Adrienne Trafford Art Blog

Little Birds!!

2012-01-11T11:33:00.005-05:00

Lots of cute small canvases of my favorite (made up) little birds! All are 6x6" on 1-3/8" wraparound canvas and in my etsy store - just click on the title above "Little Birds!!" - if you want three or more, email me and I'll give you a discount! thanks for looking!

Click HERE to go to my etsy store where the birds are!

50-Word Poems - My first attempt

2011-12-13T07:44:00.007-05:00

There are a lot of blogs of 50-word stories. I heart these so badly, but i'm going to try 50-word poems instead - poems are what i lean towards anyway. Would you like to try this? It might be fun to start a 50-word poem blog...if you're interested, let me know! This is my first attempt, just for fun!!

There are no vampire love letters

Inside his book is the

frail flower,

petals sheer from

hundreds of quiet years.

thrown to him

before her deathlessness.

Now sent back in a blank letter,

it rests in her

delicate hands.

She breathes deeply and,

with heavy heart

understands the message.

"you have left me.

All is lost."

Illustration Friday - Round

2011-11-28T11:14:00.004-05:00

the moon is full and round

Holiday discounts in my etsy store!

2011-11-28T10:08:00.003-05:00

Well, I've been putting up a bunch of art in my etsy store at discounted prices - just in time for holiday gift-giving! Don't forget to put yourself on your holiday purchasing list! Fun stuff like this...

Little Birds

2011-11-16T14:49:00.002-05:00

I like to paint little birds - i'll have a bunch of them at this show this weekend - The Art of the Craft - hope you can make it!

Beautiful Sunset - And a Show!

2011-11-14T07:11:00.008-05:00

Last night this is what i saw outside of my house - lovely

This weekend I will be here: The Art of the Craft at the Reading Museum, Reading, PA. It's a wonderful show filled with wildly talented people - November 19 and 20, 2011

and i'm working on paintings of little birds...what are YOU working on? xo

What are you listening to: i'm listening to "I'm not In Love" by 10cc - yeah i said that. Reminds me of summers and warmth and no worries

A Great Review of my Oracle deck by Tarot Dame!

2011-10-14T08:52:00.004-04:00

You can buy "The Journey Oracle deck" HERE and HERE!

Always exciting to get a great review - click HERE to read it - thank you Tarot Dame!

Teddy Hammy - The Necklace!

2011-09-15T23:33:00.002-04:00

I just listed this in etsy! Will be listing more as i go - thanks for looking!

We have a WINNER!!

2011-09-06T12:35:00.004-04:00

Well, I am thrilled to announce that Jen Bigheart at "I Read Banned Books" has won my 5th Year Blogiversary Art Giveaway! Congrats to Jen and everyone please send some good thoughts her way - her family has been displaced right now due to the horrific fires in Texas.

And to everyone else that posted comments, first thank you so much for taking the time to do that - I'm so sorry your name wasn't chosen by my handy dandy Phillies' cap name-chooser, but I will definitely be doing more giveaways in the very near future so please, please try again! xo

Note to Jen: I know things are crazy and I'm hoping those fires will soon be gone, but when you are settled just send me your address when you can - no hurries!!

Influence - Illustration Friday

2011-08-22T21:15:00.005-04:00

Her art has influenced me many times.

I am celebrating my blog's 5th Year Anniversary and am giving away all kinds of art stuff - all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post HERE and in two weeks I'll randomly pick a winner! Also if you tell a friend and your friend wins, I'll send you something too! Here are the prizes...

My 5th Year Blog Anniversary Came and Went - Time for ART GIVEAWAYS!

2011-08-22T09:29:00.008-04:00

What on earth have i been doing this summer??!!...my blog's FIFTH year anniversary came and went yesterday and I made NO notice of that whatsoever! I have been so neglectful as a bloggy parent that someone should call child-blog services...(thank you to Teena in Toronto for noticing!!)

Well, I'm going to have a giveaway anyway - Please leave a comment if you'd like to be involved and by Monday, September 5, 2011, I'll put your name in a hat, pick a name and send you all the stuff!! Also, tell your friends about my blog and if they win, I'll send you something too!!

Here's the stuff (in random order):

1 The Journey Oracle Coloring Book signed by me!

1 Print of Sister of the Moon - this image will be in my next Oracle Deck due for release in 2012

1 Print of the mascot for the Humane Society of Berks County - Spike and Friends

1 Original painting of a pumpkin, just because

1 box with a print of the painting called "Entangled" (image from The Journey Oracle Deck) on the lid and japanese rice paper on the sides

1 5x7 print of Marie Antoinette, "the Queen of Diamonds" (image from The Journey Oracle Deck)

1 Queen of Hearts bookmark (image from The Journey Oracle Deck)

Also I'm going to be in this very cool show - click HERE for my info about it - it's my fourth year and it keeps getting better: (plus this year I'm going to have new stuff like jewelry!!)

"She is That Important" - SOLD

2011-08-15T15:01:00.003-04:00

acrylic on canvas:

Original work from The Journey Oracle Deck - The Talisman - Card #30 - SOLD

2011-06-26T12:54:00.006-04:00

Original artwork for sale from the Journey Oracle deck published by Schiffer Publishing. Click HERE to purchase! I'll be posting more originals on etsy as the weeks pass...(now Sold)

My New Coloring Book!

2011-05-09T06:46:00.004-04:00

I now have in stock my coloring book and Journey oracle deck available HERE! It's so cool to open up a big box and see stacks of them on top of each other!! Things have quieted down a bit and now i can get back to making more illustrations for my next oracle deck (due December YIKES!!)....thanks for looking!

