First 100 Women of 2012... Thursday

More progress on the ladies here! The first 2 woodcuts are test prints that I painted. Today, they were 'cleaned up' during pre-school and will probably print them tomorrow along with 2 other ones. That's 4 new prints for this week. Think the 'maybe I'll post something' format is working for me :) (touch wood).

Also included are a few drawings for more woodcuts. It was a good drawing day - with the records playing, snow falling, corgis playing in the yard and little girl dancing in the living room. Perfect for art making. Check my flickr for even more new work - including some revised, painted ladies from last week! Link up top to the right.

Meanwhile, it's been snowing all day and I haven't shovelled any. There's always night-shovelling, right? Still stunned by the Italian ship sinking/accident - the passenger accounts are just bone-chilling and very sad. Praying for some miracles, families and for the survivors.

Sketchbook Wednesday

Here are a few ideas I have churning today. They've both made it onto fabric for more art quilts. The March show is coming up faster and faster. (well, a late Feb deadline is what's on my mind!)

I'm really having fun with this style of art making. Not many rules and drawing loose... it is very freeing. Oddly, I haven't carved a woodblock for a long time now. This is the longest stretch, I think (although I did do some mastercarve stuff recently). After this project, it's going to be woodcuts galore!

Speaking of woodcuts, I'm honored to be included in an art blog, Apt3 Design... amongst many wonderful printmakers. The writer is Tina, a student at Portland State University - my art school Alma Mater. Check it out here .

Open-Ended

unfinished

finished

I don't know what it is about my habit of mostly posting works in progress. It seems by the time something is finished... I don't post it because y'all have seen it already. (albeit unfinished) I have to say, there aren't many blogs I read where people post work that isn't done. Must be something about my personality... I am a very 'open-ended' person! (or 'Perceiving' in Myers-Briggs terms...I'm an INFP - what are you?).

For today, here is a WIP and a finished piece. ;) Happy Sunday.

Dream Dive

Here are a few sketchy drawings that sort of poured out of my as a 'free write' would. Trying to tap into more subconscious subject matter as a way to get some ideas for new work. I was surprised to see what spilled onto the paper... I'm hoping to move in another direction this year with subject matter... but, am not demanding it from myself. What are your art plans for the new year?

October Doodles

Here are a few doodles destined to become Halloween cards. I love love love this time of year... easily my fave holiday plus 3 birthdays in our house are around the corner. Today I'm doing something very out of the ordinary... going to a knitting class on how to make a cloche hat! Never made hats before and am so excited to learn a new method. (thank you Mom for visiting and babysitting!) Happy Friday :)

Sketchbook Thursday

With a new puppy in the house... how could I not sketch him?! Naturally, this is only possible when he is fast asleep on his blankie taking one of the many puppy naps of the day! These are in my Moleskine sketchbook (love 'em) and today, *gasp* I painted in it for the first time. Learned that the paper in the regular sketchbooks (as opposed to watercolor paper sketchbooks) is rather slick and had an almost 'waterproof' feel to it. The funny things one learns by accident :)

Drawing Men in the Morning

One lucky lady in the midst of all these men :)

I had such a good time spending the morning drawing plenty of men! It's been a while, mostly I like to paint women... who knows why. Anyway I'm looking forward to painting these dudes later today and over the weekend. There are new woodblock print valentines in the shop now, check 'em out!

New ACEOs and a Beautiful Rotting Apple

Look at the pattern on this rotting apple... beautiful, no? I'm enchanted by the perfect oval that formed... and the little design inside it. Maybe a portrait would look even better inside that oval!

Kelsy Keeps her Face Towards the Sun

Maud

I spent a good part of Saturday afternoon painting my ACEOs (artist cards, editions and originials - 3.5 x 5.5"). Some I was happy with and others turned out to be rotten apples! I fear the last photo looks a bit like Angelina Jolie... which was not my mission at all. She was inspired by an old theater photo from the 1930s - I think she was playing Katherine from Wuthering Heights. Anyway, I added several to my shop this morning... check 'em out. I'm going to try to finish more today - as well as some ink drawings. But first, I have to shovel more snow - we're supposed to get between 8-15 inches overnight. Say it isn't so!

A New Light (and Shadow)

The drawing

The woodcut

I was goofing off, drawing and sipping tea (a very familiar scenario in this house!) and noticed some fabulous shadows happening on my paper... so I traced them right on the paper. I'm sure I'm not the first person to ever do this, but It's still a very exciting discovery for me. Can you guess what it is??

My BFF

Well, I'm not one to text message (in fact - never have done it!) But, here is one of the greatest friends ever... my BFF, Miss Martha! She's got such a great face and a beautiful personality... I love drawing her. Sadly, we don't live in the same city... but I got to visit her this summer for a short little while. Of course it was like no time had passed and we had a great time chatting the night away eating and sipping wine. There's nothing like getting together with old friends... now I want to call her! (these are pencil drawings on paper - sketchbook)