The Finest Muffins and Bagels in All the Land

Illustration Friday: GROUNDED

2012-01-08T12:43:00.000-05:00

One morning she found an unusually large turnip... When she pulled it up she was surprised to find that it left a hole
through which she could look down upon the green earth.

For this week's topic, I decided to dig into my old work a bit. These two pieces were created back in college to illustrate the folk tale "The Girl Who Climbed to the Sky." The story tells of a girl named Sapana who is kidnapped by a porcupine man, forced to marry him, and kept captive in his kingdom in the sky--so she's grounded but actually far above the ground itself. With a little digging, a little ingenuity and the help of a few bird friends, Sapana makes it back home safely.

She hung there for a long time, swinging back and forth above the trees..."Come and help me," she called to Buzzard. The bird glided under her feet several times, and Sapana told him all that had happened to her.

Books Read in 2011

2011-12-31T16:49:00.004-05:00

Well, hello world! I haven't done much in the way of artmaking lately. Hopefully that'll change when the calendar switches. But in the meantime, let's talk books.

2011 saw the failure of my hard drive and the loss of my many-years-ongoing "The Books I've Read in My Whole Life, Ever, All Time" spreadsheet (it wasn't really called that, but you get the idea.) This was absolutely devastating, but a new account on goodreads and some powerful memory searching have allowed me to begin recreating that list. As far as I can remember, here are the books I read in 2011. I've bolded my favorites:

Chains, Laurie Halse Anderson
Forge, Laurie Halse Anderson

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, Jeanne Birdsall

March, Geraldine Brooks

People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks

The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis

Game Six, Mark Frost

The Red Umbrella, Christina Gonzalez

My One Hundred Adventures, Polly Horvath

Northward to the Moon, Polly Horvath

Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro

The Lacuna, Barbara Kingsolver

T-Backs, T-Shirts, COAT, and Suit, E.L. Konigsburg
A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver, E.L. Konigsburg

Beatrice and Virgil, Yann Martel

Let the Great World Spin, Colum McCann

The Cardturner, Louis Sachar

Moon Over Manifest, Claire Vanderpool

The Geography of Bliss, Eric Weiner

Countdown, Deborah Wiles

One Crazy Summer, Rita Williams-Garcia

And I'm currently reading Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel and about a third of the way through Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. Here's to good art, good books, good living, and good times in 2012*!

*That's twenty-twelve, not two-thousand-twelve. I strongly believe it's past time for the pronunciation shift. Are you with me?

"My middle name, Tree, comes from your basic tree, a thing of such beauty to my mother that she made it part of my name."

2011-08-07T23:42:00.004-04:00

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

[Portraits of People Who Aren't Real #3]

p.s. This week's illustration Friday topic is "imperfect." I'd feel comfortable linking pretty much any illustration for that topic, as perfection is pretty much impossible to achieve--particularly when the illustrator is as rusty and off her game as I am!

New (Nu) Pastels

2011-08-03T00:16:00.000-04:00

I bought a Groupon a few months ago for Plaza Artist Materials. It was due to expire last weekend, so on Friday I trekked to Foggy Bottom to pick out some new materials-- namely, NuPastels, in nu colors.

It's not my usual process for finished illustration work, but I still have tons of fun mindlessly sketching with these flat, square sticks of color. Here, four of my new/nu pastels get a workout.

"Ethan Feld was the least gifted ballplayer that Clam Island had ever seen."

2011-05-30T12:33:00.001-04:00


Summerland by Michael Chabon

[Portraits of People Who Aren't Real #2]

Birdhouse in Your Soul

2011-04-17T22:18:00.000-04:00

I found these little pastel boards at the art store months ago and am just now giving them a try. They're fun to play with, but I think I prefer my usual Colourfix paper for my long-term use. In the meantime, I can't stop listening to this song by They Might be Giants. It's pretty catchy.

"Fern loved Wilbur more than anything."

2011-03-27T18:13:00.002-04:00

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

[Portraits of People Who Aren't Real #1]

Portraits of People Who Aren't Real

2011-03-27T13:49:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I headed down to the National Gallery of Art, mostly to see the current exhibit on Paul Gauguin (who I've decided was a bit of an illustrator, actually!) But on the way, I stepped into the Chester Dale Collection exhibit, and I couldn't stop looking at this painting by Picasso. I loved how stark and simple it was while still being exquisitely executed. I needed something to kick my artist butt back into gear, and I think this did it. With this great painting as inspiration, I've decided to do a few simple portraits of (what else?) some of my favorite children's book characters. Sketches today, pastels... next!

Ethan from Summerland

Fern from Charlotte's Web

Margaret Rose from The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place

Sal from Walk Two Moons

Pitchers? Check. Catchers? Check. Spring? It's here!

2011-02-16T00:02:00.000-05:00

Like it so much you want to take it home? (Get it? Home?) Fine art prints available!

People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.

Rogers Hornsby

Today officially kicks off my Cincinnati Reds' quest to defend their 2010 National League Central Division title (yeah, it's still a little surreal!) To celebrate the opening of spring training camp in Goodyear, AZ, I give you my fourth annual Pitchers and Catchers Report Day illustration. Can't you just hear the crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd, the sound of play-by-play on the radio (or in my case, computer)? Baseball's back, ladies and gentlemen, and with it-- spring!

[Memory lane: 2008, 2009, 2010]

Illustration Friday: DUSTY

2011-01-23T15:39:00.001-05:00

I've been working all afternoon on perfecting the sketch from my previous post in preparation for some pastel work. That's why, when I clicked over to Illustration Friday and saw that this week's topic is "dusty," my mind went immediately to Reds manager Dusty Baker. So I grabbed a pencil, a pen, and a post-it and went to town on a quick sketch of the runner-up to the 2010 NL Manager of the Year award.

24 days until pitchers and catchers (and managers) report!

One month until baseball!

2011-01-16T11:42:00.000-05:00

Each Moment

2011-01-13T21:53:00.005-05:00

There's a story that goes with this image. A rather personal one, actually. But I'll tell it anyway. It's okay if you don't quite follow the genealogy. I have a large and lovable family.

First: my second cousin commissioned this illustration as a Christmas gift for her mother (my Dad's cousin.) The words are from her late mother (my Grandma's sister, and a poet!)

Second: For Christmas, I bought a print of this for my paternal grandparents, who just this year celebrated their 60th anniversary. My parents purchased a print to give to my maternal grandparents, who just this year celebrated their 65th anniversary.

Third: Just before Christmas, while I was visiting in Ohio, my paternal grandmother spent time in the hospital and very nearly left us--making this illustration quite poignant. Just after Christmas, while I was visiting in Missouri, my maternal grandfather suffered a heart attack and passed away--making this illustration painfully poignant. On top of everything, he was both a birdwatcher and a St. Louis Cardinals fan.

So, there's that. That's the baggage (and the beauty) this image will carry with it for me. Here, I'd like to dedicate this post to all four of my grandparents, their many years of love, and our large and lovable family.

Warming up (no, really!)

