Archives for July 2017

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  • Instagram is cool, but sometimes I misuse it. I scroll in zombie-like states - not to connect with others, not to get inspired, not to respond to messages and comments - merely for distraction. To stave off boredom, my to-do list, and sometimes loneliness. My ego gets pumped up. My heart doesn't get what it needs. It seems to build up over time. The symptom that feels really shitty though, is instead of seeing what others are doing and being curious, encouraging, or inspired, I'm snarky, and selfish, and think mean things. I compare myself and often don't like what I find. I feel small. I’ve made brownies twice this week. And so as pathetic and first world as it may be to have to make such moves, I'm taking the month of June to be away from IG. I'll be working on my new website and the lookbook for fabric collection no. 2, writing the summer issue of my quarterly newsletter (issue hits July 1st, link is in my profile if you're interested), and getting into the art swing again (I've been producing almost nothing new. Ask @jennifer_nelson_artists , she knows.) I feel nervous about not having my crutch, fearful of missing something big, shameful that I'm worried about follower count, excited to be in my real life, sad for not getting to DM with you guys, silly for not being able to manage these feelings/behavior better, but here I am. I accept myself here and now, and will take care of what I need here and now...now to delete the app and let the phantom thumb tapping begin. . . . #illustration #illustrator #lettering #floral #botanical #vintage #retro #catchyalater #flowers #retroillustration #ink #drawing #selfcare
  • Flattered, excited, and then immediately terrified. That's how it felt when @turnhamator reached out to invite me to be part of the "World of Succulent" group art show that begins next month in LA @qpopshop. For a few weeks I stood in front of my empty 18"x24" wood panel and contemplated how anyone does this. I asked myself what the artists I look up to would do in this situation (@mrtomfroese, @jessfranksart, @margaret.jeane) and decided that instead of making it a big deal and asking the world to repeatedly validate their place, they would shut up and get to work. So I put paint on the canvas, and when the colors and shapes were wrong, I layered and remixed paint until they were right. I found the colors. I found the shapes. And now that it's time to ship "Night Circus" to the gallery, I can't believe that I almost didn't paint it; that feeling of fear a quiet and fading echo. This piece showcases how cacti are both fancy and Dr. Seuss-grade weirdos ❤️🌵😜 . . . #illustrator #illustration #painting #paint #acrylagouache #acrylicpainting #cacti #cactus #vintage #retro #botanical #makearteveryday #phxartist
  • In celebration of seven years together I made this illustration as a gift for Brooks. Through the years we’ve shared our favorite music with each other (Motown from me, classic rock from him), one of his being the Talking Heads. I knew and liked a few of their hits, but have Brooks to thank totally for introducing me to their live performance “Stop Making Sense” - do you know it? This illo in particular is based off the energetic performance of “Burning Down the House” - where each musician is incredibly magnetic in the moment (my favorite are the singers Ednah and Lynn). Stop Making Sense also has, in my opinion, the best recorded version of “Naive Melody (This Must Be The Place)”, if you need something happy and dreamy to pick you up. And one more shout out to Brooks for letting me cancel anniversary dinner in favor of staying in and watching The Simpson’s together ❤️ . . . #illustration #illustrator #characterdesign #talkingheads #stopmakingsense #retroillustration #retro #drawing #ink #makearteveryday #penandink
  • Less than a week until I wait too long to pack and leave for NYC 🍎 as an introvert, as events like this get closer it’s easy to get more and more anxious, instead of more and more excited. Luckily I have last year to go off, and so I keep telling my worried heart that we are going to summer camp, where all my creative friends from last year will gather again to share and play and grow - and in moments when I’m brave instead of protective, I may just make a few new ones. Hope to see you there! I’ll be at the actual BP show on Tuesday with agent extraordinaire @jennifer_nelson_artists (that night we’ll be doing a Q&A panel together!) . . . #illustration #illustrator #retro #vintage #character #childrensliterature #kidslitart #nyc #blueprintshow #blueprintshow2019 #jennifernelsonartists #ink #gouache #paint #pink
  • I feel like my posts have weighed a hundred pounds lately, so here are some daisies and a joke: what’s green and sings? . . . Elvis Parsley . . 🤡 . . . #illustration #illustrator #flowers #floral #vintage #retro #daisy #repeat #surfacedesgin #surfacepatterndesign #daisies #retrokitchen #kitchenwallpaper #wallpaper #ink #paint #photoshop

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