New Work

2011-04-19T17:27:00.003-04:00

My goodness it's been a while since my last post - sorry about that! i've finished my mermaid and her koi fish...am trying to get inspired lately and having a weeee bit of trouble...really could use a new good book...

Keeper of the Koi - Black and White

2011-03-22T23:29:00.001-04:00

have to paint now...this is the fun part!

Andi in the Ether - or Stir for Illustration Friday

2011-03-10T18:35:00.003-05:00

Stirring the pot of the universe

or whatever you want to call this

Amazon Restock!

2011-03-09T12:13:00.003-05:00

yep, Amazon was temporarily out of my stuff but is back in gear, ready to ship my oracle deck and coloring book - YAY!!

Day of the Dead

2011-03-03T22:08:00.005-05:00

If you were my facebook friend you would know that i have a flu of some kind and a fever...it's one of those kinds of flus that, with a lot of drugs, you can sit up and paint or type on facebook and blogspot. You would know all about this because i talk about how sick i am incessantly. It's what i do. don't judge...

Illustration Friday - Swarm

2011-03-02T23:10:00.004-05:00

I haven't done Illustration Friday in ages and it's a little late in the week but thought i'd throw this up...For the word of the week "Swarm" because her face is swarmed by stuff... the actual name will be Flora i think...not sure...

I think this needs a little more work and will probably work on it tomorrow...

Inked Up

2011-02-28T13:01:00.004-05:00

Here are a few new inked up line drawings waiting for watercoloring...that's what i'm up to...What are YOU up to?

Advanced Copies of my Oracle Deck and Coloring Book

2011-01-26T15:27:00.005-05:00

I couldn't be more pleased - they look awesome!!! If you'd like to order one or both, here is the Amazon.com link (but it is also available online at Barnes and Noble, Borders, and SchifferBooks- The Journey Oracle Deck and Coloring Book

Icons

2011-01-22T23:49:00.006-05:00

well, i love them...Icon paintings - paintings of Icons. Whatever. I love to combine flat space and high detail too. and i love to paint people - real people and pretend people. If i could only do that, i'd be happy forever...
This painting is 20x20" acrylic with metallic leaf on canvas. It will be in a show at the Banana Factory - an art facility in Bethlehem, PA. Sorry, their website is a little lame or i'd put a link... Dates of the exhibit are: Jan. 29-March 27. If you know me, you may recognize the face a little...

also i wanted to post this pic too because i think it's funny - yes that is Thom Yorke from Radiohead in this girl's photo - must have been a nice surprise when she looked at her pics from vacation!!

Daughter of the Moon AND Sneak Peak of my Oracle Deck!

2011-01-10T20:05:00.006-05:00

I've started a new project! Daughters, and Sisters, and Mothers and Companions and all kinds of stuff like that...this is the first image - Daughter of the Moon
Prints will be available on etsy...HERE

also, here's a sneak peak of my Journey Oracle deck that will be available at B&N, Amazon, Schiffer Publishing and Borders very soon!!

Here's a link to Barnes & Noble - click HERE
and a link to Amazon - click HERE
and Borders - click HERE

Good night Tessa

2011-01-05T19:02:00.006-05:00

Life is short. Naughty people seem to live forever (i'll be one of those) while the good ones are whisked away - probably because we don't deserve to walk among them. Anyway, a person I got to know over the years in a small art group has passed away after a lingering illness. She was one of those kinds of people that don't seem real. Walked with lions and gorillas, travelled the globe, met her husband on a trip in a jeep across Africa, sat under the stars in African savannahs...was she real? well of course. But she was also like a movie star to me - acting in the most amazing movie - which was really her life. Glamorous, beautiful and yet kind. I loved her lots and my thoughts are with her family. Good night Tessa - we mortals will miss you. xo

Day of the Dead - Frida Kahlo Painting

2011-01-03T22:51:00.003-05:00

just having a little fun with this...would like to do more Day of the Dead...

It's HERE at etsy if you'd like to take a better look...thanks!!

Best Blog EVER

2010-11-30T10:23:00.005-05:00

i know you think i mean MINE. Well no. I think its Letters to Twilight. Yes, that's right. I said Twilight. And if you go HERE you'll see why i think so...

it's also cool HERE too...xo and have a good week!

BOXES!!

2010-11-10T09:50:00.003-05:00

ok, i may be getting a little carried away with this but it's been fun...each box is one of a kind since i draw on the sides doodles that coincide with the laminated print of my art on the lid. These and more will be at
the Art of the Craft at the Reading Museum, Reading PA - Click to read more about this show HERE!

Neon Geisha - Original Art - Sold

2010-10-25T10:10:00.005-04:00

I hope everyone's having a great day so far - i've been making geishas and trying to finish up on half-finished art! Click HERE to see it in my etsy shop!

i've also been carving pumpkins...have you?

Spikenstein and his Bride - Sold

2010-10-19T13:07:00.005-04:00

An original painting of Spike and Tilly just in time for Halloween! Can you say, Best costumes EVER! Click HERE to see it at my etsy shop...size approx. 4.5 x 6.5"

Humane Society of Berks County Walkathon Today

2010-09-25T17:04:00.003-04:00

Just some pics of Spike, dogs, my girlies and fun we had to today at the Reading Phillies stadium for the Humane Society walkathon!

