iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

#BlueSkyArtShow Same beach, different #weather This was on a trip I took with my friend to Monterey a couple years ago.

Watercolor painting of a sunny, sparsely clouded day at the beach, looking straight out to the ocean. In the distance is a motorboat and a spit of land with buildings, including a tower with a white globe on top, that has hazy clouds behind it. Nearby is a child wearing a blue shirt and rolled up pink pants. Birds wade in the water at the edge and waves are rolling in.

Watercolor painting of a foggy day at the beach, looking along the shoreline. A man is flying a wedge-shaped yellow kite and birds are flying above the edge of the water. In the distance, the land juts out into the ocean covered in cypress trees that are dissolving into the fog. A child stands at the edge of the beach near the man, looking at the waves. The sky is mostly white with a pale grey streak through the middle.

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Reposted by Johanna Pack

Kasey Gifford @kaseygifford.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

To put this in perspective chestnut trees used to be dominant species in the United States. Billions of trees were killed by fungal blight and now fully grown America chestnuts are functionally extinct. There is no getting them back. Ever. All for a data center. www.gadgetreview.com/one-of-ameri...

gadgetreview.com

One of America’s Last Chestnut Groves Is About to Be Destroyed for a Data Center

A rare 200-tree American chestnut grove in West Virginia may be cleared for data-center development, but the project denies the site is on its land.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

This is one I painted when I was trying to get back into painting post-baby. I went to a local park to paint whatever I found. It's a beautiful thing that parks are available for free to everyone. #BlueSkyArtShow #3rdPlace

Watercolor painting of a park. A tree with red leaves twists up from the center. To the left is an artificial pond lined with square grey stones. On the right are some geese, and farther away a man sitting on a bench with a stroller beside him.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

This was an entry into the Trekell Pet Portrait competition a few years ago. It's my cat in the style of a double-exposure school portrait. The main picture photo reference had some fairy lights in the background that I decided to keep. #BlueSkyArtShow #Lights

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Just looked at a Guardian article and apparently he was specifically referring to candidates who were victims of human trafficking in the scenario. The same policy excludes anyone who has engaged in prostitution, which honestly feels like a really weird conflation of moral values.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Truly this is the weirdest timeline.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Sorry, it was actually a pomegranate.

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Reposted by Johanna Pack

Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Sharing from Internet Archive: “Much of BET’s digital journalism is no longer available on the web Internet Archive has preserved more than 199,000 BET articles over the years. They can now be accessed through the Wayback Machine & a new pilot explorer: wayback-labs.sf.archive.org/bet-explorer/

wayback-labs.sf.archive.org

BET.com Article Explorer

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

The saddest part is that a human who makes mediocre art can, if inclined, use the experience to grow and do better next time. The AI is incapable of that.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

I'm probably more of a maximalist, but here's a painting I made of a mussel shell using paper i had already set up with a colorful background. I really love the way I got the inside of the shell to look iridescent like the actual shell did. #BlueSkyArtShow #Minimal

Watercolor painting of half of a mussel shell over the top of splashes of paint. The iridescent part of the shell shows the splashes behind it. The paint splashes are in two layers, a washed out pink/yellow layer and a more intense deep yellow and blue layer.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Here's a painting I did of California wetlands in March. There was so much going on, it was hard to capture.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

This is a portion of a mural I designed for the local elementary school. Some silhouettes are of children I know. #BlueSkyArtShow #Water Each year, the students paint more stones to add to the river of rocks in the garden.

Part of a mural featuring dark blue silhouettes of children playing, yellow 5-point stars in varying sizes, and bright green hills against a bright blue sky. From a window in the wall, a painted river flows down to the ground, leading to a river of rounded rocks, many of them painted.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

This is an artichoke bloom I did for the annual Chalk It Up festival in Sacramento a few years ago. It was an extremely hot weekend, and I worked mainly at night. Here you can see the feet of one of the attendees for scale. #BlueSkyArtShow #Big

A chalk drawing of an artichoke in bloom on a sidewalk divided into 3 sections by 3 sections. The upper right corner is slanted, a a pair of sandaled feet is visible, with each sidewalk segment being approximately 3 human feet to a side. The petals are green and red, with blue center stamens. The background is colored yellow-orange.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Carbon dust is a fantastic technique and finding someone who knows how to do it is not common anymore. It's the technique I used to draw this feline skull. To be fair, I had access to harder pencils than are made today, since the teacher allowed us to use his supplies.

Monochrome image if a skull from a small wild North American feline facing left.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

This was painted en plein air at the Merced National Wildlife Refuge. The water was like #Glass and I couldn't capture even a fraction of the birds there. The murmurations were more like rumblings. #BlueSkyArtShow

Watercolor painting of a marshmallow with various grasses and open, shallow water with small grass islands. There are 2 types of birds standing in the water, one flying low. In the distance are two flocks of birds flying near the horizon. The water reflects everything around it.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

This experiment with metallic watercolor that I made when I first bought them is a good fit for the theme #Glass for #BlueSkyArtShow

Painted on black paper, 2 silver pillars flank a wide stained glass double door. The doors have an intersecting geometric design. On each side are 3 narrow columns of long glass rectangles arranged like vertical bricks. On top is a half circle of glass shaped like 3 sets of stone blocks. The light from the doorway extends towards the foreground. The floor, walls, and ceiling have a light wash of silver to enhance the darkness of the far wall and the shadow of the two pillars.

