Lazy Weekend

This has been a fairly lazy weekend. Well, really not so lazy... just relaxing. Friday night, I began screen printing some beer labels and sadly realized that the image/words were reversed. This is the result:

Then, the hubby and I spent Saturday simply hanging out, and I printed the corrected labels for his Handke Holiday Ale. Yeah... it's not the holiday season now, but they'll make a nice Christmas gift next year (if they last). Then, we visited the Defiant Brewing Co. and filled up our growler, because you have to have a good beer to drink while bottling a new tasty home brew. So we'll be bottling beer today. It's an Irish Ale, and I'm making a special label for those, too.

I guess you could say it's been an artist and home brewer's dream weekend.

Illustration Projects in process

I've been working on some serious illustration projects recently. One of the projects happens to be for a independent record + book shop. So I've been sketching various ideas for the owner and sharing them with him at my leisure. Here are a few of the sketches that may turn into something more soon.

The other illustration gigs are currently in process, and once their proofs are approved, I'll share more.

Oh yeah... and just thought I'd mention that I have one piece in SPIN, an art exhibition in Allston, MA at Rescue. The opening for the show is Sunday, MARCH 1. More info can be found here. And my artwork can be seen here.

working...

I'm currently working on a promotional portfolio that will be printed and bound in an A5 format. It's actually quite fun,and I look forward to the end results. But while I work on this, I'm listening to plenty of music.

Damien Jurado just happens to be one of those artists, although Casiotone is currently providing inspiration. So here are a couple of videos by those artists. I especially enjoy Casiotone's video, because Julia Pott does an excellent job with the animation.

Damien Jurado, "Caskets" from Matt Daniels

Later... screen printing, shipping my very first scribble-sketch I created, and completing a few illustration projects.

LOVE

I created a couple of doodles for the doodlage contest that ended yesterday. Here are my doodles.

Today, I'm working on beer labels and Crunchy Clean packaging. And I also just updated my resume on my website.

a Pain in my Neck

I think I may have a pinched nerve. Basically, I cannot move my neck much. So this tends to cut back on the amount I'll be doing on the computer.

Nonetheless, I just completed a couple of new drawings, and during my time that I'm at the computer, I'll be working on the new packaging for Crunchy Clean. The new scribbles-sketches look a little something like this.

Lumber Jack

WILDflowers - no. 3

...and I'll be adding my submission to the Doodlage contest today.

Whats a Girl to Do

working on many things today

Living apart and at peace with myself, I came to realize more vividly the meaning of the doctrine of acceptance. To refrain from giving advice, to refrain from meddling in the affairs of others, to refrain, even though the motives be the highest, from tampering with another's way of life - so simple, yet so difficult for an active spirit. Hands off!

Henry Miller

[ large format ]
...
new WILDflowers are for sale in my shop

What's Mine is Mine

I created this sketch after one of my showers last week. I may turn it into a postcard and create a collection of postcard thoughts like this that I'll post for sale in my shop.

Sometimes, I think the best ideas come to me when I'm either in the shower or sleeping. Maybe that's because it's really the only time I'm resting.

Creativitiy :: Art

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.

Scott Adams, The Dilbert Principle

I'm trying to be creative today, making some mistakes... and hopefully I'll create some art.

Scribble!

I just finished my scribble for samesame! the scribble project, and now I'm going to work on the new Crunchy Clean packaging for a while. They're changing the packaging to a more eco-friendly alternative, and I get to work with them on this project. I'm excited, and I'll show the results once we complete it.

Now... on a musical note: Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band are going to release a new album, Outer South on May 5th. I am anxiously awaiting this album. In the meantime, the video below shows some of the recording and work that was done while recording his previous album in Mexico.

[ via merge records ]

Too much to talk about

I have been working on several projects recently. And I have many more lined up in the coming months. Today, I'm doing some design work, but I also took the time to add a few new pages to my website. I now have some extra stuff and links.

Plus, I finished this screen print the other night. I've now posted it for sale in my shop, and various sizes are available. If you want one, and I do not have it listed for sale in your size, just let me know. As most of you already know, the inspiration for this is my mother's portable turntable from the 60's, which I received as a Christmas gift this year.

Turntable gives music new meaning

On top of these updates, I will soon have some scribbles posted on samesame! the scribble project. I'll let you know when they're published. And I'm looking forward to Issue 3 of the Underground Art School Magazine, because I'm collaborating with them for the sketchbook issue.

inspired

I haven't felt the greatest today, but I've been working some on a new illustration for a local business. Plus, I am screen printing labels for the husband's homebrew. And I'll also be making a t-shirt for the Handke Homebrewery soon. Some of our friends wanted to receive shirts as well; so if you want one, let me know.

For now, here are a few things that have inspired me lately.

Passion

I don't think we should spend a lot of $$$ on Valentine's Day, so I wanted to give you this postcard (if you don't already have something special for your love. Click on the image to download your very own postcard. Then, print it out.

SPIN

I just finished painting Turntable Tales yesterday, and now I'll be shipping it to Boston.

It will be in the SPIN Art Show at Rescue in Allston, MA. The show is being hosted by Glovebox, and I'm excited to be a part!

Rescue is a new buy/sell/trade boutique in Allston (near the place I lived about four months ago), and they have some stellar reviews, although they've only been open a short while. If you're interested in this sort of shop, you should check out their blog, or better yet, if you're in the Boston area, visit the shop. (They're having a special this weekend in honor of St. Valentine!)

Here's the 4-1-1 about the show!

::VENUE::
Rescue
252 Brighton Avenue
Allston, MA 02134

::EXHIBITION DATES::
March 1 – 29, 2009
Opening Reception, Sunday, March 1, 2009.

--
And...
In honor of cupid, I have to share this:
I just found this animation, which is a cute St. Valentine Day Love Story, Le Pirate Radio Astronomie.

Wholesale Order

A couple weeks ago, I received my first wholesale order from Sage Green Style, which is an eco-friendly shop that will be opening later this year. I not only sold her my Echinacea Blooms Pink collection, but she also commissioned me to create two other sets for her shop. I'm excited to see how the shop unfolds and what other artists will be showcased there. I'll post again once the shop actually opens. Until then, enjoy these blooming flowers!

Free Desktop Wallpaper

I added some new desktop wallpaper that you can download free from my website. If you want to download one of them, just click on any of the the images below.

Music Motivates

Like I said earlier this week, I haven't had much time to spend on the computer lately. However, I did find some new music that inspired me to get back to work after creating several displays this morning. This is a video by the The Corduroy Road.

The Corduroy Road: The Healing
by eikonproductions

On top of that new music, I was fortunate to get to buy the new album by Andrew Bird. Plus, I found some more records in a bargain bin that have been a lot of fun to listen to.

And ONE more thing that inspired me today: Dream and Awake

Little Time

I've been super busy lately, so there has been little time to post anything new. However, I've been working on a wholesale order, and I'll have artwork from that project to show-and-tell very soon. Plus, I am ready to create a couple new paintings and screen print another design on some t-shirts (and onesies). On top of that, I'll be shipping artwork today and tomorrow; and I should soon be able to announce a new art show that I'll have some work in.

And..... if you didn't realize it yet, I've posted a few new things for sale in my shop. His Worst Day is one of the original pieces that is currently for sale, and more will be available soon.

For now, I must get back to work!