Progress?

I have been swamped with quite a variety of things since posting back in June: kitten time, health issues, home challenges, and to top it off the upcoming sale of our family’s coastal home in September. The book progress has been at a standstill as I attempt to get through theses different tasks. I’m horrible at multitasking. If the energy isn’t there for art, I don’t seem to be able to pull it together like I used to. Maybe it’s due to the drug combinations and stress levels. Anyway, I’m glad to report some progress on Rebecca’s book.

I find it difficult to capture what I’m seeing in my brain, combined with long breaks, and a cohesive piece isn’t quite emerging yet. By the end of this week, I hope to finish. Famous last words uttered weekly over the past several months! Don’t hold your breath or you’ll turn blue!

On a side note, the kittens just passed the 5 month mark. Both are already in estrus. Spaying at the end of August . Oh, how time moves quickly and yet so slow.

Watercolor, colored pencils, micron pen, pencil.

Kittens on the brain

I think it’s official. Two sisters will be joining our house in a month!shadow

smoke

Que the ohhhs and awwwws! Can they be any cuter? The whole litter is beautiful and not a single one looks like their mother, which was kind of sad because I adore tuxedo kitties.

Current names are Shadow and Smoke, but those will change once we learn who they really are. Guess I won’t be able to use Humphrey on this batch. That name is waiting for an orange tabby….

Kitten proofing the house has begun. The terror of two …. I think I need my brain examined!

Have a great weekend!

 

 

Backyard Wildlife Book

Backyard Wildlife Cover_geverettstudio2018

Backyard Wildlife Cover_page_geverettstudio2018

Backyard Wildlife Page_geverettstudio2018

Today, the start of my book titled “Backyard Wildlife” was packed up and sent to Minnesota for the next addition of artwork! Horray!!!!

Concertina Book Collaboration 2018!

Background: The group was formed through blogging. (Yes, there really can be some cool connections made through blogs!) The first book collaboration started in 2015. It included 4 artists (2 from Australia, 2 from USA). Each artist started their own book, filling a page spread and a bit more. After adding art, it was forwarded to the next group member, where they would add a page spread, until everyone had completed work in each books.

2018: The participants total 5 this year! The additional artist lives in Sweden and we all love her work! We agreed to create a specific sized Concertina Book for this round. 10 pages in each book (210 x 150 mm) to make 5 spreads, one for each participant.

About my book, Backyard Wildlife: The paper used was Arches 300gm watercolor. All images were started in pencil then watercolor, colored pencil, and micron pens. The book cover was created using the same watercolor paper, a hand carved block stamp, archival ink and lots of watercolor. The subjects reflect a small selection of wildlife seen from March through April in my backyard. We have almost daily visits from numerous Black-tailed Deer in the far back, including several bucks of different ages and pregnant does with last year’s fawns still hanging around. At the bird feeder, Black-capped Chickadee’s take advantage of everything we offer. Audubon’s Yellow-Rumped Warbler especially loved the suet during winter months and were sighted often until the end of April. Dandelions are an early blooming plant that draws the native bumble bees. Cotton tailed bunnies are year round residents.

I already have the second book resting above my worktable waiting for attention. This one arrived from Sweden the other week. I promised myself I wouldn’t open it until Backyard Wildlife left the house. Well, I kinda held true to that thought! I couldn’t stand it anymore and opened it on Monday. Oh, it’s so BEAUTIFUL! My brain is already running around ideas, thinking about what to include.

The other participants are

Australia:

Anna Warren:  Blog: Anna Warren Portfolio

Karen Bailey: Instagram: karenbaileystudio  Website: Karen Bailey Studio

Sweden:

Rebecca Cary Anderson: Instagram: thepaintedpearart  Website:  The Painted Pear   

USA:

Cathe Jacobi: Blog: Amaryllis Log

Gale Everett: You currently are at my blog. Website: Gale Everett Studio

Please feel free to click on their blog titles to see what they are creating! I’m not on Instagram and haven’t a clue how to direct people, but look for Karen, Rebecca, and Cathe there. 

Still not finished…

next stage_geverettstudio2018

After several weeks of illness, I’m finally cracking on with the book. A deer appeared in the upper left section because I’ve been seeing quite a few grazing in the far back. The does are still pregnant, last years fawns still lingering, and bucks are just sprouting antlers (more like fuzzy nobs at this stage). Everything is green right now. Not just green, but 21 shades of green! And it changes daily. We also have an enormous amounts of pollen flowing  through the air. This of course means the start of itchy eyes and running noses. The joys of spring!

At least the temperature have reached 80F over the past 3 days. Warmth floods the house through open windows & doors. It’s been a long time since fall! Moby and Hazel have enjoyed the freedom to the open yard. The cat has decided that living with dogs wasn’t to her liking. She has moved to her summer house, aka the garage. Maybe we really will have room for two kittens in 6 weeks!