2010-11-30T22:46:00.000-05:00

The Illustration Friday prompt a few weeks ago was "burning"... right at the same time a particular tree at the end of my street exploded in a sort of flaming color not unlike the palette used in these illustrations. Unfortunately, not only did I miss the deadline for the IF prompt, but I came home from work last week to discover that every last leaf had fallen from that tree. So this post is dedicated to the swift passage of time.

So what do you think? White outlines or no?

Lovebirds (+ hello there, internet!)

2010-11-30T22:40:00.000-05:00

I may not have made much art these past few months, but I haven't been entirely unproductive. I created this illustration a few months ago for a very special wedding. The newlyweds share a name with another cute little animal, but I opted for bird imagery for their program cover. Congratulations, Julie and Jon!

Fun with birds.

2010-08-01T16:59:00.000-04:00

And since I was listening to the Reds game while working on these...

Warming up.

2010-06-23T22:07:00.000-04:00

I'm all (mostly) settled in to my new place in Washington, DC! Now it's time to loosen up the old sketching/smearing fingers with a "just for fun" illustration...

Movin' Right Along

2010-05-06T17:10:00.001-04:00

It's pack-up-and-move time around these parts. Not for the blog, which is staying put here at blogger, but for me, the real live artist. Adios, Cincinnati, Ohio... hola, Washington, DC!

My pastels are already in boxes, and my art desk won't be coming along with me for a few weeks, but I promise I'll be back as soon as I have new art to share. Hasta luego, internet.

The Family Tree

2010-04-15T23:10:00.000-04:00

Remembering Romero

2010-03-23T20:41:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, March 24, 2010, marks the 30th anniversary of the assassination of Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero. Archbishop Romero spoke out on behalf of the poor of El Salvador in the midst of military repression, overwhelming poverty and shocking economic disparity, ultimately paying for his courage with his life. Apparently, this extraordinary man is not as well known as he should be, so I thought I'd do my small part to right that wrong. If you'd like to know more about Romero, start with this recent tribute.

Presente, Oscar Romero!

Nina Reads in a Tree

2010-03-09T13:45:00.001-05:00

The last in this little series of illustrations features our intrepid heroine Nina reading her favorite adventure novel from her perch in a tall tree. When I was Nina's age, I would occasionally take a book up into a tree in my backyard. It was not the most comfortable place to read, so I didn't do it often. But it seemed like something a character in a book would do--one of those girl protagonists* who were kind of like me, but a bit braver, a bit more witty, a bit more exciting.

And with that, I'm going out for a walk. It's over 60 degrees in Ohio in March... this I must enjoy while it lasts!

*Like Garet Atkins, Jill Pecq, Turtle Wexler, Mary Lennox, Sal Hiddle, Claudia Kincaid, or Vicky Austin, for example.

Nina Plays Catch

2010-02-26T17:57:00.002-05:00

The second finished illustration in my Nina series. (Check out the original sketch and the first illustration, if you like.) One more to go, then who knows? I might need to think up a new promotional piece to design and send out. As for Illustration Friday's theme of "perspective," the connection's in the process. Those legs and their foreshortening gave me fits, but I'm pleased with how they turned out in the end.

In the mailbox

2010-02-20T14:02:00.007-05:00

The mail just arrived at my house and it included the inaugural issue of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Magazine-- with my illustration on the cover! It's basically a jazzed up version of the JVC logo, which encompasses the four values of spirituality, simple living, community, and social justice. This was a truly rewarding project, and I was thrilled to get the opportunity to do some work for a wonderful organization like JVC.

Back in December, I mentioned that I was working on three illustration projects. Well, this is the mysterious third one.

Look, a byline!

Happy spring!

2010-02-18T00:22:00.007-05:00

Purchase a print of this illustration.
Purchase a t-shirt or mug of this illustration.

There may be a foot of snow outside my front door right now, but it's here-comes-the-sun beautiful in Goodyear, Arizona. Today marks the official start of spring training for my beloved Cincinnati Reds, and for the third year in a row (we can call it a tradition now, right?) I've commemorated this "pitchers and catchers report" day with an illustration.
[Memory lane: 2009, 2008]

"It's a great day for baseball. Let's play two." -Ernie Banks
----
Edit: This week's Illustration Friday word is "propagate." I think this works with this illustration on a few levels. (1) It's about spring, a time for growth and new life and spreading sunshine--all propagations of one sort or another. (2) The Catholic Church uses the term "propagation of the faith," and we're all familiar with the word "propaganda." I'm nothing if not a baseball evangelist. :)

Nina Walks in the Rain

2010-02-09T10:51:00.007-05:00

The first of (hopefully) three follow-ups to this sketch from a few weeks ago did not have a happy beginning. You know how sometimes you think you've totally and completely ruined a drawing forever, that there's no chance it'll ever look decent, and you might as well start over? And then you let it sit on your art desk for a week or so, while you retreat to your corner and try not to look at it, until one day, you get the courage to re-sharpen those pastel pencils and have another go?

That's the story of "Nina Walks in the Rain." I'm so glad I didn't give up on her!

Art? You want art?

2010-02-06T16:39:00.006-05:00

Does this count as art? One day I'll post a recipe to this blog for the finest muffins in all the land, but today I bring you the finest brownies in all the land. Enjoy. I know I will.

I Love Reading

2010-01-20T21:25:00.014-05:00

Did you know the Newbery and Caldecott winners were announced this week? I had a feeling this day was coming soon, so last week I looked around the internet a bit to scout some Newbery contenders. Because of this, I was lucky enough to have a copy of this year's winner all checked out from the library and sitting by my bed when the announcement was made. Today, I read that book. And I am here to tell you:

You. Must. Read. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. As soon as possible.

For me, this book ranks up there with my very favorite Newbery novels, like Holes, The Westing Game, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and A Wrinkle in Time. Like these classics, it gets the following things just right: a well-crafted story with plenty of mystery, compelling characters who seem like real people, and commentary on the human condition that's not in any way preachy. This book is downright enchanting. Go read it now!!

* * * *

So, a few years ago, my nerdy/organized side teamed up with my sappy/reminiscent side to create an Excel spreadsheet, a place to keep track of the books I read. Thanks to a "Year Read" column, I can easily look back on the books I read each year. I thought I'd share my year in reading. There's really nothing here I wouldn't recommend, but my favorites are in red.

What I Read in 2009

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Summerland by Michael Chabon
An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England by Brock Clarke
The Gathering by Anne Enright
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
World Without End by Ken Follett
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonnell
Emmy and the Home for Troubled Girls by Lynne Jonnell
Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata
About the B'Nai Bagels by E.L. Konigsburg
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
The Soloist by Steve Lopez
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Betty Bao Lord
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Mostly True by Molly O'Neill
Keeping Score by Linda Sue Park
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
The Soul of Baseball by Joe Posnanski
The Machine by Joe Posnanski
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Big Fish by Daniel Wallace

Have you read any of these? Have you read When You Reach Me? Have you read anything GREAT lately? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Nina Outdoors

2010-01-18T15:50:00.005-05:00

It's only January, and already I'm tired of winter. I'm ready to be hanging out outside like Nina here. As long as temperatures stay below freezing, though, I may as well use my indoor time to start on a few new illustrations-- and practice doing the same character in multiple scenes, while I'm at it. Next up: color!

p.s. Happy New Year, everyone! By the by, I'm fully committed to calling this year "Twenty-Ten" rather than "Two Thousand Ten." Who's with me?

