Print available here.
I love this holiday. Do you celebrate it? I think we'll be making wreaths for the girls tonight. Happy St. Lucia Day!
Christmas Cuts
I was reorganizing some drawers today, and took the time to notice all my drafts from A CHRISTMAS GOODNIGHT.
It's always so interesting to go back and look at the process of such a big project. I had forgotten how much work went into illustrating 28 pages.
Gosh. seriously, I have 2 drawers full of sketches, drafts, final art, etc. that never even made it into the book. Or, rather, served as the rough drafts to what later became the book. The text of the book is so simple, and really lends itself to so many visual options. I was given some narrative guidelines, and then asked to submit rounds of art. And there were many rounds:)
For instance, I knew I wanted the sky to be something magical. But I didn't know what, or how I was going to achieve that. This is a close up of a gouache painting that I attempted to see how it would look. It was a nice try, but not what the book needed. Close though.
This image, was going to be the opener, and I think I went through at least 8 versions of the opener. Maybe 9. 10? 11?
When I send in drafts, I get them back in print, with notes like this. Here is an image I wanted to use for the dedication page. I ended up tweaking it a bit, and if you've seen the picture, you'll know how.
Anyways, it's always so interesting for me to look back and relive what I was thinking and feeling during this kind of process.
And speaking of cuts, I stabbed myself pretty bad today. Ever wondered what would happen if you stepped off a stall stool onto a freshly sharpened jar of colored pencils? Well, let's just say I had a little jousting match in the studio today, and while it left 3 holes in my foot, it was rather funny. Poor Ella, wondering why I was meddling with her little art supplies I keep for her on the floor while I work.
Art is a dangerous business, folks. You've got to be pretty crazy to do this stuff. For. Sure.
THE PORTRAIT PROJECT
UPDATE:
OH my goodness! I had no idea that a years worth of portraits would sell out in 24 hours. Geesh. I realize that many of you never even got the memo. But thank you to all of you who are participating! I can't wait to get started.
If there is ANY more room in the year, I will carefully consider my options, and try to make some more space. But as of now, I'm totally full.
If you are still interested, please email me HERE and write WAITING LIST in the title, and I'll add you to a wait list.
The Wait List is completely full! Over full actually. I'll be finishing up these portraits for the year of 2013, and will reopen up slots at the end of next year! Thanks so much!
Sarah
Hello!
I'm so thrilled to be introducing a brand new product today! Woohoo!
I've been toying around with offering custom portraits since the first person asked, Oh...like my first week after opening my shop! But I've declined because, well, we all can imagine how time intensive work like that would be. And I just couldn't justify the time with everything else I was juggling.
But part of the cutting back I've been doing, is to allow myself more time to illustrate. I have other projects in the works, and while I have my paints out more than usual, I want to offer those same services to you!
The style of portrait though, is not your standard posed, photographed and then painted kind of job. I'm interested in illustrating your children doing what they do best: playing. Does your child wish they were a mermaid? Do you want to capture your children playing spy? Do they have a favorite animal that they play with all the time? What about riding on top of a dinosaur?
I want to get to the heart of childhood, and create portraits that will make childhood stand still. Stephanie Nielson (NieNie Dialogues) had me illustrate her children, and I realized that I absolutely LOVE portraying children doing their favorite things, or in an imaginary place. You can see her commissions in the top image and the bottom image.
You can find out more details HERE
You can find out more details HERE
This project I hope fulfills a lot of requests I've had over the years! It's also my way of making sure that I'm staying sharp as an illustrator, as well as a designer. I love children, and value their uniqueness so much. I hope to offer you a whimsical representation of who your children are at heart.
Thanks for your interest! Please feel free to ask questions in the comments below, as needed.
I can't wait to meet your children!
xo
sarah
Mechanically Minded
A while back, I shared this sketch here, and I have wanted to make it into a print since.
This week, I'm taking the time to count my blessings. And today I'm grateful for little boys....my little boy in particular: For how this brain works, and for the amazing mystery it is to me.
