Monday, December 21, 2009

Soundtracks from my head

Kria Brekkan, a wonderfully creepy and talented songstress most noted for her vocals in M83 and Mice Parade gives my heart a fluttery zealous ache. I am not sure how else to describe it...ahhh the magic of Iceland...

Thursday, December 17, 2009

More Fun in Seattle

Woah, check out this victorian home/museum near Pioneer Square just under I-5. I can't imagine what kind of shenanegans go on at this house, but I'd like to partake. Unfortunately, Weird Steve is not giving tours but you can take a virtual flash tour. I would like to devote ONE room in my future house that resembles a curious cabinet of sorts...but raking the hallways to fit oodles and oodles of stuff...only for a day visit thanks. My favorite is the Jeanie room and the Bathroom, look closely there IS a toilet and sink in there.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Hawks Bleed Oranges

This illustration was painted using watercolor, and I knew I wanted to superimpose the hawks over a textured dream-like background. My first thought was to paint the whole thing on yupo paper, a watercolor paper that is essentially made from plastic. However, I wanted more detail and an oil effect for the hawks, so I painted them independently on Arches Hot Press. Separately, I did a heavy wash of a granulating watercolor on a piece of yupo paper and let it dry overnight. The effect is a swirling sky with static clouds and water bubbles. I scanned them and touched things up a bit in photoshop.



I referenced the movement of the hawks by scrounging around youtube looking for videos. I came across this nat geo video, pause on 1:54 to see the rough and tumble.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Uncanny, No?

I'm going to geek out on a few funny coincidences...so bear with me

I watched Red Sonja (1984) last night with my roommate, and I was mesmerized by how much Brigitte Nielson reminded me of Neko Case. Neko's stage demeanor is teetering on the fantasy rhealm and I must insist she could assume Red Sonja's sword yielding role no questions asked.








hehe haw haw!

And...on another funny coincidence,

Play catsoup and listen to boom bip's popsicle for an uncanny pair up. Have fun!

Ok, I'm done.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Greatest discovery this year...

Phantasmaphile, my absolute favorite blogger has been one of my daily internet haunts for over a year now. She has opened my eyes and inspired me by sharing her love for art, mythology and psychology. It has been one of those strange instances where you have many parallel interests with someone, but I am sure I am not alone saying so about this writer. I wanted to touch on a few gems that I found irresistable and inevitably inspiring.

Myth and Psychology: Joseph Campbell



Magical author: Trinie Dalton



Bad-ass female surrealist Remedios Varo



Subconcious expert and Portland artist Theo Ellsworth,


I was fortunate enough to receive a little spotlight for my paintings on phantasmaphile earlier this year.
That was a good day...

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Pressure printing

My good friend Dave was nice enough to spend a Sunday afternoon with me working on a type project. He is such a generous guy and loves him some letterpress. So we went to work and had a collaboration.


My Grandpa kept a type cabinet in his basement as a sentimental reminder of his days at the publisher. He passed away around 7 years ago, and I recently discovered the type collection while visiting my grandma in Colorado. She loves butterflies, so as a thank you for willing me the cabinet, I combined his fascination for art and letterpress type with her butterflies. *sniff* sappy, but feels great to do.


Rust and Yellow


My Grandpa's type, arranged on the plate.




I drew an outline of a butterfly on yupo paper and cut out shapes for two runs of color. We took the paper cut out and stuck it with adhesive to the roller on the press. When the paper was sent through, only the shape of the butterfly and a little static around the edges appears. Dave printed two runs to show two colors in different sections.


Final Print


Dave, thank you thank you thank you th....

Monday, October 5, 2009

Watercolor sketch

Here is an example of a quick watercolor study, or sketch turned into a final painting.
I apologize for the pale images, my camera is seeing its last days.
This drawing was sketched very lightly with a hard lead pencil on Arches hot press watercolor paper.


I do a watercolor wash around the characters using french ultramarine and quinacridone pink and get some lovely transparent effects, no?


A few strokes of browns and golds achieved by mixing a bit of quinacridone gold.


The concept was "Vans Birthday Card"...Van is my talented sweet and sour cubical mate who deserves nothing less than a sweet ass bee to fly him to his next ninja mission.

Final painting mounted on another folded sheet of paper (adopted from Van and his brilliant birthday card presentation)

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Ketyl block process

Bugs, glorious bugs. Insects inspired me to start these paintings using metal leaf.
I start with a sketch of the desired bug, and transfer the image with graphite to an ampersand block coated with absorbent ground. Then I do a quick under painting in watercolor.


I paint the colorful details of the bug in watercolor, then coat the area around the color with gold leaf size. I lay down the metal leaf and gently tap the coated areas with a stiff brush to press the leaf into the adhesive.


I use the same brush to remove the leaf, making gentle circular strokes the blow away the leaf and reveal the painting underneath.


The fun part. I ink around the painting using shellac-based inks (which have a great honey-like glow over the metal leaf) and define the shapes and patterns.


The wooden part of the board (cradles the panel) is stained with watercolor and the whole block is coated to protect the watercolor and leaf from exposure. I use use a mineral spirit-based spray varnish. View all available blocks here.

Amigurumi week

Sloth


Red Panda: cutest animal on earth. And here is the panda again, I cant help myself.




Owl in an arctic fox costume


Amigurumi week

New albino eyes: First thought Moby Dick




A visiting friend inspired me to make the Buffalo


Monday, September 21, 2009

Huuuge Moth

Pixadus, the holy grail of stock photos:
Check out the "insect photos" folder on this site, there you shall find a glorious collection of macro photos. It was hard to pick my favorite, but I settled for the enormous fuzzy, rust-colored moth. I could see a mouse riding this thing.



I want this fuzzy thing so bad!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Monster Art

I am a bit late on this posting, but I must document this show! I had so much fun at this opening in Ballard August '09 and want to thank everyone who came. The show was the most successful since the Habitude opening last year and I owe a big thanks to Holly for featuring my work at her awesome shop.


Holly has a sweet trapese set up in the shop and the aerialists flock to the cirque setting


I am always happy to see new faces at these events so don't be shy to come see me at my next opening.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Secret Life of Plants

I just uploaded my first videos on youtube for Secret Life of Plants
(I'm stoked for this picture because Avery posed so nicely :)

Saturday, August 15, 2009

New obsession: amigurmis

This was bound to happen eventually, but I have converted painting cute furry things on paper to crocheting cute fuzzies in 3D.

Straight at ya, in no particular order...








continued...









Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Seattle Collage

My house. Just kidding, I WISH it was.


Some favorite relics, on display, collecting dust.





My back porch feels like a tree house, especially in the summer.