This week has flown by, and I've found myself feeling like I don't have much to say for some reason. Some weeks are just like that, I guess. For feeling like I have 'no new tale to tell' the week was actually really full of good stuff, some highlights:
I had a long, hillarious phone call from Uncle Beefy! It was a treat, and I was on the other end of the line as he finished baking this cake (Uncle B, you owe me a slice)!
I also caught up with my friend Gwen over a delicious BLT dinner, and got to see some of her amazing art journals.
Two prints left my shop this week! The Eat 5 a Day print, and Love in A Trash Can.
And, we stayed up much to late watching the Olympics. I was impressed by the way the cross country skiers would just collapse face first in the snow at the end of their race. This week has left me feeling just like that - I want to fall down, face first and stay right there until I feel more rested. Next week: two new prints and hopefully a bucketload of energy. Happy Week-ending!
To mix things up a little bit on this 6th Wall Wednesday, I thought I would highlight 4 different pieces of art, by 4 different artists, all found on Etsy by typing in "spring, landscape" in the search bar on the Etsy.com homepage. There were 84 pages of art tagged with these two words, and I browsed through all of them!
A few things I learned about these pieces. "Pink Breeze" was taken "Through The Viewfinder" (TtV) an old Kodak Duaflex camera, giving it this vintage-y look . "Rise, Shine" is a limited edition print of 75. I love pretty much every single painting in this shop, and I especially love the gardening gloves in this print. Angela Petsis (who painted "Spring Renaissance") is closing her shop to focus in her photography work. So ALL her original paintings (like this one) are on sale. The shop will close on March 21. And, the "Pink Dahlia Still life" photo can be printed in a variety of different sizes - up to 12" x 12". I love the delicate pink and blue in this photo.
Happy Wall Wednesday - get those walls dressed up for spring, with some affordable, original art!
That's right friends, I'm on a roll and having so much fun with this series. Here's the next in the Friendly Little Reminders Series: "Eat 5 A Day". Most of us need to eat more fruits and veggies, and an adorable reminder couldn't hurt. This little print will be right at home in the kitchen, or near your favorite breakfast spot. The print is now available to order over at my shop!
I'm having a blast incorporating these hand drawn techniques with my computer based illustration style. For this one I used pens, pencils, crayons and some found textures too. I'm also enjoying playing around with hand drawn lettering too. I just got the book Hand Job: A Catalog of Type and it is chock full of hand rendered typographic eye candy - you should check it out. I'm feeling great about working this way. It feels so much more genuine and original than my purely vector work. Not to say I'm abandoning working with shapes, but this work is just feeling much more interesting to me at the moment. I hope you are feeling it too!
The fine print: $20 will get you this sweet 8 x 10 inch giclee (pronounced gee-clay) print. It is professionally printed in the US of A, on Legion Entrada Rag Bright 290 (a fine art, 100% cotton paper) and with Vivera Archival Inks, giving it an archival rating of 150 years.
The frame is not included with the print. It is a $17 frame I bought at Target of all places, you can find it here.
If I'm ever stranded on a desert island please forgo the traditional "message in a bottle" and set adrift a delicious cupcake or other bakery item, ASAP.
I love the work of Portland, Oregon Illustrator and Graphic Designer Mary Kate McDevitt, and have had her Etsy shop marked as one of my favorites for a long time - so I'm super excited to introduce you to her this 5th Wall Wednesday.
Her shop features both her "Mini Goals Chalkboards". The slate chalkboards measure 9" x 12" and feature hand painted lettering. They come with with Mini Goals Chalk, and a fun Mini Goals Eraser, and personalized packaging.Her sense of color and the hand lettering on these chalkboards are wonderful. I can't wait to get my hands on some of her work. I can imagine a number of walls in my house that would love to wear one of these!
Her shop also features her paintings and prints that feature fun characters in them that make me smile - like the adorable and grumpy looking bear in the painting above. For some reason I feel like I can relate to him.