300 Followers

2010-09-18T23:34:00.002-04:00

I now have over 300 followers! Just for that I'm going to sing you a song...xoxox

ok it's not me but sometimes i wish it were...or was...or whatever is the proper wording...

"I am yours I am yours for as long for as long as you will have me" xoxox

Illustration Friday - Dessert

2010-09-03T14:09:00.001-04:00

nothing like a yummy skyscraper for dessert

CONTEST WINNER!!!

2010-08-27T23:22:00.007-04:00

I had such plans! I was going to take pics of the hat with all the names in of peeps that commented on my last post - then i was going to take pics of my daughter reaching in and grabbing the lucky winners name - and then take a pic of said winner's name! But i turn on my camera and this is what i see "Battery Exhausted" - and do you think i can find the battery charger?! Of course not because that would take EFFORT - which i do not have right now because i'm SICK. And DraMATic. (hate being sick)...

anywayz, i took a scan of the winners name instead:

and it is.........

LaRusc Studio!!!
email me your address for all your loot!

Thank you to everyone that posted - i'm so glad someone's reading this blog and hopefully enjoying it a little bit.. If you didn't win this time, I'll be sure to have another giveaway hopefully before the holidays just for fun - thanks so much again for reading my wee little blog and for helping me celebrate it's four-year annivesary!! xoxox

Happy Blogi-versary to MEEEEEEEEE!

2010-08-21T15:54:00.007-04:00

Well, here we are...four years! of posting art and sometimes silly stuff...i want to thank you for coming in here and reading about that stuff...and here's some free stuff FOR YOU! (ps. i wasn't an English major!)

Please leave a comment, and next Friday Aug 27 I'll put all the commenter names in a hat, pull one out and VOILA! free stuff for you!

Here's what you'll get:

One signed poster for the Humane Society of Berks County annual Walkathon that shows Sebastian, Spike and Tallulah - Spike's friends in fitness...

One wooden box with a printed portion of my painting "Angel" on the lid

One hangable wraparound 4 x 4" canvas with a laminated print of my painting called "Peacock Tree"

One hangable 2.5 x 4" wooden block with a laminated print of my painting "Deepest Loss" (one of my faves!)

and probably a few other stuff...

So, please comment and it would be cool if you told a few friends about my blog too!
xo Love, Me

Coming up for Nom-Noms!

2010-08-19T16:00:00.003-04:00

Artist Matt Sullivan asked a bunch of other artists to create work for a just-for-fun project based on this theme: "The Thing that Ate Stuff"... he's going to try to get enough to make it into a comic book. I like themes that force me to come out of my comfort zone and this one did for sure!

On another note: My blogi-versary is in TWO DAYS! Four years baby! Stay tuned for prizes and festivals and all that cool stuff! oh yeah, and parades! we'll have parades too! xoxox

Furry Fridays this Friday the 13th! (cue spooky music)

2010-08-11T08:14:00.003-04:00

I'm going to be showing some new Spike and Tilly art this Friday at the Humane Society for Berks County so if you're in the area, please stop by - a percentage of sales is donated to this great place! here are some pics...

Illustration Friday word is "Artificial"

2010-08-03T14:50:00.004-04:00

The IF word is artificial but i call this "Coppelia" after the ballet of the same name.

The ballet Coppelia was written tongue-in-cheek about a crazy man that made a doll so life-like that the town heartthrob fell inlove with her and wanted to marry her. Naturally this made the crazy man even crazier and trouble ensued. This story always creeped me out, which of course made me obsessed with it.

Note: My blog's fourth year, or is it fifth year anniversary is coming up...can someone please explain to me...if it started in Aug 2006, am i celebrating the year coming up or how many years it's been alive, and...wouldn't that just mean it's my blog's 5th birthday instead of anniversary? Am i going a little crazy from this? Maybe i should make a doll and see where that goes...Anywayz, i'll be having a prizes and stuff so keep checking back if you can!

Bloggy Anniversary!!

2010-07-29T22:45:00.002-04:00

Well, this is just a quick blurb to mention that my Blog's 4th year anniversary is coming up in 23 days!! FOUR YEARS!! (had to count on my fingers from Aug, 2006 to now just to make sure of that) wow, i'm so proud!...So anyway, there will be prizes and stuff...haven't decided what yet but it will be cool. promise.

meanwhile, here's a cat i want - could you get me this for my bloggy anniversary? i would love you forev...

Spike and Friends - Art for the Humane Society Walkathon

2010-07-20T15:17:00.003-04:00

Painting's called: "We're Walking, Are you?"
I'm the artist for this August's Furry Friday (August 13) which kicks off the Walk for the Animals fundraiser. This and many other Spike related work will be there for sale - The piece showing here will be the art that advertises for the Humane Society of Berks County's walkathon and fundraiser. I hope you can come out and see me that night - here's a link to it:
Walk for the animals
and a link to Humane Society events

Pregnant Cherry Blossom Girl Illustration

2010-07-11T22:27:00.005-04:00

sigh...i love painting just because i want to...and this is what happens when i (as Spongebob says) just "use my imagi-NAAAAAA- tion"! Probably just feeling a little nostalgic for that pregnant gorgeousness i remember (so long ago - 13 years!!). Anyway, this happened and i'm pleased with how wistful she looks...a little anxious, and a little excited about what's to come...

she's available here - just click on etsy

Ripplesketches - Donate to help the poor animals of the Gulf Coast

2010-06-28T15:38:00.003-04:00

NOTE: If you bought this, I apologize for not getting it to you - I haven't gotten an address yet from the Ripple blog! Hopefully they send it to me soon!!