I wish you a merry Christmas!

2009-12-22T13:37:00.008-05:00

I was excited to have the opportunity this year to design the Christmas card for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. Each year, over 250 volunteers commit to spend a year working full-time in nonprofit organizations, living in community with other volunteers, and exploring JVC's four values of spirituality, social justice, community, and simple living.

This wonderful organization is very close to my heart. I was a Jesuit Volunteer for a year after I graduated from college. I taught art in an after-school program and summer camp in Washington, DC, and lived with five other volunteers. It was a wonderful and challenging year, and I'm proud to count myself among the thousands of FJV's (Former Jesuit Volunteers) around the world. Enjoy your Christmas cards, JVC supporters! Everyone else out there in blogland... happy holidays!

Illustration Friday: UNDONE

2009-12-18T19:43:00.007-05:00

Two years ago, I responded to the Illustration Friday prompt word "juggle" with a picture of a chef juggling the ingredients for strawberry shortcake. Maybe you remember?

Then this fall I had an art show at a local restaurant and sold that illustration. Hurray, right? Yes, but someone else wanted to buy that piece. So I was commissioned to do another drawing like... well, a lot like that one. With a twist, to keep things interesting. This is the result:

A recipe is just a finished meal undone, right? Broken down to its most basic elements.

For Sale

2009-12-09T15:44:00.015-05:00

Been busy this week and last working on three different projects. Hopefully I can share the finished one in the next few days. Stay tuned! In the meantime...

A few months ago I made several of my illustrations available as prints through ImageKind. I've added a few more pieces to the gallery since then. I've also seen one of these prints in person now-- it looks quite nice. To learn more or to buy a print, click here.

More recently, I've set up shop at Cafe Press to get some of my illustrations printed on things like aprons, magnets, canvas bags, stickers, and more. I ordered a few of these items myself (see photos) and am very happy with how they turned out. To learn more or to buy something pretty, click here.

If there's an illustration you'd like to have printed (on paper or something else!) that you don't see listed there, just leave me a comment or send me an email. That's very easy to remedy.

At the drawing board

2009-11-30T17:22:00.002-05:00

Illustration Friday: BLUR

2009-11-12T16:03:00.001-05:00

Experimenting with texture and outlines (and continuing to work on movement!) for this week's Illustration Friday prompt...

Illustration Friday: FROZEN

2009-10-22T16:11:00.003-04:00

What's more frozen than ICE? And ice skating is one of the best wintery things!

Note to Mother Nature: This does not mean I'm ready for winter yet.

Illustration Friday: FLYING

2009-10-14T16:32:00.005-04:00

It's never too early to think about Christmas cards, right?

Goodbye, baseball! See you in the spring...

2009-10-13T14:04:00.011-04:00

I've been collecting a few baseball-related images and thoughts over the last few weeks, intending to post them here. As I say a lingering farewell to the 2009 season, this seemed as good a time as any to scrap them together into a post...

1. CURRENT WORK: I spent some time today sketching the greatest baseball player of my childhood, as rumors of his retirement continue to swirl. I may do this in pastels eventually. With apologies to anyone in Seattle, I'll be doing it in red.

2. FLASHBACK #1: The recent 10-year anniversary of an incredibly exciting game (and the equally exciting but ultimately disappointing 1999 Reds season) sent me foraging in the attic for this old drawing.

It's my 16-year-old take on a photo of second baseman Pokey Reese that ran in the Cincinnati Enquirer at the time. I called it "Twelfth Inning Triumph." There are parts of it I still really like (the treatment of the uniform and the arm, the title) and others I cringe at (it doesn't look a thing like Pokey! And that red and yellow glow...hmmm. No comment.)

3. FLASHBACK #2: Seeing my flashback Reds art led my Dad to do some foraging in the attic of his own, and he came up with this grease pencil and watercolor portrait of the great Pete Rose.

This coincided nicely with the recent release of this fantastic book. And it also gives me a chance to show off my artistic genealogy! :)

4. I LOVE PUBLIC ART: One of my favorite things about Great American Ballpark is these two beautiful mosaics. They're the first thing you see when you walk into the stadium, which just makes me all kinds of happy. I mean, how could I not love the intersection of baseball and art?

The 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, first professional baseball team.

The 1975-76 Big Red Machine, last National League team to win back to back World Series.

5. A LITTLE CRAFTING: I don't really have any craft skills--all my creative energy gets used up in art and, to a lesser extent, cooking--so this is about as crafty as I get. After years of absentmindedly using baseball ticket stubs for bookmarks, I decided to be more intentional about it. Ticket stub+contact paper+ribbon=voila!

6. HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL: 144 days until pitchers and catchers report. In the meantime, I can always watch this on a loop. Love that hint of a smile at the end. And love that team!

...and more food art!

2009-09-15T17:24:00.003-04:00

I love red onions. I'm not sure if they taste better than their less colorful cousins or if I just like a little purple on my plate...

warming up

2009-09-13T19:37:00.003-04:00

Getting back in the swing of drawing with something fun and simple... food art!

The almighty mason jar

2009-09-09T23:37:00.005-04:00

My first foray into canning last weekend didn't just result in 60 jars of tomato sauce, whole tomatoes, applesauce, and apple conserve. It also birthed the idea for this illustration. Five people + ten hours + one kitchen = production on all fronts!

Well, hello there!

2009-09-09T23:30:00.007-04:00

It's been nothing but crickets here lately, hasn't it? Maybe my longest creative dry spell since I started this blog and re-started my art production two years ago.

There were lots of reasons, but what do they matter now? I'm back in business! I don't know how many local Cincinnati readers I have here, but if you're in town, stop by Habanero in Clifton sometime in the next few weeks. Their salsa is divine, but their walls aren't so bad right now either: I'm exhibiting my illustrations there for the next month or so!!

I've shown work in a few collaborative shows in the last few years, but this one's all me--a first. The opening reception is Friday. Maybe I'll take some pictures so you can see how delightful it all looks. :)

Updated! Scenes from the opening...

Vote for Zoo-Mates!

2009-04-30T19:53:00.005-04:00

I don't mention my other job-- my day job, real job, paycheck-wielding job, however you want to put it-- very often on this blog, but today I want to highlight a really great program and ask for your support.

I work at the Center for Community Engagement at the University of Cincinnati. One of the coolest programs we get to take credit for is called Zoo-Mates. Zoo-Mates pairs college students with children experiencing homelessness for yearlong mentoring relationships. The pairs meet once a month at the (incredible!) Cincinnati Zoo and once a month at the children's school or another place in the community (the art museum was one!)

