Illustration Friday: Rain

OK-This weeks Illustration Friday theme is just cruel. On the first day of a major heat wave, they assign Rain?? I broke a sweat just taking it outside to photograph it! And I am pretty sure that Karma and I are buddies this week, so I am at a loss!

Now, I realize that I have gone a little dot crazy lately, but I just dont care! (Just you wait until I post my contribution to the Said and Done project!) I love the textures and colors and movement! Will I ever wake up from this Wonka-esque induced trace! We shall see! I am going to glue with wild abandon until either my hole punches break (God forbid!) or I start needing to take Dramamine to work! And even then I may just rely on the old place-one-foot-on-the-floor trick, as if trying to stop the room from spinning after a hard night of drinking, not that I have ever been in such a state. . . . It is Friday and I am feeling frisky! Any fun weekend plans in the cooler parts of the world? Going to be over 100 degrees here, so I think the movies might be a plan!

By the way, I have 40 or so of these old illustration boards from when Graphic design was an actual manual process, before computers. I am going to be doing collages along this line and posting them in my Etsy shop until the are all used and up there. They will be priced in the 25-30 dollar range, so get over and see whats new!

A Little Kitty Indulgence!

You can not tell me this cat does not have just a little itty bitty Devil in him! I was making myself a cup of coffee first thing in the morning, and felt someone watching me! I turned my head to the left and Hello! Creepy!


And this one! As long as just the tip of his nose is in the sun, he is a happy camper! He is my angel! We call him Charlie, 'cause he's brown. ;)

Brad Rickerby

I normally reserve my Etsy reviews for Creative Swoon, but I can barley contain myself. Sunday night I was clicking around Etsy and on the home page I found this watercolor painting among the featured pieces. It is STUNNING. The artists name is Brad Rickerby and he is the nicest man on the planet! I visited his studio in LA today to was blown away by the work in person! These photos are good, but still they do not convey the depth of color and movement in these works. The one above is huge, 30 inches wide, and this one below is 22.5. My husband and I have been going back and forth with what the pieces remind us of. The one above, to me, is like an ice storm in Winter. The colors shinning as if through prisms of icicles and I think of wind chimes and rustling leaves.


Tom, my husband, says that this piece reminds him of his summers on Long Island when he would walk to the beach. He sees the moment just before cresting the sand banks and seeing the water at sunset.

I can't even begin to understand how Brad does these beautiful pieces, and I dont think I want to know! Then all the magic would be gone! I just want to stare! I am now the proud owner of 3, yes 3, of Brads works! I cant wait to get them framed and figure out where they will be hanging! I will post pictures when they are all situated!

Heat 2
The colors go where they want. You talk to them, you tell them the plan, you cajole, flatter and plead. You think you have come to a meeting of the minds. You apply them. And - The colors go where they want. It's best not to corral them. It's hopeless anyway. Best just to make soft suggestions and watch with childlike glee as they intermix and mingle.-from Brads description of his process

You wouldn't believe how affordable these works are if I told you, so just click over to his store, Brads Visions, and take a look for yourselves. I swear you will not be disappointed! You actually wont believe your eyes! I am talking about an 18" x 24" ORIGINAL starting at $30.00. Fine art and so affordable, you'll end up with a collection in no time! ;)

Glen

(All images courtesy of Brad Rickerby)

My First Lightbox

This is my first lightbox! It is done, on a super deep 2 3/8" canvas and all lit up! Assembly required using power tools, which I really enjoy! I know it sounds ridiculous, but I love being a smidge handy and being able to drill a hole or hang something properly on the wall using an anchor or finding a stud. I tease my husband that before he came along I was the handy one in the house no matter who my roommate was! Now I am second chair, so I have to find ways to prove I was once able to do these things myself! (He still doesn't believe me!)
This piece, Paul, is up on Etsy. Check it out there!

Self Portrait Tuesday: Pop Art week 3

I feel like this image is very indicative of what's going on in my head this week. I am slow and feel heavy in my shoulders, if that makes any sense. I feel pulled and a little unclear, dark and caught off guard. I am tired but surprisingly inspired. I am glad this is a new week and it has started off well with a nice day, lunch with a friend, a few new ideas I am very excited to execute. I am looking forward to planning a vacation, going to one of my favorite places and seeing good friends.

You can see other Pop Art SPC's here.

Found Magazine

You know those random pieces of paper you find in the grocery cart, or in a parking lot? In my case, I find old scraps stuck in books or in stacks of old papers at a flea market. Now all of these treasures have a home!! Found Magazine R-O-C-K-S!!! I love it so much I added it to my bloglines so that almost everyday I get a treat.
I recently found this note and it is the most poignant I have come across in my digging to date. So generous and tender, but with an air of mystery. I have submitted it and maybe one day when I click on the bloglines link I will see it out there, living a new life on the web!

Here is a sampling: (Be sure to read the explainations!)

The Feng Shui Was Not Right

Thank You For Saying Yes

Leave Me Be

Last Warning

Your Breath Stinks