Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Summertime and the living is..... lazy.

I am having a strange summer. I will draw and draw for a few days, then I will do , absolutely .... nuthin'.

My studio is in the attic. A few years ago, my husband turned a Greg Brady bedroom into a working space for me. This is where I spend my days, usually drawing, lately procrastinating - cleaning - finding reference on the computer.

I have started a painting out of frustration with my book. Maybe a change would spur me on.

There's an artist I like very much Ambera Wellman who I found over on Anthony VanArsdales's blog. Amazing paintings of expansive skies! I thought, I'm a decent artist, I'll paint my own expansive sky. So I did. It looked like it needed something, So I added skydiving pigs. - a clear indicator - you have to be who you are, and not try to be someone else. They don't have their parachutes on yet, I was going to paint a companion piece with a skydiving pig with a copy of skydiving for dummies... hence - no parachutes. But I may be kind and spare them turning to hash on the ground. - Apologies to C.G. Young



So - Here's my studio and all the sketches for the book I'm working on... It's going slooooow.







My husband ran plumbing all the way up and installed a small sink to wash brushes.



My daughter has her own studio space. It's my desk from when I was a kid.



You can see Jabba the Mutt and Jedi George Nibbles hanging out. My desk chair's broken - I have to get a new one if anyone has a recommendation -I'd love one. I keep a vintage Varsity sweater that used to be owned by a guy named Lenny up here. It's chilly in the winter. I listen to WNYC all day, everyday, I am addicted. I listen to it on an old AM radio.






I work mostly on a Mac these days - even drawing there - gotta get the new chair. Getting a Wacom tablet has been the best change in how I work in the last 2 years. I like drawing in Sketchbook Pro - then coloring up in Photoshop. I use painter a little but- I need more time to explore that program.




There are great built in shelves that were here from the Greg Brady bedroom - paint can do wonders- they used to be the color of bricks. I try to be organized - but I am a generally cluttered person. The boxes have helped me keep sketches, promo papers and reference almost organized.





I try to keep my favorite chachkes about to make me happy and keep me inspired. The other shelves against the stairs can't be reached easily, so I filled them with memories. You can spot a 70's me here and there, along with my fave childhood books, toys, lots of Mickey Mouse, old crayons, clay- I love anything from the 20-40's that was made for kids, coloring books, how to draw books. And there's Edna- from The Incredibles - when I need a pick me up , I just give her a squeeze and hear "Hellooo Darling!"






Down the stairs - I have the movie poster of The Iron Giant- my absolute favorite animated movie. Above the door - I've made little plaques of people who inspire me. These are people, some visual artists, some not, who followed their own paths - completely ignoring what anyone else thought. They not only have great talent but the ability to believe in themselves and trust in their own unique views of life. I try to look at them each day as I leave... spurring me on to come back to the studio tomorrow.





How many of them can you name? - I'll post their names soon!- now- this was some serious procrastination -back to the book!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008




Thanks to Gina Perry and Jennifer Meyer for the Web blog award! - Just when I'm not blogging so much - I get reminded of why I blog. It's because of the connections that come out of it - and the talented and interesting people you find. So the award needs to get passed on - I am honoring these seven bloggers, whom I check out quite frequently and think more people should: Anthony Vanarsdale , Colleen Madden , Jennifer Tuturro , Angie Jordan , Karen Michel , Aja Wells , Jennifer Thermes.
Here's are the rules of the game:

How to Pass it on:
1) Put the logo on your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4) Add links to those blogs on yours.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

It's a wonderful thing to watch the art come out of all of you - it keeps me inspired.

Friday, July 18, 2008

The new sad

By now- people who come and read this blog know I'm a big BNL fan. So- I'm going to make this short. Steven Page was arrested.
I've told Maggie- my 8 year old - He's a good person; who made a bad choice - and now he has to face the consequences.

Sad for all involved. Sad for being naive. Sad for Mags and no Disney show. Sad about deciding to not go on the cruise next year.

He told me, he did read this blog at one point and liked my sketch of him. If you (Steve) ever read it again - I meant it, you made a few bad choices -but you're a good person , be accountable- and see you have so much good around you. Grab on tight to the good and don't let go- pull yourself up- dust yourself off- start all over again. 'Cause you mean a lot to many.

- and I'd like to smack you- right in the punim.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

BNL+talented puppeteer= Awesomeness



Back when I won the BNL art contest for Snacktime - so many nice people took the time to stop by and say congrats. One was Noah Ginex. He's a talented guy - out in talentland-Chicago, pursuing an art form that is rare and magical, Puppetry. He made this video for Snacktime- "Pollywog in a Bog". It's just about the most awesome thing ever. Click on the post title or on the link to watch. The Owl - Steve, The otter-Tyler- The red fox- Jim- and steel drum playing fox - Andy. The Flying squirrel-Ed and the Possum- Kevin. Talk about good character design, I 'm not worthy....

Buy his art @ Etsy -Noah Ginex