My daughter Gwyneth and I did some drawings for Ripplesketches, a blog set up by Kelly Light to help the poor animals that are being decimated by the BP Oil Spill. Please help these poor animals...i will throw in some freebies as well

Ripplesketches: Each sketchcard on this blog is $10.00. The $10.00 is a donation to help the animal victims of the Deep Water Horizon Gulf Oil Spill. Every penny is donated. The two Non-Profits that are benefitting are The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies and The International Bird Rescue Research Center. You can purchase a card if you donate directly to one of the non-profits and email me the confirmation and your address to ripplesketches@verizon.net. The artist will mail you the signed card.

http://ripplesketches.blogspot.com/2010/06/like-mother-like-daughter.html

The Time has Come!!! YAY!!

2010-06-25T09:19:00.005-04:00

Well, after almost a year and a half, i have compiled the illustrations and written the text for my Oracle Deck and Coloring Book and...yes, right there in that little package are the cd's full of all that stuff...

Obviously it is far from done - the editing process now begins...but...can you believe it?!! I'm DONE!!! Yay, very excited! We'll keep you posted on the next steps...

Here's a potential example of one of the cards - (Not sure if it will end up looking like this though...we'll see)

Illustration Friday - Ripple

2010-06-15T09:40:00.006-04:00

My 9-year-old daughter Gwyneth and I made some sketches for ripplesketches which was set up by Kelly Light to help the poor animals that are suffering from the Deep Water Horizon Gulf Oil Spill disaster...it's just terrible what's happening there. If you donate $10 to The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies or The International Bird Rescue Research Center you can have one of these illustrations...please go HERE to find out exactly how...

UPDATE: not sure when ours will be posted or if they will be at this point - the blog posting is behind and hopefully this is a good sign that so many artists are donating works of art for this good cause...

here's mine:

here's my 9-year-old's work:
this is a bunny trying to swim in the oily gulf

and her other donation is a drawing of a horse trying to contact his turtle friend on his conch shell phone - except only oil is coming out:

(this hasn't been posted on ripplesketches just yet but i will keep my eye out for when it is)

Tiny Sketches

2010-05-24T12:33:00.006-04:00

i've been stalling..don't ask me why...in the mean time i make little things... like quails in front of the moon because that happens all the time...well it should anyway...

as always, thank you so much for looking.

it's available in my etsy shop HERE

Immortal Alice - (Early for Illustration Friday)

2010-05-23T14:37:00.008-04:00

ok. this is probably more like "too late" than it is "early" since Alice seems to have been bitten by the vampire rabbit or someone equally undead-like...sigh...i will soon get out of this vampire mode i SWEAR!!

i've been writing a whole lot lately (did i mention that's killing me?!!) so i haven't been able to post on IF as much as i'd like but thought this fit the IF word just a teensy bit...

this is available on etsy HERE...

Thanks for looking and have a great day...i for one am preparing for the 18-hour LOST marathon that starts tonight at 7:00...

New Sketchies

2010-05-06T10:03:00.004-04:00

just a few doodles...because i have other things to do that i can't seem to do...

My goodness it's been a while...

2010-05-02T18:28:00.004-04:00

like a whole month...how embarrassing...but i've been neck deep in projects...one was to have 10 paintings ready for the juried Immaculata Art Show (here are some pics of artists participating...)

here's some of the stuff i took down there...i wasn't going to take Spike but was asked last year to and I didn't...so.....

thanks for stopping in..i missed you

Bumble Spike is Ready to Pollinate!

2010-04-01T22:46:00.005-04:00

That's right - it's finally Spring and Spike has hooked on the wings and is ready to get down to some beez-niz! yes i really did just say that!

you can buy him HERE

Look at Spike and Tilly on the Vetmobile!!

and the Bird and the Bee just bee-cuz (i love them so much)

Cool New Spike and Tilly Woodprints!

2010-03-29T11:10:00.003-04:00

Cool new wood prints to sit around and laugh at! Check them out at my etsy store!

St Spikey - Just in Time for St. Patty's Day!

2010-03-16T07:17:00.004-04:00

who knew that leprechaun you saw in your yard was really the infamous Spike? (enter cute Irish saying here...) - he's here at my esty store:

Thanks for lookin' thar (oh wait...that's pirate)

New Prints in my Etsy store!

2010-03-15T07:23:00.003-04:00

It's been almost a month since i posted in here - that seems almost hard to believe to me! I don't even know what word of the week it is for Illustration Friday - it's been so busy in these here parts! i have had time to add a few woodblock and canvas prints to my etsy shop and an original Spike though - so if you have a moment, please check them out HERE:

ACEO's (tiny paintings) up in my Etsy Shop! (sold - but there's more in my shop!)

2010-02-26T10:44:00.004-05:00

I found an envelope with a bunch of ACEO (trading card sized) paintings that looked very lonely - so i put them in my etsy shop FOR CHEAP! Like practically FREE! haha! Well, some have sold already so don't get left behind! (How's that for tacky sales tactics?) here's a preview...and here's my etsy shop

Mechanical Bird

2010-02-23T10:38:00.001-05:00

(not going to say Steampunk...) (but it is...)

New Angel

2010-02-20T15:21:00.005-05:00

i made a similar angel to this one about 6 months ago. Although i liked the original a lot it didn't turn out the way i wanted, plus it had a few flaws that i didn't feel comfortable with when it came time to print...so here's this one...and i like it.

oh yeah. and i love this song. and this band.

The Queen of Diamonds...

