Where I take part in Independent Bookstore day...

by finding these two gems at Elliott Bay Books. I bought one, borrowed the other to test-drive it but love the wonderful and varied artwork in it so much, I will add it to my illustrated books collection. This book may have been shelved in children's picture books collection, but I would put it in the  For Anybody book collection, wouldn't you? 'Course, that's where I believe the beautifully (or otherwise specially) illustrated "children's" books should be.

I have linked the books to where you can purchase them from two of my favorite independent bookstores, Elliott Bay Books and Third Place Books, both in Seattle and area. I intend to continue to do so. Keep them in business, folks.

Radioactive, a biography of Marie Curie, illustrated in mixed media

A Field Guide to Redheads. Just Plain Fun. 

Too. Much. Fun.

Breaking News:
Girlfriends meet up for art retreat in the One Red Chair Studio. Location different this year but
she found her way, Chelan to Bonney Lake, piece o' cake.

We managed to fit in a few games and o yes maybe a wee bit of shopping, too, (yes, wee...) but we really did do a lot of art!

Diane and Carol in the Red Chair Studio, Bonney Lake edition. 

Buried Treasure

While I play around with a new design for the blog...stay tuned...I'll post some things from the Buried Treasure file. I originally posted this on August 26, 2011.

And,  yes, it is still raining in Seattle. But there's some sun in the immediate future of B and  me!



The artist is Milliande. After the first dizzying moment, she settles down to do some serious "grid" sketching. I love watching her work.

Do stuff.

" I don't understand how people get bored. It's a complete mystery to me. How is it even possible when there are so many things you can do to amuse yourself? I have a million and one projects on the go that I can dip into when I have nothing else to do. My problem is those projects too often get shelved because I never have nothing else to do. "

from a blog post by Andrea Joseph. (Who, by the way, I have spoken of often here and who you should get to know if you don't. An amazing illustrator.)

Let's just say...

I concur. 

I have two large and full project drawers for creative projects already packed away for the upcoming move. And this....

...which has no relation to the studio or artwork. Among the items therein: a book about the kings and queens of England, Ancient Rome and Greece, and the geography of far-off countries, all of which I suck at, And I always have a pile, much less several bookcases full of, books to read. And articles clipped from media to read in the john or on long road trips. And there's always the French to learn. And the travel journals to finish. Yes, I too fail to see how one can get bored. Well, there was this one day sometime ago in hot Nebraska....

Trapped in a world of famous paintings

I have another post almost ready to go, but while I polish it up, I must share something I just found on Facebook. Ya gotta see it.

https://www.facebook.com/FineArtOne/videos/1009251295811006/    OR
https://www.facebook.com/FineArtOne/?fref=nf

"...strive to live artfully..."

From the graduation speech by Jessye Norman and Oberlin College:

"I remind you, dear graduates, with all that is before you, that you decide to strive to live artfully. It is simpler than you think and is not to be left only to those classmates of yours who have chosen the arts and humanities as their fields of study and proficiency.

You see, art brings us together as a family because it is an individual expression of universal human experience. It comes from that part of us that is without fear, prejudice, malice or any of the other things that we create in order to separate ourselves one from the other. Art makes each of us whole by insisting that we use all of our sense, our heads and our hearts, that we express with our bodies, our voices, our hands, as well as with our minds."

With that in mind, here are a few photos of a magnificent mosaic wall along a walk path in Santa Rosa, California, where we were guests at a very lovely wedding and shared good times with old and dear friends.

A sad farewell to Roosevelt

Roosevelt Row, that is, near downtown Phoenix.

A formerly funky neighborhood. 

This street with all of its goofy art, painted walls, art galleries and funky shops...is almost no more. I was so disappointed this year to revisit, anticipating the same high I always get in an arts district. It is becoming gentrified, it appears, with tall structures being built on so many corners,  streets becoming trafficy and one-way, older buildings torn down for taller condos and apartments. I didn't like it! A (very) few favorites are still there and I'll post them next. I took my spotted companion with me. You will see. But, for now,

some things I will miss:

Actually, Songbird moved, and I sought it out, and the brownies and tea were fabulous,
but I miss the old place, as sketched previously, below:

This beauty is gone. The wall, the birdies. 

Take your marker and draw tall buildings under construction here.

The colored bikes on the corner....gone.

If the fish is still there, I didn't see him. Probably on one of those many walls no longer there. 

This structure sat as a "welcome" to the neighborhood. it looked like the above  in both years I saw it before, but it's now

covered with graffiti, as are the buildings around it. Not artsy stuff, just art made ugly. Sort of an "We give up" look. 

Bye, Bear. 

Where have all the flowers gone?

Homage to Playfulness

I was totally enchanted by this installation in Vancouver I mentioned in the last post. It's called A-Maze-ing Laughter and I defy you not to giggle, even at the photos, but especially at the site.

A few quick sketches I did on the scene

Budding Artist, Artist Buddy

This is my buddy, Davis. He like to draw and make things.

 ]

     He drew me a spider. Lotsa legs and nice big spidery eyes, don't you think?