Thoughtful Thursdays: Graphic Design!

You may or may not know that my original creative background was in Graphic Design. I studied Advertising and Marketing in High School, and liked it so much... I chose it as my major in college. Before I quit my job to make art full time, I worked for several companies in an Art Directorial capacity. In-house design departments, ad agencies, publishers, and a little bit of freelance. I've designed everything from business cards to books, magazine advertising to marketing materials, point of purchase displays to packaging.

These days, I still have one long-standing freelance client — Art & Soul Retreats. I started as a very enthusiastic attendee at their mixed media events way back in 2005 and befriended the owner Glenny Moir. Eventually she asked me to design a logo for one of the retreats, and that led to a few teaching gigs as well. Fast forward a few years, when they were in need of a new Graphic Designer... and the rest is history.

I always have a great time designing the ads for Art & Soul, as the subject matter is... well... my favorite! Funny thing is — even in this day and age of computers — I love to sketch out the ads just like I did in college. It's a habit I never got out of. I mean... computers are fast and all... but not that fast. And I enjoy looking back at my sketch when the ad is finished. Sometimes it's pretty darn close!

Thoughtful Thursdays: Rainy Days

Now don't get me wrong...
I wouldn't want to live in Seattle or anything like that! But sometimes I just love those lazy rainy days.

The whole world seems to get quiet as you listen to the droplets of rain falling down. The air gets a little thicker, almost forcing you to move more slowly. And everything seems to smell just a little bit sweeter. I really could sit at the window and watch it all day.

We've had a bit too many rainy days this Spring... and today is another one. But today... it suits my mood. So I'm just going to sit by the window and enjoy it.

Thoughtful Thursdays: The Color Pink!

Ahhhh... the color pink. So pretty. So girly. So whimsical. So happy and flirty. It's my favorite color in the whole Universe, and it definitely inspires what I do in my artwork... in an almost amusing way!

You see... for awhile, practically everything I made was pink. I tried to get away from it, but I just kept going back to it. A little soft pastel pretty pink here...

 A little in-your-face, bright magenta there...

Or a spot of pink... even for hair!

I don't know what it is about pink. I guess it's like a favorite old blanket or that perfectly worn-in pair of shoes. On those days that you just want things to be a little more relaxed and go just right... you turn to your good old comfy stuff, and just sink right in. I know whenever I have trouble with a project, I add a little pink... and I know everything's going to be alright!

What's your favorite color and how does it inspire you?

Thoughtful Thursdays: Rejuvenating The Soul...Getting Away!

Sometimes there comes a time when you've had enough... when the hustle and bustle of everyday life drives you a little bonkers... where you've come to the point that you can't even think straight, never mind do the things you'd love to do. And when that happens, it's time to recharge those batteries. Let go a little. Get out of the house!

It's time to get away...

I know for me that it's tough to think about going on a vacation (or even a weekend getaway) when there is so much stuff to do. But it's because there's so much stuff to do... that we need to get away! We go and go and go and go until we are an automated robot of ourselves on auto pilot. Time to change the scenery...

This is one of my all time favorite places to relax and unwind.... the stream behind the Woodstock Inn, Woodstock, NY. It's just so amazingly beautiful and you sit in these giant Adirondack chairs as you listen to the water trickling by while the sun shines on your face. At first it is hard to sit and do nothing... but you get used to it really fast!

Taking a break—no matter how long or short—really does rejuvenate the soul. It clears out the clutter in my mind and makes it easier to be inspired when I get back home. What rituals help you to recharge?

Thoughtful Thursdays: Cupcakes!

What better inspiration is there than a favorite delectable treat? Cupcakes happen to be mine. Soft chocolatey cake... smooth, sugary icing in pretty colors. Yummy! Aside from being a tasty dessert, cupcakes happen to have a nice simple yet interesting shape. The perfect fodder for mixed-media art projects!

This Wonderlanderful cupcake collage was done on cardboard using charcoal and acrylic paints. I smeared on a thick layer of gesso for the icing and painted then glittered it. And because this particular baked good comes from the Land of Oz... it totally needed a pair of ruby red slippers.

This collage was done on a cigar box lid using a phone book page for the base of the cupcake. The entire piece was painted and then coated with beeswax. I worked some Perfect Pearls Pigment Powder into the icing while the wax was still warm.

I took a local silkscreening class a while back.... and what kind of image did I use to make my screen? Yup... you guessed it. A cupcake!

And this carnival-style ode to my favorite treat is a vision in pink. The big top tent houses a dimensional cupcake made from fan-folded paper and silk flowers. A paper clay cherry on top completes this assemblage, which exclaims... Pretty please, with sugar on top.

I'm actually pretty lucky to have some very good local bakeries in town (within walking distance!) that have outstanding cupcakes. Every once in awhile I treat myself to one or two. However, in between... I can use my love of this very rich indulgence for my creative inspirations.

Do you have a favorite food that's shown up in your art?

Thoughtful Thursdays: Patterns, Patterns, Everywhere...

Over the years, I have come to realize that I like repetitive elements in my art. Whether it be circles or stripes... faces or flowers... real or imagined... there seems to be a common recurrence of patterns of all kinds. And when I'm out of the studio, there is so much inspiration... everywhere! Like these motorcycles, all neatly parked at Bike Week in Daytona, Florida.

And on this mosaic wall in Seattle, Washington. Differing sized circles... hmmmm.

And I just love seeing these Coney Island Craft Lager boxes stacked together. Mind is racing!

Ooooh, these amazing rooftops in Portsmouth, New Hampshire simply had me mesmerized! Especially with the blue sky and fluffy white clouds as a backdrop.

Retro boomerang patterns on this service counter in Asbury Park, New Jersey send chills up my spine (and it wasn't because I got an ice cold Pepsi!).

And the weather-worn slats of my hometown boardwalk in Ocean Grove.... oh, the ideas!

Whether it's a walk around your neighborhood... a quick trip to the store... or a trek across the country... I hope you find inspiration all around you!