count the cats or go blind trying!

In the jungle the mighty jungle the lion sleeps tonight
the domestic house cat, on the other hand, bugs you until the food dish is refilled.

Suspend disbelief

IF: Suspend
What can I say Im a sucker for squirrels. Its gotta be those little hands.

Do it yourself

A long time since I have posted anything of note. Life has consisted of running, making coffee, and more running and biking. I have been working 5 days a week (one of the days has been 12 hours so its more like 6 days on coffee land) and then doing a 10-12 mile run on the weekends for half marathon training and just because I can. It has been fine, but leaves me feeling drained of creativity or motivation. Most of the art has been design for our store in the form of menus, posters, and coffee information. All very nice, but no gouache or anything super creative. I was talking with Ruth a customer and mentor and she said I need to do more looking and take the stress off. I am going to try to take the advice and go to some exhibits as well as go to some figure drawing classes. Its hard to feel inspired to just create when there is so much work I feel I have to do. It takes a lot of the whimsy out of things.
Above are the few things I have had time for where art and food intersect. I basically have a shelf full of both pickles and kombucha...the gravlox only lasted a few days in my house...I could not stop eating it.
This coming weekend we go away and I hope that I can force myself to just do some drawing and painting for myself and no one else.

Dog and the Lion

Inspired by this photo. There is something so amazing about the way they express themselves. It was the first thing that has inspired me in awhile.

Shiny Toy

IF: Shiny
I am sure this has happened to you...it has happened to me. Many a cat butt have destroyed or nearly destroyed my computers. It is a wonder there is not cat insurance for such events.

Past Blown Cover Submissions

I have been working a lot in coffee land and my brain has not been completely focused on art. I have been participating in Blown Covers and Illustration Friday, but not the usual "art for no reason." So for now here are a few of my submissions to Blown Cover that were not picked or better versions of the same concept done by different people were chosen...I am including some personal critique.

4th of July- not a bad idea, but as my bff Ester says there isn't really a story. She thinks in stories and while that is not always necessary for a good illustration I think it is in the case of this kind of contest. Funny joke, but not the best cover idea.

Marriage- Ok, really happy with this idea, but there was a version of this done that was better. In the style of Maurice Sendak, under a chupah and both animals are wearing kippot. It was really excellent. Maurice was gay so it was fitting on so many levels. It is creepy how when people have similar concepts they are really similar. It even has the same two monsters getting married...woah.

The Gays- Fine idea. Another "Thanksgiving" supper was done better I think. This submissions was fine, but not my best work. 

Books- I got a little too apocalyptic on this one. This was my first submission and I really did not understand what the outcome should be. I think story is key along with humor and maybe a pun.

I submitted two for this weeks theme of "The Beach" and we shall see how they do. Usually there are some really outstanding artists that submit work. Its amazing because while Illustration Friday is fun and easy going this feels a bit more like all stars. I am not saying that IF submitters are not all stars, but the 12 illustrations chose for Blown Covers are usually so good that I would not be surprised if they made it onto the New Yorker.

This is just a quick look inside the artists studio as it were. I really wish I had more to post, but I think I burnt myself out.

Chasing Health

IF: Hurry

Chasing after the veggie truck. It actually gave me an idea for the Blown Cover this week. I feel so tied to all my non paying illustration exercises.