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Reposted by Johanna Pack

Rep. Dr. Jasmine Clark @jasmineclarkforga.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

A quick update on the Cyclospora outbreak.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

I forgot that I had followed this topic, but I do love #SciArt Here are some flowers painted on black watercolor paper, Wild Radish (Raphanus Sativus), Hartweg's Iris (Iris Hartwegii), and Ithuriel's Spear (Triteleia Laxa). Ithuriel's Spear is also called Grassnut due to the edible tuber.

Wild radish stem with some purple and white 4-petal flowers blooming, some buds. Each flower has a cluster of deep yellow center bits.

Hartweg's Iris shown from the top, with wavy green non-scientific lines around the edge. White flower with three major petals and three minor petals, all long with fluttering edges towards the ends. The major petals have red veins on the petals and yellow stamens lifting up from the center.

Ithuriel's Spear, each pale violet flower has a separate stem radiating out from the center stalk. Each flower has six petals that end in a point and have a darker stripe down the center. 15 flowers ranging from fully closed to fully open.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

#BlueSkyArtShow A field of sunflowers, #Growing at M3 Ranches in Winters, California. This was my plein air painting from the June 2026 Art and Ag event. It's on display at Anchor and Tree Coffee in Sacramento, California for the next few weeks.

Watercolor painting of the edge of a field of sunflowers blooming under a cloudless sky. The flowers and foliage are slightly abstract and painted with intensified, layered colors. A row of smaller sunflowers sits at about 60 percent from the left side. In the distance are hills covered in dry grass and oak trees, plus a couple of telephone poles. The sky fills about half of the image.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

I firmly believe that anyone can become better at art with practice and instruction. If you enjoy doing it, it's worth the time! On the other hand, I enjoy listening to music and singing along, but have no real interest in figuring out how to make it.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Insurers are concerned with behavior that may cost money, regardless of legality (though illegal behavior does tend to cost a lot if caught). Maybe they have high-risk insurance and are paying enough that the insurer feels it's worth it, who knows.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

This #wide mural was designed by my friend My-Lien Olssen for the Tahoe Elementary Art Lab. It featured Wayne Thiebaud, the Great Wave Off Kanagawa, Max Sansing, Yayoi Kusama, Frieda Kahlo and Diego Rivera, Faith Ringold, and two others that I can't remember. I did three faces. #BlueSkyArtShow

Mural featuring "photos" of famous artists arranged along a wall with a deep blue background. Some famous artworks exist between the background and photos.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Finally remembered, it was called a stereoscopic microscope, because you could look with both eyes.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

This is a drawing of a Diptera Dolichopidae that I made in college years ago using a microscope. This was a long time ago, but i don't think it was more than 5mm long. #BlueSkyArtShow #Macro Apparently this family of flies has around 8000 species, and I have absolutely no idea which one it is.

A drawing in pen and colored pencil of a fly from the side. The fly has an iridescent blue-green carapace, red eyes, small black fuzzy antennae, and yellow legs.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

I missed a few weeks of #BlueSkyArtShow, but here's my just-finished and currently unnamed painting, which certainly fulfilled the #Curve category this week. I would love suggestions, since naming is my least favorite part.

Abstract watercolor painting with the primary motion from the bottom left, curving upwards and over to the upper right. At the lower left source, dark purple and pink curving lines dominate, gradually leading into orange and then yellow as the design fans out. There are several orange and yellow shapes that are wider, more like leaves, but shorter than the pink lines, which take up the center. At the source, the background is granulated with an orange, pink, and blue wash, which fades to white as the design progresses, except for a few splashes where the line colors have been allowed to bleed into the paper.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

No, it's a path where they can't walk next to each other with that many people, so one person ends up trailing behind, unable to hear half the conversation, and feeling very superfluous.

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Reposted by Johanna Pack

Ida B Wells' Winchester Rifle @dytsras.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Today is Ona Judge Day. While the United States gears up for its 250th celebration, which inevitably includes the likes of George Washington, Ona Judge made her escape on May 21, 1796. The Washington household attempted her capture several times, but she was never caught. Forever free

In 1796, Ona Judge escaped enslavement from George Washington's household. Despite two determined attempts but the president to forcibly recapture her, she evaded capture each time and spent the rest of her life impoverished - yet free

A marker for THE ESCAPE OF ONA JUDGE

Judge (c.1773-1848) was brought to Philadelphia in 1790 as ths enslaved house servant of First Lady Martha Washington. She escaped from the President's House on May 21, 1796 to New Hampshire with the assistance of the city's African American community. President Washington's attempts to recapture her were unsuccessful, as he met resistance from federal officials who would not comply with the Fugitive Slave Act. Judge lived as a free woman for the rest of her life.

