When I discovered fellow illustrator, Washingtonian Kevan Atteberry, had embarked on a monster-a-day illustration challenge the same time I was doing a bird-a-day on my own illustration blog, a plot was hatched to play guest illustrators for each other one day during the month. It’s a way of connecting illustration through social media, a creative exchange made easier with all our network platforms. It also gave us a break from our own self-imposed subjects!
I love the benevolence of Kevan’s monsters. From snaggle fang to pointed tail, they are truly weird and wonderful, yet clearly soft-hearted creations.
So here is Kevan's delightful feathered friend! For more of Kevan's work, and for a look at my monster part of the deal, please go here to Kevan's Facebook page:
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| What Kevan said about the process: "When Claudia approached me about a "daily feature" swap, I was intrigued. She was doing a "Bird-a-Day", and I was doing an October Monster-A-Day; just like I did last year. It is a practice in discipline for me - as well as a way to exercise my creative chops. Although some mornings I was/am certain the well has run dry. I am enamored with Claudia's scratchboard technique and a birder for the past 40 years, so my answer to her was "Yeah! Let's do it!" So today, the 24th of October, here is my bird. An unidentified species with a taste for demon bugs." |
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Guest Illustrator for Bird-a-day!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Hands-on Book Festival
Tuesday, October 23, I will be sharing illustration and book art tid-bits with
200 Des Moines, Iowa children at the Des Moines Public Library for the
Rotary Club sponsored Wonder of Words Hands-on Book Festival.
Author Sarah Prineas will also be there.
Plenty of scratching will be going on!
For more information, see
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| Birdies 16, 17 and 18 enjoy a story-telling cat |
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Blue Jay and Sumac
The understory at Hickory Hill park was aflame with red sumac last week. Several blue jays were flying and hopping around in them. The contrast was stunning. Inspiration for Bird Number 15.
Monday, October 15, 2012
How to scratch a magpie
Big news from the studio! A short demonstration video has been produced, giving you a glimpse of my process at the drawing board. I'll post it permanently later on the side later, but for now...
Thank you Charlie, father-in-law extraordinaire, for perfect lighting, all around camera and production expertise and shared enthusiasm for art and birds, angry or otherwise. Please visit his website of stunning photography.
www.charlesmcgehee.com
Saturday, October 13, 2012
A fellow Etsy artist just created these lovely origami cranes with my wrapping paper. Please check out her other works of paper art. I'm calling these birds 12 and 13!
Thank you, Nancy!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/112055338/prairie-christmas-ornament-peace-crane
Thank you, Nancy!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/112055338/prairie-christmas-ornament-peace-crane
Friday, October 12, 2012
No. 11, Downy Street
This is a collage experiment using natural materials. Downy woodpeckers often crawl up and down our river birch, seeking out their insect dinners. I scanned some of the peeled bark and layered my illustration on top. Hmmm. The effect is kind of cartoon-ish, although the texture of the bark is quite cool!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Blackbirds, stitched and scratched
Today I post of birds in other's art. I love seeing birds as inspiration in different mediums, different styles, different eras, even different millenia!
Even though I can hardly mend a sock, I love textiles and know so many gifted quilters and weavers and knitters. When looking through art history, I admire in the older quilts a certain palette that speaks to me of comfort in nature.
On a trip to New York once, I visited the American Folk Art Museum. Their textile collection is stellar. Quilts bear out stories thread by thread, generation to generation, bird by bird. Here's an image from a quilt made between 1858-1863, by an unidentified artist who lived in the vicinity of Albany, New York. This quilt is entitled "Bird of Paradise", for the flamboyantly feathered guy in the center of the piece. My eyes are drawn to the more pedestrian black birds tending to their nest.
I reached into my archive and also share my world's version of the same muse. Bird number Ten.
www.folkartmuseum.org
Even though I can hardly mend a sock, I love textiles and know so many gifted quilters and weavers and knitters. When looking through art history, I admire in the older quilts a certain palette that speaks to me of comfort in nature.
On a trip to New York once, I visited the American Folk Art Museum. Their textile collection is stellar. Quilts bear out stories thread by thread, generation to generation, bird by bird. Here's an image from a quilt made between 1858-1863, by an unidentified artist who lived in the vicinity of Albany, New York. This quilt is entitled "Bird of Paradise", for the flamboyantly feathered guy in the center of the piece. My eyes are drawn to the more pedestrian black birds tending to their nest.
I reached into my archive and also share my world's version of the same muse. Bird number Ten.
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