Three Ravens Press

In the studio: Lena vs. Brontosaurus

2012-01-21T17:17:00.002-07:00

So, the air plant & dinosaur holder were a birthday gift (and so awesome). My kitty took it as a challenge, but at least it got her off my paints. Happy weekend!***No plastic dinosaurs or epiphytes were harmed in the filming of this.

Flight of the whooping crane

2012-01-04T15:32:00.000-07:00

Just nice to start out 2012 with a fresh, clean banner at the top of my blog. I've got so many unfocused pictures of whooping cranes and other waterbirds from our Christmas outing. They may not be great for sharing, but they're excellent sketching material.

Whooping Crane Christmas

2011-12-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

This year my mother had an inspired idea to deal with the slow time between the morning gift exchange and Christmas dinner: a whooping crane tour. We bundled up and drove out to Rockport, Texas, and despite some initial hesitation when we learned we'd be on the boat for 3+ hours (the wind made it nose-freezingly-brisk, and my 14-month old nephew was with us), we boarded the Skimmer and headed out into the gray day. It was amazing. Our guide, Captain Jay, was genuinely excited about pointing out birds and sharing information, not just for the cranes, but for a peregrine falcon, a 37-year-old kite (a regular), and so many others. As for the whooping cranes, they're beautiful. And endangered. It's so strange to think that only 400 or so exist in the wild, and the majority of those winter half an hour from where I grew up. We saw two family groups (mother, father, juvenile), and a couple of adult groups. The shot above was one of the last of the day, when the sun finally broke through the clouds.Above: group of three adults, who did everything in syncAbove: this couple was the closest the boat got to observe, and one is banded and wearing some sort of transmitter. I also love that the other has an orange eye, instead of the normal golden.The mother and juvenile are part of the same family unit as the bird on the left in the photo above; he's the male, chasing off some interlopers.More of the same family group. Apparently the drought raised the salinity of the water, which in turn affected the cranes' main food source: blue crabs. Instead, the birds are having to spend much more time foraging for food with less protein. I have many photos of birds with their heads in the grass.And there are lots of other non-crane bird shots, but I'll save that for the next post.

My cat's nemesis

2011-11-28T08:34:00.001-07:00

You may think my cat looks like the tough one, all pirate-eyed in the morning light; but, in fact, this black and white, ink-lipped kitty has got several pounds on her and a lot more territorial prowess. In the past month, I've had to break up several fights/chases, always with B&W chasing my Lena. The 'bad kitty's markings are great, though, and more fun to paint than all-black. Don't tell Lena!My cat is the bossy one inside the house, regardless of size. Poor 80-lb Lloyd!

Winter fruit

2011-11-27T10:28:00.001-07:00

The jewel tones of winter citrus and persimmons and pomegranates always make me want to break out my paints. I've been going back in my watercolor sketches with pencil to add some darks; still working that out. I actually like the photograph of the persimmon better than the scan because it shows those different textures. The etrog is something I've never seen or bought before, but the description at the grocery mentioned that it was used in a Jewish holiday and could perfume a room for weeks...very intriguing. It smells like citrus meets rose.

A cloudy landscape

2011-11-16T17:50:00.001-07:00

A watercolor sketch from this afternoon and another "painting" project this week, one of the furniture sealant variety (two more coats to go!). Funny how they've both got the same colors.

Heirloom beans

2011-11-09T17:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, another watercolor sketch for my goal this month (painting a day for the rest of November). Soaked heirloom beans (these were for veggie chili) just lend themselves to watercolor, so many beautiful shades...

Back in the studio with watercolor

2011-11-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

Just getting the feel for painting again after a hiatus. The dill and radish were leftover from today's lunch. Quinacridone Rose, which I almost never use, went into both the rose and radish sketches.

A morning of sketching at Barton Springs

2011-08-30T16:08:00.003-06:00

Met up with some fellow illustrators to sketch today at the amazing Barton Springs pool (so cold and refreshing!). Threw together the above scrappy-looking sketchbook this morning. Below is a close-up of some pool folks.

This couple had semi-matching tattoos, but left before I was able to catch the design on paper.

A friend's daughter sketching away (she drew an awesome red peacock)

This guy had the best madras shorts and red hair, but I'd already packed up my watercolors.

How to avoid a mind melt: Q&A with Audrey Lopata

2011-08-25T16:11:00.013-06:00

It's with great excitement that I return to this blog after a summer hiatus to share a recent interview with illustrator Audrey Lopata. I met Audrey a year and a half ago at a local SCBWI conference and was immediately impressed by her personal style (she was sporting an uber-cool layering of woven garments and illustrated galoshes!). And this interest in textiles and layering is woven right into her art, along with some amazing linework and sense of fairy tale. Not to mention that she's equally comfortable creating her characters on paper or with fabric. You can check out her work on her site and blog. So, without further rambling on my part, here is Audrey in her own words (and images):

1. How would you describe your illustration style in one sentence?

Whimsical children’s book style art…I think that’s a fragment….

2. Where did you go to art school and what was the most important thing you learned there with respect to your illustration career?

I got my Illustration degree from Northern Illinois University. And I’m sure this isn’t what you meant, but I feel like pointing out that it wasn’t an “art school” per say, just a plain ol’ state school. It was an important distinction for me when I was picking out where to attend college. I wanted to go somewhere that had a good illustration program, but also somewhere that I could take some other subjects as well. I loved studying anthropology, linguistics, film, astronomy, and racket ball. I also learned how to be less antisocial, which was actually good for my art as well. I love to draw people, and it seems much easier to be inspired by people and their stories when I could actually talk to them. As far as my illustration career, I probably learned something but it didn’t seem so much about “career” in those days as just a crazy passion for drawing and trying to do my best and actually get good grades.

3. What do you feel is the most important thing you've learned actually working as an artist/illustrator?

As you might have guessed from my last answer and the “not really thinking about my career in those days” the transition from college to the real world was a bit of a doozy. I had to learn, and am still learning all sorts of things about business and scheduling and actually making money.
Then at the end of the day I’m learning to still love the art and the craft of it all in spite of how annoying and time consuming the technicalities can be. Always remember why you loved art in the first place, and why you still care now. I may have learned that from the movie “Kiki’s delivery service,” but it feels extra true today so I’ll claim it as my post college lessonJ.