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Reposted by Johanna Pack

Lar deSouza @lartist.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Cartoon: Welcome culture lovers! I give you the Chaucer Horror Picture Show! There's a higher res version for viewing on my Patreon or you can prints etc in my Redbubble (links in bio). Enjoy!

cartoon: a Middle English style manuscript page illustrating a verse of "Swete Transvestite"
The upper half shows Frank while Brad cradles a fainted Janet.
The lower half shows Columbia, Riff Raff and Magenta.
The right border is the castle with an unconvetional conventioneer in the window and doorway.
The lower left has a dragon gargoyle from the mansion.

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Reposted by Johanna Pack

Rob Burton @trebornotrub.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

The Kids are gonna be alright - Punk still rules and they are dissing A.I. Check them out on Facebook - Knights of Molino Or their website: knightsofmolino.com SF Bay Area punk band. Erik on guitar/vocals, Rowan on bass, and Tommy on drums/vocals #Music #Punk #LiveMusic

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

It always feels a little surprising when a long slow process still doesn't prepare you for your feelings.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

This #morning my mother in law passed away. I hope she would have liked this painting of the Foresthill Bridge at sunrise. #BlueSkyArtShow

Shallow river between scrubland hills. In the distance is a bridge running across the scene higher than the surrounding landscape. The foreground is in shadow, while the morning sun hits the top of the distant hills, clouds, and bridge supports.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

This is my cat from a few years ago. I painted her for the annual Trekell pet portrait contest and was going for the double-exposure school portrait effect. I think the background really detracted from the image. Should have gone with the lasers. #BlueSkyArtShow #Soft

A pale tortiseshell cat seated facing left and looking back over her shoulder. On the upper right is a smaller image of her face from another angle. Around the cats, the background is mottled blue swirls, with a line of blurry colored lights towards the top.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

I'm extremely interested in alternative voting options and ways to make things better. There are lots of problems, candidate selection among them, and yes, presidential elections are not actually decided by voters. I will watch, but it's not pointless to vote (mainly at local and state levels).

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Voting can work when used as one tool among several. It just can't be the ONLY tool. Don't dissuade people from using it. Every problem is not a nail, but a hammer is still useful for those that are.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

He is best known as the lead guitarist, keyboardist, and backing vocalist of the rock band U2.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

#BlueSkyArtShow #Openings This is one of the archways leading to the McKinley Rose Garden in Sacramento, CA. Painted on a watercolor postcard.

On a bright, sunny day, the image centers on a black metal arch with 4 posts and decorative bars between two arched upper poles in the front and back. On the left, a rose bush is growing up the poles. Rose bushes are arranged in rows around a central palm tree, with yellow, white, pink, and red blooms. Trees surround the garden and cast shadows on the grass in the foreground. The walkways are grass and low hedges are planted around the edge.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

#BlueSkyArtShow #Background In this painting, I was trying to shift which aspect was the background versus the foreground.

Watercolor and ink painting with swirling, wavy lines. More pastel watercolor is visible at the top, with narrow black lines. At the bottom, the ink is more filled in with gaps to show the watercolor. Accented with gold watercolor.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

I guess it depends on whether they mean income tax or sales tax, or property tax. I'd be willing to bet that with the first two categories, many lower income families with kids pay more than the highest earners. And to be fair, renters are where the income to pay most property tax comes from.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

For today's #BlueSkyArtShow #Stone theme, I'm sharing this watercolor painting of the Folsom Rainbow Bridge from Black Miners Bar. I was conflicted about the flag, but I decided it should also apply to those of us who actually want liberty and justice for all.

A placid river with large rocks and a metal bridge across it. There are two people sitting on the rocks and a goose swimming near the shore. A large American flag hangs vertically from the upper supports of the bridge.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 07/03/2026

This painting is called Molten Wings. It's part of a series I called Flow, which seems right for this week's #BlueSkyArtShow #Flowing theme

Abstract watercolor painting with rounded red shapes which blend into yellow at the center intermingled with teal ribbons on a white background. In between are lines of tiny dots of the same colors

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

What's weird is that I'm pretty sure that same floatie is in the painting I just finished.

Three young girls stand ankle deep in a calm river at dusk towards the right. Ripples fan out from them. The near shore is muddy, but the far side is covered in reeds. A yellow pool donut with blue and red accents rests at the edge with two boogie boards and a log. Next to the log is a pair of shoes. In the reeds across the river, a heron is watching.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

#BlueSkyArtShow #Round I found this piece again recently when I was looking for something else and realized that I hadn't taken a photo of it. It was a stylized self portrait from 20+ years ago.

Woman sitting in a white bubble against the left side, surrounded by darkness. She's wearing a blue dress with a skirt that has far too much fabric to be real. It folds around, and where it's possible to see the inside at the hem, it's green. She has straight hair that fans out to the right. Her hair and dress mostly fill the bubble.

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Johanna Pack @johannapack.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Those are camellias, a very beautiful flower that looks similar to a rose. The colors can range from white to deep red, and they do not have thorns.

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