Mentioned on Design for Mankind

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

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

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

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

Late afternoon light

My furry muses

This is my view when I turn around from my computer this week:

The most passive-aggressive battle for prime real estate ever (no eye contact was made)


Lloyd and his buddy Rufus the boxer are able to team up when it comes to important guard dog missions


The usual suspects

Recent work

I did this illustration a few weeks ago for the footer on a clever new online dating site called gelato.

Halloween color

So, kept it pretty simple on halloween decor: carved pumpkin and construction paper kitty backlit in the front window. And about 6 pounds of candy that ran out by 9pm with more kids streaming in. You know what they say: the early bird gets the gummi worm.

Palette

Did a little tonal guide to my current watercolor palette, and it looks like I could stand to add some variety to the reds. Watching paint dry is an expression that conveys the ultimate tedious activity...but I really love watching the way watercolor changes as it dries, especially the paints that have sediment (plus it happens pretty quickly). Small pleasures.

Sketch for zinnia painting

Initial sketch from life

and a photo reference for later (another bouquet from the garden). There's an electric blue-purple to the indigo spires that I haven't figured out how to mix yet, not to mention the fuschia zinnia. Hope to post the completed painting soon!

From the garden

Today's backyard bouquet

More sketches

Quick sketches of a ceramic figurine of a chipmunk and paste.

Afternoon sketches

The top sketch was done on Arches 140lb paper (great for pen and ink w/watercolor that involves NO washes). I decided to make my own watercolor sketchbook by tearing 7.5inX11in sections of this paper and joining with bulldog clips. The zinnia was done in a sketchbook with heavy, non-watercolor paper.

Flying

Guess I've got herons on the brain after a few days near the water.

Back from Northern California

Muir Woods redwoods and ferns, Mt Tam area, China Camp State Park, kelp that looks like Jack from Nightmare Before Christmas (Point Reyes), Tomales Bay (a place where they serve great clam chowder)

Germs

'Wyoming' canna

So, the foliage and bloom on this canna make me happy every time I look at it.

Pattern

Watercolor sketches

Scale pattern

I drew a pattern last week for a project that I didn't end up using, but it's sort of hypnotic...or psychadelic. Here it is colored in a bit in Photoshop.