IF Poem

The word for poem is very similar to posy or poesy and poems have traditionally been thought of as flowers.

He loves me. He loves me not.

I walked along the garden path
and entered through the gate
where daisies waved their dainty heads
and sang of love and hate!

He he, pretty cheesy, huh?

IF Discovery

Whelp...

Here's an update on a work in progress. This illo was started for Illustration Friday, but it is a bit involved, so I may not get it done by Thursday. Whoops! This week's concept is "Discovery". I've been researching about how children interact with nature for my thesis paper, so I decided to do an illustration about kids discovering different aspects of nature.

IF Geek

Don't ask.

Long Day

I wish I had more direction in my life.

Charley Harper

I've been doing oodles of research for my thesis, and all of it is incredibly facinating. In fact, it has been hard to tear myself away from the research stage so I can start writing. I always feel as if anything I have to say has already been said by people who are much more intelligent than I am, and who are able to compose much more elegant thoughts that I can. I stumbled upon an artist/illustrator a few months back named Charley Harper. I cannot sing this gentleman's praises enough. He recently passed away and I feel as if the world had lost a great voice. Does that sound cheesy? Perhaps, but I find myself wishing I could have met Mr. Harper before he passed away. His work inspires me to better my own. So, this post is dedicated to Mr. Charley Harper, a guy from Cincinnati that loved nature and inspired others to recognize the beauty hiding in the backyards and treetops of the Midwest and beyond.

Summertime and the livin' is easy...

I thought I'd post my newest illustration entitled "Sundress". This illustration has been on the backburner for a while, but I loved the idea of illustrating a lady in a lovely and colorful sundress. I didn't want to forget to draw it. So I wrote it down on my little list of "things to draw". "Sundress" is also a good example of an illustration done completely in Photoshop. No scanning required! This makes me happy. I hate scanning, but I still love to paint. I need to get back into watercolor painting.

Camping

This weekend I went camping with my sister and my friends Kim and Chris! We had a wonderful time! We did some hiking and some kayaking. We hung out around the fire. We ate one too many hot dogs. Our cell phones went a'roaming! Raccoons attacked and so forth.

I'm pretty tired, so I think I'll sign off and write more later.

IF Camo Bug

This week's Illustration Friday challenge is "camouflage". Naturally, I thought of all the animals that use camouflage to their advantage. This illustration depicts a fictitious leaf bug hiding out. Can you spot him?

I Love it When Again

I just finished a new version of the "I Love it When" cover. I wanted to add both girls (Kara and Kelsie) to give the cover a bit more punch. The old cover was a placeholder. I simply ran out of time last quarter and had to slap something together. I think this version is a much more pleasing solution.

Funny Pic

Did you ever wonder what kind of clothing your mother wore when she was your age? Check it out. From Left to Right: Aunt Michelle, Grandma, Aunt Val, and Mom! I'm guessing this photo was taken in the late 70's. A great shot of some of my aunts and yes, Grandpa is behind the camera. I absolutely LOVE the grin on my Aunt Val's face. Doesn't she look devious?

IF Rejection

This week’s IF assignment is "rejection". As I thought about how I have felt in the past when I was rejected, for whatever reason, my mind wandered to music, specifically melancholy music I like to listen to when I'm having a bad day, so I chose to illustrate The Beatles' "Blackbird". Specifically, I'm thinking about the verse that states, "take these broken wings and learn to fly".

Website Updates

NEW WEBSITE UPDATES!!!

There's a hidden illustration, too. I'll give you a hint (look for the sunflowers). I have so much to do this next week. I have to finish my thesis, find a job and do a huge pile of laundry left over from my trip to Savannah. An illustrator's job is never done.

Paradise: The Garden

Tropical Depression

Every one in a while in Savannah, they have something known as a Tropical Depression. This is not a time when everyone feels miserable to be living in a tropical paradise, but rather, a time when a whopper of a storm blows in from the Atlantic Ocean and makes everyone's lives very wet for a couple of days. It rained cats and dogs the entire day yesterday. Wet, horrible and did I mention wet! As Forest Gump would say, it was "raining up".

Today, though the sun is shining and everything is right as no rain! Of course, there were quite a few farmers that were praying for rain, and boy did they get it. So I feel happy for the farmers but still a bit miffed that a whole Saturday (A SATURDAY), was wasted. Amanda and I did meet up with Megan and her friend Ericka at the Bean (a coffee shop) during the evening, and Chris, a friend from Vineyard Church who also works at the Bean gave us all free chocolate raspberry cake (thanks Chris!!!!).

MMmmmmmm, chocolate caaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeee (drool).

The Savannah Shuffle

Tonight is Mellow Mushroom (my absolute favorite pizza).

Tomorrow is gallery hopping, barbequeing, free concert attending craziness.

a pic for url

Well, here I am, thinking thoughtfully about life, love and the pursuit of gelato.

Where is that gelato?

From Savannah with Love

Hey all,

I'm in sunny, hot, humid Savannah (hangin' with Amanda). It's so great to be back here with my friends and have a chance to see everyone. My Thesis Show is tonight. I am going to be grateful when it's over. My whole graduate career has been leading up to this moment (well, and getting jobs too, that's important). After the show we're all going to the Crystal Beer Parlor (the after party) and then who know's what else (the after-after party). I love the Crystal Beer Parlor, especially on Friday nights. They have a real New Orleans style band that plays there, and they are wonderful. They always wind down the evening with a rousing version of "When the Saint's go Marching In". Great song.

Well, I have alot to do this coming week and I'm not particualry looking forward to all the paperwork and office hopping it will involve. My least favorite think about SCAD is the insane amount of paperwork. Sometimes I feel like Radar on MASH. "Is everything signed, Radar?" "Yes, Sir, in triplicate!"

I wanna' check you fer ticks!

Okay, so that Brad Pasely song is incredibly disgusting. However, I found a tick on Scout (my border collie) today that was the size of two jelly beans. You should check your dog for ticks. Soooooooooo disgusting. Poor Scout, I get grossed out when I find one on my shoe, let alone attached to my body and sucking blood. But perhaps dogs don't think about those sorts of things.

Anyways, I'm heading to Savannah, GA on Thursday. I feel so tired and run down right now. I have zero motivation, and I still have to finish my artist statement and my thesis paper, among other things. I am so ready to be done with school. Six years of higher education is enough. My future is unclear, and I will have huge college debts to pay back. My whole situation kind of drains any excitement I would be having because of graduation. I am very excited to see my friends though, especially Amanda, Shannon, Betsy and Karin and to walk down Bull Street and sip some coffee at Gallery.

I will miss Savannah. I hope I have a chance to visit every once in a while.

Just...really...tired :(

New Thesis Stuff

Wildwood Flower

Oh I'll twine with my mingles and waving black hair
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair
And the mirtles so bright with the emerald dew
The pale and the leader and eyes look like blue

I will dance I will sing and my laugh shall be gay
I will charm every heart in each crown I will sway
When I woke from my dreaming my idols were clay
All portions of love had all blown away

Oh he taught me to love him and promised to love
And to cherish me over all others above
How my heart is now wondering no misery can tell
He's left me no warning no words of farewell

Oh he taught me to love him and call me his flower
That was blooming to cheer him through life's dreary hour
Oh I long to see him and regret the dark hour
He's gone and neglected his pale wildwood flower