I don't run this program--one of our fantastic graduate assistants handles that quite capably--but I tag along whenever I can. You'll see why once you take a look at these pictures and stories: zoomates.blogspot.com.

Now we've stumbled upon an organization called True Hero, which awards funding to deserving student service projects based on votes from community members. So can you do me (and my community! and the kids!) a favor? Click here and vote just once for this fantastic, innovative project, and allow it to keep working.

Thanks!

Love is in the air

2009-04-24T22:53:00.006-04:00

These illustrations will, respectively, grace the front and back of a wedding program I'm putting together for two very good friends who are getting married next week.

I'm not sure I've ever done finished work in black and white before. I'd definitely do it again! The first is my traditional pastel. The second is ink pen and (dare I confess?) wite-out on grayish printer paper. Now that's fine art!

Prints for Sale!

2009-04-24T21:55:00.004-04:00

I'm very excited to announce that several of my favorite illustrations are now available for purchase (at pretty reasonable prices, I think!) through Imagekind. Click the link below... to peruse, perchance to purchase.

If you see something on my website or on this blog that you'd like to see printed, let me know. Up next: printing on surfaces other than paper. Stay tuned!

Scenes from the green isle

2009-04-16T22:48:00.010-04:00

Preparing for something memorable

2009-03-08T22:33:00.007-04:00

I'm going to Ireland in two and a half weeks. Until I land in Dublin, my international experience will have been limited to 24 hours in Niagara Falls, the Canadian half. And, I guess, lots of strolls past embassies when I lived in DC. And the UN in New York. But basically, this is my first REAL international experience. I'm incredibly excited. So I've decided I'm going to try, one more time, to keep some semblance of a journal while I'm there.

Now, journals and sketchbooks and I have a checkered past. I always have great intentions and awful follow-through. So I decided to make my own journal, in the hopes that I could make what I need. I ended up with two:

One with lots of different kinds of pages, lined and unlined, different colors, etc. This will be for anything and everything. Thoughts, sketches, notes, directions. Whatever I want. Whatever I do with it will be what I intended, because I also think I need permission to fail, to be mundane, to write poorly, to clutter it up. It'll be what it'll be, and it'll be fantastic.

And one that I'm modeling off something my Mom came up with for one of our family vacations when I was younger. She used a tablet of sample paper (somehow we always had paper samples lying around the house) and labeled each sheet with a letter of the alphabet. The whole trip we recorded things we saw, heard, ate, whatever on the appropriate alphabet page. Sometimes with explanations and/or illustrations, but sometimes just a word or two. It was a low-key, simple way to document a trip--and I recall it being awesome.

So I'm going to try it for Ireland. Wish me luck!

And if you've been to Dublin and want to share stories, tips, good eateries (esp. cheap and/or vegetarian!), best things to see and do, etc.-- don't hold back! Drop me some comments.

Illustration Friday: INTRICATE

2009-03-08T15:43:00.003-04:00

Anyone remember Maniac Magee? I don't remember much, but I remember there being an impossible knot that needed untangling. And I remember loving it. It may be time for a re-read...

Illustration Friday: BREEZY

2009-03-01T15:35:00.005-05:00

Listening to the Reds-Yankees spring training game on the radio right now. It sure is breezy in Sarasota, Florida, and every breeze is blowing toward the outfield. Eight home runs so far between the two teams!

I'm playing with oil pastels today because someone guessed in an earlier comment that I was already using them. I usually use dry pastels, but I did use a lot of oil pastels back in high school, so I thought they'd be fun to revisit. Pros: Oil pastels are easier on dry, winter skin. They don't come in pencil form, so they force me to loosen up. They work much better on the "pastel paper" I just bought for fun than do my dry pastels. Cons: They don't come in pencil form, so I have much much less control over my artwork. I can't build up as many layers of color, nor can I smear them with my fingers to blend.

Still, a fun experiment!

Pastel sketches

2009-02-14T23:03:00.004-05:00

Look, ma--no pencil sketch first! Just some idle doodling, directly in color.

Illustration Friday: CELEBRATE

2009-02-14T13:20:00.005-05:00

You can keep your Valentine's Day. I'm celebrating Pitchers and Catchers Report Day. Happy spring (training)--and go Reds!

FABULOUS!

2009-02-01T20:40:00.006-05:00

And while I'm at the blog, I totally forgot about a "Your Blog is Fabulous" award I got from Nikki way back in December. I've been tagged to share five obsessions of mine.

1) I'm not a random TV watcher, but I do get quite involved in the shows I take the time to watch. My obsession with all things The West Wing is already well-documented here. My current TV obsession is Lost. It's mind-bogglingly fabulous these days. I like my television like my acquaintances: literate, witty, and with a big heart.

2) The Cincinnati Reds, of course. Pitchers and catchers report on February 14th, and, meanwhile, football season ends TODAY. I am a happy camper.

3) Anytime I get the chance to go to a garage sale or a thrift store, I take it. I love treasure hunts, bargains, and one-of-a-kind finds. Right now I'm wearing a church sale blouse, sitting at a Goodwill desk, with a garage sale mug holding my pencils, and with my back to my World's-Longest-Yard-Sale art desk.

4) The library! Cincinnati has one of the best systems in the country, and I take full advantage of it. There are many things I miss about living in Washington, DC, but their library system has got nothing on ours here. I'm definitely a regular at my neighborhood branch (where, recently, I spotted the back of Sarah Jessica Parker's head. Long story.)

5) I really, truly love grocery shopping. I live around the corner from an IGA, so I go several times a week, for a few things here and a few things there. I also make special trips once in a while to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, and in the spring and summer, I can't get enough of the various farmers markets near me. I love reading labels, exploring new foods, seeing what's on sale or in season, and thinking up recipes.

Thanks for thinking of me, Nikki!

New and improved

2009-02-01T20:11:00.004-05:00

I've been meaning to do this for ages, and finally today got around to updating my portfolio website. A (hopefully) cleaner look plus a handful of new pieces = all in a day's work! Next up: a promotional mailing I've been planning since November.

Let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King

2009-01-18T23:31:00.007-05:00

There is a feeling like the clenching of a fist
There is a hunger in the center of the chest
There is a passage through the darkness and the mist
And though the body sleeps the heart will never rest
Oh, let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King...

-"Shed a Little Light," by the incomparable James Taylor

It's a big week! Martin Luther King Day of Service tomorrow, inauguration on Tuesday, Lost season premiere on Wednesday, and I'm back on my blog today. (Yes, I recognize that there are strikingly different levels of bigness in that string of events. I'm just being thorough.)

p.s. This is a re-imagining (this one in pastel on paper) of an earlier piece (that one in paint on a canvas apron.)

p.p.s. Happy 2009!

