It's Painted :)

I have finished painting my newest work and posted it on my website.
I hope that everyone likes it...

Anyway, it is now Friday! This means I have two whole days following tonight to work more on my Portfolio- ahh, the never-ending challenge!

I am excited because I may be getting a bit of money from some work that may afford me a spot on childrenillustrator.com... which in turn, hopefully, will get me more work, and possibly, more people visiting my website.

In any case, I am excited, too, because I have been seeing so many inspiring pieces on Flickr and JacketFlap. I really appreciate the Art Community... these websites are so helpful... I wonder how illustration worked before the computer?? I'm sure it was much more challenging and daunting for artists wanting to get their foot in the door.

Well, cheers!

More rain this weekend, too, which is more incentive to stay home and paint!

New Painting Planned

Well, after two days of going between partial resident forms for both Oregon and California, as well as my 1040 for Federal Taxes... (along with some self employment docs)... I finally finished my taxes and can mail them tomorrow. I know it's a little late, but at least it isn't actually late.

So, after this, I pulled out the sketch I had been trying to finalize and made it "ready for paint." I still need to tweak a few things, but I am pretty happy with how it looks at the moment. I am already planning my "steps" to paint it. I have started using masking fluid to my advantage. As well as permanent masking fluid which I can mix with a color (or paint over the image after) so that it becomes permanent.

I also realized just now that the Illustration Friday is just around the corner!
Depending on tomorrow, I will either save this for the weekend and try to plan out something for Friday's theme, or just skip this week's yet again.
(I wonder if that's bad? Maybe I need to not be a member of that group on Flickr? I hope that isn't annoying.)

I have also been going through artist's sites and taking note of who their agents/reps are so I can take a look at what sort of art they like to represent. I have a few I would like to think more on and then possibly, send something out to one of them. (I think this sort of thing is best to do one at a time).

Well, I am going to post the work-in-progress.
Cheers! Have a lovely night!

Finished!

I finished my painting!
I will go ahead and post it here, too.



I already have another painting planned to work on tonight and tomorrow. I hope that I will be financially prepared to start sending out submissions soon!

On a different note, Josh and I went downtown for a little while with our friend Mike Getsiv. I had never been to the art store Utrecht. It's pretty nice! It reminds me of my ol' art store, Art Supply Warehouse in Westminster, CA, but it still doesn't have quite the variety as ASW...or the prices! I miss the people, too!

It was nice to see some sun today and I did notice there are more flowers blooming now! I think Spring really is stepping forward to take over!
:)
Lovely!

So far a nice and productive weekend...

Work in Progress

Well, I decided against a painting that I was working on and before re-working it (which I had every intention)I felt inspired to draw something new.

I hope that this weekend will give me some time to spend time on it and paint it so I can post it soon.

I don't think this week's Illustration Friday will happen for me... but hopefully I can start that next week.  (I feel bummed about that, but I joined the group on Flickr yesterday).

Anyway, thank you for visiting. :)

Spring News

Hello again,
I am still at my day job, but on my last break. I just visited JacketFlap and saw all the new blogs commenting on the coming of Spring!
This morning I noticed on my calendar that tomorrow is officially when "Spring begins" and I look out my window to see... gray skys and small showers of light rainfall. Such is the weather of Portland! However, I love it here and wouldn't ask for it any other way... I think moving from California made me spoiled when it came to warm, sunny weather, and now I adore any cold, rainy seasons. I am ready for some flowers though!

Back to work... I am in the middle of a painting which I hope to finish tonight, but only time will tell. I did manage to join the Flickr group for Illustration Friday so I hope I can do this week's, but otherwise, I may start up with next weeks (since I just joined yesterday).
Thanks for visiting my blog! I linked this title with my website, since I finally purchased my own url.
Cheers!

JacketFlap.com

Hello again!

I have been obsessively looking at Jacket Flap since I was reminded of it by Susan Boase at the Gala Celebration this past weekend.  Every time I see someone I admire, I see who they are friends with and find more and more beautiful, inspiring, wonderful art!! 

I am still learning how to navigate the site and do not quite know how to make my own blog more publicized, if that's even possible, but I hope that I will learn more insights by reading up on blogs and staying inspired.  :)

It's amazing how many talented people there are in the world!

