tender moments from an "Old" Story

The tragedy of old age is not that one is old, but that one is young.     

OSCAR WILDE, The picture of Dorian Gray

Illustration Friday: clumsy

At first glance this might appear to be a very silly and clumsy painting but it is actually very sweet and tender. My sbmission for Illustration Friday's " clumsy" theme is " a celestial life."

I painted this in August of 1992 for friend Tracy Walsh because she was about to marry her longtime love Shep Lonsdale. Tracy loved my art and has been quite a wonderful and supportive collector of my work. When she came to me and asked me to do her invitations I was happy and tickled because this was my first wedding card. I have done quite a few now but this was my very first one and she wanted a child like image using all the things she loves! This is my favourite kind of client, someone that tells me what they enjoy and I get to do whatever I want :D Tracy wanted the sea, the stars, the moon, and the feeling of infinity, love and the universe. Not your traditional invite to be sure, oh and the best part she wanted all valgal colours featuring their dog Jade. In order to make multiples I had the image offset printed and then I made cotton rag paper in my studio, dyed to compliment the painting and I added this beautiful old glitter to the batches to make it sparkle. We printed the typeface on a see through vellum and it was a limited edition art card for all the guests. I framed up some for her bridesmaids gifts and the gift that went to the person that married them. The funny thing about the man that performed the wedding Cliff Potts, he is Johns best friend for 40 years but I did not know him then and had not yet met John. I live on a street with 3 houses now and he lives in one of these houses and has been my neighbor for 13 years! Tracy is a travel agent, her mom was a very well known British travel agent who's clients were Elton John etc. and Shep is a musician and was in the band Gaelic Storm which you might have seen in the movie Titanic. When Leonardo Dicaprio takes Kate Winslet downstairs to where the real people are hanging out, this is the band that is playing. Shep is a very cool dude and Tracy is a very cool lady. I am happy to say they are enjoying their marriage to this day :)

btw: The wedding was at the Hotel Bel Air and it was the best wedding I have ever been too. They have swans floating in ponds there!
valerie walsh 1992

Illustration Friday: wilderness

My submission for Illustration Friday's "wilderness" is a doodle piece on a scrap of arches paper notice the deckle edge. I call this "leave a little light on". I have lived in a lot of little houses that look like this :)

2010 valerie walsh

Illustration Friday: confined

Most of the time artists have to create in a confined perimeter. But I usually try to go beyond the boundaries any way I can get away with ;) My submission for Illustration Friday's "confined" theme is one of my dimensional paintings titled "Oriental Evening". My bridge paintings are quite popular so I have done them many ways for many people and each one is unique and yet similar. I think bridges help to break out of the confines and going outside of the frame helps too. I always put in details of life inside the windows in the form of glimpses of men and women, instruments. birds in cages, cups with tea or coffee in them and books, paintings, kitties and dogs. This one I even made some clothes on a line created from handmade paper and all the flowers are dimensional. I hope you enjoy!

Speaking of enjoyment I went with my friend Trish to see her daughter Katherine in her music group tonight at the Apple Store in Santa Monica. The name of the group is Sonos and they are so good that I want to share this with the world!!! We live on the same street and have been neighbors for years. I have watched Kath grow into a beautiful young woman so I had to go see Sonos tonight and give my support before they go back out on tour again. They have a deal on Verve Records, these kids are kicking butt! Because I know Kath so well I asked if I could have a picture with the band, a kind of "I knew them when" and I was the only one to have my pic with the band, YAY!!! They are amazing and you must click on to this word: kings of maybe and you can see what I am talking about. There are no instruments only voices in this group. Awesome!

sonosings.com

Illustration Friday: Renewal

You might be wondering where the house is?
This is the big blue house, home to wondrous
things, mystery and big time beauty.
Where life and death swirl in the icy depths.

I made this painting for the program when John's brother Phil Hartman died in 1998.

