Pollock?

I finally downloaded ArtRage that everyone on the Everyday Matters list has discovered. Rianna had a grand time with it last night and made this Pollock homage for her Daddy.

Illustration Friday

I'm working on some ideas for this week's topic, "Black & White." There's lots of entries each week to look at from all over the world and all kinds of interpretations. Neat and inspiring!

the scribbled journey

Kathleen is an member of the Everyday Matters group. I really like her style and sense of color. This viola is wonderful and full of the warmth of tone the instrument is known for.

Mohawk Park

6-12-05
Originally uploaded by SideShowMom.

We wander aimlessly sometimes to find new parks to play at. This one is at 63rd St and Lamar in KC, Ks. I love these old merry-go-rounds, there was one at the playground by my grandparent's house off of Bannister Rd. We'd go there and Grandpa Wallace would spin and spin us.

Hollyhocks

hollyhocks
Originally uploaded by SideShowMom.

Watercolor sketch at the Kauffman Memorial Garden. The kids call it Rocky's garden because there's a large tom cat named Rocky who is the resident pest control specialist. Mostly he sleeps in his basket in the solarium or in one of the large potted palm tree pots. The kids can pet him and he just lays there and purrs. I never knew what hollyhocks were and I'd seen these flowers and didn't know what they were called. Funny. My mom didn't garden much and my grandparents did but we didn't hang around them much. I'm just now in my life learning these things.

Rainy Summer Thoughts

This is Wesley's Summer entry for Illustration Friday. Exactly how I feel about summer!!

EDM #18 - View from my Window

6-11-05
Originally uploaded by SideShowMom.

Here's my first challenge! I painted it this morning while the family was still asleep, it was a nice way to start my rainy day :)

New Moleskine!

Here's my first entry in my Moleskine! About our morning with a little watercolored sketch, fun!



Rianna did this! We got the die-cut cat at the library and she colored it with crayons today.

A Child Of Atom

A Child Of Atom is the blog of Cully in NY, NY. A set designer, he loves comics, Japanese wood block prints, and is another wonderful artist. Go check him out --->

Pirates

I did all this at 3:45am while I was up with my wide-awake 2 1/2 year-old son!

Everyday Matters

Everyday Matters is a book by Danny Gregory about his family, life, art and remembering the little things. He has a blog at the link in the image below where he posts "occasional essays on creative things, journal making, drawing, etc. intended to challenge, inspire and perplex." There is a Yahoo group based in these ideals that I have joined and lurked in for a few months and have finally decided the time is ripe to jump into with both feet. Today I bought a Moleskine sketchbook, a Niji water brush and a set of Staedtler Pigment Liner sketch pens to go with my Van Gogh watercolor box in my backpack. As the kids play at the park, I can draw, paint, write, whatever I feel to do along with photographing.

Recent Mail Art

This is from Carla Cryptic, she wasn't part of the Year of the Rooster swap but had sent me mail art so I sent her a Rooster. She sent this to me last week.

This is a nice spring mailing from Jack at Cascadia Artpost, Thank you Jack!

Greg Lawler Photographs

This is a postcard from Greg Lawler at Small Planet Photography. I bought a small photograph of his at an art fair a few years ago similar to this one. I like the way he waited for the walking man to be in the patch of light on the road and printed the bordering trees as dark as he did. Very striking.

Anne Garney

Anne Garney is one of my favorite painters. She lives in KC in the River Market area and paints mostly KC landmarks. I think she used to be a director of the KC Parks & Rec department...Ron and I went to the Kansas City Artists Coalition Open Studios event in 2000 and hers was one of the studios we visited. I really like the vivid colors she uses, they are really evocative of the festive nature of the Plaza and the city. She has a show coming up at Chiro Studio & Gallery at 706 West Pennway through April 30 with a reception April 1 from 6-9pm.

Crescent House

Crescent House

Frips and Marc in Belgium have a new blog about their life and mail art projects. Marc is a photographer and mailartist. Check out his photographs from his trip to France and around the Ghent area.

Another look at the Crow 

Inks

I got the ink retarder last night and used it on the clouds this morning. Much better! I was able to get good coverage in the sky blue area and the cards look great!

Crow

Here's the first reduction carving I did. This has 3 colors, the background is an old stamp pad and the other two are block printing inks. I did an edition of them as ATCs for trading on the ATC Exchange other groups I trade in.

Clouds ATC

This is my second reduction print. I am having some trouble with the blue ink not printing smoothly and will get some retarder to see if it helps.

NickieBlog

NickieBlog I visited Nicki's Blog today, way cool! She has a great illustrative technique and lovely artwork, go visit her!