Boo Day

Have a spooky time tonight when

the witching hour arrives!

studio cat

My assistant, sleeping on the job, as usual.

Since the Mexico Splendido trip, I've gotten copies of my latest book from publisher Kar-Ben,

finished illustrations for another, and am now working away on paintings for a show in October at Red Sky Gallery here in Charlotte. Here's a preview:

Yes, definitely "and now for something completely different". This show is with a group I belong to, pARTners art, and the theme is our lovely local greenway system, many miles of it with forest and trails and ponds and bike paths and deer and ducks and foxes - no end of inspiring flora and fauna.

I'm working everyday, still so many more ideas to work through, so I have "miles to go before I sleep", especially since my only assistant is a total deadbeat!

Mexico!

I know. It was last month. But next week I'm off for "Yoga and Art in the Yucatan" with my friend (from kindergarten!), Dr. Laura Vick, anthropologist/primatologist/Mayan authority. It will be muy splendido and I'll return refreshed, renewed, ready to spill all the saturated sunny Mexican colors I'll soak up into my current work.

This image, from deep down in the archives, was a sample for a publisher with a book about Mexico. I did not get the job. After awhile, I stopped doing these worm-on-hook, aka "spec" pieces. 

Adios, mi amigos!

Nature moment

Early A.M. view from my studio balcony. Six deer just sauntered across the far horizon. The leader noticed movement when I stepped out to watch and they "high tailed"(yep, that's what they do!) into the trees. The rest of the head count: five squirrels climbing trees, four geese squawking, three cardinals flying from branch to branch, two dogs waiting for breakfast, one fat cat starting the morning nap.

All this, and I can get in the car and be at the
Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in 15 minutes.

Except

I have too much work to do today (gratefully).

In good company!

As this is the closest I will ever come to basking in Shirley MacLaine's bright light, 

I'm sharing my first little job of 2013: I was contacted by this children's theater about usage rights for an image I made years ago for American Girl Magazine, "Happily Never After", which happens to be the title of their next production. So my art will be on all their promo pieces.
A shiny sparkly way to start the new year! 

Nice surprise! 

I walked into the Cabarrus County Arts Council gallery last night and four of my kid's book paintings had little red stickers. They'll be in the permanent collection of the new children's book room at the county library in Concord, which makes me so happy that they will be shared with lots of kids. I have six pieces in this current Arts Council invitational show, "Hey Diddle Diddle- art that calls to the child in all of us". And what excellent company I'm in- many artists showing zippy, playful 2d and 3d work! Show is up through December 19, if you find yourself anywhere near Concord, NC.

Illustration Friday: Water

I live in NC, where we're just starting to add sweaters to the wardrobe rotation- a welcome relief from a long hot summer. This is my first submission to Illustration Friday, and in so doing, was moved to finish this image, which had languished in my "in progress" file for months- a real "problem child". I think we're on speaking terms now, as I look out my window at autumn leaves Falling.