Flowers in Technicolor

I had the best time coloring my mini flower arrangement in Adobe Illustrator.

Technology is amazing!

Miniature Floral Print

 The days are long and hot again, and somehow it's easier to find the time and inspiration to create.

It's been months since I've done any printing, so I decided to ease back into things with a mini 4x5" print. I enjoy the process of working small; the manageable size and immediate results are rather gratifying. And tiny art is just so whimsical and fun, don't you think?

I've printed a handful of these sweet little arrangements on watercolor paper. It takes a few days for the ink to cure completely, then it will be safe to wash over them with some paint.

In the meantime, I may just scan a print and play around with color options digitally. 

Stay tuned for results!

Nesting

It's been eight months since my cross-country move back to California, and I'm only just now beginning to unpack art supplies and find my creative groove again. 

Now that I've got a physical space dedicated to making, I'm eager to start taking commissions and finally feel excited about diving back into my own projects. 

First up: Cabbage roses and a pair of sweet mourning doves.

I've really been enjoying taking colored pencils to my stamp proofs. It's a fun and therapeutic way to experiment and gets me excited for future watercolor washes and digital designs.

Fun tip: After coloring with pencil, rub your piece with a lightly oiled Q-Tip. It adds a nice sheen, blends the colors seamlessly, and really makes the picture pop.

Pen and Ink Florals

I recently bought a wonderful new fountain brush pen by Kuretake, and have found it's the perfect tool for inking flowers. 

I also picked up a fountain pen converter so I could fill the pen with a nice waterproof india ink and watercolor over my drawings.

I've got a long way to go before I master the brush pen, but I'm pretty pleased with these early experiments!

Thanks for coming by! 

Upcoming Show and Works In Progress

Spring has arrived in Virginia! And I'm busy getting ready for a show at Tin Top Handmade in Old Town Winchester next month.

Brush Pens and Paper

Taking a break from paper mache to play with a little pen and ink.

I feel a bit like I'm channeling Wanda Gág. 

Millions of Cats is one of my very favorite picture books.

That's the Prismacolor Premier Brush Tip Marker and Sakura Pigma Graphic Ink 1 pen, which (when not in use) are stowed happily in the new case I mentioned in my last post.

Hope they inspire you to do some drawing!

Hello, World

Spring spring spring.

Breathing new life into my heart and hands.

And I have come home again.  Living in the creative flow.  With a notebook beside my bed, and visions that lure me to my desk in the early hours.

My room my room my room.

It's a pleasant place to lose myself.

Thank You.

Thank You.

Thank You.

Spring is here!

...Well, almost.

After a sunny weekend, we got another storm Sunday night, and woke up to a few inches of powder Monday morning.  But already it's on its way out.  As I write this, I can hear the drip-drip-drip of snow quickly melting off the roof. 

Still it's an overcast day, so I decided to brighten it up by pulling out my watercolors and trying my hand and painting some spring flowers.

I love this time of year.  The little buds on the trees are near bursting, and fresh green shoots are poking their way out of the earth.  I can't wait for all the colors to arrive!  They will be well worth the wait :-)

Just a little something.

These two showed up on my desk today.

Spring is coming!

A visit from the Easter Wabbit

Whipping up some last-minute Easter cards!

Earlier this week, I mentioned how eager I have been to try my hand at carving my own rubber stamps.

So I took a trip to the Blick art supply store on Market and picked up a few Speedy-Cut blocks.  

This was my first time working with this material, and it certainly feels a lot different than carving a linocut.  It cuts very easily compared to linoleum, but luckily I didn't find it too difficult to adapt. 

I also love how it's sturdy enough to cut into even the tiniest pieces.  The grass I threw in as an afterthought, just because I had some corners to spare.  I'm grateful it happened to work out this way, since the added color and texture seem to pull the scene together.

I think I'll get to work addressing some envelopes.  Of course they wont arrive in time for Easter, but hopefully they'll serve to brighten someone's day all the same.


Update: I ended up carving even more wee stamps from scraps

...and have used them to create some original stationery.

...in festive spring colors!

That's the envelope on the left and note card on the right

A little detail of the mushrooms.  They are tiny - about as big as my thumbprint. 

I love snail mail! And rubber carving! And Spring!

Flower wisdom

Longer days, warmer weather... 

I'm feeling ready to kick off my shoes and jump into something new.

Sometimes I think I can hear words of encouragement in the silent shouts of spring flowers.

Winter is over!  We made it!  Throw caution to the wind, now is the time to bloom! 

Mute roadside cheerleaders. 

  

Thank you.  

Here's to new beginnings.

Barefoot Dreams of Spring

Meadow of wildflowers

On the forest edge

How many months have you laid sleeping

Seedlings awaiting the thaw of spring?


So patiently you have endured

Beneath the frozen earth

The life inside you - the spark of rebirth

Quiet, but burning still.


Until the perfect moment is upon you

When the snow has retreated and the sunshine returned

A firecracker of life

Exploding from the nourishing Earth.


In the souls of my feet, I can feel

New journeys waiting to be embarked upon

New adventures eager to be had

New paths ready to be forged


When dreams and discovery merge

And we become creative masters of our own destiny

Watching as it unfolds effortlessly before our eyes


With great courage, we venture into the forest.