A few years ago, I bought an awesome plate at a thrift store that had these weird little gold leaf line drawings of the American presidents up to President Kennedy. Some of the drawings were really messed up - but in a good, funny way. It made me want to see the more official paintings of the likes of James Knox Polk and Martin Van Buren (now there's some wicked sideburns). If you want a giggle just visit this website to see some for yourself. I took a stack of index cards and challenged myself to draw all 43 presidents (this was a few years ago) in less than an hour. I got to Nixon before my hour was up and I had to put my pen down from a hand cramp. But it was fun to try and draw in a loose, quick style. I re-visit these cards each President's day. I should really try to finish the set.
I always wonder how the current president celebrates President's Day. Is there a special card store in the bowels of the pentagon where staff can purchase Hallmark style Happy President's day cards? Does he get a special meal? A cake? Is it kind of like his birthday or Father's day?
Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I'd also like to congratulate GwenD on being this month's giveaway winner - number 19 picked by the random number generator! Whoo-hoo! Gwen, you can pick one of these two giclee prints form my shop. Just let me know which one and I'll send it your way.
Hey folks!Here's the latest in my series of Friendly LIttle Reminders, titled "Go Out on A Limb (that's where all the fruit is)"I'm super excited about where these prints are going. I have sketchbooks full of little characters like this and until my recent breakthrough they were just hanging out in my sketchbooks, waiting to be released.
This saying struck a chord with me recently. Showing this fun, loose, wacky side of my work is still feels a bit risky for some reason. I need to be reminded to take chances, and I have to believe that the good stuff is out there if I just GO to where that is. So, look for lots more fun and wacky imagery coming your way.
Happy Friday everyone! The nitty-gritty on the print:$20 will get you this sweet 8 x 10 inch giclee (pronounced gee-clay) print. It is professionally printed in the US of A, on Legion Entrada Rag Bright 290 (a fine art, 100% cotton paper) and with Vivera Archival Inks, giving it an archival rating of 150 years.
My growing up was filled with trips to Soap Lake, Washington. Soap Lake is a wacky little town; rumor has it they'll soon have the world's largest lava lamp installed in the center of the tiny 'western themed' downtown. I have so many stories centered in this town I could fill up books. I spent many weeks at a time there on my grandma's farm, that was just outside town (but still within walking distance of the delicious B&B Drive-In where my cousins and I would walk for a mid-afternoon snack of burgers and shakes ordered on telephones from the booth).
Soap Lake, the lake itself is rich in minerals , and is one of 11 meromictic lakes in the US. In the 30s, people flocked to Soap Lake as a cure for Buerger's disease. The water smells like rotten eggs, it is slimy, and there are weird brine shrimp that live in it. Swimming in it is not for the faint of heart or nose. But I grew up swimming there and loved it. I also loved the ritual mud baths my family and I would take every summer.
The mud at the bottom of the lake is black and clay like and smells worse than the water itself. But it is amazing stuff. As a teen, it once erased a pimple the size of a penny, it took the redness and sting out of many a sunburn, and made your whole body feel tingly and just good.
About 10 years ago, I took my final dip in the lake. After swimming halfway across, I pulled myself onto the dock to get ready for my annual mud bath. But - my hands were swollen and huge like Mickey Mouse's gloves, I was covered in hives and started to go into shock. Many months and a few tests later I found out I have Cold Induced Urticaria - which literally means I am allergic to cold temperatures. So, not more lake swimming for me, sadly. But maybe someday I'll wade in just up to my knees and get all muddy again. Here is a photo of the lake by Tiffany Withrow - it is really a beautiful and strange place -I miss it.
For this Wall Wednesday I'd like to introduce you to the wonderful landscape paintings of Canadian artist (and Etsy seller) Harry Stooshinoff. I was immediately drawn to the colors, big skies, and loose yet perfectly placed strokes in Harry's work. I love that they are very graphic, yet representational at the same time.
This guy is nothing short of prolific, just visit his his Etsy shop Paintbox to see what I mean. His small works on paper (acrylic on paper) start at $25 and go up to $50 and there are so many to chose from.
