Pink Bird Studio

Sketchbook Project - Volume 17

Well one more edition of The Sketchbook Project is complete.  I’ll be mailing this in over a week before the deadline - imagine that!

I chose the theme “Marks and Markers”.  I don’t really use markers per se but maybe paint pens count.  At any rate, the themes are loose and this seemed to fit the best.

What could be better than a Bingo cover?

Inside front cover:

Other pages in no particular order (because I’m lazy like that).  I’m not going to comment on each page, just my faves...

Like this one - look, I hand stitched!

I loved the colours of this one - as you can see I’m using lots of gelli prints.

This might be my favourite composition.

I had fun doodling on this one and doing a bit of asemic writing. 

And this one I liked the shapes cut out from paper and what was left behind.

Someone said they saw a red alligator in this one - once you see it you can’t unsee it!

This might be my all-time fave because of the colours and shapes.

And the inside back cover:

This project was a lot of fun as always.  And as usual, I did the bulk of it in the last week or two.  

Thanks so much for joining me today!  Remember you can also find me on Instagram where I post pretty much daily.  Stay safe out there.

Week in Review

Well, it’s been an exciting week.  ICAD wrapped up, I had four paintings accepted for a show at the Federation Gallery in Vancouver (3 will be in the gallery and online, and 1 will be online only), and I found out that one of my collages was accepted for an upcoming book on collage.  Wow!

let’s start with the end of 2020 ICAD.

 

That was a wrap for this year.  I made my “heading” card at the end this year:

This is what they look like all in one place (61 + 9 bonus cards).

I decided to keep the momentum going - I’m going to make a square collage each day of August.  Here are the first two.

Speaking of collage - I finished up the challenge of tiny collages with five final entries - each around 2” square:

I also said goodbye to my latest submission to The Sketchbook Project.  My favourite contribution so far (this is number 11 for me).

Front cover:

Inside front cover:

Final spreads:

And inside back cover:

That’s a wrap.  I have a couple more things that I’ve done today but I will keep them for next week.  I’m a day late posting this.  It’s a civic holiday here so my days are all mixed up.  Thanks so much for joining me today - stay safe!

One Week in Review

Glad to be all caught up - this should be a shorter post!

Let’s start with a completed painting.  This beauty is 24” square on wrapped canvas - I can’t wait to frame it.

Now on to the latest index cards for the Index Card a Day challenge - this week, we passed the half way mark.

First up, card 29.  I used one of my new hand-cut bird masks I made recently.

July 1 was Canada Day, and I actually remembered to use a Canadian stamp this year.  :)

For card 32 I skipped the bingo number in favour of this beautiful postage stamp.  These are my rules to break after all!

Card 33 features one of the new hand carved stamps I made this week.

Card 34 was for July 4, and I also remembered to use a US stamp that day!  Also featuring another hand carved stamp.

And last one for this week - card 35.

Now I’ll catch up on the latest pieces for the 100 day project - we are getting really close to the end.  The reason I don’t have seven this week is because I got ahead of myself (again) and messed up the numbers.  The last day will be July 15.

This one features yet another simple hand carved stamp.

 

Here’s a spread for the Sketchbook Project.  Apparently I’ve moved away from COVID and onto adultery - haha! This book must be mailed by August 15 which is just around the corner.  I have 2 full spreads and 1 half spread left so no problem!

This one is an abstract that is the first page of the book.

I’ll sign off with one final 2” collage diptych.  

Thanks so much for joining me today.  Stay safe.

Week in Review

This week was busy.

First off, I completed (and sold) a new painting.  The fourth in my Moderna series.  24” x 30” on canvas (and framed). 

I also found out one of my paintings was accepted into a show in Vancouver - this one’s on paper and only 5” x 7”.  The show will go live online soon, and then it will be the first in-person show whenever the gallery re-opens.

Next, here are the latest in the 100 day project.

I’m having a lot of fun with these - this week we’ve got to #20, or 20% finished the project which wraps up about half way through June.  I have confirmed with Tammy Garcia of Daisy Yellow that ICAD is happening again in 2020 so we’ll see how this overlap works out!

I did some more work in the sketchbook for The Sketchbook Project:

 

And my longish watercolour paper journal (which of course I am using acrylics on).

Last but not least I’ve started a one-page zine (made from a single sheet of paper).  I haven’t made one of these for ages but I saw someone making them on Instagram and thought I should get in on the fun.  

 

I’m starting out with a gelli printed page.

 

Thanks so much for joining me today.  Stay safe and well, and if you can, stay home.

See you next week.

Week in Review

It seems like I made a lot of art this week, given a couple extra days off.  Let’s see shall we?

I decided to participate in The 100 Day Project  this year.  Apparently it’s in its 7th year.  I was on the fence until I thought about some lovely flat watercolour cards I have had for years and never used.  I believed the box had 100 cards in it, and even though I knew where they were.  When both those things turned out to be true, I decided it was meant to be.

Although the box has been opened, it’s still quite full.  I am not sure I’ve used any of them, but if I get to the high 90s and run out I can cut some nice paper to size and carry on.  Here they are:

The project started on April 7, so today I’m on day 6.  Here is Day 1.

