There's a couple of new things happening in the studio these days. First of all, I've temporarily moved into a lovely office at The Met Agency while I do some technical illustrations for a few weeks. Secondly, I volunteered to help co-ordinate a free family day event in our local community. Here's the poster - if you're in Edmonton, pop on in and I'll paint your face for you.
Our Growing Up Exhibition through TREX (via the Art Gallery of Alberta) is currently up at my old elementary school - the Alder Flats Elementary School (the art is making it's way around Alberta in various settings, mostly schools). I made a quick visit to grades 4, 5 & 6 and loved the questions they had for me. It was such a treat to have my art hang in the town I grew up in!
There have always been several things in my life I can't seem to shake. One of them is, you know... doing the "green thing" (recycling, using cloth diapers, etc) and the other is saving money (I'm otherwise known as Mrs. Cheap-o). Luckily, though, sometimes being a cheap hippy has it's upside. I'm throwing a clothing swap! It's just a little shin-dig at my house - ladies only (sorry boys) in February. What happens is guests will bring some no longer wanted gently used clothing, dump them in a beautiful heap of splendor on my living room floor and once everything has been sorted, guests will take some new pieces home to love and cherish. The remaining clothes get donated to a local women's shelter (and last time I hosted an event like this had 16 garbage bags left over) - and I had an entire new wardrobe to waltz around in. Fabulous! Can't flippin' wait.
Here's my poster, which I will allow anyone to take from my site and turn into a poster for their own event. Just add the date and address and let me know how it goes! (Okay, if you're going to print it, please email me first for a larger copy. I'd just hate to have my drawings printed at a quality so ugly that it made my doll look like a lego person. In fact, if you ask nicely enough, I'll add a date and address on there for you - just pass on the "green" love!). 
Here's January's colouring page. Sorry I'm late! Feel free to print this, pass it on, colour it, use it for your classroom, local library, playgroup, whatever! Email me for a larger, printable version.
Here is my final Tools for schools illustration - C for Clothing. Finished! It was pretty hard to piece together after I scanned it. Whew... now, onto paying work (after the sketchbook project and this it feels like all I've been doing is charity & personal work for months).
Details:
It's over. The sketchbook is finished! That little brown craft moleskin, with it's rather thin pages and 40 double spread pages of blank could-be-anything starkness has graphite scribbled on everypage, new covers of illustration board secured on each face and contact details inscribbed on the inner covers. Daunting. But finished. And I'm so darn happy about it.
Cover details:
Back Cover:
It's over. The sketchbook is finished! That little brown craft moleskin, with it's rather thin pages and 40 double spread pages of blank could-be-anything starkness has graphite scribbled on everypage, new covers of illustration board secured on each face and contact details inscribbed on the inner covers. Daunting. But finished. And I'm so darn happy about it.
Cover details:
Back Cover:
I had a commission this holiday season. A man requested a portrait of his wife with their dog, Hiccup. What a fabulous name for a dog! Pet portrait commissions come to me almost every year around Christmas. I wonder if I should start marketing myself as a pet portrait artist? With the busyness of the holiday season, however, I actually forgot to scan the final piece, which is too bad, because it involved some heavy-duty carving and looked kind of neat. Next time!
Here are the two photos I took of it in progress:
And the sketch (which I scanned, whew - got one thing right!)
Here is the updated sketch for a book I'm working on a book called 9 Degrees North: The ABCs of Northern Ghana (I got "c" for clothing). Revisions were made from the initial sketch to correct technical/cultural errors and to give the scene more education components in regards to Ghana clothing and how it is made. All there's left to do now is start painting. The book is entirely pro-bono and involves some seriously amazing illustrators... I'm excited to see what they come up with!
This was the original sketch:
I'm currently working on an book called 9 Degrees North: The ABCs of Northern Ghana. It's a charity Picture Book project by the Tools for Schools Africa Foundation, organized in part by illustrator friend Mike Boldt. Each illustrator involved in the project has been given a letter and it's corresponding word, mine being C for Clothing.
I was thrilled to see this quote on the site:
"This is just a note to thank the many artists who have joined this educational project. It is important for Ghanaian kids to have a resource to help them learn English by seeing both the familiar and the unknowns in their own part of the world. This is primarily a children’s picture book but at the same time will be a wonderful tool for teachers to use in the classroom as there will be an appendix at the back with information on each subject."
Here's my first sketch. Still thinking about ways to improve the sketch but I'll let the organizers have a peek too.
What is the sketchbook project?
See the entire story here (as it progresses). There are less than 10 pages left to go! The project is due on January 15, only one month to go. I have cut new covers for the book, as I've been very disappointed by the quality of the paper in the book and want to upgrade it.
Here are pages 28 - 32.
Hello to my Edmonton readers! I'd love to invite you all to the One of a Kind Christmas Show this Saturday from 10 am - 5 pm at the Centrepointe Community Church (59A Street and 159 Avenue). I've created some brand new original artwork that will work for almost anyone's budget! There are quite a few little art pieces (including some holiday themed ones) starting at $30 and topping off with a large painting selling for $1100. There will be bookmarks on hand for $3 (or two for $5) and Christmas Cards for $5 (or three for $12). All original art pieces are always ready to hang, so no extra framing required.
Here are some samples - little carved paintings on pine blocks.
Here's my entry for the very first Christmas Card Exchange...Can't wait to find out who I'm sending it to!
ps: I just noticed I actually forgot to paint the tools in his pocket! ha ha... guess I have to crack out the watercolors again. (hee hee)
Here's the Free December Colouring Page. Feel free to download and print it, share it with your teacher for printing. Email me for a higher resolution image if you want to share it with your school (just please keep my contact information on the bottom).
Opps, turns out I haven't kept up scanning the sketches! Well, there's a whole bunch to catch up on today!
See the entire story here (as it progresses - you've missed half of the story if you're just "tuning in" now).
What is the sketchbook project?
Anyone in the Edmonton area... stop by for a free visit on me!
The first advertisement featured this sketch:
The elves in the studio have been quite busy! There few new paintings to share with you. Opportunity to purchase some of these will arise this Saturday at the Sherbrooke Community Hall (13008-122 Ave) for a Pre-Christmas Sale 11am-4pm (free admission). Email me if interested - these are all very small paintings at very reasonable prices (give the gift of an original piece of art this Christmas).
Brian the Lion
Marielle (Sketchy Women Series)
Giann
Teresa
The Tea Series