4. What does a typical day in the studio look like for you?

I normally start off with some business investigation on the computer: reading my e-mail, checking my etsy account, filling out a form for an art festival etc. Then I get organized with whatever my current project is, gather my supplies and get started. If I'm working on something a bit more "mindless" like inking in pencil drawings, I'll listen to an audio book. This helps my mind not melt from boredom, and keeps me in touch with children's literature. I actually gone through a crazy amount of books this way, so I'm always scouring the libraries for a new one :)
Just in case you're looking for a recommendation some of my recent favorites have been:
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Gideon Trilogy by Linda Buckley
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

5. Who would you most love to work with (publisher/AD/artist)?

I feel like this answer may be cheating, but I'd say Pixar! I'm a storyteller at heart, and that tends to lend itself to book illustration, but I think I'd also enjoy concept art or storyboarding for a company as absolutely brilliant as Pixar.

6. What children's book character would you most want to have over for tea (or other beverage of choice)?

Tough choice! I think this may be cheating again, but I’m going to have to say one of the Harry Potter characters, though *SPOILER ALERT* I’d want to meet them when they’re older, in the epilogue of book 7. I love the idea that they went through the whole adventure and then went on to have happy, vaguely normal, lives where they all stayed friends. I’d probably choose to meet with Hermione since she seems like she’s actually enjoy a tea time, and I get the idea that even when she was living out her “normal life” she was doing epic things and learning a lot about her world and how to change it for the best. She just seems like that type of character.

7. If you had to choose a theme song to accompany your work, what would it be?

Only one? I really love musicals, and so I like to imagine my work and life with all kinds of different songs. Though recently, since I'm in the middle of a move, and I've got a couple new projects going, ”The start of something new" from High School Musical might be my song. I know, it's so cheesy, but I can't help but love it!

Okay, now I am totally adding some audiobooks to my library list. And for the rest of the round robin interviews, check out Audrey's Q&A with illustrator Dallion McGregor here. And Dallion's interview with Ellen Murray. Ellen's interview with Marsha Riti. And Marsha's chat with Tiffanny Varga.

A quick sketch

2011-06-29T16:36:00.003-06:00

Trying to get back in the swing of painting again, and here's a warm-up based on a photo above my desk (Butchart Gardens in Victoria). Ah, to be walking through an autumnal garden...but I'd just be just as happy weather-wise to be here.

I may like the color orange

2011-06-21T15:33:00.002-06:00

I have been such a neglectful blogger these past couple of months as my life has been taken over by house stuff, but now things have slowed down to a manageable level. Which means I have time to take photos and blog and draw and read my rss feed. I'm easing back into it with some photos of orange items in my house and yard, inspired by a grapefruit-scented candle I bought for the house (currently on the market). Next up: back to my studio and paintbrushes.

Apes and Monkeys

2011-05-23T09:00:00.001-06:00

More SA Zoo stuff. Top: fast-moving white cheeked gibbons don't keep still for sketches; Lower: White-faced sakis (only males have white sideburns). The zoo greeter stopped by while we were sketching to tell us the difference between apes and monkeys: tails.

A sketch day at the zoo

2011-05-21T20:07:00.004-06:00

Had a lovely little illustrator field trip to the San Antonio Zoo on Wednesday.

A different painting medium

2011-04-06T15:41:00.002-06:00

So, this is what I would love to be painting, with watercolors.

But in getting the house ready to sell, I'm working in latex housepaint instead, with an eggshell sheen. It's definitely satisfying to see the end result, but my illustration and blogging life are on hold for the next couple of weeks.

Before (the only dark color in the house):

The scary middle bit:

After:

Coffee Monkeys

2011-03-29T13:55:00.002-06:00

A quick sketch from last night. These guys showed up in my sketchbook once before a few years ago for the IF prompt 'buzz'.

A new banner for spring

2011-03-13T11:58:00.003-06:00

Wanted to update my blog to reflect the season, and the fact that blooming trees are everywhere in Austin right now. I love the clouds of pink-ish purple that engulf the redbuds before they leaf out.

Definitely lost a lot of the detail in shrinking it down, but hopefully it still reads okay. Usually I work a lot closer to true size for something like this. Rascally squirrel!

Picked the first freesia yesterday from bulbs I planted last fall, and it smells amazing! Ooh, I love me some spring!

Zilker Park Kite Festival

2011-03-07T06:13:00.003-07:00

Just a perfect day...rode bikes down to the kite festival where it was blazingly gorgeous (cool in the shade, warm in the sun). Tried to draw some kids, but they were all hopped up on popsicles and joy; so I only captured a handful of half sketches of faces and gestures. Much easier to draw lazy adults.

Lots of tutus and sneakers, which makes me wish I were 6 again because I'd be all over that trend.

Some of the kids were glam with face paint. I love this girl's commitment to cat power, from her leopard print cuffs and Uggs to her pink tiger mask.

My dog's long lost twin! Or should I say dogppelganger...

Thoughts on the Austin SCBWI conference

2011-03-01T08:46:00.004-07:00

A little over a week has passed since the Austin SCBWI conference, enough time for me to mull it all over, and I'd like to share a few thoughts. First off, a shout-out to my friend and conference buddy, Marsha Riti, who won the top prize for her portfolio. She is one of the most talented and hard-working illustrators I know, with a style that's fresh while it has the warmth and charm of vintage children's books. And you can read about her take on the conference here. Congratulations again, Marsha!

Okay, my highlights from the conference:

Friday night, after some socializing, we gathered for some book readings. My favorite was Carolyn Coman's performance of her story The Memory Bank, accompanied by wonderful rough drawings that brought this alternate world to life.

Saturday morning, Arthur Levine and Julian Hector discussed the author/illustrator relationship for Monday is One Day. Since they had only met in person the night before, there were discoveries made LIVE, right on stage. Kind of exciting and made for some funny banter. And, despite Levine being such a huge name in the industry as an editor, he was as heartwarmed as any first-time author upon seeing his work in print. Plus, it seems like he went out of his way not to have on his editor's hat in this process. Julian Hector showed his sketches and the transition of the book from the dreamy story of one father and son to the story of several diverse family groups.

David Diaz (he of the Caldecott for Smoky Night) presented a series of handmade books he has made over the years as promos. In this age of quick email links and easily ordered postcards, making something "precious" that an Art Director won't be able to bring him or herself to throw away is genius. Diaz' books are handbound collections of his xeroxed illustrations, found paper, lines of text, and whatever else might work and be cost-efficient; but they are visually and texturally appealing gems. So, do make something handmade or unique in your style that catches the eye of an AD; don't forget that this is marketing, so find ways to keep the cost in your budget.

