Happy Holidays!

Get ready for it... New Years Resolutions!

Obviously, its not New Years yet, but I thought I'd just put in this little update with some serious resolutions, just to keep the ball rolling:

Resolutions:

• Update this blog at least twice a month, preferably once a week.
• Expand my photography and include a whole photo dump portion of the blog AND my website.
• Plan a photo-documentary trip for myself once every 2-3 months, to keep things interesting. Thus far I'd like to find my way onto a lobster fishing boat and a cranberry bogger field trip.
• Post more doodles. Also, make more doodles.
• Find TWO more storefront potential locations in other states for my coasters/saucers. I'm thinking Vermont and North Carolina.

ok, that's what I've got now. In other news...

1. Heading off to Mexico on January 1st with my family and boyfriend, so I'm also planning on creating some new tropical designs and photographs from the trip.
2. Might be featured in the RISD Alumni art magazine for my food-themed work with how2heroes and my personal plates/coasters.

Side Project: Decorative Cowhide Squares

So my next shipment of ceramic coasters is starting the slow crawl of arriving to my office (I'm getting partials orders, as they are ready). So, while that is happening I started another random side project...

Cowhides are pretty much everywhere right now, used both tastefully and not. HGTV uses them as accent "rugs" on most staged modern rooms and houses, but you can also see horrific examples of kitsch gone horribly wrong online. I had eight of these beautiful knotted, rippled wood squares ready for random projects, so I'm varnishing them and affixing some cowhide samples to the backsides (or front? depends what you like) to see what happens.

I don't usually go for a hide or skin look, but the colors and the textures of the hides (found at Ikea for $3.99/ea) are really very beautiful and subtle in their colorings. If it looks cool, awesome. If not, well then project over...

Rive LLC design reveal

Finally had the time to take some good photographs of the two awesome sample bottles that Rive LLC supplied me with. The following two designs are not absolutely final, as the designs will be altered and tweaked depending on the application method.

Above: Japanese Hybrid Design (Ocra + Eggplant) created using pen and ink, plus watercolor swatches for spot colors.

Above: Birds on branches design created using pen and ink and then vectorized in Adobe Illustrator.

Vintage Fabrics

This and much more from my new favorite place (move over Ikea), Zimmons, located in Lynn, MA. Thousands of vintage and retro fabrics for upholstery and other projects. LOVE IT.

October is Adventure Month!

Heading off to NYC for New York Comic Con on behalf of 38 Studios, where we will be located in booth #2257 to show off some really exciting new stuff from Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. Visit the official Facebook page for our exciting updates and photos!

Bird's Nest

Working on a potential design for Threadless.com...or to be made personally. I really like this bleeding off of a pillow, shirt, or a tote bag, on clean plain canvas, and with Threadless.com, that could be possible.

New pattern: "There Goes The Neighborhood"

Friendly little screen grab of this humorous new pattern:

"There Goes The Neighborhood"

Still working on the detail stuff--maybe stylize the rabbits more? Undecided. Colors? I did a project back at RISD for an english/science glass on the genetically modified rabbit, Alba, who had her DNA spliced so that her fur glowed neon green under ultraviolet light. Wouldn't it be cute if these bunnies were all neon green, like little Alba decedents? Maybe?

Sample Wine Label Design

Final design and sketch concept for a sample wine label design done for Heinrich Custom Detail (you can see a dolphin sample also from my Lure Line on their site). They've got this awesome new decal process that allows for rich, safe reds and pinks without the use of cadmium and they wanted to showcase the new process to winemakers.

I decided to use the warm pinks with the watercolor splash, then kept the amorphous vibe with the beta/siamese fighting fish motif. Sketch in top left, final design bottom left, final design applied via Photoshop right. We'll see if I can get some physical samples for documentation down the line.

Pralines: Graphic Explorations

Working on a secondary logo for Pralines Bakery, specifically for their cupcake menu. Playing with cute, sweet, and slightly retro. Want to keep things simple with preferably 2 colors, 3 max. Pinks seem the most logical choice, but for clean modern, I'm throwing in some charcoal gray and secondary pinks where it fits.

Freelance Sketch

A basic sketch for a potential wine label. Working with up to three sketch ideas, this is just my favorite thus far. Nothing's solid, I just like doing rocks and Ibex like that!