John asked me to create this painting quickly so it is not the greatest work of art but I tried to
make it about the content and focus on the message. Phil loved the sky, he had a plane and he loved the ocean and he had a boat. He adored Catalina and went there often. This image is what I thought his children would like, the idea that we all come together and swim and play in the big ocean as a family with abandon and until then, we join each other in the sea of mind. The father, mother and children all together jumping and feeling joy, the oneness. The children are grown now and they are so beautiful it hurts my eyes. All of our hearts are joined forever. They will live and grow and the renewal is taking place within and without. Sweet Graham Nash played two songs for this beautiful and small private ceremony. I have included the song "Simple Man" that he played for us. My submission for Illustration Friday's "Renewal" theme is the circle.
When it makes no sense we must find the beauty in the aftermath.

We had a drink to Phil last night and he was with us.

1998 valerie walsh i am a wave ;)

Crosby Nash- Simple Man - Marrakesh Express

Illustration Friday:pioneer

We are all pioneers in our own way, am I right? We try our best as our parents did and our children will be the ones that carve out a new future. Many of the people I look up to create

buildings and homes and I enjoy that kind of pioneer. I feel lucky to have been exposed to so many trendsetters in my lifetime in the fields of art, printmaking, music, literature, films, architecture and especially the internet. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank all the artists and blog friends and blog groups, my family and anyone that stops by and looks at my pictures or reads my posts for the last 4+ years. It has been a wonderful and loving trip which surprised me at first because I thought maybe people would be critical but that has not been the case at all, everyone has been positive and supportive. I have appreciated all the kindness, cheers, friendships and meetings too.I actually met a few artists and writers that have come to LA and a few that live here and I have a phone friend in Alabama too!

I also want to mention that I have had my blog sponsored by Uprinting for the last few months because I wanted to give something back to anyone that comes here who might like to try a printer that is artist friendly and puts out great products. They are allowing me to give this experience for free for you and me : ) I am doing it to say thanks for all the comments, great feedback, laughs, tears, fun and great art that you share with me. It means the world to me. My submission for Illustration Friday's "pioneer" theme is Thank you Stationary, with Thank YOU from and to all over the world .

Marisol Stationary to promote and teach children the art of letter writing and Thank you notes. Valerie Walsh copyright 1994

Valgalart/ Working with William Wegman

I decided to resurrect my posting about the "artists I have worked with" series as a print maker at Wasserman SilkScreen Company. I really liked almost every artist I have worked with except for one or two (I worked with a lot!) but one I really liked was William Wegman. His art is all about his dogs and he's world renowned but you would never know because the guy was a pleasure to be around, very sweet to me and I don't mind saying I had a little crush on him. He is real smart and really loves those dogs, but all the while crafting amazing pictures that everyone wants. You might be wondering how we printed his work and for sure he was a special case because his originals are enormous Polaroid prints and call for reproducing a photographic realistic look using a fine art method of printing. We worked hand in glove with another printer that Jeff had a relationship with called Black Box and they made collotypes of his art on rag paper and we added some layers of ink (via silkscreen process) to enhance and pop the images. Plus we did a special varnish which is always gnarly and stinky and you get quite high being around it for a whole day. I hate to think about all the fumes I inhaled but what are you gonna do. Hazards of the trade. I think we did a 3-4 piece portfolio that was in a beautiful case and the prints were large. Normally I would remember all of the details, how many prints but at that time period his work was so hot that I was able to sell my printers proofs immediately for good money and I was a starving artist person so I could always use the cash. They sold for over $1000.00 each, there were at least 3 so I can remember I was thrilled that me and my dog Yote ate well then too :) The time period was 1988 and in those days people would walk in and buy prints directly from us and it was pretty great. Whenever an artist signs a limited edition and you have a very large print like this you must have a person that moves the prints while the artist signs in a very delicate and flowing way so that he just goes from print to print from a stack and barely has to lift his hand or head, It's like a little dance. I would move them to make a new perfectly aligned, signed stack. That was usually one of my jobs aside from racking and mixing inks which presented me two areas that I got quality time with the artists, mixing their inks for the proofing process with them and moving the prints while they sign them. We always make the print twice, once on a few sheets for the proofing process and again as the final edition so you are talking at least a month or more working on one artists job and you get to have a little insight into their mind and ideas. I feel lucky I had the opportunity to work for him. I looked up the print "Dusted" that we printed and it sells right now in a slumpy market for $5500.00- 7500.00. When you look forward and catch the vision if you have the ability to see ahead, buy art as it comes out at a good price. It can be a very lucrative and wise investment in the future, plus you can hang it on the wall and enjoy it too. Of course his work now sells in every possible market and it is what many artists wish for. It couldn't happen to a nicer man.


