Whats going on here...

A lot of people ask me what my "process" is.
To them I usually reply:  Materials = Coffee, good music, pencil, paper and me. Coffee goes in mouth, music goes in ears, and pencil hits the paper, than... BAM out comes... a drawing... Its usually surprises me when I step back and check out how it all happened... But there is no magic involved, no fancy studio (yet!)... just time, and me. I took some pictures this morning to welcome you into my 'process'... Starts with locations, then pencil drawing, than ink... still to come, digital color!

*** Please note, my fantastically turquoise kitchen chairs. I picked them up on the side of the road, white and old and FREE... I spent a few summer days refinishing them and now I LOVE them... So if you didn't notice them right away, Im offended...kind of... well, ok not really. Your off the hook, but Check em out!***

I make all my wishes for you...

May I suggest...

I've had a lot of time to think lately... my mind gets to travel to all sorts of places while my hands are busy whipping up a sketch. And i found myself lost in a place called 'Happiness'.

For me, happiness is the place where, I am self assured. I usually find it in a time where I feel personally successful, productive and loved... If I could whip up a soup with such ingredients and serve it to every person I met, I have no doubt World Peace would be knocking at our door before 2010 came to an end.

Speaking of 2010, we are starting our journey into a new year. Actually, this is the first year that thats ever meant anything to me. Usually I just dread New Years Eve, because of the great expectation of making it "memorable"... and once I make it through midnight, I breath a sigh of relief and carry on with my days as if nothing was different... But for some reason, 2010... is a new beginning for me. Perhaps it is for you too... If its not, maybe it can be. My plan for the year is to find my "Happy" and keep it... What about you? May I suggest.... this New Year, you stun the World...

Optimism

So today... was a great day... So far I've put seven hours into illustrating... And I've still got about five more good hours left in the day to keep going...

Its been the kind of day that catches me, sitting at my kitchen table, taking occasional breaks to dance around in my socks to pandora radio, and grinning at the mere IDEA that this plan of mine; the one of me being a full time, 'way too busy', semi-inspiring illustrator, can work.

Optimism... I hope I never lose the ability to be optimistic... Perhaps that is the explanation of how I am here right now...? Perhaps that is the explanation for a lot of things... Humm, the ability to hope that things will work out... could that be the secret to a happy life? Looking ahead and hoping for the best? Maybe...

Oh, I dont know, I guess I should be addressing this to my diary, but the truth is I have felt grateful all day... and I have been grinning, singing along to songs that I don't know... feeling excited for everything... and I had to share it with someone... I hope that future exists for me... I hope I can work all day long creating things from a blank sheet of paper... day after day, and continue to LOVE it! I guess hope is what got me here... (along with a smallish bit of creativity, a great family, delicious food and a treadmill)

Maybe my smallish visions of optimism... has something to do with creating the person that I am... God knows the days that I am not feeling optimistic, nothing gets done... if only there was a drink that could empower me to feel optimistic all the time...hummm...champagne?...Ive got some in the cupboard... perhaps I should pour myself a glass...? mmm...I think I should pass on that... for now its back to my drawings!

I hope anyone reading this can find their 'Vision' whatever it may be, and 'Something to Hope For', that will give them a reason to dance around in their socks while no one is watching...

Emilie's Creative Portfolio

I just got back in touch with a friend from college after a lot of "out of touch" time... And as most creative professionals do when they get back in touch, we browse each other's portfolio... I wanted to post
Emilie's Portfolio here on my blog because she has done really fantastic work! She does amazing photography and has an eye for contemporary design...
I hope you enjoy her work as much as I did! Thanks for letting me share, Em.