Eric Johnson said that he considers his photography series, “Shrines & Altars,” at Steynberg Gallery to be “psychic snapshots.”

Jackie Hickman’s dream studio would be a loft in New York or San Francisco.

Plants were always a part of Nick Wilkinson’s life. His father was a farmer and his mother a gardener. When he first set out on his own, he used houseplants to liven up his so-called “bachelor pad.”

When Penny Woods had back surgery for a herniated disk two years ago, her doctor told her, “No more bending.”

From a bookshelf in his studio, “Jolly” Roger Bradfield picks up a binder stuffed with printed-out e-mails— all from fans who have recently rediscovered his children’s books.

In his hilltop studio Nico Van Den Heuvel points to a blank place on his wall where his social commentary paintings hang.

Sometimes even those who live in an ideal setting need to get away from it all.

You and your spouse have called it quits. While it’s impossible to avoid the heartache that accompanies any dissolution of marriage, there are steps you can take to avert financial and emotional train wrecks along the way.

You’re exited about heading off to college. But you’re going out of state while your boyfriend is staying in town. You wonder if the two of you should call it quits or try to maintain your relationship long-distance.

‘Kevin’s a dog we normally could adopt out seven times over at the San Luis Obispo County Animal Shelter—he’s small, housebroken, quiet and likes everyone. His photo doesn’t show it, but Kevin has two expressive ears that perk right up when he sees people coming.

Selecting art to show at Morovino Winery’s Haub Gallery is a mixed pleasure for Andrea Bradford, who co-owns the business with husband David. The only problem, Bradford confesses, is she often secretly hopes something won’t sell, so she can buy it for their home.

“Hot Color, Hot Wax,” the current exhibit at the Morro Bay Art Association Gallery, combines pastels with encaustic paintings.

It’s normal for children to feel anxious sometimes. They may worry about going to summer camp or being liked by their friends. But sometimes anxiety becomes more than a nuisance. It interferes with youngsters’ ability to go to school, engage in age-appropriate activities or develop friendships.

Caity McCardell of Oceano sent me this story about the stray kitty she rescued and found a loving home for.

I recently received a letter from a reader. She wrote that her husband doesn’t love her anymore and says he hasn’t been physically attracted to her for a long time. Yet he doesn’t want to move out and lose everything they have achieved together. The writer explains they’ve tried marriage counseling in the past but her husband refuses to go again. She ends the letter by asking, “Is this what you call a marriage of convenience?”

It seems I’ve created a flap with my recent article about training chickens. In the column I suggested that reinforcing desirable behaviors was a good strategy to use with humans as well as animals.

‘Summer’s a time of change for many people. At the San Luis Obispo County Animal Shelter, this means we get more owner-surrendered dogs and cats than at any other time of the year. July and August are our most difficult months for over-crowding.

I’ve been deeply troubled by the murder of Dr. George Tiller. Whatever one’s views on abortion, killing a doctor who performs them is never an appropriate response.

David and Carrie Porter lived in China for 5-1/2 years while David worked for Ford Motor Co. When they returned to the states, they brought with them two 40-foot containers full of furniture, art and artifacts.

This year, summer brings with it mandatory water conservation for several local communities. But even where rationing isn’t compulsory, water-efficient landscaping can be good for the environment, as well as for the pocketbook.