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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Working Away

 I've been busy. So much still to do. Here are some little peeks at my new pieces.

(blurry, I know, but I still liked the above photo)

 

also, I went home to the Bay Area for Thanksgiving and it was gorgeous and sunny and green. Exploring near Olema, an old 1930s bridge all mossy and mysterious:

the end. more to come soon!

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Back to Work

So, there has been a bit of silence on my part, mostly due to the fact that apparently its super difficult to get internet at my new place. Lots of waiting and appointments and new cables later, I finally can give a peek at what I've been up to! So, here goes.

 

Well, first of all, as mentioned before, I moved! Pocket, above, as always so helpful. 

 

Then I had a marvelous short trip to Austin, Texas, with some dear friends, for another dear friend's wedding! Above, Danielle, me and Julian, being super cool.

We went to Barton Springs, which was cold and refreshing and had fishes and green things growing at the bottom.

 Waiting on the bridge for thousands of bats to come swarming out at dusk. So cool!

Dipping feet in Lake Travis with the blushing bride, Mylan! Congratulations to her and Taro!

The Lake at sunset, after which there were sparklers and dancing and toasts and lots of bubbles. 

 And also I have finally gotten going on some sculptures for my next series. Above, a really rough sculpt- look Ma, no hands!

 Still needs lots of details, hair, and costume, and to be attached to the background.

 I think my tools look pretty on my new desk. Or, should I say *some* of my tools. 

 The plans. I have a few blank spaces, but mostly know everything I have to do for this show...its a lot.

 and some peeks of finished drawings!

And finally, the chaos that is my desk right now.

The End

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European Adventure Part 2

annnnd here's some more! Also be sure to go look at Danielle Buerli's lovely drawings and photos, who was my travel partner, bread and cheese sharer and silly-pose expert.  

here is a sketch of Danielle planning our route, 

and a card from the Mexico-themed bar we went to in Zurich

 

some messy sketches of the mountains on our super long train (actually 4 trains) to Nice from Zurich. We didn't make reservations in time, so we took smaller trains through some pretty incredible countryside. super green and giant giant mountain ranges, with old bridges for the train.

our first stop was Nice, where the beaches are rocky and swimsuit tops are optional. 

it was lovely to swim in the sea and have little fish swimming around your feet. and you could see to the bottom. and there was ice cream. 

 

some people at our hostel in Nice, and the roof outside our hostel in Marseille, which was the next stop, but only for one night.

another drawing from the Natural History Museum in Barcelona. Did you know the scientific name for the Eurasian Eagle-Owl is Bubo bubo? Ohh, science, you so silly.

rather than being super cool and doing extensive master copies inside, 

I just drew the outside of the Museo de Prado.

 some sketches of amazing sculptures and notes of things to remember in the Musee d'Orsay, which was one of my favorite museums. it has everything. I wish we had a whole day for it. Next time.

sleepin' on the train- Danielle and some...other...guy. I am always afraid that they will wake up and I'll be staring at someone, creepily drawing them. It's okay when its your friend, though...right?

mostly collage from all the brochures and things from Paris, with a little gouache painting of Marie Antoinette's funny little "Hamlet" where she pretended she wasn't queen. There were some giant terrifying swarming fish in that pond.

aaand finally a vulture from Barcelona. He was awesome and huge. 

the end.

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European Adventure part 1

I have returned from traveling and will share some drawings with you. 

It was amazing and exhausting and I wish that I had had more time to draw, 

but there was so much to see! 

 the first hostel in Nice, France, had a funny cat, that sat around,

 looking at everyone, and getting scraps. it was sort of crazy looking.

 i really liked this lion, which was part of a fountain in Garibaldi Square in Nice. 

I found the Prada ribbon (on the left side) on the street in Monaco,

 how appropriate, right?  (its really fancy there or something)

les Trois Graces fountain in Montpellier, France

 an unfinished drawing of a statue in Montpellier..i think it was of Louis XIV for winning some war or some such momentous event. i kind of like it just being the horse.

 

we sat in a park in Montpellier and drank some Orangina (which comes in tall cans!), 

and, as we sat and drew, the kids got out of school and came and everyone sat in the grass. 

then the teenage antics began. then we left.

 

the cathedral in Barcelona, Spain

apparently i can't draw straight lines. oh well

 some weird-ass monkey type things from the Natural History Museum in Barcelona, which was completely deserted and really nice. It had previously been in a castle, which we really wanted to go into, but it has now moved to a super-modern cheese-slice shaped mirrored building. I think there were about 4 other people in the entire place.

 

the interior doors to the amazing courtyard (!) at our hostel in Madrid

i drew a lot of people in Madrid, apparently. It was raining a little, so we were in the hostel a bit more than other places. Also sitting in Cafe Zurich in Madrid, where there was a funny clown guy (top right) who would just follow people around, copying their walks and blowing a whistle. Also some hands and faces from the Museo de Prado, which was giant, and had good cappuccinos.

I am going to put some more in the next post. This is just round one!

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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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