Cutting your hair can sometimes change your entire life perspective. At least for a week or so...
I drew this little sketch while at a Brain Tumor Seminar with my mom (who had a brain tumor removed this March). Guess I've been thinking of chopping my hair for a few months now.
Today I'm trying desperately to become inspired for an art show coming this fall. I started looking through my photographs and found the following illustrations that I completed back in 2007. They are so free and fun, I can't believe I'm actually drawing inspiration from things that I completed years ago!
A series I may add to my licensing repertoire, once finished, if all goes well.
"Sweet Snowmen"
1) Gingerbread man
2) Candy Cane
Candy Collector
Ice cream
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.
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!
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.
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:
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).
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!
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?
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!
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!
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
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?)
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!). 
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!
