Tulip Sketch

While we have the gift of life, it seems to me that only tragedy is to allow part of us to die - whether it is our spirit, our creativity, or our glorious uniqueness.

- Gilda Radner -

This is simply a page from my sketchbook. Occasionally I feel like sketching something from real life, so here's a tulip that I sketched prior to its death.

And if you haven't seen enough flowers this season, create your own from paper. Click here for four tutorials of everlasting flowers.

Something New

I'm thinking about replacing the self-portrait that is currently on the home page of my website with something like this. It would be a short slide show of my most recent work.

What do you think?

Work Today

I just placed the order for the Crunchy Clean stamps... yippee! I'm excited to see how those stamps look on the brown packages that they have ready to roll out the door. This is going to be their new packaging for their wholesale orders, and it will make shipping their "green" laundry detergent much more simple all around.

Now, I'm working on some beer labels for another client, and hopefully I'll find time to create something just for fun today.

On another note, I interviewed Su Blackwell for the Underground Art School yesterday. She's the artist behind that Beringer Wine Ad that I posted above. I'm excited to share the results of the interview, which will be published in Issue 3 of the Underground Art School magazine.

Fortune(s)

I've been enjoying some Chinese Takeout lately, and here are a couple of recent fortunes that I was given.

There is especially truth in one of these fortunes. Which one do you think it is? Just don't share why you think it's true.

In other news, I'm trying to catch up on some projects. I'll share more soon!

Coffee in the Garden

The seasons are changing and spring is near. Soon I'll be sitting in my garden on the back porch drinking my coffee. Cheers to springtime as it nears!

I created this scribble-sketch late last week and wanted to share that it's now for sale in my shop.

Nebuchadnezzar

This is a series of four original pen and ink drawings that will be used at Living Christ Church's Lenten service this Friday night. The illustrations tell the story of Nebuchadnezzar, as he returns from pride.

Click here to view the details about the Lenten services.

El balón rojo

I haven't been feeling the greatest lately, but El balón rojo has helped to motivate me today. I have a slew of things that I have to complete this week, so wish me luck.

Be sure to have a HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY today! I'll post the labels that I created for our Irish Red soon. And note that I created a new scribble-sketch last week. You can find it here.

Not Sitting Down

This week I haven't felt much like sitting at my computer unless I absolutely have to. I've been working and celebrating my birthday, but I just didn't really want to post anything to my journal. Now, I've decided to break that silence and share some of the stuff that's been happening.

I'm currently working on a couple of new beer labels, and I'll show those projects soon. I also have been very focused on completing the Crunchy Clean packaging, which you can read about here. Finally, I'm working on a few other projects that I'll share more about later. Just to give you a teaser, one of my pieces is going to be a part of Indie Fixx >> Feed Your Soul; another is a commissioned project for a woman in Australia; and the other project is a collaboration with the Underground with Art School Magazine. Also be sure to check out the press surrounding the SPIN Art show in Allston, MA; if you didn't recall, I have a piece in that show.

And I've really enjoyed cooking and long walks this week as well. That's life for me when I don't want to sit down.

Crunchy Clean

I've been working with the kids at Crunchy Clean to develop a more streamlined packaging for their product.

They anticipate working 100% as a wholesale business in the next year or two, so they've been brainstorming for eco-friendly packaging that wasn't a disaster to print. Well, I thought a stamp would be a nice solution to that problem, since they've just shifted to using recyclable paper bags. And this is the proof of that illustration/graphic design project. They would love to have feedback and suggestions before the stamps are created, so please share your thoughts!

This is nice.

Furr by Blitzen Trapper from Jade Harris

And I've really been enjoying the music by Alessi's Ark lately.

Vines

I've been working on a cleaner, more simple concept for Crunchy Clean's new packaging. And I was brainstorming when I doodled this sketch.

Other good news: I've won a prize with the doodlage contest.
So exciting!
also note: I updated Walk the Streets this morning.

The Decemberists/NPR Poster Contest

I just finished this for the Decemberists/NPR SXSW Showcase Poster contest. If you like it, click on the image to make your opinion known. There are a lot of great designs posted, so check them out!

ladybird + lyndon

This painting was completed for a project I'm currently working on. I'll show the finished project soon. The painting is on watercolor paper, and I used India ink, gouache, and ball point pen to complete this piece.

what I do

I normally listen to music all day while I create. But I've recently been watching films as I work on monotonous details. Within the past few days, I've watched Helvetica, In the Realms of the Unreal, and Danny Williams and the Warhol Factory. That's just to name a few. I feel like the story of Henry Darger inpsired me to work unceasingly. In some ways, his quiet life remind me of very special people I've met.

Yesterday I printed and cut beer labels for hours on end.

Today, I'm adding some finishing touches to some new illustrations for Crunchy Clean and working on a painting.

snow day.

It's been snowing for hours now. It's beautiful if you're as fortunate as me and only have to go outside to walk downtown to buy a few groceries. Unfortunately, it wasn't a snow day for my man. He never gets them.

Nonetheless, I'm working on several projects and will watch the wind drift this snow for hours. For now, enjoy Maybe It's Time by Window Twins. They have a new album that was just released. Check out more about the album at hOWELLS tRANSMITTER.