Josie's Garden for Illustration Friday "Childhood" theme

Paper Sculpture for Josephine's bedroom. I had to quickly take photos because it needed to 

be framed and delivered so I took a few with my phone and then with my digital camera. Different views and angles. I added the mushrooms after my first set of photos because I stumbled upon this little fragile world and had to incorporate it into the image. I feel pleased,

not with my photos, but with the original art. The finished painted paper sculpture is called

"Josie's Garden"...

It is the season now to go about the country high and low, among the lilacs hand in hand, and two by two in fairyland.
~Robert Louis Stevenson

Flower Shoppe

Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair...~Susan Polis Shutz
submission for Illustration Friday's "Work" theme. Happy Friday!

Illustration Friday: Fresh

My submission for Illustration Friday's "Fresh" theme is a handmade greeting card

When you remove the crown,  the card opens to reveal a message inside.

This card was created for a friend and his nickname is  Pears Roughness, he has a music blog that I participate in that is called "Kings of Maybe:  It is a joy to find,share and listen to great music and the camaraderie of being part of the blog is fun too!   To commemorate our 3rd year I made a royal pear.

Kings of Maybe is almost 5 years old now, please check it out.

Fresh:

a. not altered by processing (fresh fruits and vegetables)

b.original, vivid ( a fresh portrayal)

c. slang: fashionable, cool

definitions from Miriam Webster Dictionary

stonehenge paper, acrylic paint, glue, little jewels

valerie walsh copyright  2011

Illustration Friday: detective

I kind of drove myself a bit crazy with this prompt and since I am busy it was a good excuse to avoid it all together but in the end I remembered this painting and thought it is the kind of street that you would expect to see a detective. I had to post something...

My submission for Illustration Friday's "detective" theme is an acrylic painting on wood panel called "Rendezvous". Whew down to the wire ;)

valerie walsh 1985

Illustration Friday: modify

Charlie was worried when he heard his family's plans to modify his dog house, but when he saw the results he was quite pleased. My submission for Illustration Friday's "modify" theme is a 3" x 3" painting for the ArtHouse Canvas Project which starts today at the Atlanta Airport Atrium Gallery through Sept. 4th. Below are a few more views.

Illustration Friday: worn

My submission for Illustration Friday's "worn" is a 3" x 3" mini canvas for the Art House Canvas Project 2 . The word for this image is "Nocturne" and you can see my little friend Tar the cat is worn out from chasing the fireflies.

I know a few artists here in LA that did paintings for Michael Jackson. He was a great lover of art and really admired excellent craftsmanship, artistry, intricacy and deeply detailed works. He was a big supporter of art and artists. The Jackson clan moved to Encino in the early 70's so his family's home is very close to Topanga. I hope he is dancing and singing in peace.

copyright 2009 Valerie Walsh Photo of Topanga Tar in Tree

Illustration Friday: climbing

Climbing to the top of one of the tallest buildings she saw the message written in the stars.

My submission for Illustration Friday's "climbing" theme is a very old painting featuring my dog Yote. She was the star of many of my older works and I loved her dearly. I am busy working on a new houscape and preparing work for an Art House project.

copyright 1988 Valerie Walsh

Illustration Friday: rambunctious

It was a rambunctious magic carpet that took the horse for a ride. My submission for Illustration Friday's "rambunctious" theme.

Magic Carpet copyright 1995 Valerie Walsh

Illustration Friday: island

Last week I mentioned that I was back

from my trip to Martha's Vineyard.

It is a beautiful and amazing place and I hope you click on to the link to read about it because there is much to know.

You can only get there by boat or by plane so you really do get the island feel and you can go to all the towns in one afternoon although it is best to take your time to explore the charm of each town and beach. This was my 4th visit and each time it get's better and better. All the houses were dressed a little more patriotic this year, lot's of flags and symbols of love for the soldiers in the war. This is my work in progress for Illustration Friday's "island" theme. I had to work on another painting this week so I will continue to update it and hopefully finish over this weekend. Please click on to my link to see some of the highlights of my trip if you have time :)

my photos

Illustration Friday: detach

Here is my submission for Illustration Friday's "detach" theme and I suppose in most places a detached house is either a guest house and or a garage. This is one of my houscapes of a garage where the band "Lode" rehearsed here in Topanga. They made an album called "Legs and Arms" with Geffen Records and I did the logo and lettering for this debut album. When they started out they spelled their name Load but they changed it to Lode.Wonderful music was made in this little detached house. Some of the members have gone on with their music like Robin Moxey with his latest cd "One Big Song", Gabe Cowan created more bands and films and Inara George who has put out "All Rise" and is one half of the "Bird and the Bee". This song is a cover of the Bee Gee's "How deep is your love" and it was on the Sex and the City Sound Track. Please watch this hilarious video of the "Smallest House" it will make you smile :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h70WhcHSom0

Illustration Friday: wide

My submission for Illustration Friday's "wide" theme is a work in progress and one of my signature "Houscapes". This seems like a very wide house to me, I would not want to have to clean this place... it has a lot more detail that will be added such as total landscaping, everything on the house will be detailed out with scroll elements on all the railings and front door, light fixtures, etc. When I initially draw the house I delete all the landscape and add in the dirt and cement even if it gets totally covered up by plants, shrubs, trees, flowers and pottery. I just like it to all be there. So this will be totally different when I post it again. There are two very tall and phallic cypress trees that adorn each side of the doorway and lots of beautiful bushes and trees flank the home. I am working on a few jobs at once, I designed and painted a School House diecut candy box for a confectionary company, it will be filled with candy and given as gifts from students to teachers for the end of the year Thank You's. I will post it soon. I enjoy working on one type of work for a few hours and while that one dries I move to the next one.

