Hay Bales

Here are some hay bales! This is the second image I finished for a new series of Colorado greeting cards.  I really like this one but I may try repainting it with more greens to make it look a little different from the Aspen Path print below.

And here's a little Halloween silly business from my house. Our friend Frank came over with SUPERDOG Riley so Frank put on my Lion mask and I am modeling my friend Brooke Boynton Hughes' Ghoul mask. Happy Halloween everyone!

Aspen Path Painted

Here's my latest print painted with watercolor. It's hard to believe, but the linocut was printed with the new brown ink I mentioned in my last post. It's so dark that it's hard to tell even up close and in person that it's not black. But I love it! It just comes across as a really warm black. I'll definitely be using it more.
It's the tail end of fall here. I can feel snow on its way this afternoon. But we've had a lovely autumn with great weather and lots of chances to walk on aspen lined paths!

Aspen Path Printed

I finished carving this block and printed it this morning. I tried some different shapes and patterns for the trees and bushes. I'm happy with how they turned out! I'll paint the print soon and post a picture of it finished.
I also got some new Gamblin Sepia brown ink in the mail a few days ago. I think this is a good image to try printing in brown. Oh boy, something new!

Art Theft!

I just listened to a really good podcast about two J.M.W. Turner paintings that were stolen in 1994. The speaker is Sandy Nairne the director of the National Portrait Gallery in London. He was involved in the recovery of the paintings many years later. He's a good storyteller! If you scroll down on this page it's the second podcast listed. Or you can go directly to the story. Mr. Nairne wrote a book about the theft and recovery also. http://shop.nga.gov

He's right that we romanticize art theft and thieves. You know how handsome and ruthless those mastermind criminals are in the movies? Mr. Nairne pointed out several cases where a thief returned a valuable stolen painting- including the Mona Lisa, and no one believed that he was the thief because he didn't fit that romantic profile.

I know that thieves come in all shapes and sizes. I worked in a gift store for many years and we finally realized that most things were being stolen by nicely dressed middle-aged women. Many of my greeting cards were stolen over the years. I have to admit, it made me a little happy. Not only were people willing to pay for something I made, they were willing to STEAL it. I might feel a little differently if the cost of the stolen items was more than the $4.50 I sell my cards for though!

New Card Images

My little Colorado gift enclosure cards have been selling really well and I've been thinking about making some new larger cards. I went through the gazillion photos my husband and I have taken in Northwest Colorado and there's lots of inspiration there. So I'm working on drawings for some new linocuts to make into 5x7 cards.

Here are the first two drawings that have a fall flavor. Do those hay bales look ok?

And here are some of the photos that influenced them.

Pretty, eh?!
Now I have to turn these blank gray linoleum blocks into something lovely!

Sophie Blackall's Missed Connections

I've gotten a lot of wonderful books this year but this one is my favorite!! Sophie Blackall is a fabulous artist and one of my favorite children's illustrators. Missed Connections isn't for children, it's Sophie's illustrations of some Craigslist posts from around New York. These are people who had a meaningful connection in passing but didn't take the time to exchange information or maybe even talk to each other. Sophie takes these short quirky messages and illustrates them with her own lovely twists. She has a blog where she posts her Missed Connection illustrations here. These are a few of my favorites-

We shared a bear suit at an apartment party Saturday night.

You were appliance shopping on Saturday.

I help you almost once a week at the grocery store with your seafood purchaces.

I was the face painter at the party today and you were there.

The Lion Mask is Done!

When my friend Brooke first suggested making masks, I wasn't so sure. But I has so much fun making this! I'm going to wear it for our neighborhood Halloween. :) In a few days I'll have a version you can download, cut out, and wear yourself over at Between the End Pages.

ROARRRRRRRRRRR!!!