Studio de Shan

WEBSITE UPDATED

2011-11-20T18:50:00.001+10:00

just a little interlude here to pass on a little pertinent information...

STUDIO DE SHAN WEBSITE has been updated with all the images and bid info/prices, so head on over, check it out, and start thinking about how much you want that "little piece of de Shan" to be in your christmas stocking this year!

shine bright art star!

de Shan

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/100-Drawings-in-100-Days-Art-Show-2011-in-Brisbane.html?soid=1102168754999&aid=x93f3uzVEpk

2011-11-15T11:33:00.001+10:00

PSSSST!!! THE 100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS INVITATION IS READY!!

JUST CLICK HERE...

100 Drawings in 100 Days - Catwoman

2011-11-12T15:27:00.001+10:00

BLYTHE (ALWAYS WANTED A TAIL...)

have you ever noticed that there are not too many superhero women, as they're usually typecast as the villains? well such is the case for my subject today, DC Comic's Catwoman. the very first Catwoman we saw was in 1940 and was played by Selina Kyle, usually as the villain, but sometimes as an ally and/or romantic figure to batman.

beginning in 1954 and until 1966 however, Catwoman took a bit of a hiatus due to the newly developing 'Comics Code Authority' and their issues regarding the portrayal of female characters. she was eventually to return, but as the anti-hero rather than the super villain and was played by several actresses, including the husky-voiced Eartha Kitt, Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry. her primary role began as a high-end jewelry thief and has morphed into a full-blown villain-turned love interest to Batman.

but, as my title suggests, i've always secretly wished that i had a tail, preferably a prehensile tail, but hey, a cat tail would do in a pinch too...

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - DEVIL BETTIE BLYTHE

2011-11-01T18:25:00.000+10:00

BYTHE (HAS OFTEN WISHED SHE COULD HAVE HAD A TAIL... AND HORNS...)

so, after quite a long string of "good girls" and "bad-ass girls" (aka goddesses), i think it's time to have the ultimate of bad girls... the lovely Ms. Bettie Page. i think she makes the most sweetly seductive, sublime and sinister of devils... you GO GIRL!

Bettie was born in nashville, tennessee in 1923, and was miss january 1955 pinup girl for playboy, making her one of the earliest pinup girls. she was a classic fetish and pinup model with her jet black hair and blue eyes, and is still today one of the fetish culture's idols.

according to Hugh Hefner, Playboy founder and figure-head, "I think that she was a remarkable lady, an iconic figure in pop culture who influenced sexuality, taste in fashion, and someone who had a tremendous impact on our society."

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - BLYTHE ATHENA

2011-11-01T18:05:00.000+10:00

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - BLYTHE ATHENA

BLYTHE (JAMMING AS ATHENA IN THE REALM OF WAR GODDESS AND HER LITTLE PET OWL...)

while we are on the topic of classical mythological goddesses, we can't forget how important Athena was. her roman counterpart, Minerva, possessed very similar attributes and traits as Athena, mainly being the Goddess of War. some of the others were the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, female arts, crafts, justice, and skill, to name but a few. and interestingly enough, Athena was the polar opposite of her brother Ares, who was always up for a battle, whereas Athena was more interested in resolving the disputes in a more civilized manner, which is how most of the Goddesses conducted themselves.

the story of her birth is one that is quite obviously a fable, and is fantastical, while at the same time quite intriguing. her father, Zeus, the Supreme God and ruler of Olympus bore Athena from his forehead, and she emerged ready for battle. there are numerous versions of this story, but this is the more common:
'Zeus lay with Metis, the goddess of crafty thought and wisdom, but he immediately feared the consequences. It had been prophesied that Metis would bear children more powerful than the sire, even Zeus himself. In order to forestall these dire consequences, after lying with Metis, Zeus "put her away inside his own belly," he "swallowed her down all of a sudden." He was too late: Metis had already conceived. Eventually Zeus experienced an enormous headache; Ares cleaved Zeus's head with the double-headed Minoan axe, the labrys. Athena leaped from Zeus's head, fully grown and armed, with a shout and pealed to the broad sky her clarion cry of war'.*

and that is the story of Athena, who is also the patron saint of Athens, Greece. what a woman!