2010-02-13T00:12:00.004-05:00

i think Marie Antoinette must have had a portrait done of herself like every 3 months or so...there is so much reference for her it's crazy...anywayz i have been struggling with what to do for my last Queen (did spades, hearts, and clubs) and then my friend Duck made a necklace with Marie Antwan...and the giant swirl began...it's something that happens when i get an idea...it's kind of fun...so...here she is...i referenced mostly her pose from one of her portraits - the face and outfit and just sort of happened...

i mean she was sort of a botch right? the whole let them eat cake stuff...she was kind of fabulous too i guess...and speaking of cake...painting that cake was a botch...

Illustration Friday - Focused

2010-01-29T08:47:00.003-05:00

I used to do a lot of different interpretations of Botticelli's Venus - and then i sort of went away from it...but a glance at the famous painting made me want to start it all up again. And why not with Steampunk since it is a theme that is threading it's way in everything i'm thinking about. I was focused when i drew this but also she is focused because of her robotic eye...

Her arm was inspired by the incredible Boilerplate - i'm thinking she could potentially be Boilerplate's lady friend...

Angel drawing

2010-01-25T21:22:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it's important to just DRAW

Frida Katlo

2010-01-24T19:44:00.005-05:00

just a little something for fun - my little ginger cat,Tilly as Frida Katlo for my local Berks Humane Society Art Auction...

Illustration Friday - Wilderness

2010-01-15T18:19:00.004-05:00

So this week's word for Illustration Friday is "wilderness". First thought that came to mind was "the wild", then nature, then high winds, tsunamis, hurricanes, and earthquakes...all catastrophies which of course led me to the think about the devastation in Haiti. Seems like everything is leading thoughts to that... i want to help so i donate to charity (my charity of choice is Wyclef Jean's charity Yele.org) and am now collecting shoes that Soles4Souls will ship to Haiti. You can do these things to. It's so easy. And desperately needed. And there are so many other charities that are reputable - such as Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders...so many more... Wish i was in a position to put on some workboots and fly down there, but i'm still not comfortable leaving my girls for long stretches... Give if you can...every little bit will help them...

Illustration Friday - Confined or...

2010-01-11T22:32:00.006-05:00

Alice in the House!

i can't imagine feeling any more confined than eating so much cake and cookies that you can't fit through the front door, although i have certainly tried to find out...

My 9-year-old posed for this...one of the few times she did so willingly

Silhouette

2010-01-07T00:20:00.004-05:00

i wrote a poem for a short story/poetry contest at this blog - you can enter too!
The word is Silhouette and here's the photo for inspiration, taken by Jason Evans (also the blog writer) for this contest:

here's his blog "the Clarity of Night"
here's the contest,
and here's the poem:

Title: When he was the silhouette

it was like
any other day.

but then it was in us like a secret.
and it made us leap and writhe
a little possessed.
but with rhythm and
purpose.

and he was crying in his way.
and i was yelling so that someone could
acknowledge this!

and then that dim light
that floats in my chest,
the one that
barely makes a shadow,
burst like stadium fireworks
and burnt the leaves to ashes.
they floated to my upturned face.

i was glowing.
it blackened everything around me.
i sighed to
let the light out.

and i saw everything different
in his shadowy
parts. and everything was different
from that time on.

If you feel like it, please comment on it here: Not sure but i believe the most comments wins a prize....i think you win like a bazillion dollars...how cool would that be??

Illustration Friday - Pioneer

2009-12-29T19:33:00.004-05:00

"Have Raygun, will Travel"

i set out to make a pioneer woman and this happened. It's subtle but i think it's there...

The raygun was inspired by a group of Steampunk enthusiasts called the League of Victorian Imagineers (article here) - they have extremely cool props and costumes...check 'em out... also, the set of Sherlock Holmes was very inspiring too...go see that ASAP!

Illustration Friday - Undone

2009-12-22T07:03:00.001-05:00

well this egg is definitely undone - it's just beginning to be done

How Awesome is This???!!

2009-12-02T13:57:00.007-05:00

i designed a patch for urbanthreads.com and this is what it looks like...

from this art:

"Winter"
i am artist of the month for December at their website and absolutely love all the cool, edgy, snarky and beautiful designs they make over there - please check them out!

i also had to add this amazing song...can't download this yet in the US - RATS!!
(thanks to the amazing artist Danielle Barlow who had it on her blog...)

Illustration Friday - Entangled

2009-11-30T16:42:00.002-05:00

there are many ways we can become entangled - and many of us are in one way or another...

Illustration Friday - Music

2009-11-23T08:52:00.006-05:00

this was a quick sketch - i love the music that comes from such small things..it's available on etsy...click here

Illustration Friday - Unbalanced

2009-11-13T09:42:00.003-05:00

wow. it's soooo nice to be pulling the watercolors back out...so nice to just have this pan with the paint squeezed right on every few months or so, not worrying about it drying out, not cleaning up much and so forth... instead of acrylic which i've been working on the past few weeks for a show...continually squeezing the paints out, cleaning the brushes, squeezing more paint out, cleaning more brushes... can you imagine?? where is my assistant to do this stuff?? yeah, go ahead...call me the Queen of sloth...i can take it.

ok back to Illustration Friday's word of the week - Unbalanced. I had started this painting for my Oracle card deck a little while ago to represent Fertility but i thought it also went well with unbalanced. And since i'm constantly doing the OPPOSITE of Illustration Friday words, i'm sticking to that theme. At first glance a pregnant woman looks all sorts of unbalanced...but the body is an amazing thing. It adapts. Frankly i felt like a swan when i was pregnant - magestic, plump, important. Balanced. i was definitely one of those crazies that loved being preg.

