Friday, September 30, 2011

Pumpkin Art


This time of year I love painting pumpkins.


and while I'm at it, I love creating patterns for some fabric.





Have a Great Pumpkin day.


Saturday, July 2, 2011

Inspiration Boards and Words of Inspiration











I have been sketching, printing and designing all kinds of inspiration boards.

This fabric started as a photo,






Then I used photoshop elements and lots of layers to produce a fabric design, which I then printed by Spoonflower.





I covered a canvas bulletin board with the fabric and had it professionally framed.



I just a had to add some Inspiration Board Jewelry and decorative pushpins.  I have been making rosettes from Vintage flower petals designed for millinery with a large upholstery pin for the center.  Finding tassels to match the boards and all kinds of wonderful notions that might add just the right embellishment.








So, now my new shop I call A WORD OF INSPIRATION is open.

My plan is to add BAGS OF INSPIRATION by theme to help make inspiration boards sparkle.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Inspiration Boards and New Designs


Parisian ShadowsI have been working on lots of new fabric designs. Click on the image below to see it in fabric:


This is an inspiration board that I used to show my original photograph and then using layers to create this design I call Parisian Shadows.  I am using Photoshop Elements 9

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The Sketchbook Challenge














My friend Karen from Creativity Cake told me about The Sketchbook Challenge.






DSC_0108The project began on January 1, 2011.  Each month there is a theme.

DSC_0108





DSC_0108This month the theme is OPPOSITES.






DSC_0108There is a wonderful group of women hosting the challenge and offering tips, tutorials, and techniques.  There are also prizes awarded from some pretty amazing sponsors.

The Sketchbook challenge blog has a wonderful post about The Sketch-In.

DSC_0104

DSC_0108When I saw the theme for February, I knew just what I would sketch, then using ink and watercolor...

The Sketchbook Challenge, my Vintage typewriter


DSC_0108My Underwood Vintage typewriter and my Apple iPad.

The Sketchbook Challenge - My iPad

DSC_0119Little did I know when I used to type on my manual typewriter using correct-a-type...

The sketchbook challenge, working on my theme for February

DSC_0097that someday I would be working on an Apple iPad.

DSC_0108So, my entry for February OPPOSITES is...

Sketchbook Challenge Opposites







An Apple iPad and a Vintage Underwood typewriter.  If you would like to join in for sketching fun, just click HERE.
















The song for this post always makes me happy, just like sketching with my paintbrush.  Mindy Gledhill sings Anchor.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Photoshop Techniques


I just joined Kim Klassen's skinny-mini Photoshop class. I am having so much fun, that I also joined her on-going workshop with backgrounds called The Test Kitchen.

I think I am in love with backgrounds. Kim is amazing.  Here I have enhanced the photo even further.



In the illustration above, Kim teaches you how to use her lovely backgrounds and use words.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Paris Dreams

Paris Portrait scarf

I love sketching a portrait

Paris Portrait scarf 3

and then using digital magic to refine the look.

Paris Portrait scarf 3

I remember the Breck Girls, which were lovely renderings of girls with lovely hair for Breck Shampoo.

Paris Portrait One final

Back in the 1966 I went to the Guggenheim museum to see the famous Andy Warhole exhibit.

Paris Portrait Pop Art

Andy Warhole would probably be lost in the world of Photoshop if he were alive today.

The word Paris is from The Graphics Fairy.


Saturday, February 5, 2011

My Vintage Runway




For quite sometime I have been getting back to my first love, fashion illustration.

Every now and then I'll get out a fashion magazine like I did at Seventeen,


and sketch away.

Most recently I went to the Boston Museum of Fine Art and saw two gorgeous exhibits about Vintage fashion.

I wrote a post about my visit to the museum and links at my other blog, A Scrapbook of Inspiration.


I was reminded of all the wonderful dresses that I wore Once upon a time.



About Me

My photo
I was raised in Long Island, New York and in my early twenties, moved to Manhattan and worked there for many years in the computer field. I have been an artist as long as I can remember. I started painting in 1983 while living in Princeton, New Jersey. I found lots of inspiration when we moved to Hong Kong for my husband's work. Five years later, we moved to Toronto. We returned to New England in 2002 and I have enjoyed all the creative and inspiring resources that surround me. The Lord has blessed my life with a wonderful family and many gifts.