Christmas in the summer

It's customary to work on holiday images during the summer in the illustration world. I've often thought about putting on Christmas music while I draw such images (for inspiration) but have decided, instead, to listen to the audio book version of Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows. There is always a mention of Christmas in the Harry Potter series... so close enough, right?

ps: Jim Dale, the narrator for the Harry Potter audio book series, is on my top ten list of people I'd love to meet before I die.

Fathers Day

The doodlebug did his very first drawing (a lovely collection of scribbles), which I turned into a card for my husband. Happy fathers day to all the dads out there!

One Year

My little doodlebug turned one today. Here is a very lovely set of photos by soon to be sister-in-law, Liz Darbyshire, from the small celebration we had this afternoon.

dexters train

dexters train, originally uploaded by crystal driedger (click to see a larger version or scroll down for detail scans)

My sons first birthday is next Monday. Above is the finished painting to hang above his crib (until he grows "out" of it and requests a dragon or something more "fierce"). Until then - choo choo choo baby, can't wait to see what the second year brings.

Here are some detail shots:

Big First Birthday Gift!

It's my little doodle bug's first birthday in 10 days. He's in love with wheels. Cars, trucks, airplanes, tractors, mini excavators, bobcats... basically anything that he can push on the floor, while making "Brrrrruuuummmm" sounds makes him very happy. He points them out when we go for walks, he points them out in books, his first word was car and as a friend of mine put it "instead of going to the zoo to look at animals, I'll bet you're pushing him to go see construction sites". Go figure, that's actually what I did this morning with him.

So, what would be a better present from his mom than a painting with wheels in it?

Here's the first glance of Doodle Bug's Animal Train in progress (my reference sketch below).

Today is my first mothers day. Here's a little snippet from my babybook/sketchbook for my son, Dexter.

Waiting

Having fun drawing during "before bed tv hours".

Baby Shower Gift!

These are two paintings I made for a friend expecting twin boys this June. If her boys end up being as obsessed with cars as my son, Dexter, they should be a hit. I also included a card I painted for my mom's group to sign. We filled the card with cash because with twins on the way and a one year old to take care of, I'm sure there's going to be lots of new things to buy!

I enjoy drawing woman with lots of ridiculously thick, wavy hair. There's also something inside me that makes me want to "mess with" human anatomy (such as an ear completely out of place or a ridiculously long neck).

Become a fan on facebook!

Crystal Driedger Illustration has joined facebook (become a FAN)... because a girl's got to follow happy dreams (and that includes fun ways to promote oneself).

Also, sketched a stylized version of Kat Von D (does anyone else watch LA Ink?). I secretly would love to be a tattoo artist except for the fact that I don't have any tattoos on my own body. Who, in their right mind, would want to get a tattoo from someone who doesn't even have a tattoo?

Art Auction & MacEwan Design Studies Grad Show

The 5th Annual Doctors & Derrieres auction was last night. I have to immensely thank Roger Garcia who organized the event and artists - I had such a wonderful time and was very inspired to pick up my paint brush again. Next year I want to turn my sketches into a piece of art - like this piece (my absolute FAVORITE from the show) by Gabe Wong:(you can purchase your own copy of this print here)

Here's one of my pieces with me - beaming with excitement to have found a babysitter and to be out on the town!

Great turn-out, hey?

I also popped by the MacEwan Design Studies grad show. I'm blown away by work by one of my students, Keenan Kirk. Watch for him in the future!

Publish Post

I was completely impressed by this years grad show. The students work made my heart beat a little quicker and I was so proud to have seen some of the projects from the section of class I taught as well! Success!

Doctors & Derrieres 5 this FRIDAY!

I'm a participant in this year's Doctors & Derrieres charity auction. Here's what the website had to say about this fabulous event:

Doctors and Derrieres is a fundraising event in its 5th year where a group of medical students pose nude for talented local artists and sculptors. Art pieces in diverse mediums celebrating the human body are then donated by each artist to be sold at the main event to raise funds for global health projects.

This year's event takes place on April 30, 2010 from 7 pm to 11 pm at the Enterprise Square Gallery (10230 Jasper Ave) in Edmonton, AB.

All proceeds support Change for Children's Emergency Social Health Fund, a community-led grassroots initiative in rural El Salvador that provides health care in underserved areas.