Illustration Friday - Blur

2009-11-07T12:28:00.004-05:00

this is a take off of one of my earlier illustrations called "Breezy" - it's designed to be an embroidery patch for the very cool Urban Threads - please take a look at some of their designs... - this image represents Winter and i will hopefully be making the other seasons to go along with it (spring is already in the makings - think "cherry blossoms"!)...i'm thinking the hair blowing around her lends itself to the word "blur"...

Illustration Friday - Skinny

2009-11-01T20:56:00.003-05:00

Mucha's woman were not skinny...they were what we now call plump in many instances - greek sculptors, DaVinci, on up to Rueben, Klimt, and Manet and so forth...all were inspired by plump models...when did it change? why did it change? Men's ideal bodies have pretty much stayed the same over time...You can look at male movie stars' and at male models' bodies and most resemble Michaelangelo's the David (which Michaelangelo modeled after the perfect male form in his mind - which i must confess is hard to argue with - but why do i think that???)...how do we figure out what is attractive and what is not? these things fascinate me...and i don't know why.

Anyway, this girl is not skinny. But i think she's beautiful in her way.

Illustration Friday - Fast

2009-10-23T10:27:00.005-04:00

this is an older illustration but, since i am WAY behind in what i must get done (art-wise AND life-wise) i thought it wouldn't be TOO terrible to re-use it for Illustration Friday's word today - FAST. i think her hair and hood is moving fast in the sharp wind. Yep, and i'm sticking with it. i'm going to try to work on something else for this because it is a great word to illustrate. And anyone who actually follows this blog knows that's a load of crap since i say that a lot and don't think i've ever come through...oh well...i try...for realz i do...

speaking in code now: if you're here from LTR, Hi - and thanks for stopping! Now hurry back to fanfic!

Bird's Nest

2009-10-19T20:27:00.006-04:00

i love robin's eggs...they are perfect...and i love nests...and i love the idea of finding a golden egg...and i kind of look at my two children as one blue egg and one golden egg and they both change colors from one to the other all the time...i normally paint two eggs but did three this time for balance...

the flat yellow-ish area on the one egg is gold leaf...

this is 20 x 20" acrylic on canvas, ready to hang. I'm trying to get a lot of new work for the Reading Museum's Art of the Craft Show that I will be in Nov. 21 and 22. This is available now for $350. Thanks always for looking, xxoo
here's a link to the show: my cherry blossom girl (painting) is on the postcard - she is somewhere in Arizona now, lucky girl!
Museum Show

ooh it's so fun to "link" again!

Illustration Friday - not quite FLYING but soon

2009-10-12T15:13:00.004-04:00

i haven't done a peacock tree in ages so this felt good to do. i wanted to design something for the Oracle card deck i'm making for the back of each card. I couldn't imagine anything else but this tree and so painted away...

as for how it pertains to Illustration Friday (word this week is Flying) - i think it should really be called "Pre-flying" - or "Potential" or "Hope"...i guess this illo could actually mean many things...any thoughts? i'd love to know what you think...

Illustration Friday Update - Pattern

2009-09-29T22:01:00.003-04:00

here is my patterned aura/halo goddess/angel (trying to be politically correct here) updated in color...(had to make a new post because IF wouldn't let me re-post as an updated post...sigh)

Illustration Friday - Pattern

2009-09-27T22:08:00.005-04:00

i wanted to do another Klimt-y type pattern again and this week's word sort of pushed me in that direction - it shows up in her halo or aura...

this is the first installment - black and white - i'll paint her tomorrow...

The Wish Dish

2009-09-27T09:34:00.004-04:00

this is what it started out as - the wish dish - but that's too corny. What i really had in mind was a dish you could look into that would tell you the future...wouldn't that be awesome?

anyway, it's been like a hundred years since i posted last and if you noticed that, sorry for the mini break...i seemed to hit a wall there...

Illustration Friday - Strong

2009-09-06T23:59:00.003-04:00

this girl is not just strong. she will kick your ass.

So here's how the conversation between me and my 12-year-old went yesterday...

me: i need to get a reference of that popular war poster...you know, it has a lady on it and she's rolling up her sleeves and...i want to modernize her...i can't seem to find it anywhere online - i don't know what the heck to call it...

12-year-old: (look of incredulity on face) oh you mean the "we can do it" poster with Rosie the Riveter on it?

So i look up "we can do it" and like 8,000 of said poster shows up.

i have been in denial about this but it's official - my 12-year-old is cooler and smarter than me.

On another note: tomorrow is Labor Day here in the States and i want to say i hope you like your country (whichever it might be) as much as i like mine - because even though there are a few morons running around spewing vitriol, it's still a very cool place to be.

Illustration Friday - Magnify

2009-08-30T23:20:00.005-04:00

mermaid's allure magnified underwater...hmmmmm....i was thinking of the delirious and dehydrated sailors that would "see" the mermaids when i made this...

