Friday, December 03, 2010

Chloe as a Christmas Gift

My husband's family has decided this year to give handmade gifts, with a approximate value of $20. They did this last year also, with moderate success. The women in the family, all very creative, were very happy to make and give handmade gifts. We like to create. The men......not so much. One of my brothers-in-law made a paper airplane out of a twenty dollar bill (which, I gotta admit, I thought was quite creative. It fit the rubric...it was handmade and had a $20 value) and the other taped a check for $19 to a cinder block and wrapped it. (He said the block cost $1...LOL)
Now this year I was not so keen to do this because December is really hectic for me and the kids can't seem to do anything like this on their own which means that I have to practically spoon feed them  to get them to make something. It just is a pain and makes my December that much more hectic and that much more stressful. But, in for a penny, in for a pound. I got my brother-in-law, paper airplane guy, in the gift draw and decided that I would do a portrait of his baby daughter (Remember I LOVE faces...LOL) I sure hope he likes it because I don't know what else I could possibly make him that he would like.
Anyways here she is.....Chloe.....whatcha think? She's kinda cute huh?

Oh I forgot to add....it's been at least 30 years since I worked with pastels...no lie. I had to blow the dust off of them when I pulled them out of my cabinet. All things considered I think I did rather well.

My ArtSwap Came!

Oh my Twitter #ArtSwap came and I was soooo delighted to get it! It was from Tasmanian artist Kim Foale, @frogpondsrock, a wonderful ceramic artist.  I had seen her post it on the #ArtSwap stream and thought to myself: "Oh I would sooo LOVE to get that for #ArtSwap!" And for once in my life (well once that I am conscious of) the Universe heard me! AMAZING!  She makes wonderful pieces that pay homage to the human connection with art, leaving personal traces like fingerprints in the glaze or the slightly off center edge. No mass produced every one perfect and perfectly the same bellybutton pieces here. This is truly OOAK and I just love it! Here it is....check it out! Isn't it beautiful?!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

#ArtSwap Fall 2010

This is my piece for #ArtSwap Fall 2010. David Pringle is the man behind the scenes for this wonderful Twitter based swapping of creativity. A truly wonderful idea! Dozen's of artists on twitter trading art...enjoying and reveling in each other's creativity.  I had a great time preparing this piece but I'm even more stoked about what piece of art I will end up with......keep your eye on this space 'cuz as soon as it get's here I'm gonna post it ;-D

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Looking Through

"Looking Through" 
This piece is currently for sale in my Etsy shop. Just click the button in the upper left hand of the blog to view my shop and everything there.

WaterMarks and Etsy

Okay I finally learned how to watermark my images. So expect to see them appearing in all new artwork as well as the old images as I replace them little by little.  I don't like having to watermark but it's so easily copied and printed by anyone with a printer and a desire.  As a 2D artist I feel I need to take all precautions to protect my work.
 I also got my Etsy shop up and running. I'm slowly loading work for sale on there so keep checking it for new items. I put a button in the upper left hand of the blog for easy access to my Etsy shop "ArtdreamsStudio". Please check it out and let me know what  you think. I'm open to suggestions and would love advise from any "seasoned" Esty shopkeepers! Thanks!
Ok....I'm off to create......

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Flowers 55


This piece was another commission for a friend who was giving it as a 55th birthday present. She wanted a lot of flowers in this pieces, "a lot, I mean A LOT of flowers, and two nickels, and time again." So I found myself really pushing the flowers into this piece. My favorite part of this piece is the lotus at the bottom of the piece. I may explore that form more in other pieces soon.

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

No. 132 Attitude

I did this one UpNorth. I don't really like drawing there because I am without supplies and I am constantly interupted....but it turned out nice.

Friday, August 06, 2010

Blue Hibiscus

'Blue Hibiscus'
I was unable to scan this entire drawing as it is rather large but most of it made it... :)

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Heal


"Heal"
This piece was commissioned by a friend as a birthday present for her sister whose cancer has finally gone into remission.

