Time to Shift Gears

It's that time, autumn, my favorite time of the year....love the valley's golden hues, cool nights and warm days. It's time to focus on my fall/winter shows, Fall Festival in Corvallis (which I am the poster artist for this year, Local 14 in Portland, and finally Teal Gallery. First though, must get my galleries happy and well stocked. Here are four small paintings I'm sending to Dragonfire Gallery in Cannon Beach today. Sweet little labrador vignettes!

MOYO Surface Pattern Design Magazine Launch

Thrilled to announce the launch of MOYO the world’s first online magazine dedicated to surface pattern design! And one of my patterns made it into this issue, how fab is that? p.19!!! Yay!

The magazine is packed with interviews, design briefs, colour challenges, art reviews, student showcases, design tips, inspiration, trends and more, this free resource will be published quarterly. Grab a cup of tea and sit down and enjoy!

Open publication - Free publishing - More color

Paris??? YAY!!!!

Oh my...I've been invited to be "artist in residence" for the Tilton Paris tour!!! I couldn't be more excited and thrilled! I get to go to Paris, AND I get to go with Marcy Tilton, designer extraordinaire, textile aficionado, gallophile a la Paris! First thought, what can I bring to the tour as artist in residence...then....what kind of sketchbook am I bringing? Perfect! Second thought...shoes, must have some fabulous walking shoes...next thought, oh my, I have a lot of work to do before I go! Must get to work! Here is one of Marcy's jackets....how fun is that?

Artistic Expression

If anyone has been following my blog lately, you will have noticed I have had several different logos on there. Probably most folks have come and gone, and haven't seen them all, but being a former graphic designer who knows how important brands are, I am very self conscious about it. I really shouldn't be designing on the fly and publishing each iteration I fall in love with. But that's what I've been doing, and I'm no closer to a final design than I was a few months ago.

As an artist, I've been creating with paints and pastels professionally for about 15 years...I have a recognizable style, which sometimes I love, and sometimes I want to be different, but for better or for worse, it's mine, and it's here to stay. I get curious, about other mediums, about how other artists and craftspeople work. I added polymer clay to the mix about 10 years ago just as magnets at the holiday craft shows, but in the last 3-4 years I have developed a style of polymer clay collage that fills a price point in my my art market, and generates some nice income, and it is fun to do. It is very different from my paintings, but somehow, when I show them together, they get along and complement one another.

Ok so far, a little crazy, but manageable. Now I've added surface design, which I LOVE. I have no idea if I can, change my career and go off into this commercial realm. I don't know if I can keep it all, but even as I type that I think everything I have created up to this point will just make me a more awesome surface designer...I've got so much experience...and if I focus my attention on this, I could really create some beauty in the world. Does the world need more beauty? Always.

M2 Final Showcase

One of my pattern collections, Retro Flower Power, is featured on Rachael Taylors blog as part of the The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design Module 2 Final Showcase. I couldn't be more proud! http://rachaeltaylordesigns.blogspot.com/2012/08/module-2-final-showcase-part-2.html
This online class has been a journey of discovery and remembering for me, re-igniting my passion for sketching, and then learning how to turn these sketches into fun and colorful designs and also the practical steps to take them out into the world. The community of fellow designers that I have come to know through these classes is so supportive and it is very satisfying to watch us all grow and develop as designers. Thank you Rachael!