As the monster from "the other side" pulls her coat off she finds herself back in the bedroom (yes, she has escaped in the nick of time). What will happen if she tries on other coats from the chest?...
See the entire story here (as it progresses).
What is the sketchbook project?
Two twin cupcakes, my little almost edible sculpted acrylic paintings. See the progress here.
Close-up:
Sad news, folks! The opening reception for our art show, Growing Up (at the McMullen Gallery, UofA hospital) has been postponed. Officials are worried about H1N1 and therefore are putting any social gatherings at the hospital on hold. The Show IS STILL ON and it will be open during the original reception hours which were November 5th from 7-9pm (but without all the wonderful bottles of wine we bought and yummy food to snack on).
In order to feel better about the reception, I drew a picture for a friend of mine with a baby around the same age as my son. The baby is pictured in a ring sling, one of my favorite modes of transporting a baby.
On a side note, does anyone trick-or-treat anymore? My house only saw seven little ones (and we live in a city, in a home in a residential neighbourhood)... don't tell me H1N1 has scared off the kids as well as the art show viewers!
I have one painting featured in the show "True Stories" alongside other talented Design Faculty instructors at Grant MacEwan College, at MTrac Lofts and Interscape Interior Design. The show is open to the public June 9–15, 2009 at 11625–105 Ave., 12 noon to 5 p.m. If you're interested in seeing more work and you're in Edmonton, Alberta please feel free to drop by otherwise view more work here. For those of you who don't know, I'm a part-time instructor at the college in the fall session under illustration techniques.
You may remember the following piece which is featured in the show:
On May 24th, 2009 I gave birth to my lovely son, Dexter Nolen Driedger. Birth was a profoundly spiritual and empowering experience and being a mother has taken me by surprise. I'm grateful for this experience and can hardly wait to paint and draw my memories of labour and early motherhood for my growing up show come this fall. Of course, I should probably try to catch a few zzz's before I crack open the sketch book. This parenting business is really lots of hard work! Thanks for checking in!
Thought I'd remind anyone who reads this blog and lives in my home town of Edmonton that Doctors & Derrieres 4 is happening this Friday, May 8 from 7-11pm. Roger was kind enough to include one of my donated pieces in the media release sample. Hope to see some of you there!
Here's a photo of myself working on painting #5 for the Growing Up show. It features my grandfather after his stroke and heart surgery. While my family gathered to support his efforts to recover, his heart was not in it and he died within a month. This scene was initially created to depict death as a part of growing up but I decided instead to focus on the aspects of family support, frustration and love. The scene depicted is truly appropriate for the gallery space, being in a hospital, where patients can take the time to wander in with their families.
I started this painting with many thumbnail sketches and searched for appropriate references, including searching my own diaries and sketchbooks from the time. I'll continue to photograph the painting in many stages and share the progress here.
This painting is part of the Growing Up Art Show this September in Edmonton. Being a very personal collection of my own "growing up experiences", this is a stylized version of myself trying on my first bra. I was one of those pre-teen girls who wanted to wear bras, shave my legs and wear make up before my parents deemed it appropriate (they were most likely right). So when the time finally came to purchase my first bra I cherished the experience through my embarrassment.
See more posts on the Growing Up Show here, here & here.
Ned had had quite enough of his silly companions who positively fawned over him. They were loud and their constant sighs of love made him uncomfortable (the other zombies were looking at him with blank stares).
Oh, and here's a dragon too. He doesn't care about the word "enough" (in fact he can't even talk). He just wants to eat his food and be by himself, thank you very much.
I'm terribly obsessed with mermaids and doodle them on a constant basis. I even completed a plywood painting of one for the art walk last year. Perhaps I'll do one each year until I have 12 and publish a calendar? I know this is quite a horrible photograph but this particular mermaid is on a canvas I'd never dream of scanning... it's just too big! I'll update you on this as I have time to work on it (which these days is less and less).
And alas... here is my favorite studio lamp - bought at a thrift store for $8!
