Visiting Hours

Time to revisit some favorite artists from my blogroll, update links, add some new bingobangobongo blogs to shout about.

1

Visited Four Corners Design, still fresh and visually delectable. Her word for the year is DIRECTION. Loving this piece she did to represent it. You will love the gorgeous digital collages she creates, as well as other mixed media works. Here is her piece representing "direction" ...(I have added the words.)

Check out the header of her blog and enjoy the clean and stunning design of the page. I admire it.

2

I updated the web address for Oregon watercolorist Helen Brown. Her gallery of work is inspiring; I especially love her figures. I fell in love with one of her award-winning watercolors. This is just a small part of the piece as a tease to go look under "New Stuff." This face, as cool as it is already, gets even better as you view the whole; the background and shadow work are eye candy. 

Helen Brown, "Timber Town"

3

You haven't seen SketchTravel yet? Hmmm...I think you should. This is an overview of a charity art project from a couple of years ago. A red sketchbook was passed to 71 worldwide illustrators, artists, animators, and comic strip artists. Even if you  just enjoy the opening page, it is worth your time; it is graphically amusing and intriguing (how do they do that?!) There is a short video explaining the project. 

4

Yesterday in Molly's watercolor class, I was reminded of Trumpetvine Travels. I discovered this watercolor sketch artist and travel journaler years ago, bought one of her zines (a treat!), and then thought she had moved on to other things. Although there is a current copyright date, It's hard to know if she's still adding to the blog; there is no archive I can see to help me. All that said, this is still a bonanza for anyone who loves looking at travel sketches, creating travel sketches, or merely appreciatiing the subject matter. It is a packed resource with links all over the place. 

5

And who was that who reminded me?  It was Claire Russell. Go see what she does. Now. Hurry. 

Molly Hashimoto has given you a peek here. Claire and I are avid sketchbook journal collectors. Both of us own obscure sketchbooks that neither of us thought ANYBODY else has on their shelves. 

You can see her painting talents in this image, but what you don't see is her skill at layout of pages. Lots of intended space and design, unifying themes, beautiful text. 

Mapping 2014

My "assignment" - Create a map of 2014.  Jill Berry's Facebook group, Arty Cartophiles, were challenged to create a map of 2014, share on our blogs, and invite you to see others in a blog hop this week (Jan. 13-17) at her blog or here.   (http://personal-geographies.com)

Hmmm...I could go abstract on this one. I could use a real map as a background for a map painting. What to do, what to do, I pondered this one for awhile.

I flipped through an unfinished journal of pages that I had started with backgrounds and found one that had a grid made by a stencil spray. Grids mean maps to me, so that's what I chose. The page was too large for my scanner, so there are two close-ups followed by the full page taken with camera. I see that I forgot to add, on Hopeful Way, Cubs win World Series. I must do that.

I had lots of fun creating little streets and using map symbols and references. I'm not crazy about the design, a bit bottom heavy and lacking a good focus (not to mention a title!)  But, that's a map, eh? I did make a "route" of blue to lead the eye through town. Although it's not a river, it kinda looks like one, so that's a bit mappy, too, I think.  As I add more through the year, perhaps it will come together.

Making this map pushed me to solidify my goals for the house and for my art and for my wish to grow the Red Chair Studio.

Nothing to Get Hung About

Another journal entry....

 

For this particular journal, besides using news of the day as a backdrop (whatever the news was...probably Governor Christie's traffic jam problem, since obliterated - the paste, not the problem, it would appear -) I also have promised myself to include actual photos from my boxes of photos covering dozens of years and before me, too. I could have filled the page of course with photos of our cats sleeping. Nothing to get hung about, ya know - just take a nap.

Sheila

Inspired by the Sketchbook exhibit, I mosied on over to the Compass Cafe and sketched Sheila.