Tension

She enjoyed a relatively happy childhood, despite her mother's penchant for tight braids.

Liquid, Illustration Friday

Somewhere deep below the surface in the sea of sadness is a hidden reserve, a small vial containing an infinite amount of one of life's most precious liquids, tears of happiness and joy. Please open up and share freely!

Tribute, Illustration Friday

For Penelope- Thank You!

Farewell, Illustration Friday

Hello to both the beginning of May and "Farewell," this week's topic over at Illustration Friday.
Though it might not be the usual season for graveyards and headstones, it seemed appropriate in a sense, as saying goodbye is almost always an opportunity to welcome something new. Spring in Southern California has done just that, and as we are now saying farewell to its earliest blooms nestled among the vivid green landscape. The subtle shifts in seasonal color quietly announces that summer is eagerly waiting in the wings, and this week's spikes in temperatures suggest that it might not be that far out of sight.
Hope you are enjoying mildly pleasant and peaceful days that spring delivers, wherever you are!

Urban

"The car has become the carapace, the protective and
aggressive shell, of urban and suburban man.” ~ Marshall McLuhan

I could tell you some stories about my travels from here to there, but there's really not enough room and we'd all question whether they were relevant. With this week's IF challenge, we're traveling back a few years to a public art project that was installed around the newly renovated downtown, a series of banners that depicted local artists' views of life in Vista, California. This was my contribution, the view of the busy road from behind chain link, slightly glamorized so as not to fully reveal my tongue in cheek intentions and play on my town's name. As luck would have it, they installed this in front of my favorite ice cream haunt, so I softened my attitude a bit and went out for a "soft serve."
Eventually, another highway project replaced the increasingly battered chain link fence with a concrete barrier topped with something a little more durable, so this piece is now an unofficial artifact, perhaps just a bit like the person who painted it!

Egg, Illustration Friday

It might be a little late for Easter 2013, but this chick's sowing a little "Egg Plant" for next time! How's it growing at your place lately?

Swim, Illustration Friday

It seems like this week flew by, didn't it? Once again, i'm digging deep to find something remotely related to IF's theme, "Swim." Luckily, this mono print surfaced in time, but just barely.
This one was done by creating a simple painting on a sheet of plexiglass with printmaking ink. Working quickly, I then placed a slightly damp sheet of paper on top of the "plate." With pressure applied with a burnishing tool, (in this case I used a rice paddle), the design eventually transferred to the paper, which was then lifted off the plexiglass, yielding a "one of a kind" print.
It's still a little but cool to go for a dip in the ocean early in this spring, so for today, these little fish will have to do the swimming!