Artwalk 2007

The last few days have been a blur. My sister has come home from living abroad for nearly a year and my best friend has also returned from New Zealand after living there for what she describes as "20 months". I've been wracking my brain in my latest role as "fine artist" rather than illustrator to complete paintings I think might sell at this years Artwalk put on by the Paint Spot on Whyte Ave. Sitting on my parents deck on the farm I grew up on I couldn't help thinking what a crazy great job I have to be able to paint wherever I want...

I have recieved my vendors permit and I'm going to be situated at the Varscona Theatre (or Walterdale??). The event runs from July 13-15 so stop by the farmers market and then come by for a chat (this is Edmonton for those of you who don't know where I live) as I'm right across from it. It'll be a one of a kind event for me because I've never actually sold my art before! This entire time I've been deeply involved in illustration where the client "borrows" the scanned image but I'm quaking in my boots to think of someone taking home one of my paintings! Oh I just hope they do. Otherwise my halls will be lined up like crazy with bright pictures of girls sipping wine.

Rates Calculator

I stumbled apon this great rates calculator for freelancers (link above). As it turns out I am charging almost exactly what I should be to live on. The only thing that really got me was the question "what is your billable hours percentage". I figure I'm only at 50% right now which means I'm still spending more time than I'd like to be marketing and looking for clients. Of course, this will all come in time and honestly the entire adventure of it all is very rewarding and fun! Meeting new people, discovering the world of fine art (which as it turns out is indeed different than illustration afterall) and signing contracts for new jobs...

The last couple days I've been setting up my studio outside on my deck. Painting under my new umbrella (bought for the Artwalk this July) with the birds at my bird feeder and the sun pouring around me... I swear this is my dream job in every aspect.

Prints For Sale

This weekend I am doing an artwalk preview on Whyte Ave in Edmonton, Alberta (starting at noon). Look for me right outside of the paintspot where I will have select prints (including some limited edition) for purchase as well I will be painting something on a new canvas!... not sure what yet (stay tuned I guess). If you can't make it out this weekend either wait until July 13-15 and see me live on Whyte ave, click the link above to purchase through my online store, or email me asking for a print (artist@crystaldriedger.com).

Little People

I'm currently working in my sketchbook every minute I get as I'm trying to develop a solid look for my "little kids". Just thought I'd post some for funzzies.

Illustration Friday: "SUIT"

This is a little sketch portraying "diving" suit. I also thought of "swimming suit" but as I havn't looked through the links yet I'm sure I'm not the only one!

New Look

As Greg (my husband) so rightly put it yesterday, "I feel the winds of change a blowin". Maybe spring is in such full force that everyone is reexamining their lives or perhaps it's just everyone that I know, however, it seems so many amazing things are happening to the people around me. People are making hard decisions to better their lives, or at least in the hopes of. Perhaps it is in this spirit that in the excess hours of my day (late at night) I decided to update my website to something a little more "me" as they say. It features bigger pictures and less "gobbly gook" on the sides. It's very simple, not too flashy, and yes, I am aware that I need to work out a couple bugs (*not all the buttons work... he he he). You can log onto my website via the title of this blog.

Featured in Ed Magazine (Edmonton Journal)

Today was absolutely perfect. My husband and I took the day to have a picnic outside in the park where I sketched unicorns (silly silly me) and absorbed the great weather that today surrounds edmonton. I stopped to buy the Edmonton Journal and flipped through to Ed Magazine to see if my article had been published yet... and it had! It's written wonderfully by Jason Halbauer and photographed by Bruce Edwards. It was such a fun experience having these two fine people in my basement studio to talk about my current life, how "going freelance" was and what plans I have in the future. I don't think a better article could have been written and I'm absolutely flabbergasted by my emense luck in getting interviewed in the first place. If anyone is interested in reading the article, pick up todays (Saturday) Edmonton Journal or read the article online, (link above).

Here's the first page of the article.