* A side note for those who have been inquiring about this year's artwalk: I decided not to do it this year opting for a holiday with my family.
Happy Canada Day especially to those readers from Canada today!
This weekend I took a break from all things related to my career. For 3.5 days a few of my friends and I hiked through and up the Canadian Rockies (Jasper national park) and while I brought my sketchbook I did not crack it. I instead focused on not falling down steep mountain cliffs, feeling "the burn" and swimming in a glacially fed lake.
Take it from me - if there's one thing we should focus on during Canada day it shouldn't be our career.
I have something special to offer patrons of the Edmonton down town market this Saturday: three original sketches drawn on 7.5 x 10" illustration board. If they don't sell I'll be putting them in my etsy store. Visit 104th street just off of Jasper Ave from 9 am to 3 pm to see them. I'll be sharing my spot with good friends Sarah Jackson (creator of the Jam children's book series) and Miss Dishy (illustrator & crafter).
Night Out © 2008
I forgot to mention that I'd be at the Royal Alberta Museum as a guest artist yesterday. I taught a little bit about acrylic painting to the kids who showed up (almost 60 kids by the looks of the filled seats). It was the most interesting experience I've done teaching thus far as I've never been trained to teach children... You might have missed it but I also got on the evening news yesterday doing my little lecture. I of course didn't turn on the tube (who likes to see themselves on tv anyway?). Does anyone know if you're supposed to look at the person interviewing you or at the camera? I never know and usually end up looking back and forth!
A soft breeze fills Claires skirt with thick puffs of pink
The smell of lavendar tickles her nose
Butterflies pause as Frogs dance on the rich earth
Green leaves and stone tiles absorb the warm of the sun.
The sweet taste of vanilla couldn't be better appreciated
than on a summer garden stroll.
I was so excited when Mike R Baker told me that I'd "Made his day" via my blog. This is a great compliment as I frequent his blogs myself. He is a fantastic illustrator and always surprises me with his illustration friday contributions which are often completed in gouache at lightening speed! Mike also designed this wonderful new logo for the award which I find adorable (I couldn't resist passing it on...)
So, here I am passing the award on to five wonderful people who's blogs I check everyday (I'm not kidding, I'm rather addicted). Thank you to:
• Dani Draws (this blog is incredible. Dani is talented and has detailed tutorials... so CHECK IT OUT!)
• Amanda Woodward (A tremendous source of inspiration both from her life and her art. I consider her a good friend and am lucky to have met her - she's from my home town as well. Actually, to be perfectly honest, Amanda helped inspire me to quit my full time job to illustrate for a living and I've never looked back!)
•Chrissy Fanslau (Her perseverance and dedication is ultra inspiring!)
• The Daily Coyote (Just check it out, it's awesome!)
• CutewithChris.com (um, yeah, Cute with Chris is so darn funny)
I bought a moleskin shortly after I spied my friend Amanda's at a market I was working last summer. It's been such a treasure. It's exactly the right size and weight (can be carried with me at all times for creative moments that come out of the blue), is flexible and so so soft!
No matter what situation I'm in and no matter how hectic my schedule, if I find the time to sketch during my day it brings me great peace. While this is not always the case with client work, where there is always pressure to create something better and more lively, sketching for myself has been a very effective way to test different styles and techniques and an even better way to just clear my head of nonesense.
I like to go back into my sketchbook months afterwards and add colour to the cross hatching I first did with my pen in front of the tv. For some reason I don't like just sitting and watching tv... I enjoy doing something creative while I do this. Perhaps it lessens the guilt factor of being a movie nutt.
* Just a reminder: There's only 6 days left until I draw for those two free calendars and secret prize...
I have two copies of my 2008 calendar to give away to two different blog visitors (plus a surprise gift!). Here's the rules: Post a comment on the following topic and I'll draw from the names of people who comment on or before January 31st for the prize. Then once I've contacted the winner you'll be sent the prize (please don't leave your address in the blog comment section but rather leave a website or blog address/email where I can get this from you privately)!
