Angel

  I love 50's illustrations. Well maybe not as a child with books that were only 2 color. As an adult I can now appreciate the illustrations that I once thought so dull.
  I love the illustrations that were almost stencil like in look. I have no idea how they were created. Maybe they WERE stenciled. I also like how they paired those simple solid shapes with quirky black ink line work.
  This is my contemporary version of that look, but right now without the ink work. It's a version of old modern I guess, with the objects/elements being broken down in to basic shapes.
  Anyway I plan on delving into this technique for awhile while I do other work as well. I'll have to see how it works on products and make some mock-ups.

Happy Holidays!

Well it's been awhile since my last post. Hurricane Sandy knocked out our power for a couple weeks and created such a mess that our town is still cleaning fallen trees from the sides of the roads. Since then the winter has been rather mild.

 I've finished some pieces that were left incomplete including this holiday piece. I wonder if it's the norm to have a bunch of unfinished pieces lurking at all times. If I get to a point where I'm unsure where I want to go with a piece I just leave it for however long it takes me to think up a solution. It's amazing how your subconscious continues to work on issues and ideas come to you when you don't fret. Now if I am given strict parameters to work with from the start, I seem to have an easier time decision-wise. There are also many pieces that just flow and feed from each other.

Christmas will soon be upon us. This year I've been decorating slowly and I think it may be more fun for my family to see a little more holiday every few days instead of it all at once. They also seem to be noticing things more. It's certainly easier and more enjoyable for me to decorate this way. I've been playing music on my smartphone through the Songza app and have really enjoyed the Christmas collections. I hope everyone will have a peaceful and safe holiday.

Surprise Art

  I found this on Pintrest. I love the unexpected. I love to see how people can imagine and create art in the most unusual places or with the most unusual media.
  I was resistant to Pintrest at first. After looking through a few very wonderful galleries there, I am smitten. Tons of eye candy and ideas. It's not only about recipes, kid pics and crafts. It's the favorite things of various people and I'm finding amazing things that link to amazing people in the art world………and yes, a few recipes.

Craft In America

I'm a lover of all learning programs and art/culture programming so I was so very grateful to have found the PBS series Craft In America . If anyone needs inspiration to create, this series sure will help you. I could watch shows and documentaries like this for hours!

Vintage Sign Artwork

I received an email from my art agent, Suzanne Cruise (Cruise Creative) listing the many popular themes at recent trade shows. They seem to be the regular themes that continue for home products and wall art. Lodge themes seem to always be popular, so I used my vintage style to create some lodge pieces reminiscent of old signage. Back in the day you would see the sides of stores, barns and billboards painted with lovely ads. I really enjoy working in this style and making art that reminds me of things I saw & enjoyed as a child.

New Ad

This is the latest ad for Total Art Licensing Summer edition.  The last ad didn't quite show the musical notes in the wine bottles & glasses so I've enlarged that particular piece. The ad also printed dull and darker than I prefer so I've upped the brightness and hue a bit more on this one. Hopefully it will catch a few eyes at the Surtex show where this edition will be given out.

Edward Gorey-ism

This is a decorated envelope and an excerpt from a letter written by Edward Gorey to a good friend.

"This is the theory… that anything that is art… is presumably about some certain thing, but is really always about something else, and it’s no good having one without the other, because if you just have the something it is boring and if you just have the something else it’s irritating.”