Monday's Inspiration: Ryan Woodward

This is one of the most perfect animation pieces I have ever seen.

Honestly, I am in awe of the way almost each individual frame captures a sense of the movement of the next. It's simple and gorgeous and incredibly real. Ryan Woodward, the artist, is amazing.

If I could learn how to capture movement in stillness like this, my art would be everything I want it to be. I want to be able to tell a story like this.

I find myself talking about the artistic aspects to this because my emotional reaction isn't happening in words.

There's a making-of video!

Check out Ryan's website here and also some great advice for parents of artistic children.

It's Almost Fall and Fall is Sweet

Fall Fairies, an Etsy Treasury

This last August was the longest August in the history of time. For once, I'm actually really looking forward to fall. We've had a few cooler days and a good hard rainstorm, which makes the house feel cozy, and a big mug of sweet milky tea feel like a blessing.

I'm really looking forward to all the autumnal colors, even though they'll mean that winter (and seven straight months of rain) is on the way. Fall is simply magical, and I created this treasury on Etsy to celebrate my anticipation of the changing season.

Losing

I have lost someone very dear to me. My Auntie Ann recently died of lung cancer. She was the one person in my birth family who kind-of sort-of got me and my creative madness.

I've never been so grateful for the flexibility of my freelance work, because it made it possible for me to spend most of the summer in California, helping my aunt as her primary caregiver. Friends kept commenting on how hard it must have been, but honestly, it wasn't hard until towards the end when she started to fail faster and faster. It was hard to see her slipping away and to know that the only thing I could really do was to let her go.

Honorary Aunt Elaine, Auntie Ann, and Mom,
a few years ago in Ashland
(Doesn't Mom look very Judi Dench-like here?)

A few weeks ago, I was showing her some of my recent artwork. She had a bit of a clear stretch where she was aware and cheerful, and she loved seeing my art.

Sketch for Peaceable Garden Cats, something
I drew on a really terrible day.

I said, trying really hard not to cry and not really succeeding, "It's funny how, just now, when I'm angry and sad so much of the time, my art just keeps getting more warm and comforting.

And she said, "Well, honey, you're expressing your love."

I really was. I started drawing again back in June, while I was there with her. She was still mobile enough to move between her chair and her bed in the living room, and well enough to have company. I decided to enter a competition at the last minute, which is what got me drawing again. When I showed it to her, she was so delighted, it made me blush. She showed it to all her friends that visited her, and that made me blush too. 

Each drawing after that wasn't just an expression of my love for her, it was a reflection of the love she gave me, and her belief in me.

Thank you, Auntie Ann. I will miss you. 

Light and Shadow

Hand-colored flyer for my upcoming show

In a little under three weeks, my show will be going up at the 5th Street Beanery, here in Eugene. I'm excited and nervous and happy. There's nothing like having an actual goal to work towards to provide inspiration, and more importantly perspiration. I'll be putting in a couple of older pieces, but the majority of the work will be pieces that I've created in the last couple of months.

I was trying to think of a name for this collection that would encompass the range of what I'm doing: illustrated quotes, sunny apron girls, and autumnal Gorey-inspired characters. With typical timing, the name "Summer Light/Autumn Shadow" popped up in my head about two minutes before I fell asleep last night.

Falling, one of the pieces for the show

My goal is to have about thirty pieces ready to go – twenty-five to hang on September 1st, and then a handful of back-up pieces to replace any that sell. I'm about halfway there now.

Oh man, I should have put an owl on the shoulder of the autumn girl in the flyer.

Love and Wings

Love and Wings Mixed Media Collage

This is a little part of my perfect world: living somewhere soft and warm where you are safe with people you love and trust, and it gives you wings to fly with.

This piece will be part of my show next month at the 5th Street Beanery in Eugene.