I did see this guy and 4 of his buddies moving towards my neighbors garden... and I saw a beautiful young bobcat making it's way through the yard. Rat always lets me know when there is wildlife in our vicinity because he has a unique muffled bark reserved for wildlife and all the hair on his back stands up, it is hilarious!

Illustration Friday: Primitive

Flaming "O"'s are a primitive tribe of birds known to love a good show tune. "Flamingo Follies", my submission for Illustration Friday's Primitive theme.

sorry for the fuzzy pix, this painting is large and behind plexi-glass.

Illustration Friday: Save

Some of my time is spent painting "Houscapes" portraits of private homes. A few years ago a woman came to my studio tour and she asked me to paint her home. She lives in Malibu in a gypsy wagon and a tent with her two dogs. This was not just any old gypsy wagon, this is one that was used in the original "Dr. Dolittle" movie starring Rex Harrison. It came from England, when the movie rapped and it was no longer needed a family brought it to their property out in Malibu and felt it was worth saving. The lady I did the painting for has been living in this wagon for 25+ years. She is an amazing person, living simply, she works with Martin Sheen and has been arrested over 100 times for protesting nuclear armaments to help "save" the planet. The area she lives in is absolute paradise. Bob Dylan lives next door and he has a gypsy wagon too. I loved painting this for her and it was a way to "save" the memories and to commemorate the anniversary of her 25 years living there. As a young girl I read all of Hugh Lofting's books and they always transported me to a wonderful place. This is my submission for Illustration Friday's "Save" theme.

Illustration Friday: open

My submission for Illustration Friday's "open" is a painting of "The Mother Goose Cafe". Once upon a time this cafe was open for business.It must have been a wonderful place! I am grateful that there are people out there that have wacky ideas and make incredible buildings for me to paint.

Mother Goose Cafe: Location unknown only that it is somewhere in Florida.

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.

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

SDCO

One of the reasons I love being an artist is, that it is never just about the art. What I mean by this is that each new job teaches you something that you might never have learned. Years ago I received a phone call from a man that saw my work in a gallery and wanted to know if I would like to do some artwork for the San Diego Chamber Orchestra. I was ecstatic because I was born and raised in San Diego! The man did not know this but he said they chose me over quite a few artists. It was an amazing opportunity and really fun, in fact that is what the project was named "Serious Fun" and I created the lettering too. They asked me to do a painting that would highlight the orchestra, instruments and my signature colour. I painted all the real people that were in the orchestra and the conductor too. I learned about all the different instruments and the way they are held. It was a wonderful job and really a lovely experience working with this man who was a fan and super supportive of my work .They auctioned off the painting and raised funds for supporting the SDCO.

The orchestra play Prokofiev,Kabelevsky,Tchaikovsky and others.
My artwork was the program for the SDCO 1994-1995 season. I have done all kinds of art for music for all different styles of music and I think that the music that we love becomes the soundtracks for our lives.

"Gypsy Wagon"

Today the greeting cards arrived from Modern Postcard for the lady that lives in the Gypsy wagon! Once a year I participate in a show called Topanga Art Studio Tours. About 45-50 artists that live here open up there studios and let the public come view, talk and have refreshments. It starts at the local gallery , each artist hangs a painting and for $25.00 you buy a book that has the artists name and blurb about their work , bio, written directions and a map of Topanga. It is a 2 day event so if you choose to view all the studios, you have a couple days to squeeze them in. It is the perfect venue for me, I am a bit reclusive and all the people come to me! So this wonderful woman came to my studio, admired the "Houscapes" and asked me to paint her home. Rat and I drove to her place (Paradise, i'm not kidding it really seemed to be what heaven must be like) and there was her home. A 150 year old gypsywagon from England. It was shipped here years ago to be used in the original Dr. Doolittle movie starring Rex Harrison! When the movie studio wanted to be rid of the wagon it was sold and moved to the beach and gypsylady moved in. I did this painting of it and it hangs in her office. She is an amazing person, an activist against nuclear armaments (she has been arrested over 100 times) she lives very simply, she has a very nice tent as well and her 2 dogs. She assists a very well known movie and television actor that is an activist also. I would love to tell you all the particulars because all of the people that are in her orbit are majorly interesting but I want to protect her privacy. She has lived in the wagon for 25 years! This greeting card is to comemorate the 25th anniversary of her life in this wagon. It was a highlight for me to paint and Rat loved being there and walking on the beach and around her neighborhood. The greeting card came out great, I'm pleased with it and I hope she loves it as much as she loves the painting.

copyright 2004 may not be reproduced

"Night"

This illustration is from my HOMEMADE 2001 calendar entitled "Outhouse". My love for houses extends beyond the norm to include even the lowly outhouse. Night is one of my favourite subjects to paint. Rat loves the night.

copyright 2000 may not be reproduced without permission

My new job

where the horses live





"Happy to see me"




One of the best things about my"Houscapes" (portraits of peoples homes) is that I meet the most unusual people and their pets. All of my work in fact takes me to the most unusual places and the most interesting people. Case in point, my new job in Malibu. This is my 3rd Houscape for this couple. They are the most wonderful people, The lady of the house owns her own record label and the man of the house manages a heavy metal star. This houscape will not be of their actual house but of their pets abode. When Rat and I went to take pictures of the place these guys walked out and lined up smallest to tallest all on their own and the tallest started pawing the fence as if to say "hey, we are here!

Rat thinks that horses are very large dogs and even though he was born on a farm in Woodenville,WA he seems to be a little wary of them. These miniature horses are the best. I wish I could have two! I will include more about this job in the future. I am in the beginning stage, starting the preliminary drawing so when I am done I will share the picture. The above "Houscape" is the 2nd painting I have done for this couple. When my website is up you will be able to view "Houscapes" from 1990-2005.