Graham Nash in Athens, OH

Posted on October 21, 2024 by portfoliolongo.com

“We’re going to take a 20 minute break so I can take a pee. You try doing this at 82.”
An Intimate Evening of Songs and Stories with Graham Nash at the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium on the campus of Ohio University.

What an absolutely wonderful and energetic performance! See tour dates right here. Band members include: Todd Caldwell: Plays keyboards and sings; Shane Fontayne: Plays guitar and sings; Zak Djanikian: Plays guitar, sax, mandolin, and drums; and Adam Minkoff: Plays bass, guitar, and sometimes drums.

Image details: iPad painting in Sketch Club using an Apple Pencil and with a sharpening tweak in iColorama.

Night Time at Hidden Drive Hollow

Posted on October 1, 2024 by portfoliolongo.com

Annyth took a nighttime photo of our new place at “Hidden Drive Hollow” that I loved so much that I thought I’d sketch it out on my iPad. Why that name? Well, as you approach our place on this county road from both directions, there are yellow signs that say, “Hidden Drive.” So, Hidden Drive Hollow, all 1.83 acres of it.

I don’t want to boast, but we had a bidet installed in the primary bath.

No Idea…(but does Guzzell’s Hardware ring a bell?)

Posted on September 27, 2024 by portfoliolongo.com

a bird flying while carrying a suitcase with a Blue Eagle Guitars sticker on it

I have no idea what this image means, a bird flying while carrying a suitcase with a Blue Eagle Guitars sticker on it? But I do know this, that some people of a certain age from Canonsburg, PA would easily “get” the Blue Eagle Guitar Shop based on their experience at Guzzell’s Hardware Store. If Stanley Guzzell catered to Western Pennsylvanian musicians, his shop would be like Blue Eagle Guitars. Everybody knows places like this. They’re not neat. If it’s not there, you really didn’t need it.

Encircled by Yerba Mate

Posted on September 13, 2024 by portfoliolongo.com

Mike and Don E explaining the customs and rituals of drinking mate at the Cannabis Museum just outside Athens, OH.

Mike and Don E

Freehand iPad painting in Sketch Club.

Artwork by Joe Brumfield

John Horne, Guitarist (Athens, OH)

Posted on July 30, 2024 by portfoliolongo.com

Here’s John playing at Jackie O’s in Athens, OH. He said it was ok for me to use the photo reference from FaceBook that this quick, freehand, digital (iPad) painting is based on. Check‘em out (here and here) and in person to partner with his countless fans, colleagues, collaborators, and clients. He’s one of the big reasons why I’m so glad to be back in Athens.

John Horne – rendered on an iPad Pro in Sketch Club using an Apple Pencil

Tail End at the End of the Day

Posted on June 4, 2024 by portfoliolongo.com

Yesterday evening Annyth and I, each of us with a glass of wine, sat out on the deck of our rental listening to the birds as they sang the day to a close. I had my iPad. Before night fell and lightning bugs began appearing, this is what I could see through the deck’s railings:

tail end

Kitty Lane

Jorma & John live in Athens, OH

Posted on January 1, 2024 by portfoliolongo.com

A few weeks ago Annyth and I got to see Jorma Kaukonen and John Harlbut at the River Of Time Boutique in Uptown Athens. That was on December 16, 2023. Now that we’re back in Athens we get to see first hand cool things like this. I took a photo between songs which I used as a photo reference for this freehand iPad digital painting. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and the live music warmed our souls. Annyth bought a really cool apron there too.

This isn’t Jorma’s first appearance on this illustroblog. Check out these two other posts, one of which tells the story of my weekend at the Fur Peace Ranch back in the early 2000s when I learned at camp directly from Jorma himself that, when it comes to finger picking, the secret is in the thumb: yep, click here. See a couple of must-see links below the following image:

Check these out too:
1. Click here
2. Click here too, this is cool!.

Our Annual Christmas Letter: C

Posted on December 17, 2023 by portfoliolongo.com

Board members, senior management, and the entire staff at portfoliolongo.com met this past weekend for our annual, year-end retreat and 2023 holiday party. As usual, it was a productive, uplifting, and festive event. In addition to electing new Board officers, unveiling another parallel strategic planning initiative, and restructuring our Miscellaneous and Peripheral Affairs Division, we issued this year’s Annual Christmas Letter, “C” for Construction. We’ve been issuing Letters for 10 years!! (See previous years by clicking here.) We are pleased to celebrate our corporate relocation from Merced, California to Athens, Ohio and the construction of our new international headquarters. In accordance with our corporate values, we are committed to keeping our Annual Christmas Letters as short as possible; however, a copy of our 500-page Annual Report is in the mail, and you should be getting it before the end of December. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year from everyone here at portfoliolongo.com.

The Dairy Barn

Posted on December 15, 2023 by portfoliolongo.com

Yea, the Dairy Barn! Read all about it!

I first laid eyes on this landmark in 1979, and it never ceases to amaze and inspire me. I’m glad we’re back to visit the grounds and take part in the art and music events. There are also gorgeous, very nearby hiking trails guaranteed to please any time of the year. Ora Anderson Trail. The Ridges.

Freehand iPad painting in Sketch Club. Reference photo:

Jorma’n Tommy

Posted on December 9, 2023 by portfoliolongo.com

A freehand quick sketch based on a reference screenshot from a YouTube video (see below) featuring old friends Jorma Kaukonen and Tommy Emmanuel playing a Roy Book Binder song in 2023. See also this 2014 post of Jorma in which I refer to my own weekend at the Fur Peace Ranch back in the early 2000s.