Go Figure

I have a new work space and a happy little fig tree lives outside my window. I'm told it produces heaps of fruit, if the birds don't get to it first. It will be several weeks before the figs are ripe, but in the meantime they've inspired this design. Here's a look at my process for carving and proofing a print. 

For more process pics and videos, follow me on Instagram @smallfoxpress

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.

Pop Up Event Saturday, August 20th!

I've been gearing up for a pop up event tomorrow at Tin Top Handmade in Old Town Winchester. I'll be set up on the walking mall from 11:30 - 3pm, so if you're in the area, drop by and say hello! I'll have tons of prints, cards, framed and matted pieces, along with some other odds and ends, so there will be a lot to peruse!   

These teeny tiny matted mushrooms are my new favorite!

Also love these new hand-painted moths.

 Really excited to meet some new folks and share my work tomorrow!

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! 

Garden Friends Coloring Book

I've just published my first coloring book, and am so excited to share it with the world!

Garden Friends Coloring Book is available now on CreateSpace.

The book features thirty-six of my hand carved linocut prints, including this sweet little mouse. This version has been handprinted and given a watercolor wash.

There are flowers, birds, butterflies and more! Pages are printed single-sided to prevent bleeding.

I pulled out my Prismacolor colored pencils to color my copy. They blend well, and really pop with a dab of of mineral oil. 

Preview more of the book by visiting my Instagram account @smallfoxpress

New Shop!

I'm so happy to announce my new shop through Redbubble! 

It lets me put my art on some really fun merchandise. 

Just check out these awesome stickers!

Love these colorful throw pillows.

The best part is that seeing my work on all these different surfaces

is really inspiring me to make some new art!

More work, coming soon :-)

New Tees, Totes, Prints and Pillows.

I just added a ton of new items featuring my prints to my shop on Society6!

Now to try and decide which to buy for myself. 

Yay, wearable art!

Garden Cat Linocut

From sketch to proof to print. 

Greeting cards available now in my shop!

Sketch Therapy

Birds keep popping up in my sketchbook these days.

I don't usually do much with text, but had a lot of fun with this. 

No, that's not real hand lettering. It's a drawing based on a typeface called Bakery that I filled in with watercolor. Maybe one day I'll take the time to learn how to write pretty words for real. For now, I'm satisfied to fake it.

Rainy Saturday Morning

Just me and my sketchbook.

Tapping in.

In my last entry, I shared a sketch that, from the second it appeared on the page before me, elicited some pretty big feels. The drawing itself was nothing monumental: Just a little mouse holding a daisy. Still, I couldn't remember the last time an image had pulled so strongly at my heart. Probably because it was my heart, speaking to me through my work, cheering me on, telling me to keep going, whispering that I was getting close. Or that's what it felt like, anyway.

Then I took a hiatus from everything: I flew out to my homeland of California and spent some time with my parents in the house I grew up in. One night, I pulled out a stack of old journals that I'd stored on the closet.

Tears welled as I read the following entry (which describes imagery that arose from a morning meditation) and saw that the inspiration for this little mouse - the vision - had been there all along:

18 May 2013 

Palms up and stretched out before me, I feel a weight there, as though I am carrying something. Then, in my mind's eye, I see it - it is a great bundle of FLOWERS. And I see myself handing one out to EVERYONE I meet. And reminding them of the beauty in themselves and in the world around them. 

Watching this vision fills my heart with so much joy and gratitude, my eyes well with thankful tears. If this is the load God has given me to carry, I will do this work happily, with love and purpose. 

Then my arms drop lower still, and expand around my body so that they are open as wide as can be! And the bundle of flowers grows into a mountain of fragrant, delicate blossoms. There is SO much to give! So much work to be done!

Then my palms begin to move up, my elbows bend in, and I feel this enormous, unfathomable bundle being placed back in my chest - compressed neatly into my humble little heart.

Such a beautiful, simple job.

Thank you Thank you Thank you.

Yes.

So that's where this came from.

Little mouse. Courageous Spirit. Humble Heart.

Lead the way.

The Evolution of a Print

So here's the finished product. Below you'll see how this little mouse came to be. He's available now at my Etsy shop on greeting cards and as fine art prints!

Whenever I'm feeling stuck, frustrated, or doubtful about my work, I sit down in front of a blank sheet of paper and invite my heart to speak. This is what came out yesterday, and I can't imagine a more perfect metaphor.

The initial sketch: Just a little mouse with a big flower. 

Inked up the block to pull a quick proof and get a better idea of how it's coming along.

The final proof. Happy with how he turned out, I'm calling this print done. 

This piece isn't grand or earth-shattering, but it feels so dear to my heart. And though I didn't consciously plan it, the imagery represents so much to me.

It takes a tremendous amount of heart and courage to carry a big dream. Especially when you're just a small mouse.

Or a small fox.