* courtesy wikipedia

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - THE BIRTH OF BLYTHE

2011-10-14T14:45:00.000+10:00

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - THE BIRTH OF BLYTHE

BLYTHE (SO THIS IS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE THE GODDESS VENUS - SHE ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE THE WIND BLOWING THROUGH HER FLOWING HAIR AT ALL TIMES...)

flipping through my old art history books for the references to Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa for my version of her, i stumbled upon this old favorite, Sandro Boticelli's Birth of Venus. it made me feel very nostalgic *sniff*...

now, the short story behind this lovely goddess Venus, is that she emerged from the sea a fully grown woman, and arrived at the sea shore to be met by her 3 lovely hand maidens with robes for her to wear. end of story. beautiful.

however it goes much deeper than that. the philosopher plato thought that the goddess Venus had two aspects to her nature: one of having the ability to arouse mortals to physical love, and the other to invoke feelings of intellectual love by way of her beauty leading them to think of the divine creator. i think i would have loved being around during the renaissance era just to be able to be a part of all this fantastic theoretical banter... but according to classical mythology, Venus was the roman goddess of fertility, love and beauty, while she was named Aphrodite in greek lore. but for all intents and purposes they were each others' counterparts from different countries.

while i was in college in the US, it was part of my duty as a student to complete several hours of humanities classes, and classical mythology fell into that category. i was thrilled because it seemed very interesting to me, and my professor looked like tweedle dee or dum from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which hopefully meant it was going to be a good summer. so professor dee-dum had us reading all manner of books, one of which was "Classical Mythology", fourth edition by Mark P.O. Morford and Robert J. Lenardon, in which they state that Venus and the god of war, Mars, while lovers, bore a child by the name of Cupid. And according to that story, Cupid goes on to be the most beautiful creature who, during a promise to a "client", accidentally pricks himself with his own arrow and falls in love with a mortal girl, Psyche. and that's a whole other story, but nonetheless a very good read.

during the renaissance, there was a resurgence of classical mythology that ran alongside the christian iconography, but that were both very politically driven. so, depending on who the patron was, the figures of the characters may take on the likeness or characteristics of the emperor, or the head of state, or the wealthy banker, etc. according to art historians, Boticelli's painting of "The Birth of Venus" celebrates in a flattering light, Lorenzo de Medici, and Venus is rumored to have been Simonetta Cattaneo Vespucci, a woman with whom both Lorenzo and his younger brother Guiliano were enamored. and as you can imagine, this caused a little trouble... trust those artists to stir up mischief!

2011-09-29T23:26:00.000+10:00

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - BLYTHE IN A BURKA !!

BLYTHE (IT'S GETTIN' HOT IN HERE...)

now i have turned to what i consider to be some of the most striking, beautiful, devoted and pious women, yet the dress is very controversial in western society - the islam burka.

oh there is so much to be written here, and i just love that while i thought i was just doing a pretty little drawing and playing with ink on paper and watching the lovely lines interlacing, i was actually educating myself on the subject. how cool is that?!

the website that i went to for all this information is so lengthy that i will just give you the skinny version here and the link to the site ( here) if you would like more information.

"a Fatwa (in the Islamic faith is a religious opinion concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar) written by Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid on the Saudi Arabian website Islam QA, states:

The correct view as indicated by the evidence is that the woman's face is 'awrah which must be covered. It is the most tempting part of her body, because what people look at most is the face, so the face is the greatest 'awrah of a woman."*

in afghanistan: the chadri (the full length robes and the head veil with just a mesh covering over a slit for the eyes) was not worn much before the Taliban. Their treatment of women required that they wear the chadri in public. and although it is not mandatory for women to wear it in afghanistan now, they still prefer to wear it as a matter of personal safety during a time of such political unrest.

in india: the wearing of the burka is more prominent especially if the woman is young and unmarried, or young and in the first few years of her marriage. after that, it is at the husband's discretion as to whether or not she continues to wear it.

in pakistan: the popularity of the burka has declined over the years except in rural areas. there the burka is not seen as a religious symbol, but one of honor, wealth and tradition and the wearing of it is not observed while traveling outside the area.

in israel: some time ago a group of jewish women began wearing the burka as a symbol of piety. then hundreds of women were doing it. as one woman put it, "I follow these rules of modesty to save men from themselves. A man who sees a woman's body parts is sexually aroused, and this might cause him to commit sin. Even if he doesn't actually sin physically, his impure thoughts are sin in themselves."*

and that was fine to think that way, until the husbands decided that it had the opposite effect, and actually became a sexual fetish that was just as promiscuous as wearing too little and could lead to even more danger of sexual transgressions. wow.

in syria: the burka is not allowed to be worn in schools or universities by students, teachers or staff.

in france: the burka has been prohibited from being worn in french public schools since 2004, which falls into line with their law from 1905 of not wearing or displaying any clearly visible religious symbols (the burka in france, considered a religious symbol much like a cross is to christians). in july of 2010, the assembly successfully placed a ban on burkas in public places. and they now have the "bill to forbid concealing one's face in public".*

in australia: the australian liberal senator, cory bernardi called for the ban on the burka, which has not yet gone ahead, but the argument still continues.

and on it goes... the world is trying to find reasons that it is unsafe for your health to wear a burka, and people will try anything to put an end to that which they don't understand or fear. i say, each to their own.

