sketch adventures and silks

soo now that my show is over at La Luz de Jesus (you can still view the image gallery under "2013" HERE - there are some pieces left over!) I have been doing lots of sketching and other random projects that I hadn't had time for before now. Here's some pictures! 

 Sketchbook pages, the two on the right are from my recent trip to northern California - 

my family has a little flock of parrots, which were fun to draw, and, of course, airport people.

more random sketches from here and there

 This afternoon I went for a short look at the horses at the LA Equestrian Center - 

they were all giant and lovely and shiny 

 This little sketch page was featured over on The Scribble Project, which you can see HERE! So fun and random. This was done at the height of Pocket's paintbrush-stealing spree, which was driving me insane. Thanks to Lisa for inviting me to sketch for her!

 and, finally, some more silk scarf dyeing! I love doing this. I should have them up for sale in a while, I have more colors to add and more styles to try.

and, because they are fun, here's a little animated gif of one of the scarves in the wind!

 

 the end!

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Current Events

 Some things I've been working on. Big excitement coming!

First off, I made a new quilt. Here is my sketch, although it changed and simplified a little.

 here are the pieces, squares arranged and ready to be sewn together:

 of course, Pocket helps a lot in this process, by jumping on all the pieces as I moved them around, because obviously I only do this for her amusement. And here is the nearly finished quilt, I just have to tack the centers of each square together with a stitch or two. it is quite cozy.

 these are some quick color studies for a new project I'm starting on. It's going to be amazing.

 here's a hint: it has something to do with my fancy schmancy new business license:

 

and now, some other pages of sketches. 

above, a storyboard (!) 

and below, various thumbnails for a new body of work I am getting started on.

 

aaaand finally, because I am super cool, here are some pictures of new plants I got (downtown LA is amazing. These both are super happy and big and only cost $2 each. woo!) and an obligatory blog cat in the window photo. Isn't she pretty?

 the end!

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Preparing for Adventures

Adventure Time!

so i have been making lots of little things for my upcoming European adventure with the lovely Danielle Buerli! Mostly bags, because they are fun and easy, but also a hand-bound notebook and a hat I salvaged from a worn out sweater.

 also, I am a dork and drew all the stuff I am bringing.

 I think I whittled it down a bit, but it all surprisingly

fits in a rolley bag and a little backpack. here ya go:

*mostly art supplies, not to scale or anything tricky like that -
click on any picture to see it super-sized!

 *to this I added a poncho. i am super cool. and rainproof.

 i leave for the airport tonight at 4 am, and then we are going to see Switzerland, France, Spain, more France, Amsterdam, and Brussels, and I am going to draw everything. Hopefully I'll be able to update the ol' blorg as I go along, but if not, there will be a plethora of drawings of old buildings and gardens and croissants when I return!

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scarves for sale and finishing up paintings

pocket helping out as i sewed the fabric clothes onto this painting

 a tiny bird embroidery i did. its about 1.5" tall. 

he will be part of one of the paintings i am finishing up.

full pictures coming in the next few days!

pretty ranunculus flowers i got, as well as some roses, for painting reference. 

these lasted a lot longer than the roses.

 

said roses, painted. i might still add some dimensional elements, as i just found out i have more time than i thought on these. yay!

more experiments in dyeing. i really liked how these turned out.

 

 the moon scarf. for sale if interested, let me know! hand dyed 100% habotai silk, 30" x 30"! $45!

the pattern scarf. hand painted and dyed. really bright and pretty, with subtle herringbone pattern as well as dappled patches of color, it is a little bit more green than these photos show. i should have ironed it for this photo..that one corner is weird. also for sale, and 100% habotai silk, 30" x 30", $45! 

 

... this one isn't for sale, i just want to make you jealous. i have been wearing it every day this week, it seems. but i am going to do more of these! this one is giant (45" square i think) and hard to photograph because its so big.

 the original sienna color (the negative space) was dyed with wild walnut shells,

 and then i did some tie-dyeing with black and wine red dyes.i really like all the weird mottled colors and mysterious shapes. success!

finally, there are only 3 more days to sign up for my workshop, Creating Homemade Terrariums for Earth Day! 

Sign up here! 

I need four or more participants for it to happen, and it will be really funnnn!!! get your hands dirty and come home with something green, that is really hard to kill! 

More Info HERE! 

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Upcoming Events and Giving in

 so! looking for something to do this upcoming Earth Day (Sunday, April 22nd) ? I thought so! Come to my Lifecrowd* Session in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles! 

Sign up for Lifecrowd here

*lifecrowd is basically facebook/a social media site for people who want to get out of their houses and do things with other humans in their town! they have all sorts of activities, everything from fancy grilled cheese making to dodgeball!

I will be bringing piles of dirt, stones, succulent plants and cacti, miscellaneous vessels, trinkets, and refreshments, all you have to do is sign up! $30 gets you a mini terrarium to take home, a reference guide and a fun evening! Bring a friend for free! Yay!

More information here! 

in other news, i made a tumblr. we'll see what happens.

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desert time, 5 hour paintings and aimless projects

 last weekend i went with some friends to Joshua Tree National Park. it was amazing. and super windy and freezing at night. we camped at Jumbo Rocks and there were...lots of jumbo rocks!

 these pictures are from Hidden Valley, where people hid stolen cattle back in the day.

 last night i painted the lovely Maude. this was a five hour session at Korpus School of Art, and it was lots of fun. it was a lot smaller painting than i usually do at these (9" x 12"), but i think it worked out okay.

 also a duplicate picture because pocket was investigating, and that's why you don't put wet oil paintings on the floor to photograph them!

 

 

and then i made some pouches and a brush holder for my makeup brushes, 

cause i have lots of cool fabric and should use it for something, right?

 aaand some drawings from a short figure drawing session this week.

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