Illustration Friday "Flavor"

When I think of flavor I think of coffee. I love coffee and it loves me! I don't go in for all these fancy coffees, although if I am out and there is
a cappucino machine I won't say no to a nice latte. I just go in for regular filler up ding ding good old fashioned coffee. This illustration is from my 2004 "HomeMade" calendar. Yes, you guessed it "Coffee House" is the title.
Cups grow like flowers waiting to be filled. And donuts and cookies grow from vines! The coffee is percolating in the lid and it looks like another happy day.

Sorry to all that came by this past week, I needed to amp up my work schedule on the houscape that I am painting and the holidays are the optimal time to crank on my workload. I won't be posting until after the 1st. The 31st is also my 9th wedding anniversay and 12 years together. John, Rat and I wish you all the happiest of celebrations! Have a prosperous, creative and loving New Year.

copyright 2003

Illustration Friday Holiday

The title of this painting is "Celebrate the Holidays Together"
It captures a neighborhood that is diverse. Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad, Kwanzaa and Christmas. Sorry if I forgot anybody. Diverse like all the artists that participate at Illustration Friday. IF has been a highlight this year! I feel as though I have made new friends. We don't criticize, we praise and inspire each other! It's a wonderful thing! Happy, Merry everyone.

copyright 2000 may not be reproduced without permission

Greetings!

I thought I should post another greeting card today. I have not been as good about it as promised but it is a busy time. I will try to post my walk through my forest in the New Year and I will try to name one more for the tag . Carla is hoping to try to participate too! I will need to name one more artist. Any volunteers? Have a cozy evening! inside reads: Wishing you warm winter moments and bright Christmas memories

copyright 1994 Marisol Inc. 

snowgirl

I have collected ephemera for quite some time. I love vintage paper goods , it reminds me of all the wonderful parts of childhood. This card is from my applesaucey kids line of cards and boxes, it is a homage to vintage images of children with a little valgal thrown into the mix! Brrrrrrrr, baby it's cold outside! copyright 2002 applesaucey kids

Illustration Friday: Imagine

To me being an artist is all about the imagination! "House Paint" is from my 2004 "HomeMade" calendar.
copyright 2003 May not be used without permission of the artist

Tag

I have been tagged by Scott and Eni to talk about a type of work that takes a long time and about the process. The hard part was deciding which type of work I would choose because just about all the work I do takes a very long time to create. Once or twice a year I get commissioned to do one of my 3-d buildings that is a sculpture and a clock. They are very unusual and I have done many shapes and sizes. One of the styles is pretty popular and I think it is the shape, colour and the shutters that appeal because I seem to get more orders for this one. It looks like a flying building and it is whimsical. These buildings are so labourious and I am at the end of this one so I can only show you the ending stage. But it starts out as a blank white sheet of formable foam core. Then I randomly create the shape. I have to fill in all the edges and open seams with modeling paste, it takes hours & hours of filling in the paste, letting it dry then sanding . Just like drywall and spackle in a regular building only this is the mini version. I paint an overall colour and then I spend hours cutting out shutters and painting all the details. My buildings are between 3-5 ft. long and 6 inches wide. I create a room inside that houses the body of the clock.The back of the clock has a hinged door to change the battery and to make time changes. I paint the clients cats, dogs , flowers, books, furniture and pictures in the windows. I pour a two-part polymer resin on each side of the clock that makes it look like shiny candy, sometimes I need to pour more than one coat per side. The resin takes days to cure. It is an enormous undertaking but I enjoy making them in between my drawings, paintings and illustrations. It would be difficult to gauge how many hours go into these clocks but needless to say it is a lot. I stopped trying to figure out by the hour a long time ago because every piece of work that leaves my studio is like a piece of me and I take great pride in making it the best it can possibly be no matter how long it takes. It would be upsettting if you commissioned me and I ran out of time because you paid only X amount of dollars. So when people ask if I make a living at this I smile and say it is my life.

The finished clock is different than the one in my studio. The finished clock is hanging in a restaurant in Topanga called "Roccos". M y artwork has been hanging in this restaurant for over 20 year. It is like my private gallery and people get to enjoy it along wih their Italian meals. The clock in my studio is unfinished it has a coat of resin on the back and is ready for the front to be poured. The finished clock at Roccos is 6 ft. long. I always put a special quote about houses on the back of the clock.

copyright 1997

Toystore

I am a firm believer in visualizing what you want. Ever since I can remember I have created what I wish for on paper. Sometimes creating something visually can be as rewarding as having a material thing. Of course when I was little I was not the painter that I am now, but I would have liked my own Toy Store!