Saturday afternoon, Julian Hector spent an hour showing his drawings and projects to a small but packed room of illustrators. Some were children's book related, like the behind-the-scenes on a book that's currently in progress. Interesting to see editor and fact checker notes on visual consistency and the like. He also showed us some of his grown-up work, insect and rodent characters not too unlike his children's characters, but less sweet (the bugs are definitely less huggable). And the story lines have a good dose of dark humor (think Gorey). It was quite a treat for us to look into the sketchbooks of such a talented and productive illustrator!

The SCBWI organizers did a great job on the conference, and St. Edward's University was a pretty awesome venue. Thanks!

Now, what I took away from the conference. I have been to my fair share of SCBWI conferences since I started trying my hand at illustration in 2006: a couple of local ones, a couple of LA summer ones, and a couple of winter NYC ones. I've been asked before if the cost is worth it for an illustrator, especially for the national conferences. And it all depends on what you expect to get out of the experience. If you expect to walk away recognized by all the big guns for your work, illustration contract in hand, well, the chances aren't so great for that (a gal can still dream...). But if you want to be inspired by the work of colleagues and by industry leaders, if you want to learn valuable information on the business of children's book illustration (understanding this is crucial to success), if you want feedback on your work, then these conferences are gold. And it can take a few to really absorb it all.

Now I feel like I have gotten a good feel for the industry and some positive feedback on my work. So, my post-conference focus is marketing: website, postcards, handmade something-or-others. Because sometimes you just have to be proactive and go after the work you want.

Things I'm into right now: Sriracha

2011-02-28T15:26:00.003-07:00

I'm not sure why, but a week ago I started adding sriracha, the vinegar-y hot sauce, to almost everything. Homemade vegetable soup and a ham & cheese brioche from Upper Crust Bakery (actual proportion compared to hot sauce) are just two things that have gotten this special treatment lately. Not shown: mac & cheese, panko-crusted salmon filet (this recipe), bean/potato/avocado breakfast taco.

Parallel pets

2011-02-28T07:43:00.003-07:00

So, my cat and dog seem so in tune here, always looking in the same direction. And united in taking up the entire bed in the guest room (guests: I promise these are not the sheets I use for you). But here's the truth:

My cat is a tiny vampire, and if my dog looks directly at her, this is what happens. She goes for the jugular or the achilles tendon while he looks at me with sad eyes. Pretty much everyday.

Miss Lena caught mid-yawn.

Like candy for artists

2011-02-24T13:45:00.003-07:00

Testing out my new paints today, unwrapping each little half pan like a gift. And creating a color key is both helpful and satisfying. You can see how much smaller this set is compared to my regular palette for the studio. Below, some wild horses I discovered yesterday behind Cheapo Discs.

Back in the studio after a conference

2011-02-22T15:55:00.004-07:00

The trick after a conference (the Austin SCBWI conference was this past Friday & Saturday) is to turn all that info and inspiration into illustration momentum. This time for me, that really means updating my website. I've let it get way out of date, overthinking the big picture. And maybe depending a little too much on this blog and flickr to show more recent work.

But it's hard to stay in front of my computer when these recent acquisitions are calling my name: art books (the one on Japanese textiles just came in today), high quality watercolor paints in a travel-friendly format (these have been on my wishlist for years), and some Moo minicards I got printed for the conference (okay, these aren't studio tools, but cards this size are fun to look at). And below, my "assistant" demonstrates how appealing a new pencil can be (this one was loaned to me by the uber-talented Clint Young).

Still sifting through my post-conference thoughts, but I hope to write more on that soon.

Five years of blogging and a dog sweater

2011-02-17T13:55:00.003-07:00

I started this blog five years ago (on the 17th) with an Illustration Friday post on the topic 'song'. Here's an illustration of my cat and dog I started last week for the IF topic 'sweater'. Between the two posts, there has been a lot of sketching and painting and learning (in fact, with this illo, I learned that you can't color in a solid black with a 3b pencil on watercolor paper). I'm thankful for all the supportive blog comments over the years from the IF community, from SCBWI friends, and from people just stopping by.

And to celebrate, here's a little something sweet I created recently for an invitation.

Silver and snow

2011-02-04T11:42:00.002-07:00

Took a wax casting workshop the weekend before last (here), and this little guy was the result. Other than a few days in a high school art class, this was the only time I've tried making jewelry. Lesson: your first piece will be much chunkier and heavy-handed than you envision. That was true for everyone in the class. But carving the wax and shaping the metal was really fun and physically intense (all that time hunched over with dental tools and buffing wheels and such).

Just a few images from this snowy morning. Most of it has melted in the sun, AND the temperature has gotten above freezing for the first time since Monday night...almost feels like summer.

Sketchbook Project: Done!

2011-01-18T17:21:00.004-07:00

Mailed off my sketchbook to Brooklyn this afternoon, and I must say that it was tough to let go of. I started off not liking a lot of my pages, but by the end, I had gotten kind of attached to the images. The above four spreads are some of my favorites. I used the Face in the Crowd theme loosely, mostly for inspiration when I got stuck in my stream-of-sketchiness.

Well, if I can keep up the consistent sketching in my very own notebooks, then it'll be a gain for me. Plus, it has been so much fun to participate in the Sketchbook Project along with so many people.

Still sketching away

2011-01-13T19:47:00.003-07:00

So, I've been checking out some of the other sketchbook project entries by folks, and I'm impressed. It looks like a lot of people really planned out their narrative. By contrast, mine actually is looking a lot like my other sketchbooks: unplanned, spur of the moment, mixed media, combo of sketching from photos and doodling, some missteps. Guess it's good that variety is the spice of life! Onward through the...blank pages.

More pages for Sketchbook Project

2011-01-11T17:55:00.002-07:00

Still figuring out what media works with these thin pages. The JCrew catalog is in shreds for the collage bits (like the top right cardinal). Wish I could use my watercolor paint more, but it's fun to get outside your comfort zone, right?

Sketchbook Project: Countdown

2011-01-10T20:50:00.003-07:00

So, I've still got a lot of pages to go, and the sketchbook has to be postmarked by Saturday and sent off to Art House Co-op. Also, I'm lukewarm on the 'Face in a Crowd' theme at the moment, but apparently I'm really into dots...who knew?

