are still made today.
I took this macro photo of the face and robes.
A macro photo of a figurine from Japan made in the 1960s. You can see the painted eyes and the softened reflection of a metal piece that dangles from the hair ornaments. This is a macro photo taken of the intricately woven robe of a Japanese figurine from the 1960s. Red, black, white, yellow, and gold designs.
June 2, 2025 at 6:47 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
In honor of #PrideMonth, my theme for photo/art posts will be about the elements that have shaped who I am as a gay man today.
I’ll start with the most recent and powerful event. My wedding to the man I love and have formed an amazing life with.
We love each other.
We stand together.
#lovewins
June 2, 2025 at 2:50 AM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
How about an acrylic painting? #BlueSkyArtShow theme #underneath
This is a piece I did in 2019 called “Sunset Glider.”
#acrylicpainting #sharkpainting #hammerheadshark #sunsetpainting
This painting is a multilayer acrylic. The hammerhead shark and highlights were painted onto a plastic sheet first. After that was dry, I put down a sheet of tissue paper and dampened it. I then pored liquid acrylic paint onto the paper to create the ocean and reflections of the sunset colors. Once dry, the entire piece can be peeled off of the plastic sheet. I love this technique. This painting was inspired by a picture I took at an aquarium where the sharks swim above you.
June 1, 2025 at 12:26 AM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
Under the benches at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado.
I have so many happy memories of concerts I went to as a teenager in the 80’s.
#BlueSkyArtShow #underneath #redrocks
May 31, 2025 at 3:51 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
May Travel Memories. Final entry. On a flight just out of Dallas. 2013.
Flying by a thunderstorm, I snapped a pic out the window at the clouds. I then played with some photoshop filters and settings and landed on this fun effect.
#clouds #travelphotography #maytravelmemories #dramaticsky
May 30, 2025 at 7:42 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
Kaleidoscope Fun. A macro photo of a HotWheels car turned into a kaleidoscopic photo.
#kaleidoscopicphotograph #macrophotography #hotwheels #mustang #KaleidoscopeFun
A created kaleidoscopic image from the macro photo of a toy HotWheels car. Macro photograph of a toy HotWheels car. 1970 Mustang Mach 1.
May 30, 2025 at 6:24 PM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
May Travel Memories. Somewhere between San Francisco and Point Reyes, CA. 2009
Taken while on a day trip north of San Francisco. I can’t remember exactly where we stopped. #seascapephotography #breakingwaves #travelphotography #maytravelmemories #northerncalifornia
Surf breaking on the rocks along the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Northern California.
May 27, 2025 at 12:16 AM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
May Travel Memories. Tuscany, Italy. 2001
We stayed at the villa of a friend and explored the region. This was the view of the tree lined drive way about halfway to the villa. #maytravelmemories #tuscany #italy #travelphotography #landscapephotography #wildflowers
A field of wildflowers next to a row of trees that lined the drive up to a villa in Tuscany, Italy.
May 26, 2025 at 3:09 AM
mdchesnutartist.bsky.social
May Travel Memories. Turkey 2006. This is the companion piece to yesterday’s memory. The ferry up the Bosporus takes you to where it meets the Black Sea. #maytravelmemories #seascape #bosporous #blacksea #turkey
The view from the top of a hill the faces the place where the Bosporus meets the Black Sea in Turkey. We too a ferry from Istanbul that makes its way up the strait zigzagging from the European to the Asian side. The round trip took most of the day, but I saw some amazing scenery and met a bunch of fun and friendly people who use the ferry everyday.
May 24, 2025 at 4:50 PM