Doctors and Derrieres is hosted by the University of Alberta medical students in partnership with Change for Children Assocation (www.changeforchildren.org) and Christian Based Communities of El Salvador (CEB'S) with donated support from the Harcourt House.

This year's artists are:

Dwight Allot
Bonnie Bigley
Ross Bradley
Margaret Braun
Chris Chalifoux
Fran Cuyler
Gerry Dotto
Kevin Fagan
Sharon Moore-Foster
Dinorah Garcia
Roger Garcia
Eric Gravel
Edmund Haakonson
Peter Harasymiw
Theo Harasymiw
Sarah Jackson
Robert Millang
Corissa Spring O'Donnell
Bob Prodor
Caitlin Sian Richards
Pedro Rodriguez
Raymond Thériault
David Thomas
Davey Thompson
Keith Turnbull
Jodi Tychkowsky
Darren Woluschuk
Gabe Wong
Amanda Woodward
Jessica Yawnghwe
Hank Zyp

An illustrated Life

I don't know if any of you remember the art show I was a part of in November of last year (it was called Growing up)? One third of those paintings are going to be a part of a travelling exhibition through the Art Gallery of Alberta's program TREX, a third of them were sold to rather lovely people and the remaining third are being transformed for a new show called "An Illustrated Life". We've added local talent Roger Garcia to our team (Amanda & Davey) and the new show will be this September at Arts Hab. I am creating at least three new pieces and am so far enjoying the new topic. I also bought a rather wonderful, large canvas that I wish to use for the upcoming show.

Do you think any of these would be a good start for a painting? Any fav's out there?

Morning Tea

Sweet Slumber

Bad News

And this isn't for the show... I just drew it for fun (imagine that?)

Getting a new sister-in-law

My brother-in-law is getting married this summer and as a part of their wedding gift I designed the invitations. I'm quite glad that they took me up on the offer as I had the change to design three stamps - two of reuse for the thank-you cards. They chose a lovely textured brown paper and hand painted the blush and little bits for the shoes, tie & flower (lovely job, Liz!).

Dinner is ready, honey

Motherhood changes everything about your life. You can be told one hundred different times in equally different ways and you'll still be shocked when your turn comes. During pregnancy, I imagined life on "the other side" would be easier. With the cumbersome belly gone and all the pressures of big client work off my back I'd be able to concentrate on fine art, sitting down to illustrate a childrens book that I'd have time to write and finally being able to work on some stationary designs. I was giving myself a "year-off", my own self-made Canadian maternity leave, just like "everyone else" who wasn't a freelancer and had real employers who made them pay EI. The house would be spotless. Dinner would be ready (and nutritious, delicious and piping hot might I add). I even remember telling my husband that when the baby came, giving me relentless hours of free time, he should expect to never cook or clean again. What a beautiful, ridiculous dream I was living in.

I am blown away by amazing women such as Rachelle Anne Miller, Gina Perry, Holli Conger and Heather Castles who really seem to make being a stay-at-home illustrator/mom so effortless (even though I know it's not). Every day has it's challenges. At first I didn't even know if I'd get around to having a shower, let alone figuring out if I'd be able to get to the dust bunnies. These days the house is pretty clean, the bed is made and supper is for the most part on the table. The studio, however, is getting dusty. Or maybe I'm just starting to get rusty. Instead of picking up the sketchbook when Dexter hits the hay I find myself wilting on the couch with a bag of chips in my hand watching Supernatural or Modern Family. Maybe I'm still exhausted from my mom's surgery or maybe it's the lack of having a full nights sleep for over a year? I took a short visit to my friend, Amanda Woodward's studio and had a little pang of longing when I saw her working on a children's book. The beautiful sketches for her current project were so lively, fun and thoughtful. I'm pondering how to find balance in my life, how to carve out more time for my career. I miss it.

Also found time to see the AGA or Art Gallery of Alberta and a little coffee at the Three Banana's Café afterward without Dexter. Loved the exhibitions. Here's a little snapshot of the building, which I completely adore!

New Website, New Blog too!

First of all here's the NEW address to my BLOG.
http://www.crystaldriedger.com/blog/

I'm proud to announce that I have a new website up and running! I'm using a site called squarespace which allows me to have faster download speeds, quicker uploading and quirky, little things that iweb never allowed me to do before (like having rollovers!) and best of all, a built in blog. Have a sneak peak! Take a look at the new site and let me know what you think!

