By the Sea

{Photography, 2011}

Click image to enlarge!

I spent last week in California visiting a friend. We managed to squeeze Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Sacramento, and a day by the sea into the week. Nothing calms me or inspires me as much as the ocean. I love all the wildlife, the seashells, the seaweed, the landscape, the smells, the tides going out and coming in; everything!

Beach Porcelain Shadowbox Project

{Mixed Media Assemblage, 2010}

{Detail, Mixed Media Assemblage, 2010}

{Mixed Media Assemblage, 2010}

In my attempts to clean my studio today, I happened upon a shadow box that I bought a few months ago on a thrifting trip. I got the urge to give it new life with some scrapbooking papers and some tiny treasures. One of my favorite things to do is beach comb and when I get near the lake or ocean, I can't help myself. The treasures I chose to fill my shadowbox with were an assortment of porcelain pieces that had washed ashore. Its always interesting to think about all the places and people those pieces were with before they came to me. To add a little extra charm I also added a few plastic farm animal toys!

{Photography, 2010}

Also, is anyone else just TOO EXCITED that the leaves are starting to crunch beneath their feet again? Come visit me again tomorrow and I promise to share a drawing! I know its been pretty craft/mixed media heavy around this blog lately, but I am still an illustrator to the core! However, I think its important to stay creative in all aspects of life and I try to fill my soul with inspiration wherever and whenever possible! (which is why I have been sharing these other projects.)

EDIT: I promise to have some drawings later this week. I have been a little under the weather this weekend.

Special Illustration Friday - Ripple

{Watercolor, 2010}

SOLD

This card is available for a $10 donation.

This week's theme for Illustration Friday is "Ripple". Kelly Light suggested the theme and participants are donating art cards (a 2.5"x3.5" work of art) that will be sold for $10 to help aid the clean up of the Gulf Oil Spill. This is an excerpt from the Ripple Sketch Blog:

"Each sketchcard on this blog is $10.00. The $10.00 is a donation to help the animal victims of the Deep Water Horizon Gulf Oil Spill. Every penny is donated. The two Non-Profits that are benefitting are The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies and The International Bird Rescue Research Center. You can purchase a card if you donate directly to one of the non-profits and email me the confirmation and your address to ripplesketches@verizon.net. The artist will mail you the signed card."

The card I created is inspired by some of the reefs that can be seen in the Gulf of Mexico. I am not lucky enough to live near the ocean. (I hope to someday) However, I have been to several ocean beaches and a few years ago snorkeled in the Gulf of Mexico. It is sad to think that future generations may not be able to enjoy the beauty of these delicate ecosystems. Make sure you go over to the Ripple Sketches Blog and look at all the entries and consider making a small donation!

Illustration Friday - Entangled

{Mixed Media, 2009}

{Graphite, 2009}

My submission for Illustration Friday's theme of "entangled" is a mess of octopus tentacles. I've always wondered how Octopus' are so serene and graceful with eight legs. I have a hard enough time with two! I drew the entangled tentacles in my Moleskine watercolor sketchbook and then used a mixture of watercolor, ink and acrylic to finish it off. Oh, how I love the sea!

Recent Sketchings

{Colored Pencil in Sketchbook, 2009}

{Colored Pencil in Sketchbook, 2009}

{Graphite in Sketchbook, 2009}

I'm still in the middle of finishing up a few oil paintings, so I thought I would post a few little ideas out of my Moleskine. There really is nothing better than sketching random things without a care in the world. I think the whale is especially cute, and sort of want to make a plush toy out of him when I get some crafting time!

Ocean Life Watercolor Sketch

{watercolor and ink, 2009}

*Click* for a larger view.

I did these as a warm-up in my watercolor Moleskine this morning. I am currently teaching some classes at the Des Moines art center, and I have been getting some projects together for the Iowa State Fair. What a busy summer it has been! I miss drawing and using color in a 2 dimensional way, so I had to get something down on paper! Look for my Illustration Friday entry later this week too.