Illustration Friday: VOICES

2008-12-23T16:42:00.005-05:00

Merry Christmas Eve Eve! Here's a little sketch that I'll consider an homage to my brother, my sister, me, and Christmas Past. When I started this little sketch, I didn't intend it to be autobiographical, and it's not exactly (I don't recall us ever caroling in front of the tree like that, nor was my brother's head that round or big.) But I was just drawing, and then all of a sudden there were two older girls and a younger brother and similar haircuts to ours circa 1993 or so. And the older girl's holding the book (and therefore she's probably the bossy mastermind of this little photo op) while the middle one looks like she's singing the nicest and enjoying the attention and the little boy is probably stealing the show by hamming it up and knowing his audience. And that was pretty much us back in the day.

So happy Christmas Eve Eve to my family and yours. See you in 2009!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2008-12-18T19:29:00.010-05:00

Christmas cards are here! I used an illustration from last fall, but had to make my own envelopes because I couldn't find any to fit my 4x6 cards. No matter--another opportunity to creatively recycle is always welcome.

Meanwhile, things are slooooow at work, with students gone for the break--and many faculty and staff, too! I found myself doodling some seasonally-appropriate doodles during the slowest points...

I LOVE this time of year! So here's wishing YOU (and our neighborhoods and world) a beautiful holiday season and a new year of PEACE, hope, and joy.

Now off to write on these aforementioned cards and maybe make some Chai snickerdoodles if there's time.

Edited, to add: So the minimum order of cards I could order was way more than my number of family and friends--and I actually have a rather large family. So if you'd like a little holiday greeting from an aspiring illustrator in Cincinnati, email me a mailing address. (I'd do a giveaway so you could use the cards yourself, but I doubt many of you want to send Christmas cards with the Cincinnati skyline on them...)

My blog's namesake moment

2008-12-07T21:35:00.007-05:00

In case anyone was curious...

Illustration Friday: SIMILAR

2008-12-07T17:50:00.004-05:00

Everyone knows that you don't have to look similar to have everything in common.

I've been in a pencil sketch mood lately--I think the air's just way too dry for me to want to mess with pastels. In other news, I've just discovered Books for the Future, and it's fantastic! As are this brownie recipe, this cookbook, and Christmas carols.

...Away...

2008-12-04T22:28:00.004-05:00

Truthfully? I sketched this on the back of an envelope, and I think it's the first thing I've drawn in a month. Oh, except for that doodle face I drew in the middle of a meeting at work today because I just couldn't stand it anymore... and I think one of the guys I was meeting with caught me. Oops. But that's what happens when I have to work nearly every weekend and at least one evening a week over the past month, including tonight and this Saturday. However, this old post says it all, so I will not rant again.

Enough negativity! I was tagged by talented illustrator (and chef, it seems!) Kathleen Rietz to share 7 random things about myself. I promise no negativity forthwith.

1) I acted in The Wizard of Oz twice: as the Wicked Witch of the West in 7th grade and as a munchkin in 10th. The first time was more fun because, let's face it, nothing beats a dramatic death scene that includes a trap door and lots of applause.

2) I have never had my driver's license. I didn't get it taken away, I was just a very busy 16-year-old.

3) I would really like to find a copy of the first edition of The Ordinary Princess (by M.M. Kaye) because I LOVE the book but hate the cover of the new version. Yes, I often judge books by their covers. I know I shouldn't, but I like to think it's an illustrator's prerogative.

4) I've always said that my favorite movie is The Princess Bride. Lately I've been thinking I should re-evaluate, because it seems unlikely that nothing since childhood rates. Candidates for the title of "new favorite" would have to include Amelie, Empire Records, and Millions.

5) I believe the Cincinnati Reds will contend in 2009. Or 2010. Either way, we're coming, so watch out National League. Also, I once convinced my high school to close school for Opening Day.

6) When the weather's not too awful and the hour's not too late, I walk to and from my day job... uphill both ways. (And, okay, downhill both ways, too.)

7) I made my first mix CD my first summer home from college, when I wanted to bring music from my computer into the kitchen while I made a pile of salami roll-ups for some now-forgotten event. I named that "Salami Mix," so every mix since has gotten a food name: Guacamole, Snickerdoodle, Lemonade, Falafel, Parsley, and Zucchini.

So now you know me just a bit better. I hope to be back to drawing and posting art soon!

Oh, I forgot-- I'm supposed to tag more people to pass this thing-a-ma-jig forward. So you're up, Aimee, Lindsay, Beth, and Gina.

VOTE!

2008-11-03T21:59:00.008-05:00

Some sketches while I waited for a certain candidate to visit Cincinnati yesterday, here in this swingin' swing state. Below is my cousin Emma studying for history.... while experiencing history.

"If our job teaches us anything, it's that we don't know what the next President's gonna face. And if we choose someone with vision, someone with guts, someone with gravitas, who's connected to other people's lives, and cares about making them better... if we choose someone to inspire us, then we'll be able to face what comes our way and achieve things... we can't imagine yet." -Toby Ziegler

Yeah, that's from my favorite TV show, which I named my blog after, which I'm just a little obsessed with. Now go VOTE!

Illustration Friday: VACANT

2008-11-02T15:22:00.004-05:00

The twelfth princess looked back as she left the grove with the silver leaves. She was sure she'd heard a noise, like a snapping branch. But these woods were vacant, weren't they?

One of the first picture books I remember buying with my own money was the version of The Twelve Dancing Princesses illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. Luckily, Sanderson's style is completely different from mine--realistic oil paintings with exquisite, intricate detail vs. stylized, simplified pastel drawings. Otherwise I think I'd be too intimidated to take on this story--which would've been a shame, because I had a lot of fun with this one.

Illustration Friday: LATE (no, really!)

2008-10-25T15:07:00.003-04:00

If there was ever an Illustration Friday to post two days behind schedule, this is it. I'm late, I'm late!!

Blog Action Day

2008-10-15T09:07:00.008-04:00

Today is Blog Action Day, a day when millions of bloggers world-wide have made a commitment to write (or draw, in this case!) about issues related to poverty, in an effort to raise awareness, prompt action, and get a conversation started.

I've chosen to focus on fair trade. According to Co-Op America, "fair trade is a system of exchange that honors producers, communities, consumers, and the environment. It is a model for the global economy rooted in people-to-people connections, justice, and sustainability."

For more information on fair trade chocolate, including where to purchase...

For more information on fair trade coffee, including where to purchase...

For more information about what you can do to promote fair trade, visit TransFair USA. (Now's a great time, because in addition to today being Blog Action Day, October is also Fair Trade Month!)

Finally, a shout-out to Illustration Friday visitors-- the only strings I could find in this illustration are the strings that connect it to my last post, the preliminary sketch for the chocolate illustration. Thanks to Aimee for her insightful comment on that one, which led me to take my drawing a step further and ultimately inspired the coffee piece, too. Another testament to the wonders of blogging!!

Illustration Friday: SUGARY

2008-10-07T18:12:00.005-04:00

Just a sketch today. I'm hoping to get this finished for Blog Action Day on October 15th. Happy October!

...So don't nobody go nowhere...

2008-08-25T19:47:00.005-04:00

The month of September will be a busy one. I'm going to need to channel all my creative energy to an exciting illustration job due early October (hopefully I can share it here eventually!) Plus, students come back to campus in about a month, so this is crunch time at work, too.

