Illustration Friday: spooky

Somewhere in the Transylvania countryside is the idea behind my submission for Illustration Friday's "spooky theme. I love this word so I did this last minute quick and dirty on stonehenge using acrylics and prismacolor pencils;)

2010 valerie walsh

Illustration Friday: beneath

This paperhouse is painted with acrylic paint, i used thread to hang the paper star, fashioned a clay doorknob and of course it all starts with a small matchbox ;)

all photos and art valerie walsh for Illustration Friday's "beneath" theme

Illustration Friday: acrobat

My submission for Illustration Friday's "acrobat" is a painting I have done many times in many ways for lots of peeps. This is a version I did to a song by Los Lobos :) You know the saying "once in a blue moon" which means seldom or rarely? Well this is a lavender moon and that means as rare as it gets! The title of this painting is "Balance" which is required when you are an acrobat ;)

valerie walsh 2010

Illustration Friday: dessert

Did you know that a goat would consider a flower dessert? And deer do as well :) I have friends that raised goats in Topanga and the goat really will eat almost anything! They would stand on the roof of their shed which gave me the idea for this illustration. Many times I see deer and they are grazing on my neighbour's newly planted flowers or fruit trees and vegetables... It does make me smile and it has happened to me many times as well, it is always the same feeling SURPRISE!!! :D

This is a colour study for a painting called "House Pet" and I made this drawing in 1990 and did not use this idea for a painting until my 2004 HomeMade calendar. I changed the building and colours to pinks and greens but I have always enjoyed blue and purple together very much :) Was hoping to make something new because I love this word and have a good idea too but the time got away from me so this is my very late submission for Illustration Friday's "dessert" theme.

all photos and art valerie walsh 1990-2004 prismacolor pencil on stonehenge

Illustration Friday: atmosphere

My submission for Illustration Friday's "Atmosphere" is a dimensional painting I made for Dee Dee, my sister in 1995. It is wood, formable foam board, acrylic paint and resin. This was a bit of an experiment in several ways, I wanted to go beyond the traditional shapes of paintings and create leaves that give the piece dimension sort of jutting out curving around and also by painting part of the leaf on the surface to add a faux visual continuity for the eye. I made a few of these round layered pieces and really enjoyed this look. This flower girl is saying "I like the air up here". What does it mean? I don't know it was just fun to make, love the colours and I like it :) sorry about the glaring white spot, I took this picture at my Mom's house. She has an entire room dedicated to my art and it is a Valerie Gallerie of sorts and this was sitting up on a shelf so I did the best I could because I frankly had completely forgotten about this image.

I am not sure if they make this foam board anymore I bought a ton of it and you could wet it and it would form easier into shapes that I wanted to make. I never see it anymore so I imagine it was not so popular, but it worked for me. I have found through the years that when I like a product I buy a lot of it because many art supplies tend to get discontinued...

Illustration Friday: Star gazing

I have created hundreds of paintings in my 30+ years as an artist that feature or incorporate stars. This image was commissioned by a very close friend and she looked at my portfolio and chose to have me make a bridge painting that would include her husband, son and herself in the buildings. She likes very soft muted colours which is always a challenge as I tend to be quite colourful :) Yes this is subtle and subdued for me... She really loved the softness and the pastel quality of this and it is large and one of my layered dimensional paintings with resin. I did this in 2000 and I am always happy to paint something special for someone I care about. It is called "connection to love" and it is my submission for Illustration Friday's "Star gazing" theme.
valerie walsh 2000

Illustration Friday: artificial

My submission for Illustration Friday's "artificial" theme is a facade called Home Front. This is a tough word for a homemaker :) I thought of a house in Florida with all the pink flamingos out in front but this has been done a million times or maybe an artificially sweetened Gingerbread House but I posted the real sweet kind before ;) I decided on this idea, as you can see; I finished down to the wire because I am working on other stuff but the idea is reminiscent of the old saloon type buildings propped up in the back.

art and photos valerie walsh 2010

Illustration Friday: double

When I paint illustrations for cards, calendars and stickers I often have to make 2 of the same image and sometimes 4 if it is a seasonal item. I have a game I play with myself to see if I can make them look identical. Sometimes I have to make the same item in reverse and I enjoy this as well. Here are some examples of my submission for Illustration Friday's "double" theme.

