Last gasp in Mike's

Everyone cheered to watch racers run
"final?"
by me, Mary Stebbins Taitt

I am finally finished with Mike's Moleskine, and will mail it ASAP on hopefully Monday or Tuesday.
*The paper is getting progressively thicker!  Below is the prior version.  Since then I have repaired the head of the last wolf, opened Frankie's eyes, changed the color of the grass and added detail.  This was the hold-up. I kept fiddling with it, trying to get it right.

"Had Races and Won"

Acrylic on thin Moleskine paper*

4th coat

Because I had it so long, I did some additional pieces:

Biker Buddy
by Mary Taitt

At the end of a long day
By Mary Taitt
markers, Copic, Faber-Castell pigment artist pigment markers,

The Nature Conservancy wants to publish 20,000 elephant pictures, so I am trying to help them out.

Old Bull
collab for Mike

And a new pocket item--with elephants:

Dusk
card by Mary Taitt for Mike's pocket

Mary in Aya's: "I dream someone is drawing cards that will determine not only my dreams, but also my future"

"I dream someone is drawing cards that will determine not only my dreams, but also my future"
by Mary Stebbins Taitt
water color, pen and ink

This is my last piece in Aya's Mole this round.  (I really had this dream!) Yet to do is one or more pocket items and the envelope.  I was going to start the envelope NOW, but the top is stuck on the gesso and I can't get it off.

We have NO power at home, and slept at the studio last night.  The internet here is unbearably slow, and we don't have a smart phone, so I won't be online much until we get our power back at home.

As part of a dream yesterday morning, two small children were turning back and forth from kids to a snail and a slug and ricing through hot soapy water.  It was nerve-wracking to watch/dream!

Mary in Aya's: I Dream I need help securing a prisoner

I dream I need help securing a prisoner
by Mary Stebbins Taitt
in Aya's Moleskine

I got new pens and failed to test them for water-resistance--they SAID they were water-resistant but were not!  DUH!!!  I messed up--should have tested them.  They drew really nicely but bad when water added.  I do that intentionally sometimes, but in this case, did not want the ink to run.  I would have painted over the lettering but it would have been a disaster.

Collab for Mike

So, I have one more to do and I will mailing this off to Mike.  Sorry about the big delay with Ballookey's--I was having difficulties getting a good picture for my book.

Mary in Aya's--the Dream fish coming home

The runaway fish return to their tank
by Mary Stebbins Taitt
watercolor and pen and ink
5 x 8

I dream that the free-ranging fish must be back in their tank before dawn or they will die.

Mary in Aya's: I Dream the fish swim out of their aquariums at night

I Dream the fish swim out of their aquariums at night
by Mary Stebbins Taitt
in Aya's book

I did this tonight, September 2nd, but accidentally put the wrong date on.  This is a real dream I have.  Or, used to have repeatedly.  Haven't had it recently (I no longer have an aquarium; that may be why.

Also, I finally mailed Ballookey's mole to Mike.  Sorry it took so long, was having scanner and camera issues.

Andrea and Mary in Aya's: Breathing underwater

Breathing Under Water
collab Andrea and Mary
click to view larger

I have not mailed Ballookey's mole to Mike yet, because I have spent several days trying to get decent and usable scans or photographs, which I need for the book I am working on.  But last night, I did my first piece in Aya's mole, a collab with Andrea.

Last two in Ballookey's: Bear Hare Air and Snail in Phlox

"Bear and Hare went by Air"
my illo of San Cassimally's kids' book
Animal Carnivalacrylics
click image to view larger

Snail in Phlox
half a collab for Mike
Faber-Castelle pigment pens

I have completed (I think) the work in this rotation in Ballookey's Mole.  (I may do a little tweaking here and there.)  Now I will begin working on the pocket item(s).  With Andrea, I prepared a lot ahead during the period before the rotation exchange began.

Mary's Round 4 Mole page 2: The Quill and the Inkwell

The Quill and the Inkwell
Acrylics, pens, tissue paper
click image to view larger.

Yes, I know that is not an inkwell, but a bottle.  Believe it or not, I'm old enough that I remember inkwells built into our desks at school.  This is made of torn pieces of tissue paper glued together with acrylic medium as well as acrylics applied with a sponge and ink.It is an illustration for a serial novel I am working on.

Rediscovering the Ivorybill, half a collab for Ammon

005 micron pen, watercolor.  Click image to view larger.

The Hills at Sunset on Acid (Collaboration with Gretchen)

Various Jelly Roll Pens, metallic etc.  I am sorry my hands aren't as steady as Gretchen's!  Click to view image larger. 5 x 8 watercolor Moleskine.