So I don't expect to post much in the next few weeks. See you in a few!

What's for dinner? (in color)

2008-08-20T22:49:00.003-04:00

A color rendering of this sketch. It looks a lot better in real life, I promise! Especially color-wise. Unfortunately, the piece is juuuuust too big for my scanner and my camera's on the fritz. Technology can be a drag sometimes, I do have to say.

P.S. You can project your favorite brownish soupy food into that pot if you want. In my mind, it's spicy peanut sauce (I make it differently every time, but my recipe's something like this one.)

Come critique-ing!

2008-08-11T23:23:00.005-04:00

Have opinions or insights about illustrations (yours, others)? Join in and speak up. Lindsay at Curly Illustrator has set up a critique group for beginning and aspiring illustrators (like yours truly!) to share thoughts and feedback with each other as we work toward illustrating professionally. Check it out--and consider joining us!!

Illustration Friday: POOF!

2008-08-07T17:37:00.008-04:00

Where does all that gorgeous green summer squash come from? Poof! Has the Zucchini Fairy struck YOUR kitchen, garden, and/or farmers' market??

Delicious: zucchini fritters, zucchini brownies, zucchini chocolate chip cookies.

Ladies and gentlemen, only the finest...

2008-08-03T21:58:00.002-04:00

The finest muffin in all the land. Coming to a blog header near you.

Happy birthday, Finest Muffins & Bagels :)

2008-08-02T20:44:00.004-04:00

Doodles from the margins. I just came back from a wonderful work conference in Atlanta, and all the talk there about higher education seems to have gotten me back in some of my college note-taking habits. :)

Today's my blog's first birthday, so I've been sketching lots of muffins and bagels, hoping to debut a new and more colorful blog header. It's not going to happen today, but stay tuned!!

Illustration Friday: FOGGY

2008-07-13T18:03:00.003-04:00

Don't you hate it when the weather's particularly rainy or humid (or hot or cold) and your glasses fog up as soon as you step inside a building? This kind of weather also often leads to frizzy hair, also detestable.

What's for dinner?

2008-07-10T21:52:00.004-04:00

Sketched this while watching The Devil Wears Prada. (A full-length movie= lots of detail and hatchmarks!) Anyway, I'm a little peeved at the film's implication that my illustrative hero, Mary Grandpre, would hand over a top secret children's book manuscript. I mean, really.

Currently reading The Mysterious Benedict Society. I'm about a third of the way in--it's fascinating!

I'd be lion if I said..

2008-06-30T20:26:00.006-04:00

... I didn't just want to have another post in the month of June. :)

p.s. Thanks to Aimee over at artsyville for a shout-out on her blog today (and for the beautiful print!!) Check out her site--it's gorgeous and inspiring.

Wandering around

2008-06-28T16:05:00.014-04:00

I spent five days recently in one of my favorite places, Washington DC. I used to live there, so mostly I was visiting long-lost but still dear friends. But I had some wandering time, too, and luckily I had the foresight to bring a tiny little Ecojot sketchbook and my trusty (though injured) camera along for the ride...

Illustration Friday: PUNCHLINE

2008-06-17T17:38:00.003-04:00

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: "Because the sky is falling! Run away!" -Chicken Little

Illustration Friday: FORGOTTEN

2008-06-09T21:18:00.003-04:00

Well, it's been awhile, hasn't it? It feels good to be back at my poor forgotten art desk, using my sad neglected art supplies.

I want to be a professional artist

2008-05-14T17:55:00.006-04:00

I know it's been awhile since I've posted anything even as basic as a doodle. The truth is, it's been a while since I've drawn anything as basic as a doodle. I don't even think I know what this week's Illustration Friday theme is. This is partially because I've been so ungodly busy and overly-scheduled, and partly because I think every bit of creativity in my body has gone into hiding. Maybe it's somewhere behind my spleen--I certainly couldn't tell you, because I seem to have no access to it at the moment. This too shall pass, right?

Maybe now's the time for a little introduction. I'm a very, very, very beginner illustrator. As in, not able yet to financially support myself with this work. Not even close. And despite living in a low-cost-of-living city and leading a very low-cost life, I've found I can't support myself on a part-time job either.

So I work full-time. At a job I mostly really enjoy (involving college students and volunteerism). Every once in awhile, though, I'll have a day (and today was one of them) when I feel so out of place in the tasks that fill up my days, so in over my head, that I just can't take it. "Why am I here?" I wonder. "This isn't my calling, my career, the thing I've wanted to do since I was eleven years old, the thing I've taken lots of college classes to prepare me for. And I'm not just floundering and uncertain of my future, either! I have something I love to do that I like to think I'm actually pretty good at. Why can't I just get paid to do that? Why am I spending my days dealing with these politics and these stacks of papers and these numbers- and procedure-related tasks that I am so not good at?? WHY CAN'T I JUST BE AN ARTIST AND GET ON WITH LIFE?!!"

But there's simply not enough time in my week to do everything, and this week it's the art that's getting the shaft. Granted, right now is even more busy than usual. I've done well with balancing art and work (and laundry and cooking and friends and family) in months past--and I'll get back there again. But today I need to vent. I'm not sure I really wish the industry was set up to hire full-time illustrators like accountants and social workers and engineers, but... sometimes I kind of wish it was.

Anybody been where I am? Anybody there right now, with me? Care to tell me inspiring tales of how you went from full-time work in other fields to being able to illustrate full time (preferably without getting married first, because that's just not on my horizon, barring any fast-paced real-life fairy tales)? Or just want to commiserate? I'd love to hear from my fellow illustrators. If there was a day to leave comments, this is it!

Illustration Friday: WRINKLES

2008-04-30T19:24:00.007-04:00

Drawing with ballpoint pen, because I really loathe the drawing pencils I have right now. Too soft or fat or something. I need some good old #2 pencils, methinks.

Of course, if I hadn't already done an A Wrinkle in Time illustration, that's where my mind would have immediately gone this week. I also drew some wrinkly folk
(like this one) back when I illustrated the characters from The Westing Game (here and here).

Illustration Friday: PRIMITIVE

2008-04-23T20:26:00.004-04:00

Primitive as in... simple shapes and lines
Primitive as in... the use of symbols to convey a thought

tulip + leaf=nature
heart + sun=love + warmth
This illustration=a primitive tribute to the outdoors

Happy spring, and happy belated Earth Day!

Illustration Friday: FAIL

2008-04-14T20:56:00.009-04:00

Disclaimer: this post is less about artistic merit, and much more a chance to tell an interesting Cincinnati anecdote.

So there I was on Saturday morning, poised to fail at being inspired by this week's IF theme. Then I headed downtown for a tour I'd booked a few months ago of Cincinnati's subway.

What's that, you say? Cincinnati has a subway? How now?

In the early 20th century, Cincinnati (then one of the largest cities in the U.S.) began plans to build a subway where the Miami-Erie canal once flowed. A bond was passed, funds raised, contracts won, ground broken, and 2 miles of tunnels built--and then the money ran out in 1925. Despite attempts then and since to finish the project, no rail was ever laid, no cars ordered, and no passengers have ever been transported on the subway. But those 2 miles of tunnel remain intact.