Contest Winner! Thank you so much for all your comments last week and congrats to Loni Edwards who's name was picked from a baseball cap by my daughter - you've won the Queen of Hearts print - please contact me with an address and i'll mail it out this week...(i'll have pics soon of the actual name picking process - i'm just a little behind due to a minor but painful injury - and no i was not bitten by a horse like my friend she-who-must-not-be-named)

Illustration Friday - Caution - and a Contest Giveaway

2009-08-20T19:22:00.007-04:00

i had posted this last night but felt it sort of fits with "caution". i was thinking about how the ancient Greeks thought our lives hung from a thread and that the gods had the power to snip that thread at any time - and that is not too shocking a concept to grasp...that life is delicate, unpredictable, fragile and should be appreciated every moment, even the sad broken moments...this young muse is holding someone's life by a thread, maybe it's her own. Should she use caution?

Anyways, today is my Blog's 3rd year anniversary!! I'd like to thank all who've come in to look, lurk, and comment by giving away a giclee of the Queen of Hearts...

please leave a comment on this post and then next Friday, August 28, 2009 i'll place all your names in a hat and choose a winner - wheeeee fun times in Adrienne Blogland!! xoxoxo

Illustration Friday - Impatience

2009-08-07T16:37:00.006-04:00

it's funny. i have this idea in the back of my head...what would a certain person look like IF they were a vampire? and i set out to try to paint this. and can't. the girl never is pretty enough. so i move on. on to possibly my next and last queen? the one i haven't done yet - queen of diamonds? and then i see this great photo of a famous actress all goddessed up and i think, that's it - the next queen will be a goddess (which originally in my head was going to be India Indian) and so i start drawing...three tries until i get what leads to the final painting - "what if Bella was a vampire when she went to the prom" - yep. that's the way i go...carefully thought out and planned. never. Well anyway, i'm happy with it. this looks so much better hi rez. (Must speak in code now...the fog in the background is Forks fog)

but on to Illustration Friday... as far as vampires go they are most likely a little more impatient than humans - i know i would be the most impatient vampire alive/dead because i'm pretty impatient in human form. thank you all for being patient enough to read this far...i'll stop now...

Illustration Friday - Modify

2009-08-02T23:00:00.003-04:00

"Go Ask Steampunk Alice"

too corny? well, ok - you're probably right but...i said a few posts back that i'm not that clever and am sticking to that... HOWEVER...this Alice inspires me a bit - she has definitely been modified...not just by Steampunk but by attitude - i'm thinking she just may not drink that "drink me" drink...

Illustration Friday - Idle

2009-07-24T15:12:00.004-04:00

i'll admit at first, i was just going to talk about how "idle" i have been - because it's summer and my girls are home with me, i haven't gotten a whole lot of art done - and i really need to since i've actually now signed a contract to make art for a very specific project (more on that later) and yet...it's been hard to concentrate with the haze of summer and the distractions all around...however, no more "IDLE"ness up here in the house...

so here's my Idle lady...possibly she is not idle at all...perhaps she is the opposite...

which brings me to my latest fixation - Steampunk...yes this has been around since the 80's but i have always been one to jump on the bandwagon well after it has passed so here i am...my amazing friend, talented artist and sometimes muse, Amy Weber, has been making steampunk art for quite some time (please check it out) - i have one of her steampunk crow paintings that another amazing friend, talented artist and jeweler - Stacey Maddock - gave to me as a gift. This painting is something i stare at literally everyday...and a year later it has finally sunk in...steampunk has pretty much been situated in my brain for quite some time waiting to come out...i have so many ideas!! hopefully i can stop being "idle" (groan) and get them all out...

Illustration Friday - Tango

2009-07-22T23:06:00.004-04:00

I guess better late than never...

(anyways, my blog's 3rd birthday is coming up and i'll be handing out prizes...more news on that as i post...)

Some times we all need a little Strength

2009-07-12T22:34:00.004-04:00

i don't know...she looks strong enough right?

i'm working on another painting...about going in to a sphere - it's where i go now, you know, instead of that OTHER place...the one where you actually DEAL with things...working on that in my head right now...

Illustration Friday - Shaky

2009-07-03T23:12:00.004-04:00

ok, i think the only way this is "shaky" is the direction this whole image went - i started out with a delicate line drawing and was picturing lovely clouds and blues greys and greens and then all of sudden she's standing just above h-e-double toothpicks (as my daughters say). And honestly i like that whole idea - that she's guarding the entrance there or not letting people out or not letting people in or contemplating whether to go in?? i don't know, it's all shaky.

Illustration Friday - Worn

2009-06-29T08:54:00.006-04:00

IF word of the week is "Worn" - i was thinking literally about this...about things people wore. i've always been amazed by corsets and why people (because some men did) wore them. and still do. Crazy. All in the name of fashion.

i was trying for a "saloon" look with this young lady, possibly even a little steam punk but it's not quite there...need some metal and ruffles...

Illustration Friday - Drifting

2009-06-19T09:16:00.004-04:00

The Hudson drifts behind her...

wow. Two cool words in a row...this week's Illustration Friday word is "drifting"...i kind of feel like i've been doing that myself this whole week - drifting in and out of real world vs. book world. I read The Good Life by Jay McInerney - mostly about what happened to relationships after the twin towers came down. I'm stating the obvious but many New Yorkers (as well as out of towners) were drifting around like ghosts after this happened. Many knew people that were lost, many were almost lost. On my trips to NYC right after this happened i watched the New Yorkers, their sleek urban veneer still intact yet their hearts visibly damaged. You could feel it. I will never forget it. Even as time drifts passed this terrible event.

My young woman (influenced by Tamara deLempicka) is hopeful about going back into the city, damaged heart and all.

Oh what a great word. Maybe it applies to me this week more than the actual illustration. Maybe i'll try to do one that is more apparent. i think i visualize it already.

