Back from Corpus

Just a little inspiration from a weekend visit to family in Corpus Christi: storm clouds on I-37, kapok tree, backyard decor, and the Corpus Christi Bay

Inspiring illustrators

Woke up to temperatures below 70 degrees for the first time in months, and it was wonderful. I know we've got at least another month of afternoons in the 90's, but I can sense the cool at the end of the tunnel.

I'm in the middle of a website overhaul, which will hopefully be done beginning of next week; but I thought I'd share some of my favorite illustrators that I've discovered or remembered in my looking back through my bookmarks to see how everyone presents themselves.
Yanni Kim: this one's new to me, but I love her drawing style and use of mixed media
Carson Ellis: a favorite of mine for years, and I'm happy to see her big web update (lots of good, new stuff and a clean look)
Chun Eunsil: this illustrator's children's book art is amazing and there's so much of it; beautiful watercolor and detail and whimsy
Taeeun Yoo: her woodcuts tell stories so perfectly

Wrapped

Or what I might find if I left my dog outside while grabbing a coffee shop latte...

Back from LA

(Ennis-Brown House by Frank Lloyd Wright, mural on a Silver Lake art center near Wright's Hollyhock House)

Got back a few days ago from the SCBWI Conference in Los Angeles. The keynote speakers were pretty amazing: Sherman Alexie and Dan Yaccarino were a couple of my favorites. Great workshops given by David Weisner, Susan Sherman of Charlesbridge, and Elizabeth Parisi (overall message: practice your drawing, study the masters: fine artists and illustrators, do your research, and produce the best work possible). Plenty of socializing with inspiring illustrators. Not to mention a couple of extra days exploring in LA...and a brand new pack of double-sided colored pencils from an adorable shop in Venice Beach. What more does a gal need to get in the creative groove?

Pet sketches

Lizard cartwheel

Business cards

Finally decided to order some business cards from Moo using flickr images (standard size, not mini). You don't have total control over how the images crop, but it's a fun way to do a small batch of mini-prints for not much money. I went for the matte, recycled paper option.

Idle

The Arrival

Yesterday's sketches

One of the "friendlies" (inspired by a Fresh Air segment on the grey whale).


Rufus being bored.

Bowls and flowers

A tea cup (palm size) and small bowl from my last round of ceramics; both use the same two glazes, but the cup got two rounds in the kiln. And the plumeria's blooming everyday now; something to be happy about on week two of 100 degree weather.

Bowls 2 & 3

Okay, almost done with my first ceramics class. Here are the second and third bowl (and three more pieces need firing, glazing, or picking up). I like the differing inside and outside color effect; I'd definitely like to try that again. As for the earthy-tan glaze which has an incredibly long name, way too 70's on its own; definitely needs layering. And a better bowl shape/more texture.

Life drawing and Egon Schiele

This is from Monday, my second week going to a life drawing open studio. I'm trying to keep things as simple (unfussy) as possible, to practice being a little looser and to really concentrate on lines and lights/darks. I used vine charcoal for the first time this week and find it helpful for staying loose.

Then yesterday I started looking through Egon Schiele: Life and Work, which is due back to the library today. Wow. His work is amazing; so loose and captivating and jolie-laide (I don't know if you can apply "pretty/ugly" to paintings, but it seems appropriate for his work...though sometimes it's just straight ugly yet still mesmerizing). Think I'll have to take a black crayon and some watercolors to studio next week and see what happens.

Daffodil light

I set these daffodils on the kitchen counter this afternoon thinking I'd take them out to compost, but a little while later they caught the most amazing late afternoon light. Decided to take advantage of the light and photograph my first ceramics piece (I started a class a couple of weeks ago)...good thing I like imperfection. Actually, turns out working with clay is kind of like meditation, but you get to take home something tangible and utilitarian at the end of it.

Full moon

Rambunctious

The squirrels moved into the attic last week and have been up to fun and games. Nothing like waking up to the sound of squirrel fights.

Autumn walk

So, it is absolutely gorgeous today, and I decided to take some photos on the morning dog walk.

Landscapes

Currently taking a "Luscious Landscapes" watercolor class (couldn't resist the title). Here's last and this Monday's classwork.

Rio Grande vista

Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC (still in progress)

Experimental Watercolor

I recently took a weekend class with Jan Heaton at AMOA school called 'Experimental Techniques in Watercolor: Found Objects'. It was relaxed and fun (we were encouraged to use leaves and objects in addition to brushes to paint). I think the best thing I learned was to work on several paintings at once, layering on color while others are drying. It keeps things loose and unfussy and brings out the best properties of watercolor. Here's some work from the class.

Response to Rumi

Inspire Me Thursday prompt:

Out beyond ideas
of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field.

I’ll meet you there.

When the soul lies down
in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.

Ideas, language
- even the phrase “each other” -
do not make any sense.

Rumi