Along with 49 others, I got to descend through a hole in a Central Parkway median island and walk around the platform at the Race Street station and then meander about 4 blocks down the tunnel toward Liberty Street. Aside from some graffiti and a bit of standing water, the tunnels are still in perfect condition. At the end of the tour, we all turned out our flashlights and stood in complete darkness for about 30 sublime seconds.

The tour itself was amazing and I highly recomment it to others. But as much as I was fascinated by the history, I was mostly saddened by how different my city would be, how different my childhood would have been, how different my current life would be if this subway plan had succeeded rather than failed. When they flashed up the proposed subway route during the pre-tour slideshow, I spotted the "Winton Place" marker on the map and cried a little inside. What if I'd been able to hop a subway 6 blocks from my house to go downtown to the library or a Reds game? Or over to my favorite bookstore in Oakley? By now the subway would have been expanded, I'm sure. Where could I get today from Clifton? I wonder if Ohio would be losing so many young people if we had a subway in Cincinnati today?

I can only speak for one young Ohioan: if I move away from Cincinnati again, it will be to somewhere with a subway or other good mass transit--and because of mass transit. As a non-driver and an environmentalist who for both reasons has no desire to own a car, I miss the independence I felt when I lived in DC. In spite of an okay bus system, I've had to miss out on plenty of social opportunities (and a frustrating number of potential jobs) because of my inability to quite simply get to parts of the city without the help of others.

Okay, rant over. Congratulations to anyone who made it this far, especially since the accompanying sketch isn't even that enticing. If you want to know more about the Cincinnati subway, you can check these out:

The Basics
The Definitive Account
A cool t-shirt I just might buy someday

Marriage of Art and Science

2008-04-05T15:41:00.004-04:00

Two dear friends of mine are getting married in May. She's a painter and he's a chemist , so theirs will be a marriage of art and science--much like cooking or... I don't know, what else is a marriage of art and science? In any case, we're having a shower for them tomorrow and this is my gift. Congratulations, Mary and Brian!!

And since I don't think I'll make it back to the drawing board this week, I'm going to streeeeetch a bit and make this fit the Illustration Friday theme of "Save." How about... I'm saving money by making my own gift.... Yess.

World Water Week

2008-03-17T23:02:00.004-04:00

This week, it turns out, is World Water Week.

In observance of this, Cincinnati and twelve other cities are participating in the TAP Project this week, "a campaign that celebrates the clean and accessible tap water available as an every day privilege to millions, while helping UNICEF provide safe drinking water to children around the world." Customers at participating restaurants in these cities are given the opportunity to pay $1 for their complimentary water, which will then get passed on to UNICEF who can put it to great use: for each dollar, one child can get clean drinking water for 40 days.

More information about the human right to water:
World Health Organization--Right to Water
World Water Council

and what you can do:
WaterPartners International
Journeys Within Our Community
WaterAid

Illustration Friday: HEAVY

2008-03-17T22:53:00.005-04:00

"Heavy" takes me back to high school. I remember weighing my backpack once and having it hit something like 80 pounds. Yikes!

Illustration Friday: GARDEN

2008-03-10T20:58:00.007-04:00

I have to admit, I had a hard time getting in the mood for this week's topic right away, since we got dumped with a foot of snow this weekend. But I'm more ready for spring than ever, especially as my 40 degree walk home today was full of tiny little rivers of melting snow. Bring on the baseball, the sunshine, and the tomato plants!!

[My garden, as of Saturday afternoon...]

March forth!

2008-03-04T07:57:00.004-05:00

I love that today is election day here in Ohio... it's just so poetic to be voting on March 4th, a day that sounds fit for revolution. Plus, I just love voting. The ever-talented Jim Borgman had this cartoon on the Enquirer's website today--that's how I feel after every election, not just this one.

So here I go, off to vote for a presidential candidate, for the school and zoo levies, and for my uncle for judge. March forth!

Illustration Friday: LEAP

2008-03-01T20:18:00.002-05:00

Happy belated Leap Day, virtual friends! This illustration certainly constitutes an experimental leap for me. Usually the act of drawing and the act of coloring are completely separate in my process. I won't consider putting pastel to paper until I have a tight line drawing all ready to transfer via tracing paper.

But today I've been working on a commission that involves the most realism I've used in a long time, so it's freeing to scratch out this quick little piece. Keeps things interesting, Also, I'm vaguely sick today so I don't have the patience to spend more than ten minutes on this. And with that, I think I'll go lie down.

Illustration Friday: MULTIPLE

2008-02-24T19:29:00.004-05:00

Anybody out there read Three Lives to Live? It was my favorite book for maaaany years, and its author Anne Lindbergh (daughter of the one you're thinking of ) was my favorite author for those same years. This is a sketch for an Atkins family portrait, circa 1993.

Three Lives to Live is a book about multiples (definitely) and about twins (sort of).

It's a brilliant book, and not well known. It's one of those books that's so special and semi-undiscovered that I feel an automatic kinship with others who've read it. Kind of like Quest for a Maid and The Search for Delicious.

Illustration Friday: THEORY

2008-02-16T13:14:00.007-05:00

Happy Pitchers-and-Catchers-Report-Day! Today is the unofficial start of spring and the official start of spring training (and therefore baseball season). Get excited!

Baseball lends itself to superstitions and theories. In 1999, the last time the Reds contended, I was 16 and completely convinced that the things I did affected my team immensely (as do all fans at one time or another, right?) That summer, I spent a disproportionate amount of time away from Cincinnati, and somehow, whenever I left town the team started doing really well. The clearest example of this was when my family went on a 3 week vacation out west. The day we left town, the Reds overtook the Astros for first place. They remained in first place, tied or alone, until the day we drove home. Coincidence? Probably, but I considered asking the team to send me to Europe... for the good of the team.

Here's hoping for a great season, one that belongs to the Reds. :)

Illustration Friday: CHOOSE

2008-02-13T21:06:00.010-05:00

This week, I CHOOSE to finish an Illustration Friday entry. I swore to myself that this one wouldn't go the way of my half-finished "Tales and Legends" entry or my discarded "Soar" drawing or the abandoned "Blanket" idea that never made it from my brain to the page. Ah, the power of choice (and, um... snow days.)

Choose to be a treehugger! How?
1. Use both sides of your paper, then make things out of it, then recycle it, then buy recycled paper.
2. Plant a tree. Do it yourself or pay someone else to.
3. Get yourself outside--whether it's your backyard, the park around the corner, or a state park. Spend some time in nature, looking at trees, walking among trees, and if you feel so moved... hugging them.

Why? Because we need trees as much as trees need us.

A current project

2008-02-10T19:51:00.001-05:00

This is a half of a two-part commission I'm currently working on. Just thought I'd share!