Illustration Friday - Unfold

2009-06-13T14:58:00.007-04:00

Lyra and Iorek

Unfold. Finally a word that really evokes meaning for me. Illustration Friday has been a challenge most of the time for me because i'm not very clever and many of the Illustration Friday words just made me almost give up. But that's the idea, right? To get your mind to work? I didn't really have to work on this one - in fact i think it has been a theme i've been concentrating on since December. To unfold. Unfolding.

That's what a great writer does. That's what Philip Pullman did with His Dark Materials Trilogy. The story was in his head and it unfolded. Into a miracle. Yes i really feel that way. Never have i wanted to be a character in a story more than Lyra Belacqua. What is Lyra's life like now? How has her life unfolded? i think of these kinds of things...thank you Mr. Pullman.

i love this word so much i might try to do more than one...might is key though.

Illustration Friday - Craving

2009-06-08T22:50:00.004-04:00

this is kinda corny but let's face it, what do most people crave? why, heart-shaped rubies of course! Ok, not that...we crave love love love...

the tattoo on her left arm was inspired by Mike Tyson's face tattoo - how many people can say they were artistically inspired by Mike Tyson today?

Illustration Friday - Adapt

2009-05-29T12:18:00.004-04:00

i guess there isn't a group much better at adapting to their surroundings than gypsies...i just learned the original gypsies were displaced Egyptians (that is Isis behind her) and that many of the ladies were trained in "magic"...hmmmmmmm love that....

Illustration Friday - Cracked

2009-05-26T15:03:00.004-04:00

the Illustration Friday word this week is "cracked" but i think i'm going to name this "the guardian"...

Illustration Friday - Contagious

2009-05-17T18:42:00.004-04:00

Happiness is contagious. So is melancholia. I think this young woman is making me feel both.

Small Acrylics

2009-05-15T09:05:00.004-04:00

i'm posting a few small (10x10") acrylics on canvas that i did in the last few days...i scanned these in so the sides were a little cut off - sorry about that -

BumbleSpike - Spike from the Humane Society of Berks County

http://www.berkshumane.org/events/events_pints.asp

A Good Sign

The Main Man

Immaculata Art Show - May 9-17, 2009

2009-05-07T10:51:00.005-04:00

UPDATE: as of 5/19 sold five paintings and five prints - woo hooo - in this economy right now i can't tell you how thankful i am to be selling!

WOW! Very excited about the upcoming Immaculata Art Show that i was invited to participate in - Preview starts this Friday and i will try to take pics...also excited about the fabulous invitations they sent out to their patrons - one of my paintings is featured on the invite...here is a link to the show - Immaculata Art Show

that's me in the spotlight (painting in the middle)!

List of artists (you can't really see names but can if you go to the show's website - just wanted to show you the amount of peeps involved)

on a different note, i want to give a shout out to Bekah for introducing me to her friends Paper Route and their great music - xoxo!

Illustration Friday - Theater

2009-04-27T21:17:00.004-04:00

i am a teensy bit obsessed with geisha stuff so this might seem like a stretch but i definitely thought this painting was very relevant to the illustration friday theme...i mean: costume, make-up, painted set in the background, drama...Theater!

Sending the Messenger

2009-04-27T09:36:00.006-04:00

Sending the Messenger

go, dear friend.
send this message to him.
wait as his hand opens,
then land gently there.
don't leave until my love is
everywhere.

look into his face and
breathe it out slowly -
nothing is more important.
make sure he knows
as you tell him so,
that his light is the color that
painted your wings.
that he is the reason
i make many things.
he is the reason
everyone sings.

The Fate of a Woman

2009-04-25T20:32:00.004-04:00

Poor Guinnevere. She kind of HAD to marry King Arthur. Which is kind of like saying you HAD to marry Edward Cullen or Brad Pitt. Nevertheless, her heart was meant for Lancelot. Thus igniting the downward spiral of Camelot. Off to the nunnery with you. Thankfully Henry VIII wasn't her spouse because we all know how that would have ended.

Marilyn

2009-04-23T15:31:00.003-04:00

a commission of one of my favorite icons

Illustration Friday - "Impossibility" AND Happy Birthday Stacey!

2009-04-18T22:14:00.003-04:00

ok, i'm thinking this is self-explanatory, hmmmm? (Illustration Friday word of the week - Impossibility)

i painted a similar Skelly Diva on a canvas tote for my dear friend Stacey (a big fan of skeletons) a while ago and just painted this on watercolor paper to send to her for her birthday...

Illustration Friday - Fleeting

2009-04-14T11:29:00.005-04:00

my dear friend Tami was here yesterday and we were drawing and chatting - she was drawing a lovely woman under the cherry blossoms and DING! i was like, well, i must steal that for fleeting because, after all, cherry blossoms ARE fleeting and ARE my favorite flower and tree and so forth so this painting happened...some of it was inspired by a painting done by Mucha...the cherry blossoms are falling down around her already...fleeting...

so we went outside to take pics of my most prized possession in my yard - my scraggy and lopsided cherry blossom tree (Tami called it a Charlie Brown tree which is perfect) lopsided because i refuse to trim it and important because it grows on top of my beloved cat, Jordan, sort of like his crown...anyway, Tami used her new space shuttle camera and i used my old toy pretend camera - here are some pics...go here to see REAL photos of the blossoms...

sadly Tami and sons had to go and i'm already looking forward to the next visit...

Also, thank you so much to David McMahon at Authorblog for this truly amazing shout out - Post of the Day Contender

(Now that i know how to hyperlink, i'll never stop...)