Doctors & Derrieres 5

2010 marks the fifth year of Doctors & Derrieres. It's an annual fund raising event where a group of medical students pose nude for Edmonton artists. Art pieces in diverse mediums celebrating the human body are then donated by each artist to be auctioned off at the main event. I'll get back to you soon with more details on venue and date. The above two pieces are what I may donate or work from to paint another original piece to donate instead.

Working at home (with an infant)

I received a comment a few months back about how to balance being a new mom and being a stay-at-home illustrator.

I have a few rules to live by now that I'm working as a mother with a 7 month old around:

1. A rested mom is a happy & productive mom
2. Proper time management is essential.
3. Allow people to help you out.
   
4. My son is more important than any project, job or paycheck and always will be.

Explanations:
1) Sleep - the most commonly discussed topic at a new mom's group meeting (how to find more and how to get our babies to do longer stretches of it)...
There's no way to be creative when you're exhausted and there's certainly not much room to be a good and happy mother (and wife) when you're running on empty. I make time to cook good, nutritious meals, I get go to bed early so I can handle the night wakings and every once in a while (including today) I take a nap.

*Night wakings can be very frequent and arduous - something that can quickly deteriorate your mental health. Postpartum Depression is serious and lack of sleep can contribute to getting it. I keep myself in check by watching my state of happiness. When I wake up and can't give my son (or husband) a smile in the morning I make sure to nap that day to catch up, deadline or none.

2) Proper Time Management - I have always been self-disciplined and that's something that everyone who works from home needs to be. It gets a lot harder when your little one arrives and you realize that suddenly all of your work needs to happen according to their schedule (yikes, right?). Now that my son is older he is happier for longer periods of time playing beside me on the floor, I'm finding that I can catch up on my emails/phone calls in the mornings before his nap. During his nap (if I'm not napping too), I can work on a painting or prep one. I often find it easier to keep up with cleaning the house while wearing my son in a sling or my ergo carrier just before or after his naps. Same goes with preparing the evening meal (a ring sling is good for this to keep little hands away from dangerous things). It helps to have a favorite toy stashed in the office to use during important phone calls. My son also has an early bedtime (7 - 7:30pm) which allows for a good hour and a half of work.

3) My mother-in-law loves her grandson and lives within a half hour drive of my house. I was able to use her help quite a few Thursdays this fall to watch over my son while I painted and while I taught at MacEwan University. I'm so very lucky that she works part time. It's hard for any mother to let someone else take care of your baby (in many cases this includes the baby's father) but if help is out there it's wonderful to take it (as long as you trust them of course). There's pressure out there to be everything all at once - the working mom, the perfect-always-there mom, the wife, the cook, the homemaker, the dog walker, the host-with-the-most... but if becoming a mother has taught me anything important it's that I no longer have to be all of those things at once.

4) My son is the most important thing and always will be.
This means that I will never again take on more work than I can handle (this means for me about 10 hours per week), I will not answer a client's phone call or email if my son is crying, I will lower my expectations on the type of work I can get done while my son is a preschooler and have rearranged my priorities (taking on a smaller amount of art shows and client work for example). And, when I see that it's 10pm and I'm still writing on my silly blog, knowing that my son will most likely wake up a couple of times tonight crying then be up for the day at 5:30am tomorrow I call it a day.

Good Luck to all new moms!

We Eat Together

This holiday season I decided not to draw one bit and instead focused on another passion of mine: cooking. One of the best things I got this year for Christmas was a beautiful cookbook called "We Eat Together", a collection of recipes and stories about the food that's grown near my home city of Edmonton. It was co-written by my friend Gabe Wong who has an inspiring passion for food (and incidentally wishes he could raise chickens on the balcony of his apartment). He also happens to be an amazing illustrator & designer. Here's a photo of the "pulled pork tourtiére with leeks and goat cheese" that I made last night from his cookbook. Doesn't the sound of that recipe just make your mouth water?

McMullen Musings

Merry Christmas Everyone!

There's only a few days left until our art show at the McMullen Gallery closes down. I had a wonderful time teaching patients art at the free workshops they offered on three Thursdays in December. Here's the sample I did for the last class (it was a wooden plaque painted with acrylics - a take home gift for the patients/students of the workshop).

What a beautiful space for our show.

I shall miss the egg chairs...

and the elegant artwork by Davey Thompson & Amanda Woodward...