Amazing Blog Giveaway!

Lately my son has been spending quite a bit of his time scribbling at his toddler friendly art easel with wax crayons and too-short-pencil-stubs (left overs from sketching sprees). Maybe that means he will one day become an artist, like his mother, or maybe that just means he likes spending time in my studio because I'm in there too. Either way, it keeps him busy just long enough for me to catch up on my emails.

One recent email had an intriguing offer for my blog... a giveaway - just for my readers! And the kicker - I got to pick the prize! I wondered, do I give away something useful and beautiful like a Dutch oven (oh the ridiculously elegant meals I could attempt to create in one of those), or maybe something that might inspire other young children to be creative while giving their parents some time to themselves, like the Creativity Desk and Easel? Eureka!

Entering is so easy, you could even attempt to allow your toddler to do it for you. Leave a comment on this blog post before Friday, August 20th at 1pm MST. I'll contact the winner that day and we'll set up how to get this fabulous prize to you, even the shipping is free (*sorry this contest is not open to international readers but if you already made a comment and you "win" when I draw names I'll send you a little prize made by me anyway).

A great big thank you to CSN stores for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway.

Official Giveaway Teaser!

Parents (and grandmas/aunt/uncles/friends) of young children get ready, something very exciting has been donated by CSNstores.com to give away on my blog! Get your fingers ready to start typing out your entry this month - hopefully within the next few days it will all be revealed...

All New Summer Commissions 25% off!

I've been commissioned to do a painting for a wedding present. This is third wedding gift I've created for a wedding this summer. I'm so happy to have been given the opportunity to create one-of-a-kind gift! Thanks for the creative freedom, Michelle.

As a special offer to my blog readers & facebook fans:

Until the end of August, recieve 25% off custom orders of any size of original paintings
(this applies to a commissions that are a series of paintings).
Email me for more information and a free quote by the end of August to recieve this speical promotion.

Garden Tanager

I'm just about finished painting the largest canvas I've ever purchased (just deciding where to put my signature on the 30 x 40" canvas). While this new scale was completely intimidating as a blank canvas, the piece became a place of peace and calm while I was painting it. It was completed for an art show coming this October, My Life in Colour with Roger Garcia, Amanda Woodward and Davey Thompson - it's tied in with a couple old pieces from last years show entitled Growing Up (held at the McMullen Gallery Fall of 2009, the remaining pieces are soon to start their journey with the AGA's travelling art exhibition, TREX, which to my delight has been completely booked!).

Close up on girls face:

Close up on bowl of flowers:

Close up on the western tanager:

Hello, thanks for the email.

I've been meaning to change my email signature for a few months now and finally got around to doing it today while working on two new self promotional postcards for a group printing with Amanda Woodward, Davey Thompson and Roger Garcia. More to come...

Congrats Brant & Liz

Today I gained a sister-in-law. Congratulations Brant & Elizabeth (some of you may remember the invitation I designed for them). My wish is that the both of you experience happiness together for the rest of your lives.

I've been waiting (not so patiently) to reveal my lastest painting, which is their wedding gift. Here's hoping it will also bring them happiness for years to come. The pearls are for the bride and the doves are for the couple - they are devote Catholics that met at church. The flowers are for luck, love and if they kept a little wild, will help to enrich and entice romance.

Hair

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.

Drawing inspiration - from myself?

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!

Four "Sweet Snowmen"

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

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!