Reminder

I have a show coming up!

Also I wanted to remind you that my blog has moved! Please update your subscription etc. to http://ohmycavalier.blogspot.com/

Changing blogs

Please update your feeds to:
http://ohmycavalier.blogspot.com/

I've decided to make what has been my blog for just sharing drawings into my main blog for everything. For a while I've felt like it's confusing that the blog with the address "oh my cavalier" isn't the one I actually use that much, and I thought it would be easier to find if I have a blog with a name I'm already associated with. Anyway, I've already transfered a lot of the content from this blog to the new one, so hopefully the change will be relatively painless. Right now the posts seem to be all jumbled up in Google Reader, but hopefully that will sort itself out as I update that one more.
I hope you will follow me there!!
xo

Mechanical Animals in Sweet Paul Magazine

Love how my Mechanical Animals are used in this Sweet Paul Magazine feature. To see more flip though Sweet Paul mag online.

Crisp and New

Meet my new camera! I've been unhappy with the quality of my photos for a while, there was always a blurriness, weird color glare, and whatnot. I had this fear though of spending a bunch of money on a camera that may be too complicated for me to use, but I've become fed up enough to get past that. It's high time I started taking the pictures I actually want to take! And you know these days you can get cameras that are beginner friendly and still take amazing photos. I settled on the Nikon D3100 and so far it's love.

(Speaking of beautiful photos, that second picture is a page from my latest cookbook acquisition Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights by Sophie Dahl. I can't wait to make everything in it!)

Snow Crystals

We are well and truly into the darkest month now and I'm feeling it. (I know I'm not the only one ether). It's that time of year when I don't feel inspired by anything, the things I usually love don't interest me, and motivation pretty much disappears. I feel dissatisfied with all my clothes, etc.
Luckily I know this feeling will go away with the first for-real spring day and something unexpected will stir up inspiration again, I just have to be patient....

(I can't wait to be able to show you some inside pages of what I've been working on lately, hopefully soon!

In the mean time I've added two new prints to my store!)

Stumptown Show

I mentioned a few posts ago about having a show at a Stumptown coffee shop here in Portland. Well the show is up now and I hope that if you live in the area you will stop by and check it out!
It's up until the end of the month at 3356 SE Belmont St.

Reading Material

I've been at a loss for what to read lately, I just couldn't get into anything for some reason, but then I walked into the bookstore this weekend and there was a brand new novel by one of my favorite writers! Problem solved! Well sort of, I hardly seem to have time for reading lately, just a few minutes in the morning. I don't mind, things I'm working on lately are pretty exciting and a lot of fun.

To see a peek of one of the things that's been keeping me busy go to Sharon Montrose's blog. More to come on this you can be sure:)

Lately

I found this book at the library's book sale last year, I love the vivid color of those strawberries.

-I've put a few prints in my store on sale over this weekend. I want to make some room for new prints so after this weekend the sale prints won't be available anymore!
-I've just got a Pinterest. . I was skeptical at first because do I really need another thing? But I like it quite a bit, it's much handier than Tumblr for organizing inspiring images for specific projects.
-I like that I can now explore art museums I've never been to (even if I'd rather be there in person.)
-This is fun site where artists share recipes via drawings

My Tools

These are the tools I use ever day.

Gettaway

Aradan & I took a quick trip to the coast last week. It was warm and there was some sun, we drank champagne on the beach, went hiking though huge trees, got delicious baked goods, it was bliss. I definitely have the winter blahs right now and any change of routine feels wonderful.

ETA9

I just sent these pieces off to Nahcotta Gallery in NH for their 9th Enormous Tiny Art Show. If you can't make it in person they are available to buy on their website.

More Gift Cards

I've just added four new sets of gift cards to my store AND to my shop. These have been so much fun to design, it's hard to not go crazy and order more and more stamps. Hopefully they do well, for now it's just these 5 sets.

Lady Slipper

I couldn't help buying one of these beautiful orchids the other day, I'm ready for spring!

Valentine

I'm trying a new thing in my shop: hand stamped tiny gift cards. This first one is a Valentine. They come 6 to a box, with 6 glassine envelopes (they look like tracing paper). I'm pretty excited, they are frankly darling in their little box, and I love having stamps made! I have several other designs that I hope to have in the shop soon, as usual everything takes me longer than I think it will!

For an upcoming show

I have a show in Feb. at the Stumptown coffee shop on Belmont here in Portland. All the rain has been great for staying inside and drawing.

Good for What Ails You

I don't think I've ever posted these? at one point last spring I decided I was going to make a few quick semi-sequential little zines, but of course it ended up taking way longer than I had meant and I moved on to other things. I still like some of these drawings though, and the covers.

Seen From A Train

A few of my favorite shots taken from the train on our ride across the country last week. From some reason the middle one reminds me so much of this Bruegel painting, I think it's the colors and the grouping of trees in the middle.

Family Quilt Show

A piece and a photo from the opening from 3rd Annual Family Quilt Show at Together Gallery, it's up from Jan. 8th - Feb 1st 2011

I'll be back soon with more photos and drawings. January is going to be so busy but I'm currently trying to get organized and start the year off right. This is the year I get my finances in order & the business side of my business streamlined so I have more time for actual drawing. I'm also starting an apartment hunt!

Summing things up

I can honestly say 2010 was one of the best years of my life! It had its ups & downs, of course, but the overall trend was toward the wonderful.
Some highlights of this year in no particular order were: visiting the giant redwoods, discovering Broder, meeting lovely & amazing people, making preserved lemons, getting my work published in magazines, discovering pink apples, falling in love, having shows to work for constantly, Little Winter, swimming at Trillium Lake, & running away to the coast with Sarah. There were so many late nights with friends, drinking champagne and laughing, music, & delicious food, adventures, & pretty much everything I could want from a year!

In a few days I’m going to be getting on a train to go back to Portland, so I’m wishing you happy, healthy, and productive New Year! I can’t wait to see what 2011 holds!

Plans

Work wise this has been a fantastic year! The best ever actually and I feel so lucky and grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way. Well, I’ve been lucky yes, but I’ve also worked harder than ever before and it has paid off. So now I’m thinking about goals and ideas for the upcoming year, and what I’d like to accomplish, which is always fun. Here are some goals for this 2011:

In general I’d like to do things more purposefully. I’d like to have actual goals for each week/month rather than vague goals.

I’d like to collaborate with a ceramicist, jeweler, textile artist, letterpress printer, or filmmaker.

I’d like to design a logo and/or label for a tea company. (specific I know, I just think it would be fun)

I want to peruse illustrations jobs.

I need to buy a new computer and I'd like to get a new camera.

I'd really like to have more two or three person shows.

I'd like to really figure out and refine the retail part of my business and decided how much a priority I'd like it to be.

...I'll probably be adding to this list in the coming weeks.