Hold on to Your Dreams

New addition to my new series

Sketching in Barnes and Noble

Today I had a very productive day. Sketching in my favorite spot in our local Barnes and Noble bookstore. Many magazines to draw inspiration from, so I decided to record my experience by doing quick sketches of what I saw and liked. Here are collages of my visual journey. Each page spread is a different magazine. Unfortunately for us artists magazines are dying trade. So maybe this is a recording of my own nostalgia.
You can see there was a little "accident" on the right where I went over my new calligraphy marker and it turned out it was not water resistant. I will have a post about that soon. Some accidents are welcomed... but it's best to know how to control your medium.

"Where Woman Create" is as always full of stories of wonderful women who dedicate their lives to their bliss.

"Nordic Living" offered a different palette and aesthetics. The sketch on the right of this spread is of my window view of the corner of The Shoppes at Web Gin House Rd.

Daniel Smith Dots

Best way to know if a new art material works for you is to try it, the next best is to hear it from someone who did. Urban Sketchers Symposium provided sketchers with the opportunity to try our sponsors products. Daniel Smith's watercolors are a great investment for all of you who do sketching with watercolors. The best way to try how they really feel on paper is to obtain their "dots". The link here is for all 238 colors they produce but some retailers offer smaller lists which could help you tremendously in your decision. Needles to say these colors are so highly pigmented you might even paint for a minute just with dots so your sample can pay for itself. Some field artists even dedicate first or last page of their journals to create palette and carry it with them instead of boxes. Daniel Smith also offers palettes of certain artists and the one on my sketch is by Liz Steel my favorite Urban Sketcher.

Back From Urban Sketchers Chicago Symposium and already missing good bites (among other things). Going through my sketchbook this quick sketch of our Pret's breakfast caught my eye. Great food simple concept... I miss you Chicago!

On Top of the World

Sometimes I feel like standing on top of the world wherever that might be, but possibly as Black Elk said "The Central Mountain is everywhere." I suspect the Top of the World same as Central Mountain is everywhere because it walks with you. This bird is getting ready to fly or to become a butterfly. She is in a great company nevertheless. My contribution to Illustration Friday. also in my E-Bay store and Saatchi On line. 

New Beginnings- Peace and Love to all

Blue

Gray

Love Hurts

Carrot Cake

New year and new Beginnings, just for Illustration Friday. Here are my new ACEOs in a new romantic and aged style. Something I always wanted to do. Click on a caption below each image to be taken to a E-Bay page. They are available as originals and prints. I hope you can share your opinion of my new direction. Peace and love to all in a New Year.

Christmas is behind us and I do hope all of y'all out there had  a great one. We shared more love than anything else this season and that's the way it should be, anyways. Here is the one for when the goings get tough and we need to bring it back to love. I dubbed it "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word"  and its in my E-Bay shop. But it fits right in Illustration Friday's challenge Reflect.

Christmas is so near! We barely had time to recover after the Thanksgiving feast. This year season is so short. Or maybe it's just me being busy. Here is one for the spirit for at least the tree is up and alight. This one is for Illustration Friday also available in my E-bay shop.
There is no snow in Atlanta, not that I am complaining, but its nice to see some and have a white Christmas. But, Oh well! We can get creative and have some on a small scale. Life is sweeter with a cupcake.

Into the Season

Getting into the season already. We all crave a little alter ego, a little scare and of course super powers! This little fellow is in my E-bay shop.

For "her" eyes only

It's so calming observing birds and animals. But do you know they observe to?! I have seen cats being so intent on an object of their interest that we can really learn so much from them about focus.This blue-green eyed charmer is in my E-bay store.

Summer Accessories

In just one day summer swung in in its full force, and immediately one thinks of vacation beach sunglasses and all those summer accessories that makes summer "summer". But what about our darlings that brighten our days when Sun don't shine? Find a pet friendly resort and take them with us, of course. Lucky is traveling to in this fabulous pink carrier.

Forever a Child

It rains and it rains here and it really is not a time for a kite. But what a great feeling it is when it rises and soars up and high. It wakes child inside you instantly. This is from the series Cool Hat Luke: Fly Your Kite currently in my E-Bay shop.

Sun has Arrived

Even though the title of this journal entry is "China Rain" there is a sunshine in the background. And the Sun has finally arrived in its full force here in Atl. Birds are ecstatic chirping all day long.

Take a Plunge

It might be still cool outside, unseasonably so for American Southeast, but this sounds like a real invitation. Weather  its referring to a real cool blue plunge or just a leap of faith. I might add a new line of these birds to my e-bay shop soon. Stay i touch. I hope this is also liquid enough for my friends at Illustration Friday!

Cool Hat Luke - Take me to the Moon

Future was at the reach of our hands when imagination was young. It is still so. All we need to do is just remember  This is my character Cool Hat Luke and this image is a tiny ACEO listed in my E-Bay shop. I contribute it to Illustration Fridays challenge "Future".

Out in the Sun

Finally some sun to warm our souls dump from incessant April rain. Birds and bugs are out busy and cheerfuller. If you add to it that kids have just one more week of school it'll make my heart sing to. This tiny lady bug is an ACEO in my E-Bay store a new addition to the family of red creatures.

Time to knit a new story

Even though it's April weather is still cool here. I'm still knitting. These little feathered friends keep on appearing in my mind. And also in my backyard. Days now start with a chirp and a song. 

Immagination

I fell in love with The Little Prince long time ago. And then my own little prince was born. So fragile and so full of imagination that actually he was the inspiration for this illustration. I wish I can pry open his dreams and see what they are made of. 
This is my contribution for Illustration Friday this week

Hope is a Song

It's been a while since I have visited my favorite place. Last year presented many changes and challenges for me and my family. It was exciting , life changing and necessary. So after many new books several new friends, new jobs and schools here we are now in what's left of 2012 still young in heart and ready to create some more.  Hope is a song that bird sings right before dawn- I've heard somewhere. And here is a tiny couple that can melt our hearts and bring the new dawn of hope and love for days to come. They are not related to those thorn birds that Colleen Mc Collough used for the title of her fabulous novel. These are cheerful hearts companions we should welcome in our lives. 

Because I need... Love

And so it is. This is a new year in which all is possible. These wonderful rhymes come from a poem by Tin Ujevic titled "The Daily Lament" . I love this part in which a word can change everything in ones life.
So let's start with love because it carries a thunder power an alchemy and spell that can convert death to life. That's the word to start a year with.