1. Love Grows (greeting card)

2. Homes for the Holidays Stickers (spring/summer)

3. House Paint stickers (LOVE & Happy Birthday)

Illustration Friday: diary

I got quite excited about this word :) What sprang to mind is "Diary of a Mad Housewife" so I decided to make a moleskine into a house and use the idea of the text viewable through the door and windows ( I have done this before and loved it!) This helps the diary resemble the cover for Sue Kaufman's book. My version and my writings are modified from the original of course and illustrates the madness that plagues me in my constant creating of buildings and homes. My submission for Illustration Friday's " diary" theme is a journal called "Diary of a Mad HouseMaker.

photos and art valerie walsh 2010

Illustration Friday: Giant

When you live in LA you tend to get asked to do a lot of unusal jobs. I have had my fair share of unique opportunities and I welcome them :) This illustration is from one of those very times. This took place in 1990 at Sunset Tower Hotel in Hollywood. It is a landmark hotel and in those days The St. James Club of London and Antigua bought it and operated it as such. My friend was the head doorman and asked if I could make a special remembrance for Whoopi Goldberg because she loved the hotel and had been staying there for some time and he wanted me to make a quick valgal version of the hotel to make her feel special. I only had a day to paint and I wanted it to look like the work I was into at the time. I was making 10 layered dimensional towers and castle-like structures for a show in Santa Monica. This illustration was mounted on a lovely thick piece of paper that I made. This place is considered a giant among the old art deco buildings and many wonderful people have stayed here including my mom and me :) we had a delightful and memorable time there.

Please watch this short film about Sunset Tower Hotel.

valerie walsh 1990

Illustration Friday: satellite

A natural satellite is a celestial body orbiting a planet, dwarf planet, asteroid, or star of a larger size. The most familiar natural satellite is the earth's moon; thus, satellites of other planets are often referred to as moons. My submission for Illustration Friday's "satellite" theme is one of my star chairs. I painted a lot of furniture about 20 years ago. The star chair was one of my first pieces of functional art and was created in 1990 for a clients house and you can see a shot of it in her home with a little painting I made right above it. Then in 1997 another woman I know was the costume designer for the TV show "Dharma and Greg" and she collected a lot of my work and she wanted furniture to go with my paintings so she would find antique pieces she loved and i would strip, prime and paint in fantastical colours and with my signature halo effect with blends. It was a ton of work but a valgal room with furniture and paintings looks pretty cool! It seems like a lifetime ago in a galaxy far, far away ;)

Illustration Friday: Ripple

I feel happy that many of the people that collect my dimensional paintings usually say "Do what you want to do". I love that but have learned that there can be that very small percentage of folks that can be "difficult to please" :) This has prompted me to always make a little colour study or maquette of the image so that they can have a chance to decide they like or change my vision. This is a little (very rough) colour pencil study for a dimensional piece I have been commissioned to create and I am pretty excited because this is a place that we drove up to quite by accident and discovered and I always felt it would make a lovely place to paint. My submission for Illustration Friday's "Ripple" theme is titled "The Secret Fountain".

Illustration Friday: trail

This is a Topanga box and I have been making them for a long time. They are made from upcycled wooden ginseng boxes. I handpaint them and they do not have houses on them. I have walked many a trail in these hills for 30+ years. When I look at the hills I think of all the beautiful days and dogs that have walked these paths with me rain or shine. Walking is one of my favourite things in life :D My submission for Illustration Friday's "trail" is a hand painted

Topanga box and the inside holds a special surprise ;)

Illustration Friday: Equipment

You are not seeing things, come closer, this is the dance of the hammer and the nail. It is a rare treat to catch a glimpse of this elusive happening! My submission for Illustration Friday's "Equipment" theme is an illustration I made while the painting I am working on is drying so this is quick and dirty and down to the wire ;) This little painting on paper is called "Home Work". You cannot build a house without the proper equipment. The humble hammer and the nifty nail ;)

2010 valerie walsh

Art is not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it.

~Bertolt Brecht

Illustration Friday: Fearless

The person that moves in here might enjoy living on the edge and could be considered fearless.

Or they could just be a bit crazy ;)

My submission for Illustration Friday's "Fearless" theme is a quickie called "hilltop house".

I have been away and now i am back. Cocoon would have been a better word for me but I had to miss last weeks theme so i was certainly challenged by this word as it does not come to mind when you think of a house or home. There are a few buildings in Topanga that remind me of this one :D

valerie walsh 2010

Illustration Friday: ahead

Spring ahead! My submission for Illustration Friday's "ahead" theme is a spring infused diecut gift tag. Have a nice weekend ;)

photo 2010 valerie walsh

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: linked

I have made a lot of houses that are connected or linked but most of them I have already shown. Linked is a wonderful word and I can think of so many things I would love to make for this prompt. While the paintings dry, I made 2 houses that are linked. They are made of paper and paint. My submission for Illustration Friday's "linked" theme is "duplex" :D

Hope you are having a lovely weekend and please check out the brochure printing giveaway here, it is free :)

all photos by valgal 2010

Illustration Friday: dip

Well I'll be dipped! I cannot remember if I have posted this Easter card in the past? Probably not because it doesn't have a house ;) My submission for Illustration Friday's "dip" theme is a die cut Easter card that is vintage style. When you bend and fold the dip in the egg it creates a little easel to help it stand on it's own . I have always enjoyed dipping and dying Easter eggs. Happy Easter and or Happy Passover.


photos and art valerie walsh 2000

Illustration Friday: rescue

File this under "Emotional Rescue" my submission for Illustration Friday's "rescue" theme is a colour pencil drawing I made for Babs in 1989. I am diggin deep my peep, peep, peeps :D