Pulp

2011-01-03T21:55:00.005-07:00

Did this in December for a friend's birthday, a friend who's a big fan of the band Pulp and Jarvis Cocker, Brit pop, and chickens. The rest would just take too long to explain.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

2011-01-02T19:36:00.005-07:00

On this morning's walk at Shoal Creek, I saw two tiny, flitty olive-colored birds with bright patches of red on the back of their heads, like someone had touched them with a paint-covered finger. Turns out that they were ruby-crowned kinglets, and that the red is only apparent when the males are excited. I'm not sure what had them worked up (territory?), but it brightened up my morning.

Another winter fruit

2010-12-19T05:57:00.004-07:00

Pomegranate in prepared food is delicious, but it has always been something I've stayed away from at the grocery. They're so big and leathery and slightly intimidating; the color is gorgeous, though. Then a few weeks ago, Whole Foods had just the seeds in the cut fruit section. I ended up throwing them in anything I could think of, mostly on top greek yogurt and granola or on a green salad with toasted walnuts and vinaigrette. So good.

The first time I tackled the actual fruit, everything on the counter ended up covered in splashes of deep crimson. Not ideal. Then my mother pointed me in the direction of this tip. So much faster and no juice spray. Plus, no mark-up of buying fruit in the pre-cut section (I always feel like I'm cheating if I do that). Cheers to seasonal fruit!

On an art note, I'm kind of into mixing a 6b pencil in with the watercolor lately. It blends in better than my usual nib & ink but still adds some dark value/depth that it's tough to achieve with certain watercolor shades.

Satsumas from my mother's garden

2010-12-17T14:33:00.003-07:00

These still life "props" have been sitting on my desk all week, and now I can finally eat them. A little south Texas vitamin C to combat this cold and sniffles.

Candy-colored things this morning

2010-12-11T13:24:00.002-07:00

Picked some Easter Egg radishes from the garden and received an envelope with all these things from Candy Store Collective. LOVE their packaging.

Puffy models

2010-12-08T14:22:00.003-07:00

So, I went to the trails near my neighborhood to photograph mockingbirds for a project (I just walk my dog near the area where they nest, sit on a bench with my camera, and wait for them to fly in close to examine me). I got a few shots before my battery died; but when I looked at them on the computer, I saw that they were not going to work. It was about mid-forties outside, and the birds are all puffed out for warmth, without the sleek profile that makes them recognizable. But sort of cuddly. Guess I'll go back when we have a warm, sunny morning. Below are some meadowlarks that were a couple of trees over.

Feels good to have an organized studio

2010-12-06T13:35:00.004-07:00

So, I still have some unfiled stacks of papers and reference materials on the tables, but it's a working level of stuff. Recently, my studio clutter hit a critical mass that was stopping me from getting any creative work done. Over the past week, I've been clearing out unused materials from my studio (and the rest of the house), and after several Goodwill visits, full trashbags and recycling bins, and a shifting of paper to a second IKEA white chest of drawers, things are much more organized. Feels so good to just sit down and work without having to clear a spot! So back to work. Later: hanging art.

Tis the season...for a banner change

2010-12-05T16:07:00.002-07:00

Feeling like Christmas is fast approaching, with a chill in the air, lights on the houses...might be time to get a little tree.

East Austin Studio Tour 2010

2010-11-13T13:23:00.003-07:00

Yep, it's that time of year again, our chance to wander through artists' homes and studios, gaze at their work, talk art over chips and hot cider (depending on the venue), and explore new blocks of East Austin. 150 studio stops, many more artists, many, many more pieces of art; all going on this and next weekend. Good stuff.

Red Bluff is one of my favorite blocks of Austin, with semi-secret views of Town Lake. Our first three stops were on this street: a recording studio that used to be an artist's studio with amazing natural light; The Barn, with several artists, including this cut wood sculpture; Dragonfly House has an amazing water view from the back garden.

ARTPOST is a collection of studios. My favorites were the big oxidized metal sculptures and a silver-leafed large metal tree sculpture (unfortunately I don't know the names of the artists). Also, we stopped in one of the studio spaces and I was happy to discover it belonged to Katy Horan, though she was not in at the time. I have one of her prints from Tiny Showcase and had no idea that she lived in Austin.

Fisterra Studio and Caroline Wright are two house/studio combos that are really beautiful, fun places to visit. Both display the work of the owner and a couple other artists, and I've really been drawn to Wright's work since I saw it on the tour a couple of years ago. And I love her studio with that giant easel on casters. These photos don't do justice to the enviable decor of either place, so add them your list if you're in Austin.

And on a non-art East side note, there's a new-to-me food trailer lot on E 6th a couple blocks from I-35 which has awesomely decorated/themed trailers and menus.

For more ideas, the Austinist recommendations. And the official E.A.S.T. site. More photos here.

Fall foliage

2010-11-12T13:58:00.002-07:00

The flame sumacs and crepe myrtles at the park near my house are gorgeous shades of red right now.

I've had garden soil under my nails everyday this week, planting freesia bulbs, winter greens, and wildflowers; but I haven't had watercolor or charcoal on my hands for days. Guess the upside is that there's a limited window to plant seeds or admire the color change of leaves; not so with making art. I've got a garden related project I'll post soon as a "make-up" for all the sketching I haven't been doing this week...

Subtle Signs of Fall in Austin

2010-11-09T10:08:00.005-07:00

These are from this morning's walk. October actually felt more autumnal, but now that the orange pumpkins are gone and the weather's warming up again, you've got to search a little for fall color. The flame leaf sumacs (fourth photo) are the only real burst of red so far, but I love the electric purple of the American beautyberry (second photo).

More November sketching

2010-11-08T06:58:00.002-07:00

Working on a project involving mockingbirds, and I'm just getting to know them a little. Most of these guys are from photo reference. Something about that dark mask band around the eye and the downward turn of the beak makes them look very serious. Which is fine, since this piece should have more of an Audubon feel.

Still trying to sketch everyday (this set is from yesterday), but I think I'll just post here once a week, on Friday. And they'll also be here on flickr.

Playing with camera apps on the iphone

2010-11-06T09:55:00.003-06:00

The grasses right now make really beautiful photos, especially when you add the instant atmosphere from apps like Hipstamatic (top photo) or CrossProcess (other photos). Just started using CrossProcess, so I'm still figuring out which color filters I want to use, but you can add that nice border like Hipstamatic photos have (at least the ones with Ina's 1969 film). Also, it seems to have a really strong contrast effect in sunlight. Just a nice option for adding a cool factor to on-the-go photos.