Photo Dump: Pralines Bakery

A sampling of the food photos taken at Pralines Bakery, in Newburyport. I am considering selling prints, if the owner allows the idea. For the time being, there will be these files here, and the real thing there!

Pralines: Photo Shoot!

Just back from an awesome day at Pralines Bakery in Newburyport! I had a major food photography withdrawal recently, so I really lucked out when I came across the amazing bakery a few weeks ago, while taking a mini vacation with my mom. Also, the payment?

Delicious!

(From top left to bottom right: Molten Lava cake, mini cookie sandwiches, pecan tart, lemon square, tart, classic cupcake, peanut butter cupcake, salted caramel cupcake.)

My lovely assistant/boyfriend.

Setting up a cupcake shot outside the bakery.

A montage of the bakery and our various settings and fabrics/plates. The finished photos will be shown soonish, depending on my download time and color corrections.

One quick awesome side note about Pralines: they might be on Cupcake Wars! They were asked to submit an audition video and are currently waiting on the good word!

End of Hiatus: New Art Posts

So it was never announced, but I took a Hiatus. Now, I'm getting ready to do a huge shuffle on the website as well as here on the blog with new sketches, personal designs, and professional designs.

In the meantime, while I ramp up the finished pieces, here are some little bits to show I care...

I take a one hour train ride to and from work everyday, so sometimes I get a little productive on the ride. Here's one morning's passerby doodles of streetlights, signs, and telephone polls.

Wonderland is a personal mini photography series taken at Salisbury, NH

See the full mini series at my website.

Vote for my Design!

Majestic Being shirt design stages

Okay, so I think some of the best shirt designs started off as ridiculous inside jokes, and here's my contribution. Working on the elk lines and color treatment, then I'm working in the type. Going to submit the final design to threadless.com

shop!

link link link

Check out some fun finds on the etsy shop!

Peace.

Summer Cocktail (napkins)

Have had these little drinks knocking around for almost a year now without a solid idea on where to take them. Playing around with the idea for cocktail napkins (maybe as singles, maybe as patterns) and/or stationary. They do make fun invitational notecards, as well as more "mature" celebration cards.

Nantucket Lantern Pattern: Mock

A potential route for the lanterns I sketched out while on Nantucket. Has to have the nautical stripes, right?

Nantucket Doodles: The Full Page

Pretty excited about getting back into the swing of things with all things design-y after a bit of a break from my own work. I've been pretty busy at my new job working with already created game and concept art, so its nice to start a personal projects again.

Lanterns, flags, sea shells, some harpoons mixed in there, plus some general nautical imagery for good measure. Plans? Definitely a strung up lantern pattern for maybe fabric application (I'm thinking a skirt?) and maybe play the old school metal ones against a more vibrant, playful paper lantern design. Also I want to play with the flags more! Results to come!

Nantucket Textures Update!

Trying to get back into the swing of posting--my job has been taking up a lot of creative (and physical) energy and that makes it tough to generate some cool personal stuff to show. Also, no real desk space for my just yet, as unpacking is in its final stages, but slowed to a crawl.

Something fun and kinda DIY though! Found a nice "celery" color that matches the bedroom so I sprayed an old Ikea floating "lack" shelf and mason jar while I was at it. Makes a really cute vase.

Also just came back from a long weekend on Nantucket, full of cool new ideas for patterns and textures with hints of old-timey nautical themes. Here are just some cool colors and textures from the island.


Old typewriter too!

So yes, hopefully more soon! I have some nautical + lighting inspired inks that I'll scan soon, plus some whaling inspired illustrations. Awesome.

IOU

Post long overdue!

Here's the bullet points:

• Got a job working as the Graphic Designer for 38 Studios, in Maynard, MA. You can see my bio here.
• Completed the RISD Alumni Spring Art sale with decent success. Thank you is you stopped by and said hello! I still have tons of paper buttons/pins available for sale, as well as some stationary (I plan on making more and selling them via my website or Etsy).
• Have new and exciting work done for Rive, inspired by the botanical and animal world.
• Moving to Somerville!

First off, 38 Studios is AWESOME but I can't really go into detail because its a super big secret! Magic gets made here people! Its fun because several RISD friends also work here, like Nick Kole, Fabiola Garza, Brandon Cebenka, Cory Turner, Kai Carpenter, and several potential new hires/interns. I do a mix of corporate things and exciting new possibilities, so once things go live, expect a ton of images.