William Wegman, Dusted, 1988. Screenprint, 30 x 24 inches, 76.2 x 61 cm (paper). Edition 47/96. Signed, dated, and numbered, recto.

Illustration Friday: crunchy

My submission for Illustration Friday's "crunchy" theme is "GingerBread House" from my 1st HomeMade calendar published by Entertainment Calendars in 2001. Happy Friday :)

copyright 2001 valerie walsh

Illustration Friday: entangled

Many entanglements are affairs of the heart. It is a little hard to see but there is a man serenading a woman in this dimensional painting and he is wooing her with his song. "Mediterranean Night" is my submission for Illustration Friday's "entangled theme.

copyright 2000 valerie walsh

Illustration Friday: unbalanced

Life is about finding a balance. My submission for Illustration Friday's "unbalanced " theme is a stationary card and postcard set called Home Life.

2009 copyright Valerie Walsh

Illustration Friday: frozen

Frozen on the outside and warm on the inside.

diecut holiday card for Illustration Friday's "frozen" theme.

2006 copyright Valerie Walsh

please don't forget to sign up to win free business cards from Uprinting you have 5 more days (October 22) and 2 winners will be announced.

Illustration Friday: Strong

My submission for Illustration Friday's "Strong" theme is an illustration from the book "Return of the Matador" by Astrid Ryterband. This is a story of how the aging Matador has his last bullfight and very soon after has an accident, wakes up and discovers he has become the bull. His son, an acclaimed bullfighter in his own right ends up facing his own father in the ring. It is a wonderful story and I am not sure of the publishing date yet but I will post the book and provide links to it when it is available. On another note the new book "Good Day Mail" is out and available on Amazon.com. If you love getting good mail and I know you do this book celebrates giving and receiving mail. Valgal has the love letter to Rat captured on page 116 . Wonderful artist Emma Kid is in it as well and you might know her from her blog "Ben Conservato". The authors Jennie Hinchcliff and Carolee Gilligan Wheeler are based in San Francisco and they give good book! Check it out :)

copyright 2009 valerie walsh

Illustration Friday: Caution

Caution to all who enter! My submission for Illustration Friday's "Caution" theme is a dimensional painting I did in the 80's titled "Bats". Throw caution to the wind this weekend

copyright 1985 valerie walsh

Illustration Friday: hollow

My submission for Illustration Friday's "hollow" is not an illustration but rather a clay pot that is comprised of 4 clay slabs that make 4 separate buildings and a hollow interior. It really isn't hollow but filled with the sky and stars. This vase is owned by a longtime collector of my art and I only made a few of them as they are large and can break and indeed one broke during an earthquake and one got broken that was in transit. Considering all the time and work it left me with a hollow feeling :(

copyright 1995 Valerie Walsh

Illustration Friday: shaky

Sometimes it can feel like you are living on shaky ground, especially in California. Here is my silly little submission for Illustration Friday's "shaky" theme. I have another pressing deadline right now so that's why this is minimal at best. It reminds me of the many earthquakes I have experienced in my life, falling debris, shaky buildings and usually your utilities get shut off for a few days while they restore power and water. As long as no one gets hurt they are a unique experience but every once in a while people talk about the Big one coming...

A bit of SHAKY trivia regarding music icon Neil Young, Neil has directed 5 movies, including 2008 critically acclaimed feature length documentary CSNY/Deja Vu. His nom de cine as a filmmaker is Bernard Shakey, the mythical founder of Shakey pictures.

copyright 2009 Valerie Walsh

Illustration Friday: Drifting

My submission for Illustration Friday's "Drifting" is one of my Marisol Hidden Treasure greeting cards. It has a gift certificate inviting the recipient to dinner. So after you drift, you have dinner, how perfect.

copyright 1994 Valerie Walsh/Marisol

Illustration Friday: unfold

My submission for Illustration Friday's "unfold" theme is a diecut valgal card that celebrates love. The message is clear but the card is a little unique in the design. I love making cuts and folds, it makes the card a bit more special. I have included a few views here: 1.the original illustration and a copy of the card 2. closeups of the image 3. card folds and unfold.

copyright 2004 Valerie Walsh

Venetian City

It was a once in a life time art job. I have a feeling I might not have the opportunity to create something quite like this again. I guess we will just have to wait and see...