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Thursday, July 01, 2010

Rings


This is my second attempt at a wedding announcement for my oldest friend. Some elements she asked for were cats, books, coffee, and gears (her partner repairs clockwork). The first one you can see in earlier posts was a little to "dense" for her. She had trouble seeing the cat. So I decided to try a more delicate approach for her...it is a wedding after all. The 2 colors, green and purple, were colors she had asked me for in an earlier drawing. I hope she likes this one....ha!

Blue






































I made this sketch while my daughter was at her swimming lessons. I had thought to bring my sketchbook and pencils but had forgotten them, much to my dismay. All I had on me was a ballpoint pen and some computer paper. But I wanted to get my #draw365 done and I figured it never bothered me in High School...LOL...so this is the result. While I do much better in pencil with a kneaded eraser by my side there is something to be said for working in a medium that you can't erase. It teaches you to think first and to learn to adjust your plans while you work to accommodate "happy accidents"....serendipity.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Spyros

This is a portrait of a Twitter friend @heniadis. He has always been one of my most enthusiastic supporters of my weird steampunk heads. He has a series of portraits on the web called Portrait A Day  so it was very easy for me to get some pictures of him to do this portrait. Or at least I thought it would be easy....heehee. His portraits are a wonderful artistic exploration of self...however they did not give me enough facial views to get a complete view of his full face. I persevered and pulled enough views off the web to complete this piece. I thought he would LOVE it if his own head became one of my steampunk creations and HE DID!....that's the best part when they love it! I'm so glad he did. He purchased this piece from me as well and became my very first customer for my new business: MOT Studios. Thanks Spyros! He even posted a video of him opening it onYouTube!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Tulip

Tulip......in honor of Spring.....

Jose's Flags

In order to get my #draw365's done in a timely manner I've gone back to graphite sketches for awhile. I do LOVE the look of the line art with ink wash. I'll head back that way as soon as possible.....promise.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

ButterCatfly

My friend asked me to design her wedding invitations. This is the first design I've completed for her....hope she likes it. :)

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Monday, April 05, 2010

Summer Night, Riverside

Feeling Floral again....must be all this Spring stuff going on......
My oldest friend saw this on my Facebook page and told me it reminded her of this poem. I had a feeling of  circa 1900-1910 when I did the drawing and she tells me the poem is from the same era. Amazing...


Summer Night, Riverside


In the wild soft summer darkness
How many and many a night we two together
Sat in the park and watched the Hudson
Wearing her lights like golden spangles
Glinting on black satin.
The rail along the curving pathway
Was low in a happy place to let us cross,
And down the hill a tree that dripped with bloom
Sheltered us,
While your kisses and the flowers,
Falling, falling,
Tangled in my hair. . . .

The frail white stars moved slowly over the sky.

And now, far off
In the fragrant darkness
The tree is tremulous again with bloom
For June comes back.

To-night what girl
Dreamily before her mirror shakes from her hair
This year's blossoms, clinging to its coils?

Sara Teasdale

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Whisper


Mad Muse

Oh the Muse was mad that I had to give up Studio Day to sub! She pouted all morning! I took advantage of a Special and while the kids were off at Music I scribbled off this drawing of her in my pocket sketchbook. What a Primadonna she is, pouting away!!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Patel

Took forever to do this one....started on Saturday, finished on
Tuesday.....

Thursday, March 18, 2010

GearHead Girl

I love faces...............and cogs.
 I started this one on the 17th but the Muse left me, to go get some green beer apparently, so I finished it on the 18th.....drawn and then inked.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Stacy

This lovely lady came from the TV.....my "live model" source.....lol

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Nero

For some strange reason I want to call this guy Nero....even though he feels South American to me. I know....trust me....no one's more confused about it then me.....

Friday, March 12, 2010

Indira in the Stars

A qucik 3 minute sketch today as I have to go to a 1 year olds birthday party tonight and won't have time to get anything else done.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

YellowAlice

Played with ink tonight. Ink with a brush that is.....usually I ink with a Rapidograph but @SideshowSiren suggested a brush and I thought.....ok, why not.....I like it.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Thursday, February 25, 2010