Inside reads : Wishing you many happy surprises during the holidays

Marisol Inc. copyright 1994

snow fairies

This was another card for the owners daughter. I really enjoyed painting these little Snow fairies hiding in the woods.

inside reads: wishing you a magical holiday

Marisol Inc. copyright 1994

Sugarplum fairies

The owner of Marisol asked me to make a couple of illustrations for holiday cards that used Nutcracker themes because her daughter was so in love with the story and characters, so I was happy to oblige. When I was little I wanted to be a ballerina too. I enjoyed painting this little scene.

inside reads: wishing you a holiday season of joy and wonder

Marisol Inc. copyright 1994

Illustration Friday: Surprise

Artwork entitled "Open House" created for a Christmas card in 2002. Inside card reads: Celebrate the Holidays Together! It incorporates Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, Feliz Navidad and Peace. I try to make all my holiday cards appeal to all denominations.

Topanga

This is what I see outside my airbrush studio. It is the most beautiful bridge that leads to nowhere. Underneath is a creek that rises when it rains. Rat loves to splash around there. I would take some closeups but this odd man recently put up a fence (I don't think that is even legal) he lives above it and was worried that kids would play on it. A long time ago an opera singer had a home on this property but it burned down. There are lots of properties here where the houses burned down and the State bought the properties as fire breaks so I am completely surrounded by State Park. This is great because not only do I live in a State Park but no one will build near me. This is nice because I do live in L.A. but where I live you would not know down the hill is Los Angeles. What's down the hill is actually Santa Monica and Malibu and the other side is the San Fernando Valley. It is perfect for Rat because it is one of the last places where a dog can run free. Although the park technically does not allow dogs on the trails anymore. I have lived in this canyon for 27 years. It is changing and it makes me a little sad, but that's the way it goes. Way too many people use Topanga as a thoroughfare to the Valley so they won't get stuck on the Freeway. It is such a beautiful drive but it is most unpleasant at rushhour now for oldtimers like me. I work so much that I am in my studios most of the time. The Houscapes that I do are difficult because they are extremely personal and because they represent the person who lives in them it is crucial that I put a large amount of time into them. I will post my walk thru the park in the next week.

all is calm

I had a friend when I was young who went to Tahiti for Christmas. This sounded like the most exotic trip in the world to me. When she got back, she was brown as a berry! I was fascinated by her stories of Tahiti. Maybe some day I will go...

When I painted this card, the owner of Marisol added quite a few more candy canes to my picture, she did it with the computer (not on my original).She did this to a couple of the Christmas Cards. They were already printed by the time I discovered it but she told me she wanted them to look more festive. I like open space. I don't feel like you have to fill every part of a picture. I like the less is more approach. Now in retrospect I find it funny that I even gave it a second thought.
inside reads: all is calm, all is bright

1994 Marisol Inc.

JOY

This is my idea for JoY! I did this card and
yesterdays post with the same greeting card company,
Marisol Inc. Another one of those dream jobs where she saw my work in Colorado, tracked me down and asked if I wanted to join her company. They came to visit me in Topanga and brought me specs on their everyday line. This was a template and the words to be used in each card. So I got to create whatever I wanted as long as it went with the words! I would send the artwork to Colorado once a week and I would receive a cheque with my originals. It was the perfect blend. I loved working for Marisol and we made cards and stationary for quite a few years.

inside reads: From our home to your home with warmest holiday wishes


copyright 1993 Marisol Inc.

Peace

I have made hundreds of cards for every occasion. They were made for greeting card companies, business's, individuals and my own lines. I really enjoy creating art for cards and you usually do winter scenes in the summer. It's boiling outside but you have to conjure up snowy cold scenes. I will try to post a holiday card each day to celebrate the season. I will show a small sample of my favourites.

inside reads: on earth goodwill to all mankind.

copyright Marisol Inc. 1991

Illustration Friday "blue"

This illustration is my logo. I love my logo, it is another signature image that crops up in my work all the time. A house that is a gift! Also blue is my favourite colour.

copyright 1996