Illustration Friday: twist

I made this painting for my Mom this week. She and my sister were coming to visit me and we were going to have sun, fun, going to the Getty Villa, Malibuing, laughing and eating. In a sad twist of fate my Moms dog Charlie was diagnosed with cancer and was gone within the week. My heart is broken so you can imagine how my family must feel. Charlie has a brother named Louie and now he is lonely too. I did a companion piece for my sister in March for her birthday right here. Louie is in the bed and DD loves to ski so I had her skiing in the picture. My mom loves horses and rides dressage and this is her with her 1st horse Snickers. It's called "The Perfect Dream". I feel like I can express myself better with paint than words. This is a very painful twist. Goodbye Charlie you will always live in our hearts.

Illustration Friday: camouflage

My submission for Illustration Friday's "camouflage" is a dimensional painting called "Enchanted Forest". It won an award last week at Monday Artday. The treehouse is disguised as a tree :)

Monday Artday Winner!

I am thrilled that I won the Monday Artday Challenge last week for the word "Mystical". I really thought everyone who participated (a lot of great artists) pulled out some super work! This is a great group I belong to and if you haven't heard it's the bomb! Thank You Bearuh, I love your challenges and belonging to this terrific club! Here is my groovey new trophy. Please don't touch because I don't want any fingerprints on it! :>

Illustration Friday: rejection

My submission for Illustration Friday's "rejection" is from a dimensional painting called "Chastity". This was # 3 in a 5-part series for my show "Five Easy Pieces". The paintings were Vanity, Charity, Chastity, Sinkronicity and Stability. Each artwork was based on a piece of furniture or household item. Vanity is a vanity, Chastity, is a chaise lounge, etc. This is a poster and postcard/invite for the show. She had to reject a lot of men to stay chaste.

Illustration Friday: suit

My submission for Illustration Friday's "suit" is a painting commissioned by the San Diego Chamber Orchestra. They used it for the cover of their 94-95 season program and they auctioned the original at their gala event. They asked me to create the fun lettering too.

Artist Profile: Michael McMillen

I might have to say that Michael McMillen is one of the artists I have enjoyed working with the most. Not only is his art right up my alley but he is a real nice guy. There are so many sites for Michael that each time you click on his name it will take you to a different link and I hope you click on to them because he and his work are fascinating. When you see his installations you will know why I love his work so much. When I worked at Wasserman Silkscreen we printed both of these prints and I'm glad they are part of my collection. The 1st one "Mojave Desert" is a take on those old magazines from the past where a giant skull is found in the desert. If you notice there are a few different chops or marks on this print, sometimes artists incorporate chops (embossing) and ink imprints/stamps of insects, hieroglyphics and symbols that have meaning to the artist. I have worked with a few artists that incorporate these chops and of course we used an embossed W chop on all of the prints that are printed at Wasserman's shop. It usually is near the artists signature. The other print is a throwback to times gone by. A collage of the past. A ticket to the POP Pacific Ocean Park (a nautical-themed amusement park in Santa Monica circa 1958-1967) , a few old comics, a mezzo tint, crossword puzzle, a UFO sighting. Michael is from California, born in Echo Park in 1946, he uses references of life here and from his past. When I worked with Jeff Wasserman he took me and the boys to an installation by Michael at LACMA. It was an old garage totally reproduced down to the lighting the smells, and sounds. All of the things that represent a garage from our youth. I bet as you are reading this you can recall a garage in your life that left an impression on you, the tools, wood shavings, wood, paint, varnish, nails, screws, the smells, you know what I mean? Well he actually created a real garage with all the nuances, you can't even begin to imagine and it was one of the greatest things I have ever seen. It was a sight to behold right there in the museum! Michael's "Red Trailer Motel" is like going to a decrepit old motel out in the desert and it seems so real. Architecture is the main thrust but it's so much more than that. I hope you check out his art and I have included a comprehensive interview of the artist here.

Comments are most appreciated.

Illustration Friday: your paradise

My submission for Illustration Friday's "your paradise" is "Topanga Twilite". This is my paradise.

Dimensional layered painting: wood, foamcore, acrylics, resin