Two Color - Succulent Inspired Tea Towel

I love color, so to limit myself to two colors on a project was very challenging
...and quite a lot of fun.

Editing

"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love or hate it, and while they're deciding, make even more art."

-Andy Warhol 

Today I got "called out" by my good friend Claire, who noticed that I said I toned down my colors in my India inspired print...editing for what I think is public consumption. So since I am practicing listening and following my intuitive creative inclinations I am posting the original colors that I love out of respect for my personal aesthetic.

Yeah, nice and zingy. 

Might be interesting to see that this complicated pattern is based on some very simple sketches. Here's my first sketch of my idea. I scanned it in and mirrored the two pieces, cleaned it up and made sure where the designs meet each other made sense and I have this. Which I work some magic on in Illustrator. Then I decided it needed the smaller piece and some random flowers, so I sketched those and repeated the process.

India Inspired Pattern

I'm trying to get better about posting on my blog and on facebook regularly. So, short post, big picture. I created this design from a very very simple sketch, and I was pleased to find out what I could do create with these little sketches. I'm very interested in complex damask, Indian paisley, and brocade patterns, and this begins to reach into that territory. The colors initially were pretty zingy, I toned them down a notch from my original idea (bright pink and orange, my current weakness).

Summer Windowsill

I keep some kind of flowers or leaves on my windowsill above the kitchen sink all year long. Makes me happy. Currently, my two most favorite colors are orange and pink, preferably together. These sweet peas grow wild all around western Oregon right about now, and I always pick a few bunches. The orange Salpigloss is from my garden. While we're at it, I love that ultramarine blue too!

Gratitude - Remembering my very first commission

Barbara's painting.

This morning I found a deck of cards I created myself years ago, I guess similar to "angel cards", I thought of them as messages from my smartest self, or my future self that knows more than me know, my intention was to use them when I felt stuck, as happens every now and then to us all. They all have a title and an inspirational explanation, with examples from my life and with people that I know that have inspired, mentored, or encouraged me. Leafing through them I was amazed at my insight and wisdom at the time, each card a distillation of a quality that I wanted to emulate or bring into my life. One card I came across was called "Art Lover" and on it was a photo of Barbara, the very first person who commissioned a custom painting from me. At that time she was an interior designer in San Francisco area, and I was honored that she had actually commissioned a painting from Moi (she got chops)! but the photo of her says it all, she is a sweet person, reminding me that like-minded folks are attracted to me and my work, and to trust in that. It's been 13 years since I painted her piece (and 100s of commissions and paintings later)...just seeing her face, and reading the card brought me such gratitude for all the success I've enjoyed over the years. Thank you Barbara for believing in me and giving me a boost along my journey!
Card Title: Art Lover "Supporter of Beauty. Woman of High Regard.
The perfect people and events will arise to meet me as I follow my path."
Here is a photo of some of the cards I created. You can create your own inspirational deck of cards, start collecting a stack of photos (or a folder on your computer) and think about the people, places, idea that inspire you! Glue stick, sharpie, away you go.

Dog + Pretty Textiles = SATISFACTION!

We have taken to calling Chamois our "Wander-dog" because she has recently decided it's a great idea to go on walk-a-bout. In our neighborhood where plots are in acres, and there are no fences, just woods, this can mean a long way off. She is 13 years old, has two bad knees and a wobbly hind end...maybe she's decided, "to heck with all of these rules, I'm heading out"...because when I find her she is a happy dog, catching up on the "neighborhood" doggie newspaper. But now that I'm on to her wily ways, no more Mrs. Nice Guy from me, she's either going on her lead or staying on the deck, unless I'm specifically watching her.

COVET GARDEN
An online, FREE magazine...packed full of stories of the creative life, fabulous photos, and how creative folks build and feather their nest. Sweet mag!
http://covetgarden.com/

Confessions of a Textile Addict

In my paintings, one of the many fun things I do is decide what kind of patterns to decorate with! Recently I've started thinking about putting pattern on actual things, and decided to take some textile design classes. AND I have discovered a new creative avenue and I'm SO excited to dive into this creative expression....trumpets and bells here! That said, I'm not sure how this plays out yet, I'm not sure of the specifics of how this is going to happen, but I do know that I wake up every morning with a big YES, excited about what I'm going to create and terrified while learning the hows of getting it out there!  My paintings will be in my designs too, I just haven't figured that out just yet.

While I'm here, I will tell you a little about the e-course, The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design by Rachael Taylor and Beth Nichols. I only took Module 3, and I would recommend taking all 3 Modules. I might take them in reverse. Absolutely packed with industry info, technical workshops, inspiration, real life examples, and a great community of fellow artists. I highly recommend.

Stay posted...more on this to come!