One for Ballookey's pocket round 3 and one for Hennie round 2

I finally got another set of the Sakura Gelly Roll Pens I ordered a while back, and since they were new to me, I was eager to try them, but since I don't have a mole, I decided to make cards. These are cards with envelopes, Strathmore Drawing cards, my first time trying them, too.

The Chrysanthemums will be for Ballookey's pocket--I think it is Ballookey's book I get next, and the mandala, which is called, "What if all of Creation were in the hands of an unsteady Goddess?" is for Hennie Mavis. The shown colors aren't quite right. Close, but no cigar.

Collaboration with Ammon in Mikes Round 3 Book, 1st half

This is my first piece in Mike's Round 3 book and it is my collaboration for Ammon, 1st half. I haven't named it because I do not know what Ammon will make of it. Click image to view larger.

Last one in Roma's

It was exactly a month ago today that Roma's mole arrived. I say this because I am feeling a little guilty that I have a pile-up of moles at my house--THREE of them. I have finished with Roma's, finally! I had a terrible time with this last picture for some reason and I am far from satisfied with it, for which I apologize. But I was determined to complete it and get it mailed off. I probably will not be able to mail it until Monday at the earliest, but it will be on it's way ASAP!!!!

I forgot that I had originally intended to do the lettering for the captions. Here is the caption for this one, "Jacob is a crabber and clammer who lives with his fisherfolk parents and the way long time ago times when there was still magic in the world." Actually, I think I have rewritten it slightly, but I cannot locate the current version. (DUH!)

I had trouble reproducing the drawing, so have two versions of it, neither of which are quite right. The last one is the two-page spread. Click on the images to view them larger. The middle one gets bigger (for inquiring minds). I am hoping that these will become illos for a children's book for my grandson.

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.

JACOB AND THE MERBOY last one in Ballookey's

I wanted to put text on, but stupidly, I forgot to leave room! :-(

This is from (for) my as yet unfinished children's picture book, tentatively titled Jacob, Merjon and the Great Fish. By unfinished, I mean I haven't even finished writing it--I do have a first draft. This page comes earlier in the book than the previous one and they are not contiguous or continuous in the book.

These are the only pieces I've made so far--I haven't decided on a medium, but I may actually use these (or the scans of them) IF I can clean them up OK. (Otherwise, they may be "studies" for the book.) They did not scan perfectly because my scanner is not that great and the nook is not flat. This page has an acrylic painting on the other side. You can see the texture of it right through the paper.

Anyway, I have finished with the art in Ballookey's book and in a few days, will get it packaged up and sent off to Mike Kline. Click once (and then again) to view the image larger.

Jacob and the Waterspout

This is my third page in Ballookey's Mole. It is an illustration (or study for an illustration) from my as yet untitled brand newly written children's book. The temporary title is, Jacob, Merjon, and the Dream Fish. It's (obviously) a children's picture book. This page occurs several pages into the book, but it's the first one I've done. I have not decided yet what medium I want to work in, but I kind of like the line drawing. However, I wanted fog, and I don't know how to create fog in a line drawing in pen and ink. Micron 005 pen. Click image to view larger--click again to view even larger. Click HERE to read the early draft version of the story.

Measles on measles, First half of a collaboration with Mike in Ballookey's

This ended up going in a different direction than I'd originally intended. Probably not the best technique to use when you're overdue--very time consuming. Multiple pen varieties, Micron, Faber-Castell PITT, etc, and then some acrylic because I do not own a white gel pen--or if I do, I couldn't find it.

I forget how long it takes those blasted metallic gel pens to dry and stuck the heel of my hand in it and smeared it on the bottom right--sorry!! :-(

Heidi Ships Anders to Aya (Round 2)

Anders gets a 3-tea sampler in his pocket from me, to ward off head colds, HA! Here's my collaborative art in his book, with Ash, who gave me "blaaahh!" to work with. It's me as a sick raccoon, tucked in bed with my current favorite tea. I used black pen & some gray acrylic wash to align with Ash's style... except the tea wrapper & hangtag, which are glued in as collage.

Heads up, Aya: I mailed Anders book to you today. I'm not sure if I should apologize for lateness or not? I was working on your book, but then happily switched to Anders' when it arrived, since the original plan was that our own books should come home at the end of Round 2, not in the middle of it? I hope that seems like a reasonable judgement call. Somehow, the shipping order got twisted. The only book (besides my own) that has not come to me yet is Steve's, and I expect it should arrive soon.

I'm curious to know who is actually done with Round 2 & has their book back? Anyone?

First piece in Milo's Mole: Old Mama Bear with triplets

This is my collaboration with Steve, a splotch monster of sorts. Top: Mama bear with triplets, bottom: original splotch by Steve.

"There but for Fortune . . .

Go You or I, you or I." Last solo piece in Willie's Mole.