Me gusta...

So I just found this website randomly in my excursions across the internets... 

Not much else to say other than the the Tugboat Printshop is pretty cool :)

Illustration Friday: Yield

A couple of weeks ago I was riding my bike and got hit by a car while crossing a street on campus. Even though my bike was wrecked in the accident, I was found to be at fault because I had not crossed at a crosswalk (there aren't any on that street).
This piece illustrates some of my thoughts as to what happened and how I feel about the situation in general. It is a pen drawing, and the caption reads "Inevitably, one must yield to the larger vehicle."

A reminder...

Gotta love being early with deadlines, I guess...

This is a linoleum block print I recently finished for a trade-print that Olivet's Art department is putting on at the end of March.

I recently finished reading Brennan Manning's Ragamuffin Gospel (good book- I highly recommend it), and one of his statements that really stood out to me. I can't remember the exact wording, but essentially it was a call to find joy in the small things- to "live in wonder every day."

Anyways, this is my illustration of that idea: to live in wonder, in awe of one's surrounding, no matter how menial or "un-colorful" they may seem. There is always beauty to be found, if only one will look for it. 

Just a reminder :)

Illustration Friday: Intention

I finished this piece a little while back, but I feel that it portrays the idea of intention, or intentionality, well. It feels to me like a representation of the so called "rose colored glasses" that are often referred to in regards to outlooks on life. There is so much going on in the world that, when we focus on only one thing, we end up missing so much else. We have to be intentional about looking around and absorbing what is around us. In doing so, we can discover so much color and variety that we missed before.

(By the way, the piece is a pen drawing with colored pencil- it's about 8" by 10" or so)

Wow... My blog is kinda boring, isn't it? Sorry about that...

A response to the Chicago Artists Coalition's website

The Chicago Artists Coalition is an organization that seeks to assist artists in the Chicago area in some of the more difficult aspects of their work, such as finding and procuring studio and exhibition space and relating to the public through their art. They are a nonprofit advocate group for artists, helping in ways that many artists do not have expertise in. I think that the CAC seems to fill a niche that I really had never thought of before, but that is very necessary in our culture.

In particular, one of the interesting things that I notice they have included on their website is a list of scholarships and other resources for artists looking to get started in their professional careers. I feel like this could be particularly useful to me as an artist at the beginning of my career because, instead of scanning the whole internet for some obscure scholarship or grant that I may not even be eligible for, I can use the CAC website to find relevant funds and programs that really will help me move forward in my career.

Along with the list of scholarships and other funding/residency programs, the Chicago Artists Coalition website lists deadlines and upcoming art shows. This can be useful for a small-time, inexperienced artist such as myself, because it can be difficult to stay informed of and keep track of various opportunities to get one's art noticed.

The CAC, as I said earlier, seems to fit a niche that many probably don't even realize exists. Without it, I am sure that many current artists would not be in the positions they are in, and that there would not be nearly so many recognizable opportunities for aspiring artists looking to make their ways in the world.

Rednose Studio

I can’t say I ever thought that sculpture and watercolor could be cohesively combined in such a way as they do at the Rednose Studio. Personally, I love the way that they use clay modeling and small found objects as the subjects of their work, then create a background using abstract color combinations and patterns.

As I continued looking over the Rednose Studio website, I noticed that their clients are not necessarily ones who I thought would fit with their particular style. One that stands out to me was a piece they did for a life insurance company that caters specifically to the elderly. I would not at first glance have considered the artwork Rednose produces as fitting for such an advertisement, but as I continued to examine the work, I began to see how it not only fit, but fit well.

Finally, I decided to check out the Rednose Studio blog. The first thing I noticed was that they do not just post their finished work; in fact, they hardly post finished work on their blog at all. Instead, it seems that their blog is reserved for sketches and “works-in-progress.” I find this idea appealing- let people see the processes that go into the creation of your work, and they have more invested in wanting to see the final product. This is definitely something I will try on my blog, although I cannot guarantee too much in the way of preliminary sketches being posted.

Anyways, Rednose Studio seems to do an effective job of combining their art and illustration with business savvy and commercial success. I encourage you to check them out!

Here’s the link: http://rednosestudio.com/