IF: Return

watercolor in sketchbook, to explain the buckling paper

This weeks topic reminded me of a story I heard on the radio: A parrot had been stolen, but it's owners weren't worried. They explained that the bird knew so many annoying songs that the thieves would be sure to return him once he started singing (or at least that's how I remember it).

quiet music for busy people

Sigur Rós - Ekki múkk from Sigur Rós on Vimeo.

IF:Swamp

this is an attempt to capture the view from a canoe on the edge of the Everglades

Surprise from Korea

"Booming Bella" in Korean

Wow, look what the UPS guy just left on my porch!

speckled hen

chicken sidekick, let's call her Elsie

these are color warmup sketches for the book I'm working on. It's always good to stretch before you do anything drastic........

stars

 in my back yard

Evening walks are much more exciting this month, you can see Venus and Jupiter bright above the horizon. After a visit to the planetarium a few weeks ago I can even recognize Orion.

happy monday

Good morning!

Can I just say, I really don't like that "shades" drawing from my last Illustration Friday post?

Ok, I was trying to be quick and spontaneous, and in the interest of honesty I'll leave it up. Thank you for being kind enough to comment if you did, nothing personal. I there's just something about it I don't like to look at.

 So, here's a spring like dog to go with this early spring morning - have a great week!

IF: Shades

idea in my sketchbook

Here it is: Illustration Friday - actually on friday!

maybe a bit conceptual, or weird?

One shade just kept leading to another shade...

from the ground up

I'm finalizing the sketches for a book I'm working on, and playing around with my new box of watercolors......some fungi for today.

A friend of mine mentioned owl totems when I showed her my drawings the other day. That would be a fun new idea to play with, you might see some more owl imagery around here soon....

catch up

This is the last word (or image) on owls for now. It's an old collage I did to illustrate a poem for a french workbook, and one of my favorites.

I spent yesterday out of the studio, it was an inspiring field trip to the High Museum in Atlanta. I can barely remember the last time I went to a large museum in the company of adults. 

Very enjoyable, and motivating.

Now I'll have another espresso and get to work in earnest, have a nice day!

A good early spring morning song:

special guest

swimming lesson, summer 2011

riding lesson, spring 2012

Since I kept Nora home from school today to feel better and get back her cheery personality, I think it's only fair that I get to use her sketchbook for inspiration. 

These show that she is a good audience and a keen observer. 

morning owls

...as opposed to "night owls"...get it....?

I'm so funny.

family portrait

Todays kindergarden homework: a family portrait, arranged by height. 

What else can I say? 

I'm the one with the flowing hair and the stripey shirt.

owling

Dear Barred Owl, you may be "aggressive", and "displacing the smaller spotted owl" and the scourge of suburban chickens, I still love having you in my neighborhood, and listening to your song while I work.

I'm still coming up with a good portrait, I'll be back later.

sun dog

I know you were all dying to meet Coco, and see how she spends a sunny day in early spring, right under my window.

Just a quick sketch to start this busy week. The pumpkin bread is ready to come out of the oven and I think I can already hear the school bus....

IF: intention

This scene is a quick drawing of a scene from one of my favorite childhood books called "Die Toepfchenhexe". I hope the cats intentions are clear, she is stalking the sausages from her post on top of the armoire.

bunnies

dust bunny

bunny sketches

my daughter has been wishing for a bunny, our beagle mix would love one too.....

So far the only kind we have is the top kind.

some publications

I added a page to my blog. It's a list of publications, books and magazines, take a look. 

I think I got most of them in the family portrait...