November Sketch Challenge...continues

2010-11-06T09:06:00.004-06:00

This challenge to sketch and post daily for the month of November is trickier than I expected. Getting back to sketching everyday is good, although I missed Tuesday and Friday (fall gardening has taken over this week). But posting rough sketchbook pages rather than selecting just the 'pretty' ones when they happen is tough to do. However, this is prompting me to do more sketching just to have more material to choose from!

Wednesday

This morning. And I still owe a couple of make-up sketches.

November Sketch Challenge

2010-11-01T19:21:00.002-06:00

It seems like November is the challenge month, whether it's drawing, novel-writing, or picture book ideas. I'm challenging myself to post a sketch a day (drawn that day) for one month. I'll start off big with a couple of kid sketches. Happy challenge month everyone!

More morning inspiration

2010-10-06T15:16:00.002-06:00

When I'm walking along with my dog in the morning, listening to the latest Escape from Illustration Island podcast on the shuffle, and this is my view...a pretty fabulous start to the day.

A few other things great finds today:
*Diane Sudyka's beautiful watercolor birds in a fall birdwatching print
*This Mr. Batman figurine cracks me up...and I want him
*You may have already seen these, but I love the simplicity and sophistication of these dinner concert series posters by Shauna Mae

Napping koala

2010-10-04T11:54:00.003-06:00

A simple watercolor illustration I did last Monday. Below is the sketch reference from an August trip to the LA zoo.

I actually like the weight of the sketched body more than the watercolor one. Maybe I need to start moving faster with my quill.

Sketchbook Sunday: LA zoo

2010-10-03T20:04:00.003-06:00

Hippo underwater and Francois's Langurs on the right

Flamingos

Howler monkey, front and back

Some sort of deer...I didn't write down the name

All these are from a visit to the Los Angeles zoo in August, on a very hot and sunny afternoon. Most animals were hiding in the shade or looking slightly passed out.

Weekend links

2010-10-02T16:35:00.003-06:00

I love the pattern the virginia creeper makes against the kitchen window shade in the afternoon and also the happy chair fabric at Paco's Tacos (new neighborhood joint so much cooler and more delicious than it sounds).

Some links from the past week:

NYTimes: Four Decades of Illustration...so inspiring!
How awesome are Robert Clarke's animal and bird sketches? via pikaland
The colors and watercolor grass in this award-winning piece by Janice Nadeau are soft and lovely.
An interview with Kirra Jamison, whose work balances bursts with color and pattern against calm white space (I was relieved to hear someone else gets caught up in looking at blogs, walking the dog, and general messing around before sitting down in the studio!)
It's a perfect sunny 80 degrees out now, and I want one of these in my backyard. The pool, not the corgi (although he's pretty adorable).

Happy rest of the weekend!

Inspiration around town

2010-09-29T09:19:00.004-06:00

Working on some promotional postcard ideas for fall, and the vast array of pumpkins at Central Market helps get me feeling autumnal. Along with the long grasses, cool mornings, and blue skies. I love all the crazy squash and gourds available now, with names like 'lunch lady' and colors like grey-blue.

And nothing beats a good banh mi from lulu b's, eaten in the cool shade of the oak trees...as far as lunch goes.

Happy anniversary

2010-09-27T12:39:00.003-06:00

This was a gift for my parents' recent wedding anniversary. The plant is Mexican love vine which sometimes grows on their front deck (and has a great name).

You may have already seen this tea towel resume, but I thought I'd share. So clever!

And I love this home, from the paint colors to textiles to the art and crafts. The couple seem like they'd be fun to hang out with, lots of stories.

Other than that, I am just ever so happy for the gorgeous weather today (crisp morning, sunny but still only 70 degrees this afternoon). Austin fall makes my heart sing.

Sketchbook Sunday

2010-09-26T13:42:00.003-06:00

I've been doing art inventory this weekend, and scanning in images for an upcoming website update. In the process, I found a lot of great sketchbook pages (mixed in with some less great ones), which made me think it'd be fun to do a weekly posting of old and new sketches. With the exception of the first image, these are all from this year. Happy sketchbook Sunday!

Links for the weekend

2010-09-24T10:32:00.004-06:00

A cortadito from Cherrywood Coffeehouse for a midday energy boost.

In December, I will have been in Austin for ten years...! And it's only natural to become immune to some of the things that make your town great, which is why I'm loving the blog abby try again. Soft, dreamy photos of Austin through the eyes of someone fairly new to the city (from what I gather) that make me think, "Ooh, I want to live there." And I do!

It seems like every publishing imprint is doing a set of beautifully designed reprints of classics these days...and I want them all. This week's: Coralie Bickford-Smith's gilty pleasures and Daniela Jaglenka Terrazini's colorful designs for Puffin (according to Design Sponge, they'll be within the next couple of months).

How gorgeous are these paper sculptures?

I'm totally inspired by this year-long road trip idea, leaving time to settle into and experience 11 different US cities. Plus, this design couple plan to continue working with clients along the way, and they'll have their dog with them. Can't wait to read their posts!

Wow! Luigi Loquarto is unafraid of color...and it absolutely works for him!

This "what's in your pocketbook" post is exactly what I would love to have in mine. So much style in one group of objects.

And did you know that there is a new Sweet Valley High series out? Because of course you want to know what happens to Jessica and Elizabeth ten years later. For some reason, this was the only series my mother ever put on her banned list, which just meant that I read them when I spent the night with friends in junior high (sorry, Mom ;)

Acrobat

2010-09-23T18:14:00.002-06:00

The squirrels are so casually gymnastic as they snack upside down from the bird feeder. If they decided to come in costume one day and put on a little show before a meal, I wouldn't mind.

Super sketchy birds

2010-09-23T09:24:00.002-06:00

I really don't mean to paint birds so often, but they just keep working their way onto the paper. And right now there are many new ones traveling through on their way south. This morning I spotted another little yellow-bellied warbler and a couple of hawks in my neighborhood. Monday I saw this flash of almost neon orange up in the top of a tree; without binoculars it was tough to tell, but with the black feathers on the shoulders, I think it was a Baltimore Oriole.

Watercolor fairy tales and Chihiro Iwasaki

2010-09-20T16:41:00.003-06:00

Okay, these books are now several days overdue, but I had to look through them one more time and take a couple of cover photos. These classic fairy tales (Snow White, Swan Lake, and Red Shoes) were illustrated by the amazing Chihiro Iwasaki. I first discovered her through an interview on Seven Important Things when Hiroe Nakata mentioned her as an influence. And I can't resist checking out a new-to-me watercolor illustrator.

