This week's new works

It's been raining a lot in Portland, and I think everyone here is in a funk because of it.  For days, I stared at my art desk and felt so uninspired.  I eventually kicked my rear into gear and started working on some art. 

For the past few weeks, I've been reworking some of my older pieces.  Forecast is a black and white monoprint that I decided to add some color to.  There is a lot going on in the background, so I wanted to keep the new elements simple, while creating another layer of interest.

The title Forecast has a double meaning.  The sporadic white dots in the work look like raindrops on a window, which gives the work its weather reference.  The second meaning refers to the unstable economic state and the hope for a more positive outlook in the near future. The weather and the financial market can be both very volatile and therefore, devastating to many communities.  I added little homes to the work to represent the many individuals impacted by such crisis.

The second piece I completed this week is called Coral Bells, which are one of my favorite flowers. They remind me of my grandfather who kept an immaculate garden.  Last year, I took some starts from his garden and planted them in my own garden. 

Like Forecast, Coral Bells is a reworked monoprint.  I painted images of coral bells using watercolor and added some patterning to the background with ink.  Both the works measure 9" x 12".

An unexpected project were these two illustrations I drew yesterday.

I would love to write and illustrate a children's book one day, and I believe these drawings manifested from that desire.