I think I will just have to go paint something now!!! 

A long weekend

I am on break at my day job right now and remembering what a long, long, weekend I just had!
Friday right after work, I attended the SCBWI Gala Celebration at Barnes and Noble (see previous post). Then Saturday, I got up early and painted some new paintings (one of which I discarded after I finished it- there were too many problems with it). Around 11 to 12 p.m. I helped my fiance and worked until 4 a.m.. Sunday we were both up at 9 to finish working... I didn't get to bed last night until 10:30 p.m. I feel pretty wiped out.
I also feel good that I worked.
Tonight I will be trying to research ways of networking and getting my website more known.
Anyone have any advice or experience on childrensillustrator.com?
I have heard a professionals opinion on picture-book.com and wondered whether this site is any good? I am tempted to use it simply for the fact that it may put my site in the view of people/clients/artists/etc.
Breaks is over.
Happy Monday!

SCBWI Gala Celebration March 13, 2009

I am happy to say that I was able to meet some very successful and talented writers and illustrators last night at the SCBWI Celebration at Barnes and Noble at the Clackamas Town Center.  Although Josh and I got completely lost on our way (we are still learning how to navigate around some of the areas of Portland) we managed to arrive a little after 5 p.m.

The other talents who were at the event include:

Joni Akins, Carmen T. Bernier-Grand(is a sweet woman who was incredibly friendly!!!), Susan Blackaby, Susan Boase(very talented and nice- I was lucky to ask her for some advice on Picture-Book.com), Addie Boswell, Carolyn Digby  Conahan(I wanted to meet her so badly but did not manage to push way through), Ruth Tenzer Feldman, Christine Fletcher, Susan Fletcher, Heather Vogel Frederick(I wish I could have asked her about Spy Mice... I am amazed at her stories on her blog about her life growing up), Julie Haggerty, April Henry, Deborah Hopkinson(who has a great online interview on Reading Rocket that I viewed recently), Ellen Howard, Robin Koontz(is one of the nicest, funny, down to earth people ever! She made both Josh and I crack up and I think I could've talked to her the whole night), Susan Allen and Jane Lindaman(Jane was so nice and approached me and after looking at her book, I cannot imagine how patient and thoughtful she must be! How hard it must be to create short sentences packed with so much depth!), Anne Osterlund(who apparently has mastered school visits!  She had some interesting ideas using games and getting the kids involved), Rosanne Parry, Lori Ries, Elizabeth Rusch(I met briefly but jammed up- I should have told her how impressive a Day Without Crayons was... she has adorable children), Sara Ryan, Lisa Schroeder, Johanna Wright(who brought a copy of Secret Circus- it is so beautiful!!!), Annette Gulati, David Ward(who Josh initiated conversation with on the covers of his books, etc... apparently he is from Canada and published in Italy as well!  Crazy cool), Virginia Euwer Wolff and Linda Zuckerman (I was very nervous to meet her, but had to shake her hand).

I was very thankful to be able to get some advice and encouragement!!  It was also nice to be able to thank Robin Koontz in person for inviting me to the event!

I also sold a book to a lady named Valerie and was happy to be able to give some advice on illustration.  I should have mentioned Josh's podcast, Big Illustration Party Time!  If she emails me, or reads this, hopefully, she will download an episode off TalkShoe.  (I have a link to it in a previous post, or on the side with my other links).

Today I am continuing to expand my portfolio!  

Thank you for visiting!

A Few More...

I have been consistently making more new paintings, some of them smaller or more like character sketches, but I am going to keep them coming. I have two more I drew out last night that I will try and have up tonight as well.
Again, to view, please scroll down to the link just below my BIO to MYWEBSITE.
They are under the Portfolio or Other Works section.

I did remove a few and tried to re-arrange them. I'm sure by the end of the month, it will look pretty different.
Hope the changes are good.
Thanks for visiting.

Last painting for this weekend...

I finished another small painting titled THE STREETLAMP which can be viewed on my website.

To view click on Portfolio/Other Work after accessing my website, which is linked below my profile info as MY WEBSITE!

I will keep it coming!