Chihiro Iwasaki's watercolor illustrations are so simple in shape, so beautifully rich and complex in color. She was a master with white space, allowing the white of the page to focus our eyes on the important elements or even using it as the swan in Swan Lake. My favorite of these three is Red Shoes (though I really dislike that Hans Christian Andersen story, like an ultra-harsh precursor to the movie Footloose); she used almost no lines, relying on her many-hued watercolor to tell an evocative story. Her sense of design still feels modern; her watercolor feels fresh and nostalgic at the same time.

Objectives and secret hideaways

2010-09-19T12:37:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I attended a free workshop called Creating a One-Year Strategic Plan for Artists, part of Austin's Cultural Arts Division series. The session was led by Ben McConnell of Ant's Eye View, using a visual organization technique to help focus our objectives, goals, strategies, and tactics (in that order). And I've got a lot of ideas rattling around in my brain and populating multiple 'to do' lists, so it was a real challenge to organize it onto one page. I'm going back over it today, now that the workshop information has settled in a little bit. But it's extremely helpful to have this easily read chart of what I want to accomplish this next year, how to do it, and how to measure success.

One of the biggest revelations about my objectives came when we partnered up with other attendees; as I was describing what I do art-wise, my partner suggested (in a friendly way) that becoming comfortable calling myself an artist might be an objective. And it's true. Whether it's because I don't have an art school background or because I came to art and illustration late (or rather, I didn't create art in the decade between my freshman year in college and when I started this blog), I'm always very tentative about calling myself an artist or an illustrator. The latest podcast on Escape from Illustration Island addresses this a bit, how students go into art school believing themselves artists but leave calling themselves 'aspiring artists'. As if you can't be the real thing until you are published or have a show. And no one will believe you are an artist until you believe it yourself.

Food for thought. As for the hideaways part of the headline, I saw these little secret garden type benches on my morning walk at Mueller, and I want to go back with a sketchbook and watercolors to do some plein air. That is if I can brave the bees swarming on all the blooming things. (Speaking of Secret Gardens, how awesome is the new Puffin designer series of classic kids books?)

Fall warbler

2010-09-14T17:18:00.003-06:00

Saw these tiny birds, no more than 3 or 4 inches long, flitting around the trees on my walk this morning. My best guess is that it is a Nashville warbler headed south on its fall migration, but I'm such a beginner birder that I could be way off. Hummingbirds visited my flowers a week ago, and the mornings and evenings are starting to feel a bit nicer. All signs that fall is arriving (slowly), despite the very hot afternoons. Maybe it's time to end 'An Illustrated Summer' and come up with something fun for fall...

A little bit crafty

2010-09-12T17:56:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I threw a baby shower for my sister with co-hosting help from a wonderful friend of hers (and many helping hands of family and friends), and it actually turned out quite lovely. And loving. I only have a few poorly lit pictures from the actual event (so typical), which is too bad as the mother-to-be looked happy and beautiful and the watermelon agua fresca was a gorgeous shade of deep rose. But here are some of the handmade parts of the shower (from the top): illustration for the invitation; illustration for the favors (a packet of larkspur seeds to plant on his birthday) and rosettes for diy garlands (group craft project); one of the garlands in action; a blessings table, great idea from my co-hostess to do instead of a game (to be read singly at midnight changings); and small vases made from baby food jars wrapped in washi tape. Only a few more weeks till my nephew arrives!

Dessert

2010-09-09T12:58:00.004-06:00

The toughest part of this week's IF topic was deciding which sweet thing to go with, as dessert is my favorite meal. Recently I made some mango-peach popsicles that ended up being a beautiful glowy orange...and kind of tasty.

Shades of pink and blue

2010-07-21T11:10:00.002-06:00

Every year Blue Bell comes up with some new seasonal flavors that I can't help trying (tres leches with strawberries, I miss you). Cotton candy ice cream is so wrong, but it tastes exactly like you might imagine: a very sweet and creamy burst of nostalgia. Mmm.

A slice of summer moon

2010-07-15T20:10:00.002-06:00

Some links from the illustration blogosphere:
*Tips on bio writing for your various media presences on Humblearts
*A podcast interview with Artist Rep Scott Hull on EFII...chock-full of good info (I'm listening to it a second time)
*I've really been enjoying Becca Stadtlander's blog recently (via pikaland)
*Just saw Larry Day's work for the first time on a Spilling Ink post. He's got some really beautiful watercolor images that include lots of detail but still seem loose (I'll have to check out the bookstore to see them full-size).
*And just for fun, paste your latest blog post or some paragraphs of your writing into I Write Like, and it will come up with a famous author comparison. On the first try, I got David Foster Wallace. And then I got Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Hmmm.

Garden kitty

2010-07-13T13:44:00.000-06:00

Birds from a rainy morning

2010-07-12T13:44:00.003-06:00

Saw this Carolina wren and green heron last Thursday while walking my dog at the park.

Giant

2010-07-08T18:39:00.000-06:00

Library love

2010-07-07T15:24:00.003-06:00

Just returned Kitchen Diaries last night, but it was so good I may have to buy it one of these days: part cookbook, part journal of the seasons, on the plate and in the garden. Just checked out Jam it, Pickle it, Cure It on the same trip; love the idea of homemade crackers and marshmallows, but that may be unrealistic. Might just stick to learning how to pickle a few things from the farmers' market. Or from my garden, if it would ever produce more than one cucumber a week.

Note on painting text freehand: best to have a guide! Didn't leave room for the final 'it' on the second title. Live and learn.

An Illustrated Summer: Bing Cherries

2010-07-06T16:39:00.003-06:00

A refreshing afternoon snack...

An Illustrated Summer: intro

2010-07-05T07:17:00.005-06:00

Every year when the Texas heat kicks in for several months straight, I start complaining. And vowing to move some place with a less brutal summer (or at least one that cools down at night). But then along comes a crisp autumn, mild winter, and lovely wildflower-filled spring, and I remember why Austin is such a great place to live. This summer I've decided to distract myself from some of the heat & humidity fueled complaining and channel that energy into appreciating what is wonderful about summer, illustration-style.

