Today my tulips bloomed and I finished a painting inspired by said tulips. Entitled, "Venus in Spring," it is one of a series that I am currently at work on. In addition to a full-size painting, each image is burned onto a screen to print from. The canvas is a Moleskine notebook, favorite of DaVinci and Hemingway. Each notebook is screen-printed with one of my Art Deco inspired illustrations (Grandpa Charlie and Venus among them) and then hand-painted. They are for purchase in my Etsy shop.
Last weekend friends visited from Williams, Oregon, a very small town in the Rogue Valley (a most romantic name for a locale). Living in the country they see little of civilization, thus the opportunity to shop at the garage sale going on across the street was of immense excitement. Filling two cars full with garage sale wares, they made their way home. I picked up a stash of 1980s movies and spent the day painting Moleskines whilst conducting my own personal Christian Slater marathon.
Unlike many artists, I usually do not listen to music whilst at work. Rather I have a little television and VCR in my studio and I listen to movies. The dialogue allows me to focus whereas music zones me out. Funny where inspiration lies.
Thus, four new Moleskine designs and nine new paintings are almost finished. I'm not sure if the '80s movies rubbed off as my usual fare are black and whites, Hitchcock or James Bond (the action keeps me moving quickly), but needless to say I most assuredly enjoyed myself (Mr. Slater in Pump Up the Volume makes me swoon. Sigh.).
18 comments:
Notebooks! Holy cow...you do everythin.
Man, this one is wonderful! I see more magnets in the future... :-)
i wish 80's music was as inspiring to me. beautiful notebook!
She is lovely! Whatever you're watching for inspiration, it's working!
"Pump Up the Volume!" I am swooning along with you :) Your new painting is lovely!
Beautiful! I love the colors ;) and the lovely details like her necklace + the sash on her dress. I think I need to give listening to movies as I work a try. Can't wait to see the others!
Hmmmm, I can where Hitchcock and Bond could be inspiration...I'm trying to recall if I've ever seen any movie with Christian Slater...drawing a blank.
When you make a Harrison Ford moleskin from the movie "Witness," let me know!
;-)
I have an old cook book, Gourmand and the recipe for bouillibaise, tells the story how Venus wooed Vulcan home from out at sea with the lovely smell of her soup de poison. Love the colors.
I love quiet when I work and my dog nearby. I love his breathing sound. He is a great assistant and so complimentary.
I sometimes listen to movies when I'm working too! Your illustrations are always so nice :-)
I looooooooooooove it!!!!
Oo...you do really great work! I'm glad I found your blog. I'll have to stop by more often :)
These are delightful. When my current Moleskine runs out I am having one of these. I can't function without a Moleskine
I cannot wait until I finish planting my garden so I can let it inspire me as it has you!
Your work is beautiful..I listen to talk radio and sometimes I start yelling back at them..Not sure this is any good for creating..
thanks for all the sweet comments!~
maryam in Marrakesh--maryam, my dear, you are doing it all! and in a foreign country no less!
cakespy--thanks so much my dear. i would love to see this on ipop (to everyone else: more to be posted on this subjects...)
mrs.French--i think the 80s movies are much better than the 80s music. and thanks my dear.
callooh callay--thanks to you!~
leakarts--i'm so glad someone else shares my love for the beautiful mr. slater ca. 1990.
handmade julz--thanks! you know you'll be among the first to see them all!~
high desert diva--i don't know if i would recommend christian slater movies if one has never seen them before. they are a bit dated. a time and place. i'm not sure how well they hold up to the test of time....but he's so cute!
tangobaby--so funny how we share the same tastes. i actually have witness on tape and watch it frequently....
pve design--i love your story of vulcan and venus. how wonderfully romantic. you give me a whole new perspective on my illustration now. i actually have to listen to movies because most of the time my dog is not breathing peacefully but rather crying for attention or food. she's such a brat....
capitolagirl--you make my day! thanks!
Design for Mankind--thank you so much!
margins.--i love new visitors. thanks for your sweet comments. please come round often.
di overton--i still have quite a few more designs of moleskines i haven't posted yet, so stay tuned!~
espionage--i find my garden and the nature of oregon as one of my primary modes of inspiration. i can't wait for the warmth, though!
rosebud collection--talk radio is awesome. i actually do the same. i think it's good for the mind...stimulation and all...gets the blood moving.
How beautiful!
I always use Moleskines too to take notes - I have one in my bag right now actually!
OH my, what a visual delight your blog is! I am swooning over your artwork!
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