Umm, jumping right to moving to Somerville...
Chad and I are officially moving in together, with no roommates. Its a big step, I guess, but we've kind of lived together for a few years now, and now we just want some more alone time I guess and to truly decorate our own place. I posted some photos on facebook, and once we properly furnish the place, I'll post more pics there and here.

Photos to come tonight!

Getting the final pieces ready for the sale this weekend!

Reminder: The RISD Alumni Art Sale is Saturday, May 1st from 9 am-4 pm on Benefit Street in Providence, RI.

I'm sharing a table with the lovely Bronwyn Lewis and we are going super cute/handmade with our wares and setup. I'll be carrying paper (and maybe fabric) buttons, the cats & dogs magnets, homemade funky napkins, botanical stationary, and the Lure Line dinner/salad plates. I'll post a pic from the prep side of things, because I think the set up is going to be adorable, and Chad will, I'm sure, take photos at the actual sale. So come on by!

RISD Summer Art Sale Prep

Some quick snapshots of what I'm doing for the Summer Art Sale:

Fabric buttons, using vintage and indie fabrics!

Sample of one of the awesome fabrics.

Back by popular demand! Cats & Dogs magnets.

Fond Farewell to how2heroes

So today marks the final day I'll be in the employ of how2heroes. It's a sad day, but we're all staying on good terms and I hope to be available for events and/or special tastings!


We visited Aquitaine on Tremont Street a few weeks ago and here's the delicious down low on the shoot: Bartender Matthew Coughlin mixed up three classy cocktails ranging from modern masculine to super sweet. Top: Basil in the Rye, Bottom left: Vanilla Bean Gin Julep, Bottom Right: Rosemary Sour. These were fantastic, my favorite being the Rosemary Sour, for its sweet n' creamy taste and texture.

We also went to Vermont! I saw my family! Hurrah! There is a whole official blog posting on the how2heroes blog, but here's the images, just because I'm all about images.

Susan Reid, baker extraordinaire, of King Arthur Flour in Norwich, VT.

Alex and Mike from The Farmer's Diner in Middlebury, VT.

My buddies from Lake Champlain Chocolates! Emily Jones with her chocolate sculpting and Kirk Weed with LCC's Ultimate Chocolate Cake and Raspberry Truffles.

how2heroes pizza shoot

Quick delicious photo from Fiorella's Restaurant in Newton, MA where we filmed a basic pizza dough, sauce, and assembly this morning. More photos on the how2heroes blog!

Indoor Gardening

Quick update, photos tonight!

The terrariums Chad and I made with Oregano and Mint have EXPLODED and no longer fit inside their Mason Jars, so thanks to the support of Chad's family, we have more, larger jars for the plants to hang out in. We are also going to start seeds in the terrariums and make an edible container garden as the summer draws closer.

Oh, and the RISD talk went really well!

RISD Guest Critique/Presetation: April 6th

Getting all pumped up to be a presenter and guest critique(r) for Mary Jane Begin's Artistic License class next Tuesday afternoon. The class is about to get their final project introduced to them, and seeing how that class and that project seriously turned my artistic life around with new focus, I was thrilled to accept her invitation to come in.

I'm planning on going over the three major assignments for the class, including the 'Water Assignment,' which I admittedly flopped a bit on (oh ha ha) but it turned out even better than I could have anticipated.

One of my design applications for the 'Water Assignment,' was this Pottery Barn sofa that I made a repeat for and played with the orange spot color. The Merhorse design became ideal for home decor textiles after this couch, and I went on to also apply it to outdoor furniture and plates.

This is from the 'Patterning Assignment,' an introductory exploration into pattern-making and application for me. I started with octopus and cuttlefish, but eventually fell in love with the squid for their faux-floral appeal. This couch is easily one of my favorite application designs and I really hope to have this fabric printed someday.

The Lure Line! This was the second half of the 'Water Assignment' as well as my final project. Shown here are the finished prototypes fresh from Heinrich Custom Decal where they were fired and made just for me!

A glorious Lure Line photoshopped prototype using a Pottery Barn Great White plate series. This marlin design and the shark bowls design started the whole Lure Line aesthetic, plus I love the marlins the most.

So yes, very excited to talk about my stuff and to have a look at what the students are doing for their assignments! Can't wait!