The tomato is from Saturday's visit to the farmers' market (Two Happy Children farm stand; the name totally drew me in), and it is the best one I've had all year, especially served in Caprese salad with some basil from the garden. The red striped ribbon snake startled me trying to cross the path at the dog park yesterday (I followed it trying to remember the "red and black, friend of jack" rhyme).

Rainy start to the weekend

2010-07-02T14:35:00.002-06:00

What a rain-filled week! And only 4 more weeks till the SCBWI conference in LA...my 'to do' list is long.

A few links from the week:
*Great American Illustrator month has begun over on the Ripple blog. Some exciting names coming up on the schedule! And all for a good cause.
*Interview with quilt-artist, Denyse Schmidt, over on Design Sponge. Her work is modern and graphic and totally appealing.
*Saw this post about Rise and Fall on Book By Its Cover yesterday and highly recommend checking out the artist's site (his name is Micah Lidberg)
*Can't wait till this book is released. David Small & Jane Yolen: what a dream team!
*I've seen a lot of e-brainstorming recently about creative uses for illustrations, and I really like Katie Green's zine over on Pikaland. It looks totally charming AND includes vegan recipes.
*These photos from Noa Emberson's The Visual Mixtape poster series are stunning.
*Love both these recent posts by the talented Meg Hunt: this and this

Happy 4th of July weekend!

Scenes from the weekend

2010-06-20T15:43:00.004-06:00

Took a little roadtrip through the Texas hillcountry this weekend: blue skies, green and glowing gold grasses, farm stands full of peaches, blackberries, & tomatoes, a dip in the Frio river, and a lovely visit with family. More images here.

Okra sketch

2010-06-13T21:31:00.003-06:00

First from the garden

Things I love right now

2010-06-12T06:13:00.003-06:00

These Texas peaches smell amazing right now, and this afternoon I'll be attempting a peach ginger sorbet sans recipe...but really, how could that go wrong? And I'm always searching for the perfect yogurt; I think Siggi's skyr is it. Lightly sweetened with agave, super dense (like greek yogurt, it's very high in protein), and there are real vanilla bean seeds inside. Did I mention it's delicious? Now if only it were made locally (made in NY)...

Other great things:
*Kelly's Ripple blog has gone big with almost 150 pieces of art donated so far! I expect that number to climb since it's this week's IF topic. Plus, it got a mention on Fuse #8. So, exciting! And great news for bird and marine mammal rescue efforts.

*Found out about the Next>> feature on google reader (via Door Sixteen)...so handy!

More water birds on Ripple

2010-06-07T16:25:00.002-06:00

I added some more watercolor sketches to the Ripple blog to help raise money for bird and mammal rescue efforts in the Gulf. It looks like they've sold, but there are sketch cards in all different styles still available from a great group of illustrators and artists.

Bird rescue

2010-06-05T06:18:00.002-06:00

Feeling frustrated in the wake of the BP disaster, illustrator Kelly Light decided to take matters into her own hands and start ripple, a blog where visitors can make a small donation toward bird rescue and receive a small sketch in return. She's invited other artists to join in, and my heron sketch from the last post (left) is now part of the effort. Good cause, good art.

Herons and pelican

2010-06-04T13:03:00.002-06:00

Water birds

2010-06-02T17:13:00.008-06:00

Great Herons in the early morning, soaking in the sun

I visited Hans Suter Park in Corpus Christi last Sunday morning and took a lot of photos of birds there: great herons, laughing gulls, terns, stilts, cormorants, and pelicans. Snowy egrets and some others didn't make it into any shots, and my mother and I got there too late for the roseate spoonbills. I grew up taking all these guys for granted (except for the spoonbills, because everybody loves a pink bird), and it's sad to think that they're all at risk with this BP mess. Depressing, really.

Scenes from the weekend

2010-05-31T18:55:00.002-06:00

Moments in Corpus Christi, Rockport, a picnic area near Beeville, and back in Austin. My favorite might be the heron among the pelicans (we called him "the mortician", mostly for his posture). Or maybe the crazy ownerless dog statue.

Bird pattern plate

2010-05-22T15:24:00.001-06:00

This is from my favorite set of my grandmother's dishes.

Inspiration for the weekend

2010-05-21T17:43:00.002-06:00

A pear I should eat before it turns totally mushy.

So, this week I've been excited about:
*this magazine cover by Janice Nadeau: so fun and what gorgeous watercolor!
*Lena Wolff's work, which I saw this morning on Design Sponge
*Oliver Jeffers presentation on Swiss Miss
*multi-talented Maggie Stiefvater's animated book trailer for Linger (she also wrote the music). via Fuse #8
*a series on Fine-Tuning Your Portfolio over on EFII
*Ultra cute baby sloths (via Door Sixteen)

Happy weekend!

Thinking about style

2010-05-19T17:20:00.004-06:00

I'm in the process of updating my website portfolio, deciding which pieces make the cut, and this week's Escape from Illustration Island podcast on style was particularly timely. It made me think about the artists who inspired me when I was just starting to paint a few years ago (like Lisbeth Zwerger), and how their influence in my style has diminished over time as I learn to solve visual problems in my own way.

Drawing from life has been the most effective way to explore and develop my own style. I recently attended some life drawing (long poses) sessions at AMOA, and working with rough materials (pastels, vine charcoal, watercolor w/china marker, newsprint) on 18"X24" paper is really freeing. I try to keep it unfussy just to see what happens, rather than worry about creating a true portrait.

More life drawing here.

Friday illustration ideas

2010-05-14T07:13:00.004-06:00

A thistle on yesterday morning's walk, and I finally put up this little fox doorknocker on the front door a couple of days ago, which I love. It's more decorative than useful, as my dog tells me whenever anyone sets foot in the yard, but still nice to see when I come in.

So, a few links:
*Dani Jones has 101 project ideas for Artists & Illustrators (via automatism)
*Red Lemon Club has some great questions to ask when blogging
*Anna Raff illustrates a bird a day on her blog (via Pikaland). I love this idea (birds always seem to work their way into what I'm doing), and I'm impressed with the year-long commitment.

Today's inspiration

2010-05-12T07:21:00.002-06:00

Okay, I'm still geeking out about the hipstamatic app on my phone; it makes everything look intriguing. This was some sort of people-powered wheeled vehicle/sculpture on the grounds of G'Raj Majal Cafe. As for the cafe, the food was tasty, and there was a huge gray cat that came and laid down on my foot for a while. So sweet.