Today was a wonderful, relaxing day despite the foundation-rocking, power-disrupting winds howling outside. I did some drawing, read some of The Secret Life of Bees, signed up for Kiva, drank some chai, and made falafel. If only every day were Sunday. Back to work tomorrow.
--------
"Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here." -The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

HeART of ART

2008-02-09T17:30:00.001-05:00

If you're in the Cincinnati area, stop by the Kennedy Heights Art Center between now and March 22 to check out the HeART of ART exhibit, including four drawings by yours truly. Here are three of them, all dolled up in mats and frames and ready for delivery.

The Kennedy Heights Art Center is a fairly new gallery- and classroom-space in a beautiful old house on the east side of town. The building was set for demolition when the community rallied to reclaim it for this awesome purpose. Definitely worth a visit!

Catching up...

2008-02-09T16:27:00.001-05:00

This Christmas gift to my Mom was given on time, but it's being shared quite belatedly (camera problems) It's acrylic paint on a white canvas apron.

And here's Mom showing it off, runway style:

What do you do with poo from the zoo?

2008-01-24T22:24:00.002-05:00

In addition to rhyming with it, you an use it to power the various animal houses. More kudos to the Cincinnati Zoo!!
This is Mona D'Andrea, and she would approve of this scheme. Mona's a smart and idealistic twelve year old gardener, with big plans to change the world (once she's done changing her family.) Mona starred in a short story I wrote in college and has now traveled to my sketchbook. I expect her to keep checking in with me from time to time, especially if I get back to writing one of these days.

Illustration Friday: PLAIN

2008-01-20T23:15:00.001-05:00

This topic made me think of a book I loved as a kid, Sarah, Plain and Tall. Sadly, I haven't read it in years, but I pieced together this illustration from my scattered memories. Happy Martin Luther King Day to you all!

King

2008-01-20T15:26:00.002-05:00

Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 15, 1929- April 4, 1968

An interesting examination of Dr. King's legacy and what it's perceived as today.

West Wing scribbles

2008-01-18T19:14:00.000-05:00

If you're going to laze on the couch on a Thursday night, watching your favorite TV show on DVD, you might as well do it with a pencil and sketchbook in hand, right?
For the uninitiated, these are characters from The West Wing. I had particular fun, as you can see, with Toby (the floating scowl in the center of the page.) He has a wonderfully expressive face. Also, in case anyone's wondering-- that's Margaret next to Josh, not CJ. It's CJ's eye in the bottom corner. I hope the rest are identifiable to those who know the show (despite the fact that Sam looks like a woman). Cheers! Happy Friday!

Iiiiiit's Caldecott and Newbery time!

2008-01-17T16:33:00.000-05:00

The American Library Association recently announced the winners of their various prizes (including the well-known ones mentioned above, and others including the Michael Printz, Coretta Scott King, and Pura Belpre awards) for children's literature.

I've not read (or for that matter, HEARD of!) any of the Newbery-cited books, but will remedy that shortly, I hope. Library, here I come!

I HAVE read the Caldecott winner, the delightful The Invention of Hugo Cabret-- thanks to a Christmas-day lending from my aunt Lisa and cousin Emma. I think it took me about a day and a half to get through, and is really worth looking at as a unique storytelling exercise. Part chapter book, part graphic novel, part animated flipbook, part homage to movies... I don't know, hard to categorize, but easy to enjoy.

I've also read one of the Caldecott honor books, Henry's Freedom Box-- the true story of an enslaved man, Henry "Box" Brown, who literally mailed himself to freedom. At the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center here in Cincinnati (where I used to work) there's a special corner featuring Henry's story, including a box kids can crawl in to see how cramped his journey was. Illustrator Kadir Nelson is fairly new to me, but I've loved all of his books I've come across.

Any thoughts on the winners? Any surprises?

Pizza adventures

2008-01-14T21:38:00.001-05:00

If this boy looks as maniacal to you as he does to me, it's only because he's so CRAZY about well-made pizza.

I've made a fair few pizzas in my thumb-sized kitchen in the last few months (below: an early attempt). I've decided that it's hard to go wrong with the toppings (maniac boy's choice: mushrooms, black olives, red onions, and goat cheese, along with the traditional mozzarella.) The sticking point for me as a pizza chef is the crust.

Does anyone reading this know Dewey's Pizza? If you're in Cincinnati, Dayton, Cleveland, or St. Louis, you really should. It's the best EVER. And its crust is exquisite... so indescribably good that I can't even decide what words to put in Google alongside "recipe" and "pizza crust" and "good." Thin, but soft. Light and fluffy, with plenty of air pockets. Chewy and almost pastry-like. OH MY GOODNESS. I want to make it at home so badly but can't find a good recipe.

So... if you're reading this and think you might have the pizza dough recipe that I'm looking for, despite my inability to put words to my desire (or if you just want to share a good one) leave a comment, or email me . I may have to come up with some kind of reward for a truly amazing recipe...

Illustration Friday: STITCH

2008-01-13T19:40:00.000-05:00

Happy 2008, a few weeks in. This year will be what we make it-- so let's pay attention and stitch together something beautiful.

Illustration Friday: HORIZON

2007-12-22T16:23:00.002-05:00

What a great prompt word! Wish I had time to do more than this playing-around-on-smooth-paper-I-found-in-my-desk sketch. Inspired by Simon & Garfunkel's "Old Friends," which came on right as I started drawing.

Old friends,
Old friends
Sat on their park bench
Like bookends.
A newspaper blown though the grass
Falls on the round toes
Of the high shoes
Of the old friends.

Old friends,
Winter companions,
The old men
Lost in their overcoats,
Waiting for the sunset.
The sounds of the city,
Sifting through trees,
Settle like dust
On the shoulders
Of the old friends.

Can you imagine us
Years from today,
Sharing a park bench quietly?
How terribly strange
To be seventy.
Old friends,
Memory brushes the same years
Silently sharing the same fears

Illustration Friday: BACKWARDS 2

2007-12-20T18:36:00.001-05:00

Fred Astaire? "Sure, he was great, but remember, Ginger Rogers did everything he did, backwards... and in high heels." -Bob Thaves

I really didn't think I'd do any pastel work again before the holidays were over, yay! And, hey, speaking of which, here's to a beautiful Christmas, a lovely New Year, and fantastic days all around them.

Illustration Friday: BACKWARDS

2007-12-17T23:29:00.001-05:00

Otto insisted they could go backwards 20-odd years and still make it back in one piece for the awards ceremony, but Ada was skeptical. She just wanted to go back in time to the day she agreed to be Otto's partner for the fifth grade science fair.

Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe

2007-12-11T23:50:00.000-05:00

Today* is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of the Americas and one of my favorite things about being Catholic (she's right up there with Dorothy Day and Francis of Assisi.)

If you're not familiar with the beautiful Guadalupe story, I googled high and low to find this wonderful blog post (written by someone I don't know at all, but written powerfully!!)

Or even better, read Tomie dePaola's The Lady of Guadalupe (and this anecdote he shares on his website-- might be interesting for some of my fellow artists!)

Happy Guadalupe day!

[*today being the 12th of December. Blogger's time stamp is acting up.]