Here's the topic:
"Green Illustration & Design" (what are you doing to make your illustrations and office more environmentally friendly? Any links to good office crafts out or recycled goodies? And if you're not an illustrator or designer what are you doing to make your home more eco-friendly?)
Oh poor Jane
Don't feel so plain!
Your dress might not sparkle
But your smile always will.
If there's one wonderful aspect having a part-time job, it would be the ability to diversify yourself. While it's nice to be able to see people other than your family on a 24 - 7 basis, this is not the biggest benefit I've discovered by working at the Royal Alberta Museum. While my job is primarily graphic design in nature I have been able to complete the odd illustration here and there. To top off this bunch of pure goodness, it's usually different stylistically than I do during my business hours as an illustrator. This really gives me the chance to experiment, which is very needed in this business of illustration.
The bears above were for a board game that the education department uses to educate children about grizzlies and black bears. It's more of a simple, sihouette approach and yet I found it fun (sort of like a puzzle).
Here's another plywood painting that I completed and it's process (for greater detail click on each picture).
1• Create a confident drawing that will show you how to create your gradients and values (based on a greyscale drawing). Get it approved by your client. 
2•For a painting where the texture is important, choose your canvas wisley. I pulled about a round dozen sheets of pokey plywood off the hardware stores shelves before I found just the right "chunk" for this image. Tell the person who cuts out your block of plywood that it's for art and yes, you know canvases are cheap down at the local art store...!
3• Protect Your Painting before it's even started. Give it several good (thick) coatings of Multi Purpose Acylic Polymer so that weird chemicals don't leak into the painting over the years destroying the values you create. THEN! Protect your paint (it doesn't come cheap after all...) by Gessoing your surface. This will give your paint an extra "grip" or "mile" so that you don't have to layer it on really thick. I paint my gesso on in several layers in different directions so that the brush strokes aren't going to create a distracting pattern. Thing to Remember: Your brush strokes on every layer of every painting can help aid your composition! 
5• Block in Dark Colours. 
6• Think Details and Light. The concept is to have your darker colours in the "Valley" part of the plywood ridges and the light colours on the "peaks". This will really make the texture pop. For details do what you normally do, fill in the valleys and peaks with similar values. 
A great big thank you to everyone (friends, family, clients... and of course fellow bloggers!) for making this year so fabulous! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I'll be taking a needed break from the computer world in general so see you in early 2008!
Here's a sneak peak into the "secret studio"...
I tried my hand at carving (my hand wishes I was a more careful carver but I suspect this will come with time)
and I made some ornaments for my family...
I've been creating paintings for the Royal Alberta Museum's Christmas Card collection (for the next five years you might see my work.)
While there's still many secret goings on in my studio there's one thing I can tell you: I'll be at the Guerilla Boutique this Saturday from 1-8pm at the Artery downtown Edmonton, Alberta. It's on 9535-Jasper Ave.
By: April Henry,
on 6/29/2007
I told you about the signing I went to this week when I was the only person there. A beautiful evening in June in Oregon, well, that’s hard to fight against.
Touring near a holiday is also a dicey idea. It’s also no fun being in town at the same time as some other, much more popular event.
I hate to tour in winter because of snow. Rain is okay, except in LA, where people freak out. (I once had an escort seriously ask if we could wait until it stopped raining before we left the airport, because he was afraid to drive in the rain. Let's just say he would never, ever be able to live in Portland.) For most people though, a rainy, overcast day is a good day to go to a reading.
Snow is bad for touring authors in much of the Pacific Northwest. In many cities, snow doesn’t happen enough for us to get any good at driving in it. Put two inches of snow in Seattle or Portland and the whole city stays home, makes cocoa, and sleds on pieces of cardboard and garbage can lids. Those who try to drive end up on YouTube as they crash into other cars. I did a signing in Seattle once when it snowed four inches. It was me, the bookstore coordinator, 100 chairs, 100 books (somebody was optimistic!) and 1 lady who had missed her bus.
However, after this week, I’m thinking touring in summer might be worse.
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All you sketchbook pages are fantastic and very detailed!!