I often wonder what the inside of my son's head looks like, and all I can do is remember mine as a child, and think that for Ian, who is a self proclaimed inventor and architect, it would look like this.
So, for any other children out there, who see their world in pulleys and levers, with buttons to push for every command, this is for you.
Print available Here.
Oh, and dont' forget the AMAZING fabric giveaway ending today here.
And PS: if you have a child who loves building and inventing things, this book is a must read. A family favorite. Do you know it?
xoxo
Sarah
New Prints: Up Up & Away
Newest Art Prints
I'm bringing some new art to the shop, and these are the first two to make their debut. Both are prints you may have seen before, but they were never ready for printing until now.
Tread Softly is a special one. Many of you, after January's post of the sketch I did of this, were so inspired, and I got so many emails requesting a print. But because it was only a doodle in my sketchbook, it needed to be re-worked and finished.
Remember the poem it's inspired by? I heard this for the first time last year, and still to this day can't get the imagery out of my head.
Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths, Enwrought with golden and silver light, The blue and the dim and the dark cloths Of night and light and the half-light, I would spread the cloths under your feet: But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
W. Yeats
The innocence of children, their dreams and destinies, inspire me. And as an adult I feel ever responsible for recognizing their offerings to the world and making sure they are seen for what they truly are. And not getting so caught up in my 'busy' and 'responsible' world, that I miss the magic of what they are truly offering.
This next print was shown in my last release of prints, but it never ended up in the shop for some technical reasons.
It's there now....a perfect reminder of where (for us coastal people) we'd all love to be more often.
Enjoy! There are a few more coming that will trickle in this week and maybe next. I'm balancing the house reno and holiday seasons at home, as well as new fabric line stuff and book stuff...so prints will squeeze in a bit at a time. If you are following me on FB or Instagram, you've been getting glimpses as to what's coming next. See you soon!
OH! And please don't forget about the HUGE CLEARANCE sale going on right now too! Only 1 more month to get all paper goods, and then they will be discontinued Dec. 2oth! So hurry if you want to catch them.
BOTH PRINTS FOR SALE HERE & HERE.
Coming back soon.
Hello! I've been absentee...but really for no good reason, other than, I needed a break.
Life has been super full this week. Just the normal stuff really. But honestly, what's kept me away has just been writers block. Creative blah-ness. Empty head and ideas. It happens enough to me that I know I just need to step away, and let the creative part of me just step out, float away, and drift back down again. Does that ever happen to you? All the sudden you find yourself not feeling a creative bone in your body? I used to freak out about that kinda thing, especially when I was under the pressure of work deadlines. But I don't really fret any more, cause I know it's going to come back. It's like a little balloon that floats away and just needs to drift off for a while so it can come back fresh and ready to go.
I've got lots to share with you next week, but this week (and still today) I've been letting myself focus on all the other things that don't require my creativity. It's been a bit strange, but I'm used to it by now to know that it will come back when it needs to.
Have a lovely weekend! New prints (including this one!) will be in the shop next week too...many of the ones that you've requested....and so I'll be looking forward to that next week!
PS: I found some really great little bits of inspiration on how to get out of a creative rut. HERE | HERE | HERE. Great stuff, ya?
what if we said it more
I've been thinking a lot of compassion lately. Understanding both sides of the story. Being aware of other's needs before your own. Maybe it's the political climate. Maybe it's that I have small children and not a day goes by with some lesson that includes the word "share" "say you're sorry" "I love you" and "It's OK."
Maybe it's that the Weepies are on repeat tonight: "Don't say words you don't mean | Looking back now I only wish I had been kinder | Did I ever know love, did I ever know love? And could I have been blinder?"
But I'm constantly aware of the possibly oversimplified truth, but truth nevertheless, that if we all just learned to see and understand the other person's perspective, and said "I'm Sorry" more often, the world would be better off for it.
And I personally wouldn't mind painted color dots showing up every time forgiveness happened either. It'd be a much prettier world, at that.
Be unexpectedly nice to someone today.