It’s an early March morning and it’s raining outside. Inside the studio the sound of rain tapping on the frosted skylights blends with a siren on a distant Oakland street. The dusty white coffee maker is switched on and the aroma alone seems to add warmth to the chilly air. Miles Davis begins to blare on his trumpet through the paint splattered boom box in the corner. A calla lily that was picked on Cat Alley in Berkeley last night gets taped to the  wall. Pencils are sharpened and paper is chosen, and a day at the studio has begun! Welcome!