More work tomorrow unless something else pops up!

Arches paper, watercolor, colored pencil, micron pens

210 x 300 cm

Two birds with color

2Birds_geverettstudio2018

Household illnesses have certainly slowed down studio time. Monday I jumped in on the warbler, popping blues and yellow in WC, then topping with colored pencil and micron pen. Monday night was critique group meeting and I actually had something to share!  Today I started adding touches to the Chickadee. The slow progress is partly due to my hesitation with the tools. I feel clumsy and uncertain of what I’m really trying to capture, not like it really matters since this book is all about fun. But it matters in my brain. I know the warbler is out of proportion in several areas and that disturbs me. Fortunately the Chickadee is still looking ok and should look better once I tackle the legs, feet and tail section. The act of drawing creates an instant hesitation towards creating in my brain. It’s never been comfortable. Yet, if I don’t do something there’s a loss between hand & brain. Right now I feel lost between those two areas. Practice will rebuild that bridge. Thank goodness for my art friends wanting to create new collaborations!

One question that popped up in the Monday night meeting was ” Is this going to become a book others could purchase?”.  I will certainly show the group my completed book and the others along the way. Printing it for others has always been an interesting thought… Not sure how one would get a concertina book produced through an online book company. 🙂

The illness I had has morphed into something worse for Dave. He has been battling two evening of over 100 F temp! Yuck! Fingers crossed it won’t come back at me a second time!

Warbler work

sketchbook2_geverettstudio2018

Today I wasn’t feeling terribly well. Not sure if pollen is the problem, which there certainly is plenty floating around, or a virus. Coughing, low energy, almost missed my physical therapy appointment. So, I haven’t pushed forward with much drawing today.

What I did accomplish was changing the ugly wren start in the upper right corner to a frequent visitor to the suet cage:  Audubon’s Yellow Rumped Warbler. Without any color, it’s hard to tell. The Red Headed Sapsucker in the upper left corner still needs work. Once everything looks set in pencil, I’ll move to watercolor and colored pencil.

I’m actually finding it quite satisfying to work on wildlife images. With all my years of watching birds, I’ve not really attempted drawing any (except a pelican). Maybe they’re a new muse? Time will tell.

Page layout start

WARNING

If you are one of the other 4 participants in the book collaboration, hide your eyes and ignore this post! I’m horrible and just can’t keep from sharing the start. Please forgive me!

stage1sketch geverettstudio

This is the starting pencil sketch. Color will be added in the form of colored pencil and watercolors. I still have more to resolve : birds, plants, bumblebee, fox. It’s been a fun day but time to take a break.

HB lead on Arches watercolor paper 300 gm

Finished and moving on

empty bowl_geverettstudio

Whew! I actually completed an artwork. Next up is the book collaboration and possibly another print exchange in Castlemaine Australia (thanks to my art friend Karen!) The book paper is folded and ready for sketches! Ideas should start attaching to paper today.

The weather continues to slowly warm, flowers and trees are blooming, green surrounds everything. In about 2 months, a new family member will be joining our household. MeMe will be put out, but a kitten is coming our way!

Rainy day work

Moby print stage 2

Spring is here and the print is moving forward. Kind of. I always have such angst about carving away more and more of the block. The ear has yet to receive much attention. The feet are unresolved. I feel like adding screen print color over the image. Maybe sleeping on it will present a clear path forward.

The rain is back for the next several days and should help keep my focus on indoor art items.

Me Me kitty had another vet check and it might be good news for her kidney issues! She gained a pound over the past 3 months and looks pretty awesome. Fingers crossed for blood results showing hypothyroid problems (T3 levels). That’s something we can deal with via medicine.

🐱

Empty Bowl Start

MobyBowl1

Two projects on the table:

  1. It took quite a while to figure out an image for Wingtip Press Leftovers Print Exchange due at the end of March. Finally the drawing has moved to the soft block and cutting commenced! The print is actually looking a bit like my boy Moby! Since the exchange will benefit the Idaho Hunger Relief group, this year I chose an image of a sad pup waiting for food (not like I have models lounging around the house giving me sad eyes daily or anything!).  Over the past few years, I’ve become known for dog images. Hopefully this one continues with good progress and no major mistakes. With a little luck, it will make the Idaho group a bit of money and travel the world with the other exchange entries.
  2. I also have started folding a concertina book for a collaboration, but chose the wrong paper. It’s good to test paper before folding it into a book. Does it work with pencil and eraser? Watercolor? Pen and ink? If it looks like crap after a round of eraser work, you need to choose a new paper. BFK Rives failed (a great printmaking paper). Arches Aquarelle (water color paper) should win. More cutting/folding to come. I also realized I need to think about paper grain and how the covers will be glued on plus their grain direction. So much I’ve forgotten about working on books. Oh well, it will eventually get sorted.

Onwards!