Map #211
The Hand Drawn Map Association (HDMA) is an ongoing archive of user
submitted maps and other interesting diagrams created by hand. I found out about HDMA on their Facebook Fan Page...it's a great concept and site. I submitted the map below that I made for my Mom and Bill a few years back...it depicts their favorite walking trail in McMullen Park located in rural Warrens, Wisconsin. It's now #211 in the HDMA archives. They now have monthly map making contests ...do you have you would like to submit?
I found this wonderful artist on their site, Dahlia Elsayed. Her map is #173. It says she created this map to represent the month of August. She tells
us that the map represents pretty much everything that was going on in
her life at the time. Check out her other amazing map related art on her site: www.dahliaelsayed.com. I love the abstract yet humorous nature of this!
Honoring a Retired Greyhound...
Herman, a retired Greyhound, was among my most recent Pet Portrait Orders. I was told he is very shy...I hope he will make an exception for me and come with when Pat picks up the print - he looks so sweet...
...with wings
As I drove to clay class Monday night I decided this dog was asking for wings but being the neurotic artist, I worried it would hasten the departure of sixteen year old Izzy...then thought even if it does, maybe this means I'll be giving her permission to go, in case she's just been sticking around for me. (I know...welcome to the emotional crazy world of my mind and heart!)
Then Wednesday my Mom sent me an email regarding the previous post commenting that the dog looked like Snicker...her beloved big yellow lab that passed away over the summer...and I realized right away it was Snicker and not Izzy and how appropriate those wings were...and that's the reason everyone who saw the sculpture called it a 'he' including me. So this is Snick. My Christmas gift to her and Bill is a portrait of him that I have yet to create but I gave them some drawings as a preview of my ideas:
Snick was not the only family dog to go last year, Willie my brother's dog (who I'm also working on a portrait of) and 2 dogs that belong to my Mom's stepchildren's families Pretty Boy and Nimush the 3 legged dog. That's a lot of new doggie angels frolicking in heaven...and many broken hearts they left behind. Mom, a hospice social worker, has been on me for awhile to design pet loss sympathy cards, and/or a book. Perhaps we will pen one together, but not while my Izzerloo is still wagging her tail on this earth...and I'm happy to say she has been doing pretty darn well these past few months and doesn't look to be taking on wings any time soon.
My wonderful Mom with Snicker, the 'Patron Saint of Stick Chewing' last spring.
Tall dog...
My most recent work at Lill Street...Hope this pup is still intact when I unwrap it tomorrow. I have been known to be a little too careless when it comes to clay appendages, but as my wise classmate, Haleh, commented "it really is about the process not the end product".
Content...less
On Tuesday my day started with a migraine, I then decided to take the afternoon off in light of the fact that I worked every single day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The problem is I don't 'schedule' a day off, so I feel guilty and don't do anything memorable. Need to nip that in the bud. Will add it to my 'list'. In lieu of New Years Resolutions I just wrote a hastily scrawled list of "Hopes for 2010". I read it before I go to sleep at night and when I wake up....think that will ensure my hopes become reality? I do, at least some of them. When I found myself refinancing our mortgage yesterday I added that to my list because it was on the 2009 list and I never got around to it. There is no better feeling than crossing something off a list! If you are still reading this, sorry for my rambling, thank you and it's time for you to get back to whatever it is you are really supposed to be doing ; ) 
PS Images...TOP: a very early painting from 1999 titled "Icons". A friend had found a bunch of canvases in an alley and given them to me, so I had the courage to paint on what was a very large canvas to me at the time without the fear of 'ruining' a new one. I love some of these older pieces, my style was much looser back then. MIDDLE: Random Izzy & Alice... BOTTOM: Trifle production, made for last Sunday's Art Girls Brunch, sorry no photo of the impressive looking end result. Pet Portrait Reveal #5...Buck and Bonnie
This is Buck and Bonnie's Pet Portrait...I was given the beautiful photo below for reference.
If you think a Pet Portrait might be a good idea for a Valentines gift, get your order in SOON! Or consider a Pet Portrait Gift Certificate.
The trade is finally complete...
Last weekend I had a wonderful surprise visit from my good pal and fabulous artist, Kerry Rolewicz. We did a trade at the 2007 One of a Kind Show, I got the gorgeous piece below from her and in return I agreed to create a painting paying homage to a road trip out west that she took with her husband back in the early days before kids and mortgages (the plan was to give it to him as an anniversary gift). I was glad to finally get this painting to her, and hope he thinks this gift was worth the wait! (She noted the 4 mountains I put in each panel and the irony of now having 4 little boys...then we had to speculate what the number of trees might represent! Any ideas?)
PS I think I talked her into opening an Etsy Store...stay tuned for a link.
Pet Portrait Reveal #4...Sam the Cat
Sam the Cat...who is deeply missed. This portrait was a memory gift from my client to his wife for the holidays. Sam loved olives.
Join our mailing list.
Be the first to know about new classes and workshops, sales, exclusive offers, and special events.