My Lines Wander

Dogwood Birdhouse
Dogwood Birdhouse. Sepia micron pen on paper. 6"x 8".

Keep the Feathers coming!

Due to the amazing volume of submissions we've been receiving for the Feathered Dinosaur gallery we're extending the deadline to February 4th (we need a little more time to properly upload and link all the submissions). So you have a little bit of extra time to create a piece for this palaeo-art extravaganza!

Remember we accept any and all artwork submitted that is themed around any of our gallery topics. Just send your submission(s), along with any accompanying text you'd like with them, and the link to your website/blog/online picture gallery to our email artevolved@gmail.com, and we'll post them!

Lines

Roses
Poppy Flowers
A drawing is simply a line going for a walk.
-Paul Klee

The Sea

Seaweed prints from the 1800s
Bits of the ocean
Digital collage inspired by my beautiful collection of seaweed prints from the 1800s.
My stuff at Anthropologie
My Sticky Notes & Pocket Planner at the Fashion Valley
Anthropologie store in San Diego when we visited last October.
Seeing my birdies "in the wild" is always very exciting :-)

ONE LOVELY DRAWING, part 39

Howard Pyle illustrated more than 125 books. 

Of those books, he wrote 24 himself. 

Of those 24 books, one-- Pepper and Salt-- contained 90 of his illustrations.

Of those 90 illustrations, one was this small pen and ink headpiece of a girl with 17 geese:

Many thanks to Molly and Mary at the Delaware Art Museum for locating this drawing that I recalled seeing there 20 years ago.

The first thing you notice about these 17 geese is that Pyle treated each one differently, with its own angle or stance or personality.  Each has its own dignity: 




There are no stray lines to suggest geese in the background that Pyle didn't feel like drawing completely.  No Photoshop.  No photocopiers.

Charles Dickens wrote:
I should never have made my success in life if I had been shy of taking pains, or if I had not bestowed upon the least thing I have ever undertaken exactly the same attention and care that I have bestowed upon the greatest.

Sofia & Matteo

Sofia & Matteo
A little birdie told me that Sofia & her three year old brother Matteo
are big fans of my blog and check it first thing every morning.
Sofia turned 11 yrs old last week. Happy birthday!
I am very honored! I made these birds just for them :-)
Big hug all the way to the Netherlands!

Happy Yellow

On my desk
Proteas
Envelopes
For years and years I thought I didn't like yellow, but I was wrong :-)
It's impossible to not be happy working with those beautiful proteas on my desk.
I'm getting a batch of orders ready to ship and working on the cover of my book!
I'm not allowed to tell you the title just yet but it's about hand carved stamps
& it will be published by Lark Books in the fall. I can wait to share it with you!

Beautiful Ocala

Magnolias in bloom with spanish moss.
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Golden Yellows
Oaks covered in Spanish moss
After the rain
Sparrow
Succulent
Salt water pool
I fell head over heels in love with the majestic oaks covered in Spanish moss
and the gorgeous magnolias that were still in full bloom.
If it had been warmer those days I would have enjoyed my dad's salt water pool.

BEFORE BOB PEAK WENT HOLLYWOOD

Illustrator Bob Peak was probably best known for his movie posters.  As far as I am concerned, that's unfortunate. 

James Bond: The Spy Who Loved Me

Peak has been described as "The Father of the Modern Hollywood Movie Poster."  He created over 100 movie posters, including significant posters for blockbusters such as Apocalypse Now, Superman and the Star Trek movies.

Star Trek
Personally I find much of his movie work artistically disappointing.  Opinions will differ of course, but to me these posters often seemed formulaic and uninspired.  Worst of all, Peak-- or his Hollywood clients-- became enamored with a "diamond diffraction" gimmick which I find totally cheesy.



I thought about this recently when I visited the archives of the legendary Famous Artists School and came upon a lovely, neglected collection of drawings that Peak used for teaching in the early years, before he went Hollywood.  I think these simple drawings have more enduring value than Peak's movie posters:
   


These drawings have originality and sensitivity, but most of all they have a truthfulness about them.  Such qualities give humble drawings a strength and stateliness that outweigh all the budget and muscle of a Hollywood extravaganza.




Man, that's drawing!



These drawings have not had the same worldwide audience as the movie posters-- for the most part, they have only benefitted art students who pass through the Famous Artists School training-- but as far as I am concerned they are more inspirational and instructive than the movie posters for which Peak is so well known. 

My Art on His Walls

On my dad's walls
I was deeply touched to see so much of my artwork on my dad's walls.
If you click on the photo above it will take you to my Flickr where I've put several notes with descriptions of some of the pieces displayed on this wall.
Shelves
I don't even remember when I made him those little faux terracotta pots.
Eggshell Frame
This is an IKEA mirror that I covered with a mosaic made with egg shells.
Fishbowl
I love how he displayed my painted goldfish on a fishbowl.
Mothcat
This kitty was his birthday gift last year. It sits on one of his office desks.
On his walls
Most of the pieces were made during my school & college years.
I am so very blessed to still be doing what I love & forever thankful
to both my parents for always encouraging my creativity.

My Dad's Art

My dad's beautiful art
My dad's beautiful art
My dad's beautiful art
My dad's beautiful art
My dad's beautiful art
My dad's beautiful art
My dad's beautiful art
I'm back home after a lovely visit with my dad & his beautiful wife Lizbeth.
I'm glad I took my camera so I could take photos of my dad's wonderful artwork.
The bird is a tribute to a beloved pet cockatiel he used to have.

My city is a Dinosaur


When a dinosaur came down in city all the people run away, but what happen when a city become the dinosaur?
Check the art of Andy Council from his amazing website: http://www.andycouncil.co.uk/

In My Fathers House

In My Father's House
In My Father's House
My father's treasures.
Hello! I'm blogging today all the way from my dad's place in Ocala, FL.
This letterpress tray is where he keeps his little treasures
including the pink duck safety pin that used to hold my cloth diapers! :-)
Can you spot it?

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