Low Clouds, SOLD - to me!
I am the proud new owner of this beauty "Low Clouds". I just love the cloud shape, the thickness of the paint. And there is something about the composition that is so calming to me. He also sells larger works on paper $100 - $300, and works on canvas or panel that range from $90 - $1000. There is really something for every budget at his shop.
Here is a lovely quote from Harry's profile on Etsy:
"When I was a boy growing up in Saskatchewan, I used to look far into the distance and wish I had more trees around me....to protect me and make the place feel less empty. Now I have lots of trees around me, but I still like to look very far into the distance. It's a big, NOISY world...So I make small, quiet paintings...It makes a certain kind of sense."
I'm sharing the love this month! Enter to win one of my "I Only Have Eyes For You" prints from my Etsy shop (your choice)! To enter, simply click the link at right and sign up for my mailing list.
I'll be drawing one lucky winner on February 14th!
By signing up for the Pixel & Post mailing list, you'll be the first to know about any breaking news, shop sales, and top secret stuff I don't share on the blog, and you're automatically entered to win my monthly giveaways. And, I keep your info top secret too - no sharing or selling of lists.
Happy Tuesday everyone. Stay tuned for another fabulous installment of Wall Wednesday tomorrow, and a new print on Thursday!
When I was sketching out images for my "I Only Have Eyes for You" print I had these two ideas. The first was the grid of wonky eyes with heart eyeballs, and the other was of some heart shaped glasses and big 'ole hand drawn type.
And in the new spirit of experimentation and general "why not -ness" going round my head these days I'm giving you both! I figure there is a little something for everyone in each of these images. Both images celebrate being so in luuuurve that you can't stay focused on anyone or anything else. Like the song by the same name (I like the version by The Flamingos - yes I know it is cheesybear with me) that goes:
You are here So am I Maybe millions of people go by, but they all disappear from view. And I Only Have Eyes For You.
Both are part of the "Friendly Little Reminders" series, and both 8 x 10 prints are available in my shop for $20 buckaroos.
Helen Dardik is an amazing talent. I've been in awe of her work since the day I laid eyes on it a few years back. Her attention to detail, her wacky characters, and the loose line work she achieves on the computer are just plain brilliant.
I recently ordered her ABC print and the quality of the print is just as wonderful as the illustration itself. And Helen, superstar that she is even included a hand written thank you note with my purchase (I saved it, of course).
Brace yourselves when I also tell you that Helen has three daughters, finds time to do things like embroidery. And keeps up a very amazing blog, that you should also check out.
As promised - I added a new print to my shop tonight titled "I only have eyes for you". Part of the "Friendly Little Reminders" series. $20 will get you this sweet 8 x 10 inch giclee (pronounced gee-clay) print. It is professionally printed in the US of A, on Legion Entrada Rag Bright 290 (a fine art, 100% cotton paper) and with Vivera Archival Inks, giving it an archival rating of 150 years. Please note that the copyright mark will not be on the print.
The image area is about 5 x 7- meaning you can purchase a ready cut mat, and slide it all into an 8 x 10 frame and look like a super star this Valentine's Day.
Here's an image detail -
I had a lot of fun with this image - it is all hand drawn, scanned in to ye olde computer, and the colors were tweaked using Photoshop. This is all part of my recent revelation in my work - busting out the traditional art supplies instead of the computer - and it makes me happy!
Look for another love themed print later this week. I just can't seem to stop myself.
Since it is the first day of February, I thought I'd kick it off with a little love-themed music video. This song was running through my head the other day. I had no recollection of the video, until I watched it. Wow, so cheesy. Ah, The 80s. I did love you.
Hip-hip-hooray-ay Yippie-ai-yippee-ai-ayyyy!
Not only have cheesy love songs been running through my head, I've been drawing some love themed stuff as well. So, tune in tomorrow for a LOVE-lee new addition to the "Friendly Little Reminders" series! Happy Monday, all.
