What is this bird trying to catch anyway?


A little curiosity from the early 1900's that I picked up yesterday from an antique shop. I find the bird's wobbly legs, the wavy lines and the slapdash color placement to be amusing and a little ironic.  Nonetheless, a cheerful bit of rationale, yes?




I think we may make pizza tonight and perhaps bake some cookies.   A visit to the new exhibition opening tonight, The White Show, at Signs of Life is also in order. 

} Lisa's stunning new studio just glows.

Are you cooking anything this weekend?

Thoughts & process



Hi!

So after a sort of quiet online day yesterday I feel I can find a few words to share today about my new lithography print "Looking forward". {I'm a quiet person and just can't talk all the time.} I have assembled some images of where I found inspiration, source material, and process.



This skeleton of a house is a current project my husband and his company are working on. They have gutted it, torn off the additions, and what remains is the original 19th century structure. Looking at it I thought, "Really, you guys are rescuing this?!" His response was "Yeah most people may just want to tear it down, but it is a historic building." He values that history and the individuals who built it 100+ years ago and I for one know that he can turn that into something amazing. I have seen it happen.

The actual house was shifted off it's original site, to the side of the lot so a full basement could be poured. Just yesterday it was moved back in place. Amazing. And now it is ready to begin it's new life. All of this is a metaphor, of beginning a new life.



The idea of taking something that has inherent value although it may not be easily recognized, is interesting to me. I have been thinking of birds again and looking at some of my earlier work as well as drawings I did as a child.  Then I made a few drawings and a watercolor of the house {oh I forgot to photograph that one, oops!} and decided to make it the center of this print. Other imagery includes an interlocking pattern as a symbol for a plan, a bird, cloud, rainbow, and water patterns.

I hand pulled only fifteen prints of this image, because I like for editions to be small, 50 or under. My love is making original, one of a kind pieces and I hope for the viewer to make a connection to an idea or image in the piece. Art is something you live with. I also painted each print by hand using handmade watercolor and have listed them in my Gallery Store and Etsy shop.

Thank you for reading a little bit about my thoughts today. I appreciate it!
H

ps. Thank you Jena for your post about The Working Proof! Jena also has a new space, Miss Modish.

The Working Proof



Hi,

I know I promised to share some process and thoughts about the two new pieces I listed yesterday, I do hope to get to that tomorrow. But first, I am so excited that my print for The Working Proof launches today at 1:30pm EST! There will be an interview with me on their blog, where I talk about my ideas behind the print and why I chose The Smile Train as the benefiting charity.  Honestly I am just honored to be part of The Working Proof, their mission to promote art and social responsibility is so honorable. Plus I know Anna and Sean are working their hearts out!

So the above photo offers a peek of part of the drawing I did for the piece and do you remember this?  It too is part of my print. While I cannot show you finished piece yet {have to wait until 1:30 to see it at The Working Proof!} I will say that the title is "A new rescue".   And The Smile Train, which offers cleft and palate surgery at no cost to children in developing countries, in turn offers new hope and new smiles to those children.  And that warms my heart.

Thanks for reading today,
H

Two new prints



Good morning,

Was your weekend a good one I hope? Mine seemed busy getting projects finished up yet and while it was good, it was one of those weekends where we wished it were three days long rather than two! Oh well, some folks may just get one day weekends so I can't complain. Also, we didn't even pay attention to the fact it was going to freeze Saturday night, so we didn't get our basil and okra harvested before they got zapped. :(

However, this morning I want to share {before I dash off to teach} that I have two new limited edition lithography prints up in my Gallery Store -
} "Looking forward", two color lithography print with hand painted watercolor on paper, 5 in. x 7 in. Edition of 15.
} "hope SEEDS", four color lithography on paper, 5 in. x 7 in. Edition of ten.

Also my gallery in the new Indie Love Poppytalk Handmade Market is set up, with art from both of my shops. It looks like another great market and I'm really happy to be part of it again!

I'll return soon to share a bit of process with you about these two new prints and tomorrow, a bit of charitable news!
H