On a children's book note, 7-Imp has some great page-spreads of Emma Chichester Clark's new version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Her work reminds me a little of Melissa Sweet (who I was lucky enough to have give me my first portfolio critique and who was very encouraging). They both have such charmingly drawn characters, esp. their bears and children, and they both pay attention to the details, like the printed pattern on a pair of pants. Not to mention that they are both extremely talented and prolific!

You flew into my life

2010-05-10T20:20:00.003-06:00

Dear cockatiel,
I barely knew ye. You flew down from the tree in my front yard this afternoon and landed on my shoulder. You perched lightly, nibbling my hair and ear, while I considered what to do with you. After all, I like birds in trees best. You did not want to leave your spot, until I lured you off with bird seed. Then you disappeared while I was posting your appearance on the neighborhood listserv.

I hope you journeyed home safely!
A

Goldfish sketch: water added

2010-05-09T20:27:00.000-06:00

Mother's Day sketch

2010-05-09T20:22:00.003-06:00

This one's still in progress, but I thought I'd post it before the day comes to an end. Happy Mothers Day!

Goldfish sketch

2010-05-08T14:40:00.001-06:00

Feathers and other fine things

2010-05-04T06:21:00.005-06:00

I'm kind of into drawing feather patterns these days. Detail of a chicken sketch and random imaginary bird head.

And some recent blog finds:
*an inspiring interview with Jill Bliss on Pikaland
*illustrator Carson Ellis and Decemberists' Colin Meloy are collaborating on a children's series called 'Wildwood'...so awesome!
*and if you haven't heard them already, these videos of fake Werner Herzog children's book readings are pretty great

From the sketchbook

2010-05-02T17:21:00.001-06:00

A friend's napping baby and chickens at East Side Cafe

Floral banner

2010-04-27T20:37:00.003-06:00

Here's a banner for my garden blog, Waiting for Plumeria. I've been wanting to play around with hand-lettering a bit.

Most loved kitchen tool

2010-04-14T14:21:00.003-06:00

Inspired by Thomas James' podcast on workspaces over on Escape from Illustration Island, I'm cleaning out and organizing my studio today. And in the process, I found this watercolor from a few months ago; my grandmother gave me this set of two chicken potholders that I use everyday. Who could resist something so cheerful and functional!

The color pink

2010-04-10T15:00:00.003-06:00

Our life drawing model this week had cotton candy pink hair (and I just happened to bring along some pastels); and my eve's necklace tree in the backyard is in full bloom.

What's blue and green with eyes upon it?

2010-03-29T18:16:00.002-06:00

A certain state wildflower and a camera-shy peacock

Today's inspiration

2010-03-15T15:52:00.002-06:00

My neighbor's pear tree in full bloom and things I found on my morning walk. Spring is definitely here.

Cedar waxwing

2010-02-09T17:18:00.003-07:00

There were about a dozen waxwings and a couple of woodpeckers flitting around in the backyard cottonwood this afternoon. I love the puffy chest and crisp black mask on these guys.

Vegetable garden

2010-02-07T08:32:00.004-07:00

Winter in Texas is definitely the lowest-maintenance gardening time of the year (though we have had had quite a few freezing nights the past couple of months). Right now I'm most excited about broccoli (so much sweeter than store-bought). A lot of my greens are in seedling phase right now, so I've just got to be patient, but I'm looking forward to salads in the near future. Row 1: arugula, broccoli, bok choi, chard; Row 2: chard, radishes, spinach, lettuce, onions, lettuce; Row 3: shallot, freesia, thyme, kale, tatsoi, onions, beets

What I'm inspired by this week

2010-02-03T13:57:00.004-07:00

I just found out about Beatrice Alemagna's work a couple of days ago over on Fine Little Day. Wow. So much amazingness there.

Yesterday I stumbled upon Meg Hunt's inspired Picture Book Report, a project with 15 illustrators depicting their favorite children's books. Can't wait to see it unfold.

And this morning, I found out about Brendan Wenzel over on Drawn. I love, love his animals. And his watercolor sketches make me want to get myself out on the (very soggy) town with my paints and paper in tow.

In the studio

2010-01-27T13:34:00.002-07:00

Things are blooming in the studio, both kalanchoes and new projects (with a little "help" from Lena-bean).

And nothing like a warm bowl of oatmeal with apples, raisins, and walnuts to keep the energy up getting ready for this weekend's SCBWI conference here in Austin.

Mentioned on Design for Mankind

2009-11-28T07:39:00.002-07:00

Wednesday there was a very nice mention on Design for Mankind of my art available for purchase on artmuse. Why am I a few days late in posting this? See below:

Print available on artmuse

2009-11-25T07:09:00.006-07:00

A new site run by Bonnie Glendinning called artmuse opened recently, offering an affordable way to collect contemporary art. This week one of my pieces, an abstract watercolor with pen & ink, is available for purchase AND I'm the featured artist. Click here to see. Hope to add some more pieces to the mix soon!

East Austin Studio Tour 2009

2009-11-22T13:02:00.004-07:00

So, E.A.S.T. is wrapping up today on a beautiful sunny day. However, when I visited studios yesterday, it was considerably greyer and colder, but still a great afternoon.

The photos above all come from my favorite (and last) stop yesterday which was The Decoder Ring Design Concern on the grounds of Utility Research Garden. Decoder Ring resides in this great bungalow, and they had stacks of well-designed posters for groups like Modest Mouse and Spoon, plus some awesome t-shirts for those who care about kerning. And the amazingness continued with a walk around Utility Research Garden. The proprietor of Utility Research Garden, David Cater, was on hand to show off some gorgeous fall veggies from his Houston area farm; but it was the visual surprises around every bend in the path that really caught my imagination (the nearly empty greenhouse looked like an art exhibit). The style that can be seen in both ventures was off the charts.

The other studios we visited were pretty great, too. First off was Splinter Group with ironwork and handcrafted furniture; the highlight for me were the side tables, vases and trays made by Brian David Johnson. Next up was Bearded Lady for screenprinted music posters and t-shirts; wide selection and the guys there had a friendly vibe. And of course, the studios over on Bolm were a must-see (Big Medium especially, since they started this tour). I always have to stop by Ginko Studios because it's the dream ceramics studio and rambling garden, complete with a herd of free-range chickens. Then to Monofonus Press, which was this quirky, anything goes sort of art compound. Best part was the interactive pinball exhibit.

For more photos, click here.

Unbalanced

2009-11-19T22:40:00.008-07:00

One kayak + two people + two dogs + two approaching swans = one near disaster