A Tale of Two Cities

 I have some paintings on display this month at Clarksville's Roxy Regional Theatre. There is a gallery attached which features art shows related to the play running at the time. I was asked to create some pieces to accompany a stage adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities.
(click images to enlarge) 

"Power in Numbers"
24x24"

 

Rather than strictly illustrating scenes from the story, I decided to play around with some of the  themes and motifs. Here (below) I was thinking of the frequent use of contrast and doubles. I'm using rats as a symbol for the peasantry in part because they are often thought of as filthy vermin, but are really very intelligent and adaptable animals. A friend of mine once had a pet rat, it was adorable. Also, they fit well with a portrayal of "the masses". You may not think much of a rat, until you see that they are everywhere.

"We had everything before us"
8.5x11"

"We had nothing before us"
8.5x11"

Here I was thinking about the way Dickens portrays the Revolution, with each side capable of innocence and atrocity. There is no strict dualism, though the opposing parties may perceive it as such.

"Each the Other 1"
8.5x11"

"Each the Other 2"
8.5x11"

Here I was mostly thinking of drawing some frilly clothes.

"Best and Worst of Times"
24x24"

Don't let the door behead you on the way out.

"Chateau"
24x24"

Update of Wonders

I recently finished this project for the Dixon Gallery and Gardens. The illustrations are being used  in the children's activities room, "The Room of Wonders, which is part of the current "From Houdini to Hugo" exhibit featuring the work of Brian Selznick. The exhibit is awesome, I encourage anyone interested in illustration to go check it out.

 I was asked to create three 3'x6' illustrations centered around the theme of "Wonder"(and the hand lettered title image). They basically left the content up to me, so it was really fun to work on these. The areas where the faces would be were cut out so the kids could look through the holes and see themselves in the picture.

I only had about a week and a half to do everything, which forced me to decide on the subject matter quickly. I was kind of glad for that, otherwise I probably would have spent an absurd amount of time second guessing whether whatever I drew sufficiently embodied "wonder".

I did the line drawings with physical ink and brush, then colored them digitally.

Here is Shane, experiencing the Wonder.

Blurry photo of the title on the wall. Signs and Designs did the printing, everything turned out looking great.

  They were set up inside a box, with the viewer facing a mirror and the illustration with cut-outs opposite that. Bad photo, but hopefully you get the idea.

Houses on hiatus, shows are go

Due to getting really busy with other stuff, I am (sadly) putting the Housing Project on hold for the time being. On one hand, I'm bummed to break the chain since I've been keeping up with it pretty well so far. On the other hand, I'm glad to be busy. Oh well. My thanks to all you folks who were following along every week!

As for what I've been busy with, the coming month is full of art faires/festivals/craft show-things. This Saturday October 1, I'll be at the Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market Artisan Faire. The image above is a new mounted print I'll have available of one of my Horn Island pieces. 

Next week I'll be at LuvMud 2011 with the lovely Nikkila Carroll. The weekend after that, the Arts Pop Up festival. Also, possibly a couple more things happening in November, updates on that later.

In addition to the vendor events, I'm doing some work for a couple of gallery shows (also to be finished before November) among other various and sundry projects. Phew. Why does everything always end up coming at the same time? Certainly not complaining though!

Housing Project 255-257

Making a house everyday for a year.

 #255- Mother goose had a house. These are all based on nursery rhymes

 #256- Fly away home

"Ladybug! Ladybug!

Fly away home.

Your house is on fire

And your children all gone.

All except one,

And that's little Ann,

For she has crept under

The frying pan."

#257- Turtle dove house

"High in the pine tree,

The little turtledove

Made a little nursery

To please her little love.

"Coo," said the turtledove,

"Coo," said she;

In the long, shady branches

Of the dark pine tree."

I fell behind a bit this week and only have three *shame*, but I will catch up soon.

Housing Project 248-254

A house every day for a year

#248- Lovebird house. Based on this one from a couple of weeks ago. Available for purchase in my shop here!

#249- Houseboat. Wall plaque versions of these necklaces from my last giveaway. 

Buy it here

#250- Haunted house. 

Buy it here

#251- Tree house

Buy it here

#252- Bird house

Buy it here

I am going to take the position that I put enough effort into the first 5 that it excuses the total lack of it in the last 2.

#253- Lazy house

#254- I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS house

Housing Project 241-247

#241- Jungle house

I happened upon this book at the library, Fantastic Architecture: Personal and Eccentric Visions, and have been taking inspiration from it this week. This first house is from a picture of Las Pozas, a surrealist palace built by a guy named Edward James. I want to go there.

#242- Gargoyle house

#243- Calamity tower house

#244- Fun house

#245- Temple house

#246- Sand house

Based on some amazing sand castles by Pieter Wiersma.

#247- Distribution house

Housing Project 234-240

Housing Project 227- 233

Making 365 houses in 365 days

This week I wondered, "what rhymes with 'house'?"






















#227






















#228
















#229


















#230


















#231






















#232






















#233

Zodiac plaque series

Click to enlarge!





















Recently finished a series based on the signs of the Zodiac. Mounted prints and necklaces are in the works! I'll have a booth at the Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market Aug.27 (8am-1pm) and will be selling these, among my other wares. If you are interested in a particular original, let me know before the market and I will reserve it for you. Originals are 5" in width and $65 (except Sagittarius, it is larger at 6.5" and $75).

I did a non-silhouette version of Virgo out of curiosity. I kind of like both and may end up doing a second set of them all at some point.