The Attic

A poem by my favorite poet, Raymond Carver, in Ballookey's book.
This was a good excuse for me to buy "A new path to the waterfall" which is a beautiful book.
What I love about his writing is that he doesn't use "poetry" words, and all the feelings and drama comes from life and from writing in a really simple way.

This tree was really challenging, first of all I rarely ever use green and never know what to team it with, second, there's something really "cute" and "childish about it that I just couldn't copy or interact with. I think that the crying severed heads sort of took care of that...

Finally...

Started to work on Ballookey's book.

Gretchen's book is on the way to Mike!

Collab w/ Ballookey

Mike, you can find my collab start with you on the pocket page in the back of the book!

In Ammon's: 60 Via de Cotocello, Marciana

60 via de Cotocello, Marciana
5 x 8 coated Moleskine paper
watercolor, micron pens, white goache

This is the last of these Virtual Paintout Pix I will be doing in Ammon's Mole. This was made, as were all my virtual paintout pix, from a google streetview.

Here is the streetview:

Streetview, 60 via de Cotoncello, Marciana

As you can see, I changed the design of the towels and changed the brick to stone.  Also, I had to crop a vertical (portrait) out of a horizontal (landscape).  They YELLOW is primarily from the stupid Yellow paper!!! (I prefer white paper!)  (That was why I put white gouache in a few places!

If anyone wants to participate in the Virtual Paintout, it's Elba for the rest of February.

In Ammon's: Calling Home from Elba

Calling Home from Elba
005 micron pen and watercolors
on coated 5 x 8 Paper

This is another one for the "Virtual Paintout" where the topic for February is Elba. Here's the google streetview from which I painted the picture:

First Sketches in Ammon's Book

I have Ammon's Mole out of order because some people had several Moles and I had none.

Collaboration with Mike

This is my collaboration with Mike.  I used a Sakura graphic pen and a Sakura micron pen, neither of which matched his pen.  I wasn't sure what he used (should have asked, I guess.)

Nightmare #120211-b
Sakura Micron pens, colored pencil, gouache

This was originally an attempt at an abstract.  I love Andrea's abstracts, but I don't seem to be able to do abstracts often (only occasionally).  I was unhappy with the abstract by itself and added nonabstract details.

By the way, the corner is cut of out of this page (by someone OTHER than me).  But that space on the next page is somewhat damaged.  Perhaps someone can make something on the next page that will show through and be a collaboration--or maybe I will at some later point, for the next person to finish.

Man In My Neighborhood

I tried to draw this man that comes through my neighborhood regularly. If I am working outside he will usually give me advice. It is amazing how he does everything that I have to do so much better than me.

Sharing With Mary in Stephanie's Book

THIS is Mary's post of the beginning of our drawing. I missed the part where it was about the friend working on a car. I assumed it was finger painting time, which is what I assume about most things.

The Brooklyn Art Library Sketchbook Project

The current sketchbook project deadline is tomorrow and a new round is in the offing.   I've signed up for it.  Some of us are posting to a blog and I'd like to invite the rest of you, if you interested, to join us.  Let one of us know if you want to join and I or one of us will send an invite.

Moons in Gretchen's Book

I couldn't make up my mind how to approach one piece I wanted to do in Gretchen's book, so I decided not to decide and create the moon, three ways.

Title page - I wish I'd made the word "ways" a little more bold.

This astronaut was the first piece started, and the last one finished. I spray painted the background using vinyl I had left over from Mary's Round 2 book to create the purple pattern. Then I stalled on it until this weekend when I added the astronaut and finished painting it. I added the Finnish postage stamp at the bottom because I know Gretchen's family hails from Finland. By the way, Finland has THE COOLEST STAMPS. I enclosed the rest of the sheet in the book in case Andrea or anyone else wants to use one - or Gretchen can just have them. The art is so cute, and they're often die-cut in unusual shapes like these birds on branches. How cool would it be to get a letter with one of these on it?

I started this one with a copy of this vintage photo, then added all the engraved elements. The moon has a door, and if you look inside, you'll see the man in the moon. (It's Sherlock from the recent BBC TV series because that's what I've been watching recently - awesome, awesome show)

I created this pixellated moon from squares cut out of paint chips - it's kind of fun going to the hardware store and walking out with my craft supplies for free.

And continued the pixels onto the next page for Andrea to interact with.

Here's the collaboration I completed with Molly. She created the creature on the left, and I added the rest to tie it in with my theme.

In Andrea's pocket

Of course, the obvious choice would be to make a dream catcher, but since I already made one of those, I decided to build a diorama of one of the dreams. The big challenge was figuring out how I can build it in a way that I could take it apart and pack it in a flat package so it fits in the pocket.

I suddenly have a lot of respect for those IKEA engineers...

pages 7 and 8 on Andrea's Book

I've had a small medical procedure last Wednesday, and I'm starting to feel a little better now, but it's taking time (too much time in my mind) and so for the past couple of days, I could only really work (or do anything for that matter) for about an hour or two every day. I really really hate this...

Anyway, those hours were mostly spend on Andrea's book and little pocket item. I'm going to pack it and Steve's book tomorrow and take it to the postoffice on Monday.

Bottle neck

Ya, this time it's me...
I have 3 books at home now. Steve's book, which is all done, Andrea's which is 95% done and one more...
I'm really sorry guys, we had 2 deaths in the family and I had some health issues, which I think are basically over now (hopefully) I'm hoping to finish Andrea's book today and send 2 books to Molly tomorrow.

My work in Mary's book.

Mary's book ships on Monday.

Splotch Monster Collab with Steve Loya, round 2

Splotch Monster Collaboration with Steve Loya
in my returned Moleskine from Round 2

I forgot about finishing up my Round 2 Moleskine.  So here's the first of those.

Icky Fingers Collaboration for Ammon in Stephanie's

This is my last piece in Stephanie's book, so I will be sending it to Ammon as soon as I can get it together, hopefully tomorrow or Monday,  It is done in 005 Micron pen black.  The green bit on the mouth is from a dirty scanner, sorry.  Also a little splash of black gouache.

Icky Fingers
Micron Pen
1st half of a collaboration with Ammon

It's my husband, Biker Buddy (Keith), in case you don't recognize him, working on my son Graham's car.  However, Ammon could make it into something else and that would be OK.  I'll be interested to see what he does with it.

Collaboration with Gretchen in Stephanie's: Hen Turning Eggs

Turning the Eggs
Collaborations with Gretchen

Turning the Eggs, Collaboration by Gretchen Owen and Mary Stebbins Taitt
markers and pens.  Dedicated to Hennie Mavis.

In Stephanie's Pocket: Sequoia Park Zoo

Sequoia Park Zoo, Eureka, California
watercolor

This is a 6 x 9 watercolor on Canson paper for the Virtual Paintout from Eureka, California (last Month's Theme).  I am including the original in the pocket.

I also included two small prints of earlier Virtual Paintout pictures from Eureka California :

Andrea's pages 5 and 6

Andrea's book pages 3 and 4