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

 

Day 5:

Day 6:

Day 4 is my favourite this week!

I did one more spread for the Sketchbook Project - starting in on the second half already and not due until August (hopefully they are re-opened by August at the Brooklyn Art Library).  I’m continuing on my COVID theme.  Do you remember when phones had cords?!

i also did a complete ‘mini journal’ that a friend sent me last week!  It’s not that small dimension-wise, but it only has a few spreads.

Front cover:

And the rest of the individual pages:

I’ve grouped them in pairs as they appear in the book as spreads.

My friend designed these with a simple binding of washi tape and old papers, so I let those dictate the colour scheme for each spread.

And as you can see although the colours are fairly neutral, I can never quite resist a pop of colour.

Close to the end, more colour is creeping in.  :)

 

And the back cover.  Wasn’t that a fun little project?!

I also made some mixed media pieces on recycled materials.

And did another spread in one of my journals I’ve been working on for awhile.

 

That’s it for this week.  I’ve also been working on a large painting and a small painting that have both been on the go for quite some time.  Maybe with another 2 days off they’ll be done by next weekend!  We shall see.

Thanks so much for joining me this week.  I hope you are keeping safe and staying home if you’re able.  Take good care.

Week in Review

This week, I’ve been adjusting (like many others) to working from home full time.  I’m very grateful to have a job where I can easily do that.  The only real extra time I have is my commute time, which can run anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour each way (average is about 40 minutes one-way).  I’m trying to use that time to enjoy a bit of extra sleep in the morning, and a little more art time in the evenings.  

I’ve been working on a large painting, but it is not nearly ready to share.  So I will show my journaling for the week.

I did one more spread for the Sketchbook Project.  I continue to explore the current situation in this book.  As you can see from the staples, I’ve already reached the centre page of this book.

I’ve been working in another journal that I had been working in several months ago and set aside (aka buried under other studio “stuff”).

And last, but not least, I’ve added three new spreads in the watercolour paper journal (which is great for painting with acrylics as well, which is my preference).  

 That’s it for this week.  Thanks so much for joining me today. Please keep well, stay home if you can, and keep your distance if you can’t.  

Two Weeks in Review

I didn’t realize I never posted my week in review last week until about Friday.  Hope everyone is staying state and healthy in these extraordinary times.  So here’s what I’ve been doing art-wise for the past two weeks.

First of all, I’m excited to be starting another sketchbook for The Sketchbook Project at Brooklyn Art Library.  It’s been turning into a bit of a commentary on our current global situation.  I would like to start by saying that I’m ok in every way.  Working from home, not feeling isolated, and keeping in touch with friends and family remotely.  So even though some of these pages seem a bit dark, they are not reflecting on my personal situation, but what I’ve been seeing going on.  I am very fortunate, and certainly don’t want anyone worrying about me.

I’ve also been continuing to work on my colourful abstract journal.  

That’s it for the week, thank you so much for dropping by!  Stay home, stay safe and stay healthy.  See you next week.

Week in Review

Another week has flown by - here’s what I’ve been up to art-wise.

Let’s start with paintings this week.

These three paintings will be in a local show and sale at this cool gallery: Ministry of Casual Living I have not shown my work there before and I don’t think I’ve even been to their “new” location which has probably been there for ages.  Looking forward to it.  Each painting is 8” square on wood and will be displayed unframed with black painted edges.  

Of course some more pages were completed in the kraft journal:

And one more page in the Tiny Sketchbook...

And last but not least, took an idea from last week’s kraft journal pages and translated it onto some recycled box panel.  I think I might do some of these on 8” square panels so stay tuned for that.

Thanks so much for joining me today.  See you next week.

Week in Review

This week I worked mostly in the kraft journal and the tiny sketchbook for The Sketchbook Project.  I have one postcard as well.  I’ve also been working on a new painting that might be ready to look at next week.  

Let’s start with the kraft journal - amazed how many pages were done this week.

 

Here is a postcard I’ve mailed into Mail Mania 6 - an upcoming art show to be held in my home town in Canada.  Check it out and send something in - you have until August next year.

And here are two new spreads in the tiny sketchbook for The Sketchbook Project.  It’s almost done and I am glad.  I don’t mind working small but...

 

Thanks so much for joining me today - I hope you’ve enjoyed your visit.  See you next weekend.

Week in Review

I can hardly believe it’s been a week since my last week in review post.  When I look back on the week I’m almost always surprised at how much art I’ve made - let’s see if that holds true this week...

We’ll start with the kraft journal - only one spread completed this week.

 

I also managed to complete a couple of spreads in the tiny sketchbook for The Sketchbook Project.  

I had a great afternoon on Saturday, making gelli prints over at another local artist’s studio with a group of ladies I haven’t hung out with before - such fun!

And then I made 10 postcards for the DIY postcard swap hosted by IHanna.  

I did these by gelli printing right onto my favourite substrate (old bingo cards) and then embellishing them with various pens.  

Last but not least I made a fun Halloween piece:

Thanks so much for joining me this week.  See you next time.