My! What a big trash can of sketches you have!

It seems like I posted Reggie the homing pigeon weeks ago! Since then I have crumpled up one sketch after another. Remember all those great inspiring ideas I had during camp? Well, since I couldn't paint all those weeks I completed the paintings in my head, and I should have remembered that once I have completed an illustration in my head, it refuses to come out on paper.

So I went in a completely different direction. I love golden age illustration and I love the classic fairy tales, so I decided to illustrate Little Red Riding Hood by the Brothers Grimm.

This drawing was really difficult. I erased and erased. I wanted the wolf to look monstrous, but I didn't know if he should be sitting or standing, paw out, or paw down. So I tried them all. This is my first illustration with a child in it, so I had to work to make her look right. I made Casey stand and hold flowers behind his back. We argued over the size and length of her arms and all sorts of other things. I had to remind Casey that even though he was my model, that a little girl's body was much different than his :) He did help me eventually get her right.

I also wanted to include the surroundings from the story: dense woods, a strawberry patch, big white daisies and a path to grandma's house.

The drawing finally came together after 3 days of working on it a couple hours at a time. I took the drawing into Choice Printing to get it scanned because it was too big for my scanner. Today I finished the painting, but I will have to post it later after I get it re-scanned in town.

Reggie the Homing Pigeon

Yesterday was the first day I had time to paint after 2 months of directing camp, travel and summer activities. I was so anxious to start and am still anxious to paint the 7 other ideas that have been floating around in the back of my mind!

Earlier this summer, on the first day of Jr high camp a homing pigeon arrived with a storm.  He had two little bands around his legs and the Sheriff said he probably needed a rest and would be on his way soon. Sure enough, 5 days later with the next storm he took off. He was a friendly little bird, and Casey named him Reggie.

One of the cool things about Reggie is that he shimmers! My friend Sara passed on a Daniel Smith watercolor sample sheet and I was excited to find Iridescent Sapphire and and Duochrome Cabo Blue to make his neck feathers show off like a real pigeon. I also used Pearlescent Shimmer over my red paint on the postage stamp to tie it all together. He is perched on our mail box with the rolling hills of Iowa behind him.

Art Reception at Lotus Moments

My first art reception was a success, thanks to the friends and family who helped buy and prepare food, several bouquets of flowers sent from my Mom and Dad in Oregon, a surprise visit from my little sister, many friends who came and the beautiful space provided by Lotus Moments.
I am so pleased to announce that I sold 10 pieces of art work - way beyond what I expected - and received a couple commissions to complete before Christmas. I was so encouraged by everyone who came :)