This was created in a bedroom, for a man that owned the largest poster company in the United States. The format is as follows: The ceiling was painted my signature sky with stars, this art project was for the space above his closet so that when he lay down in his bed he could look up and see this Venetian City above him. It is 12 feet long 5 feet high and 2 feet deep. It does not end there, it follows around the room where his very tall bookcases lined the walls so I created more buildings for that area too. I build each building individually with inverted windows and doorways,
where sculpted people reside, a sculpted cat sitting in a chair, icon style paintings on an easel, a laundry woman hanging out the days washing, a lady in a gown standing on a balcony,a statue of a nude female , hanging vines with dimensional grapes and on and on. The patron spent several grand lighting it so that it looked like water glowing off the buildings and to cap it off it is replete with 3-d gondolas and barber poles.

Several years later my Mom and sister treated me to an Italian holiday and when I got to the real Venice I couldn't believe my eyes. It was an inspirational trip and it made me feel good about my creation. This job took 7 months and it was one of the best times and the most difficult challenges I have tackled. I learned a lot about myself and it goes along with the valgal rules of no job to small or to tall or to big if you know what I'm saying. The gentleman and his wife would throw these elaborate parties with interesting people. I would get to visit the installation and hear and see the reaction to the city in the bedroom. It was not something that you would see every day. At that point I could separate myself from the critical voice within and just say wow what a unique and amazing experience! For me art is where dream and fantasy come together.

This is a digital shot of a photograph, the only way I could show you the room. The white thing on the ceiling is the fan it had a glowing orb that looked like the moon, this is a shot of the closet (kinda cut off ) with 12 ft. of city. This project was commissioned in 1994.

Illustration Friday: Free

This illustration is my idea of "Free". This was always the cover for every year of my "HOMEMADE" calendar. I have painted this theme in many ways, drawings, dimensional paintings and with different colour combinations so I feel this is my signature painting that best shows what I do and who I am. The real title of this painting is "Flying Home". It' s about finding that place inside of ourselves where we feel adventurous enough to be free but we can always go to that deeper place inside that is safe and feels like home!

this painting was reproduced in the form of calendar and prints/copyright 1999 may not be reproduced without permission
p.s. All comments are welcome and appreciated!

The Paintings I do for me

There are a lot of paintings in my noggin that are filed under "Things to do". We all have these projects, lots and lots of projects that we would like to do. I have hundreds of them, all types. I realistically will never get to them all especially since new ideas crop up to be added to the file pile but I hope to accomplish most of them. One of the types of work I do are dimensional paintings, some are really dimensional and some are this flat layered dimensional thing I have been working on for quite some time. These paintings have become popular with the people that collect me, though I would make them anyway it makes me feel I am on the right track if people want to commission these works. I really enjoy making them because it is completely different than my other stuff. When you try different things it is just one more way to explore and delve deeper and add on to what you already do. I have worked with many artists and I always have a bit of a hard time wrapping my mind around the artists that hire people to do their work! Although people like me can benefit from this it still is a mind bender that they get paid handsomely, hang in museums and they really did not physically touch the work. Please do not think I judge, I actually think these artists are brilliant people, they are smart enough to get these amazing gigs by conceptualizing an idea and getting others to put it together. It makes me realize that I think on a much smaller level. I also am a hands on person. I need to touch the work, paint the paintings, print the print, sculpt the sculpture. Sometimes to my detriment because we can't do everything! And as time rockets past me it becomes more apparent that I might have to say goodbye to some of these parts of myself because I think I do better work now but I am not as willing, nor able to work every waking moment as I used to be. But I still enjoy making some things just for me.
This painting does not have any buildings in it for a change of pace . I have lived near the ocean my whole life and this is the island in my mind.