Illustration Friday - Asleep

{Detail, "Santa's Secret Story" for Pauline Books and Media, Oil,2011}

It has been ages since I participated in an Illustration Friday prompt. Fortunately, the illustration I was working on yesterday had the main character sleeping! This is part of an illustration for a book I am working on. Shhhh!!! This is just a little sneak peek!

Juice Magazine Feature Article

{Screenshot of online version of article, Written by Joe Lawler, Photos by Eric Rowley}

Read the whole article HERE!

*article correction: I am from Grand Rapids, Michigan and worked in Cleveland, Ohio*

{Photo Credit: Eric Rowley for Juice Magazine © 2011}

{Photo Credit: Eric Rowley for Juice Magazine © 2011}

A little over a month ago I was contacted by Joe Lawler at Juice Magazine (which is a free weekly magazine targeted at young professionals in Des Moines). Joe Lawler and Eric Rowley came over to my house to interview me and take a few pictures. It was really fun and Joe and Eric were both really nice. The world of a freelance artist is pretty lonely so its always fun when someone wants to chat. Its even more fun when they want to talk about something your passionate about! The printed copies will be available tomorrow and I plan to pick up a few copies to send to my family and a few to keep for myself. A huge and grateful thanks to Joe and Eric for the article!

Oliver Makes a Cameo Appearance

{Oil on Gessoed Paper, 2011}

I'm hard at work on illustrations for my second book. In one of the illustrations, the main character is sitting on her bed and the art director suggested that she have a little pal to comfort her. I decided to draw a cat in. As I was painting I decided to make the markings like Oliver (one of my beloved and naughty tabbies). Voila! Oliver makes a cameo appearance in the story. Of course, in order to get Oliver to sign the release papers and consent to the use of his likeness, my husband and I stretched the truth and told him the entire story was about him. Little white lies folks, little white lies!

{Oliver, 2011}

Des Moines Art Center "Vault" Auction

{My Donation to the Des Moines Art Center, 2011}

{Up for auction, May 12, 2011}

{The newly constructed vault at the Des Moines Art Center}

Thursday night I had the pleasure of attending "Vault: Letting Our Guard Down" a fundraising auction with donations of over 100 artists from Iowa and around the world. I donated the American toad painting above. I have worked as a faculty member at the Art Center for the past few years and I loved the idea of being able to give back to my workplace and thank them for all they have given me. My husband and I were there during the middle of the silent auction and only stayed a short time. With over 350 guests in attendance in such a small place it was uncomfortably warm and we couldn't afford to bid on anything anyways so we took a few pictures, said "hi" to a few people, snagged an hor d'oeuvre or two and left. At that time my piece was up to $150, which made me proud and happy. I don't know if it ever topped that but I was more than ecstatic that it made it that high. Its not that I don't think it is worth that much, but I have donated artwork for charity auction before and seen it sell for ridiculously low amounts. (which makes it barely worth your time. And its embarassing) The Art Center handled the bidding nicely. They started all works at $50 and people could bid in $25 increments. All in all, a nice affair that you can read about at this Des Moines Register link.