Tasting Table Gardens

Tasting Table edible garden layouts!

I love doing commission of food/gardens.

Out of Sight

IF:Sight
I have been making big projects for myself. I keep raising the stakes and it pays off for a second in my head and then I'm back to square one. I do not have a good reason to make these huge projects only in the hopes that people will see what I can do and maybe hire me. Its hard to make work for attention because you build up ideas in your head of the potential outcome and it does not always pan out the way you thought or hoped it would. I have just been feeling a little more pessimistic than usual. I thought about getting off of FB as I feel like the need for validation there is sooo great. And then if you do not get enough response its a kind of failure. I am going to try to make some work that is smaller scale for a little before taking on the huge subway project.
I think it was also brought on by the death of Maurice Sendak. I listen to all the interviews and feel so connected to these artists and then sad they are gone. Its hard, I am not part of a community of children's book artists and in some ways I want to be. I like the idea of the community, but get concerned about the competitiveness that might be there. I guess I should just be friends with really famous artists....they have nothing to be fearful of. I did apply to a fellowship in VT and if that happens maybe I will meet some other artist types that I actually like.....or at the very least get a lot of work done.

The World of Coffee

The Coffee World at my finger tips. Well at least the coffee world. Its blown out due to stitching it together from 6 different scans. I might try and oversized scanner....anyway, it a long time, but its done. The countries in reds, browns, and yellows grow coffee or can. They lie between the tropics of capricorn and cancer.

A day in the Life

Remember those days when used to draw comics..yeah, me neither. But recently I have thought a lot of the things I used to do or the things I thought I would be doing and it made me start to really look at some of the projects I dropped. I had a graphic novel idea a long time ago that I have been holding onto and waiting for the right time. I started back up with it now and spent a couple hours writing yesterday. I don't know if it really fills any gaps in what is already out there, but it makes me feel better now that I'm getting it out of my head. I have never been good at rendering people in a way that I think will translate well to a graphic novel of this nature, but we shall see. In the mean time here is a comic. Note: this is what happens to ones cartoon drawing skills if left dormant since college (that is 8 years people). I was also in bed when I drew it. I might do more and possibly spend a little more time developing some actual panels.

New York Grows

This has been in my head for awhile and its finally done. Its a grow map of NY made of all the produce that can and does grow in New York State. It is not geographically specific to New York...there is surprising little information on what grows where, but I think its hard to decide what to include. I was not sure if I wanted to just represent what New York State produces mainly (which would mean a map made of grapes and apples) and so I went with what our state grows and can sustain. It is a surprising amount of produce. I think minus citrus we do a pretty amazing job. I wish I could grow all this stuff in my window. I am currently attempting cilantro and lettuce...only time will tell.

Pictured: apples, asian pears, asparagus, beans, beets, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cherries, collard greens, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, grapes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, lima beans, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsnips, peaches, pears, peas,  plums, peppers,  potatoes, pumpkin, radish, raspberries, rhubarb, scallions, spinach, summer squash, tomatoes, turnip, watermelon, winter squash.    

apartment commission

New commission piece. This is a building portrait, which I have never actually done for anyone. It was an awesome request because I love NY buildings. The family wanted their apartment highlighted with light and a little portrait of their dog. They wanted the dog outside the building, but it made more sense to me to have him in the window of his apartment as that is the focus of this commission. I am really happy with how it turned out.

I have another commission I am working on, which also involves plants and its really exciting as well as tiring. I mostly do not want to finish it because then it will be over and I want to keep drawing plants, vegetables, and gardens. Someone should really work on paying me full time to do this stuff.

It jumped off the shelf

IF: Jump

Just a little something while I work on other projects. I have a well paying freelance gig (gasp!) doing something I love (double gasp!) so I am trying to work on that. And of course, the amazing "charity" things I do like Illustration Friday, Blown Cover, and The Billfold (which might eventually pay something).
I also bought some very large paper the other day 25 x 40 for this subway art project. I know this is  a project that is not likely to be used for anything, but if I was teaching a class it would the assignment I gave to students. Its a big project, but man the imaginary students would love it.
I also applied to this fellowship so we will see what happens with that, fingers crossed.
Ok, back to work.