Kitchen Still Life

I originally got my easel for working outdoors doing plein air landscapes, but have found it to be equally handy for working in different spots around the house. I set up in the kitchen and did a quick layout, waiting for some sunshine and highlights to work on a finished piece. I chose a dark blue Mi-Tientes paper and worked on the side with less tooth. My box of pastels fits neatly into the drawer in front of the easel.

The artwork is 8x10 inches. Email me if you are interested in purchasing the piece!

Plein Air in May

I did this outside on Monday morning. Finally had some sunshine and warmer weather. This is done on UArt sanded paper.

Plein Air in July

These are both 5 x 7" pastels done on sanded paper. I did an underpainting with the pastels and an alcohol wash to establish values. The house was done in the morning and the road with the long shadows was in the very early evening. I needed to put a mat over them to take photos since the sanded paper was curling.

Turkish Fold

The Turkish fold is a format that has always intrigued me, partly because it can be used as a clever method of imparting information in a concise manner. For years I have held onto a map of NYC that folds down to the size of a credit card, using this very method. I followed the very good directions at Green Chair Pressto learn the technique.

 

My artist's book contains information on the history and preparation of tea. The cover is printed from an original pastel of the tea cup. The back cover is illustrated with the Chinese symbol for tea.

Plein Air in May

I got out on Monday to do some plein air work for the first time this spring. The temperature got up in the 80s and since the trees were not completely leafed out, it was hard to find good shade cover. However, it felt great to be outside. This is a pastel done on UArt sanded paper.

Wheelbarrow for Poplar Wood Farm

This pastel of a wheelbarrow full of vegetables I did recently for Poplar Tree Farm to be used as their logo. They're an organic CSA farm in my neck of the woods. They will have a project up on Kickstarter after the holidays to raise funds for a pole barn. It's been a fun project to be involved with.

All Things Paper

I wanted to thank Ann Martin at All Things Paper for writing a post about my Etsy shop and my blog Art with Kids. You can see the post here. I am indeed flattered!

 

Ann designs paper projects and writes tutorials for books, magazines, and websites.

Handmade Book

Since the topic for IF is "book" I decided to post this handmade book on the history of the fan that I designed and illustrated. The history of the fan is briefly outlined in this book that mimics the structure of an actual fan. I've always been intrigued by items that are functional yet decorative and tell a story about the time and place in which they were created. Each of the twelve pages features an illustration and text describing a particular type of fan beginning with the Egyptians through the time of the suffragette movement.

 

Available here.

the fox and the owl

The IF prompt is "Imagination". What better way to let your imagination run free than to don a mask. Print available here.

Illustrator Linda Hensley passed along this award and I thank her kindly! Linda writes insightful posts about the creative process that are accompanied by delightful examples of her own work. I am passing this award along to several bloggers that encourage creativity and imagination in children or captivate the child within each of us through their own imagery. Mushroom Tender, Art for Small Hands, Touch the Music, and arte a scuola. One illustrator, two amazing art educators and one musician/educator!

Bicycle

When I lived in NYC I frequently used my bike as transportation to carry me around to swims at the YMCA, appointments with art directors or visits with friends. Even though the city has become much more "biker friendly" with designated bike lanes I don't think that I could return to my former mode of transportation if I were to move back. Caution comes with age, I guess. Back in those days drivers would occasionally yell out to me that I should be using the sidewalk and more than once drivers exiting their car after parallel parking knocked me to the ground when opening their door. My apartment was on the sixth floor and when the elevator wasn't working I had to lug my bide up all those stairs. Oh, I almost forgot to mention the number of times I had flats or a front wheel stolen. It was definitely faster than the subway and cheaper that a cab, but it hardly sounds worth it, does it?

Nature Garland

Lately, I have been enjoying taking my two dimensional art and making it three dimensional. I originally drew these images in pastels, made laser copies of the originals and turned it into a mobile. When you are sketching out a composition for a drawing you are always thinking about the use of space on the paper and this takes it into an entirely different direction. Available to purchase here.

portrait of a teacup/Illustration Friday

I posted this a couple days ago, but now that I see that the prompt for IF is "fluid" the teacup seems like a perfect fit, especially since I am on my second cup of morning coffee. Happy Friday to everyone!

I worked on this little pastel painting yesterday and scanned the images into my computer at different stages as I was working. Sometimes when I want to get a different perspective on how something is progressing I will look at it in the mirror or scan it into the computer. When I finish it's interesting to go back and see it during the different stages. For this I worked on a sheet of cinnamon Mi-Teintes paper using the smoother side. I first did the little drawing in my sketchbook and then drew the cup on the colored paper with a pastel pencil. I mainly used Sennelier pastels.

Save Energy

Staying "grounded" by keeping life simple seems like a good way for me to start off 2012.

IF: Shadows

Shadows are indicators of the time of day or season by their shape and color. Later today when the sun goes around to the front of our house I hope to have a chance to work in the backyard on a still life of some bing cherries that are waiting for me in the refrigerator. I'm using this same bowl. It's nice to re-use favorite objects in compositions.

Bicycle

Ah, the freedom of wheels. Especially when the wheels don't require the high price of gasoline!

Illustration Friday: Bottled

A yawn should not be "bottled" up.

Illustration Friday: Stir

A color sketch of the stirring implements on my kitchen counter, at the ready for any burst of culinary creativity. My family would tell you that my culinary instincts are closer to simplistic than creative. This pastel drawing was done on heavy tracing paper with a sheet of colored paper as the backing. Sometimes I like working on a completely smooth surface.

Illustration Friday: Still Life of a Cupcake

A "layer" of icing adds the final tempting touch to a little cupcake. I have to be careful whenever I bring a pretty confection home from the bakery and draw it before someone eats it. I personally prefer a slice of pie (for eating), but there is something so appealing about the look of a cupcake (for drawing).

Illustration Friday: Surrender

Surrender to a good book!

Quick Sketch Landscape

I did this little pastel sketch a couple weeks ago, while some color still clung to the trees, up the road from where I live. The telephone poles seem rather primitive and they certainly do mar the countryside. Perhaps when I do the finished landscape I will not include them. That ability to edit things away is certainly fun.