In Mary's Book

Okay everybody. I am still a little clogged in the nose but that didn't stop me from makin' art in Mary's book.



This was my collab piece with Ammon. Ammon has a very different artistic style than me and I was somewhat at a loss on how to expand on these pieces. Looking at them for a while, these three faces reminded me of the older women I'd see roaming the mall I used to work at in the late 80's- so I turned Ammon's sketches into cartoons of these women. But even then, it wasn't enough. I realized that I needed to tell some short anecdotes on what I could remember about these women.



Playing with my new brayer!Acrylic paint, black gesso & a white gel pen. And the green grass grew all around all around, and the green grass grew all around.

I'm behind

Just got Mary's book last week, but had been prepping for the Art Wars competition. (I made it to the 2nd round!) Been sick w/ a sinus infection all this week but am determined to get some art in her book. Hit the Blick sale today - See my new brayer? I want to try that out...

In Ellen's book- collab w/Aya & soggy-sad-face

Collab. Page with Aya:

Self Portrait of the Artist looking at the Future

Of course, this is me YOUNGER than I am now (not really me at all). Done in Roma's with markers and pens and a little colored pencil. The top one is the newer version--I'm never sure when I am done with a piece and I decided the lighting wasn't right on it. The bottom one, for inquiring minds, is the original.

The third picture is me last night with a hastily rendered copy of Cezanne's 3 Skulls done at the DIA in ordinary pencil. They have drawing sessions and provide seats, paper, pencils and easels every Friday night. And I think Sunday afternoons, too. It;'s the first time I've done it. If I do it again, I may bring my own pencils, stubs etc. It was a huge paper to fill in a short time with a pencil, and I didn't get it quite right--but I had a good time and looked CAREFULLY at the painting--more carefully than ever before.

Click images to view larger.

below is a pocket item for Roma's pocket, it is a super-quick mini sketch of BB, my husband Keith. I did it last night on a very small "art pad." (Sm Assignment notebook-size.)

On my screen, the image is larger than the actual sketch. It is done in pencil, markers and colored pencil.

Stephanie's book, on it's way...

This is just to let everyone know (and mostly Molly) that I dropped Stephanie's book at her workplace this afternoon, and she's going to have it by tomorrow when she goes to work...

and since I have no images from the happy occasion, here are a few puppies I cleaned after earlier that day.

Steve's Mole Gets Around

Steve's Round 2 mole arrived 3 days ago, just in time to visit the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston for the Chihuly exhibit. Wow, what a show! Chihuly's themes & colors provide inspiration for what I will draw in it over the next couple weeks.

Steve's book will now fly to Florida in less than a week. It will attend the Space Shuttle Launch in Cape Canaveral (if scheduled takeoff date holds) & be cavorting with pirates & beach bocce teams at the Amelia Island Shrimp Festival, too. Some books have all the fun!

in Roma's Mole (two from Texas)

Here is what I accomplished in Texas. We had a kind of busy schedule, so i didn't get as much done as I hoped, but I did get some done.

The first one, the old peddler woman, is an illo for one of my children's book, Jacob and the great fish. The second one is the first half of a collaboration for Ammon to complete. it actually is meant to go 180 degrees around. Sorry about the bookmark.

The Bearded Lady Escapes or Lincoln's Last Thought

Our shared piece:

Claudia's Moly is on the way to Mike.

My collaboration with Ballookey, I loved these matches B!

I did the color & flames portion of this and Ballookey started the main matchbook design.

Abstract Wings

Dudes from Magazine ads.

The half a page I left for Mike.

Note to all, in Claudia's Moly there is a loose page. It is one of the pages Ballookey worked on. Be careful not to misplace it. Claudia had torn out a page in the front of her Mole, which made the structure of the book a bit weak. I took all of the stuff out of her pocket and put it in an envelope that is shipped with the Moly. Be careful!

Made in Vietnam (Andrea's Mole - Round 3)

I've been in Vietnam for almost two weeks, and guess whose Mole went with me? Andrea's Mole enjoyed Vietnam very much, especially the weekend at the beach. I'm not finished with all my pieces, but by the end of this weekend I should be able to ship this to Gretchen. (Sorry, Gretchen, I hope you're not without a Mole.)

The particular spread here still needs some black added to the left-hand-side page, but both pages were inspired by Vietnam. On the right I attempted to write some Vietnamese characters. Mostly I wrote a bunch of jibberish, but it was fun studying the alphabet. Many, many of my characters are completely made up.

The color page does actually say something in Vietnamese. Problem is, I don't know what. But I'll try to find out before I send it. And I will post the final version, since I expect that side to change a lot.

Cheers from a jet-lagged Roma in the San Francisco airport (after a 12-hour flight from Hong Kong)

Dee and Dum (Last (?) of the set for Mike)

Tweedle. I just completed the last of the set of three skull paintings (artrage) for Mike's pocket (prints, since they are on the iPad). Roma, let me know if you'd also like a set.

Another one for Mike's Pocket

I did this Artrage painting on my iPad. I am still in Texas. I plan to print this for Mike's pocket, when I get home. Roma, let me know if you would like a set of these for your pocket as well. (I know Mike likes skulls, but I am not sure if you do, Roma; not everyone does.) Click image to view larger.

One for Mike (skulls)

My intention is to send a print of this to Mike in his pocket. I will also make a print for Roma if she wants one.

This is a small art rage digital painting. Click image to view larger.

(I am still in Texas.)

In Roma's

As Mary said, she has Roma's mole now... but I meant to post these pictures of some of the art I did. March was a crazy month for me. We all have them! I was pretty late getting Roma's mole out. I've got a good start on Mike's mole now, and hope to ship it to Mary before the month is over. I also promise to be more present on this blog going forward! :)

Hope everyone is well!

I'm in Texas

But I didn't get to work on Roma's mole on the way here because the man in the next seat, not my husband, fell asleep against me!!!!

Half a collaboration in Roma's: Flying fish

This is done with Staples metallic and iridescent pens. A little acrylic, also. Click image to view larger.

I will be at a poetry workshop all day tomorrow, then leaving for Texas. May not post again for a while? I'm not even taking a computer with me to Texas. I will probably take the mole, though.

I took this with a camera because it was still too wet to put in the scanner.

Ammon's Book is On it's way. Round III.

This round doesn't seem to be going the same route as the last one. I mean, there are pictures being drawn everywhere in the Moleys and there is no clear 1/2 page collaboration. Did we switch up the way we were doing it and I missed the memo??? Just thought I missed something, no worries;^) I will still be doing 1/2 page to start (even if there is no collaboration page) followed by four pages and leaving 1/2 collaboration piece.

More from Round II Mary's book.

Mary's Book highlights of art within.

Mary's Book highlights of art within.