* courtesy wikipedia

2011-09-29T23:21:00.000+10:00

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - EASTERN GODDESS BLYTHE

BLYTHE (IS DIGGIN' THE BLING THAT GOES ALONG
WITH BEING A BODHISATTVA...)

allow me, if you will, to take you on a journey... actually a few journeys. i am delving into "sets" of drawings at the moment (it all started with alice...). i have already explored the Virgin Mary, and the Immaculate Heart images, and now i am heading further east, to the Buddhist countries and their Buddhas and (the female version) the Bodhisattvas.

now, there are so many different goddesses and gods, that i couldn't even begin to name them, for they are just too numerous, and they all hold different qualities. i have done a Mrs. Potato Head, and actually taken bits and pieces from a few different Bodhisattvas to create my very own... (hope that's ok with the universe that i did that!) i have combined two in particular: Tara and Kwan Yin.

Both these Bodhisattvas embody compassion and Samsara (continuous suffering), and each of them have their trademark symbols: kwan yin with her 1000 arms and 1000 eyes because she is omnipresent (but usually portrayed with eyes in the palms of her hands), and usually holding or sitting on a lotus flower - a sign of purity; and tara with her calm and sympathetic expression because she is the goddess of longevity and healing. for the sake of simplicity and clarity, i preferred not to draw the 1000 arms (i would have run out of ink as well...), and only one eye besides the normal two on her face. but the story behind this goddess kwan yin is a must read, and for that matter so is tara's. they both have beautiful anecdotal qualities, which is why i was so attracted to them.

when i lived in Oklahoma City, i attended a buddhist temple on sundays, and our primary focus was on the various Bodhisattvas, of which i had previously no experience. and so naturally i thoroughly enjoyed making up my own image of "Her".

100 Drawings in 100 Days - The Immaculate Heart of Blythe

2011-09-09T17:04:00.000+10:00

BLYTHE (HOLY DOLLY!!)

i've decided to take blythe for a little wander musing as diety figures and/or goddesses. so, allow me to take you on this journey with us...

i'm not going into this for any other reason than i simply just adore religious iconography and the stories behind them. i do not wish to engage in any type of religious banter or controversy - it's just purely image related and the beauty within the images.

now, let's start with mary, and the immaculate heart of mary. i LOVE this image!! i just adore the loving expression you will find in each and every image of mary (well, sometimes she just looked plain bored, especially during the early renaissance). in most cases she just emanates love and acceptance. but i also love the symbol of the heart, pierced with the swords, the flames and the roses. in most images of the immaculate heart, you will find either thorns or roses, sometimes a lily springing forth from the top, a single sword or 7 swords, a cut on the heart with blood flowing from it, and usually but not always flames. in this image, i have picked and chosen what i wanted for aesthetic values, of course. and my roses are always Ed Hardy and Sailor Jerry roses (tattoo artists), just for a little twist.

"Have pity on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother. It is covered with the thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to remove them with an act of reparation."*

* courtesy wikipedia

100 Drawings in 100 Days - Blythe as Frida Kahlo

2011-09-09T17:00:00.000+10:00

BLYTHE

(KNOWS HOW TO ROCK THAT EYEBROW SITUATION)

when i was in college, i took a profound interest in women artists later in my studies. it was towards the middle of my degree that i really started to ask myself the question of whether i was prepared to "do this", to make this my career, my living, my everything. and seeing as how i forgot to have children, the answer was 'yes'.

my major professor would constantly remind us all that we ought to have a second job as "backup". in other words, he knew of nobody personally who was making it as an artist, and it would be in our best interests to have insurance, i guessed.

i began researching female artists from the time they first began appearing in the renaissance (there were very few back then, but they were dissuaded by their families to do so, and would paint and have an artists' presence as men). then mary cassatt came onto the scene in the mid 1800's, but women in art colleges were treated with a patronizing attitude from other male students and teachers, and were not allowed to draw the live model. and after a while, her came little miss frida kahlo!

frida kahlo was born just outside of mexico city in 1907, and suffered physically for most of her life, which is probably what brought her to become a painter. she was confined to bed in a full body cast for 3 months after being in an automobile accident at the age of 18. her injuries were severely debilitating, and left her with fractured ribs, multiple fractures to the leg and foot, spinal column, shoulder and a hand-rail from the street car she was traveling in impaled her abdomen and uterus, which left her reproductively challenged.

whilst she was confined to her bed, her father set up an arrangement so that she had a mirror positioned directly above her face, and with some sketch paper, pencils, canvas paint brushes and paints, frida was able to release all of her emotions and eventually her life story onto the canvas. even after she was rehabilitated, she did suffer relapses of chronic pain, but she was able to maintain a decent level of quality of life.

she married diego rivera, a very famous mexican mural artist and the two of them were a very combustible connection - both with their fair share of infidelities, which led to their divorce and then re-marriage that ended up being just as fiery and troublesome as it was the first time.

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - MONA BLYTHE

2011-08-30T14:44:00.005+10:00

BLYTHE

(IS FEELING A BIT SMUG

BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THE REAL REASON

THAT THE MONA LISA IS SMILING...)

my best friend from high school came to see me this weekend, bringing with her, her husband and my biggest fan club, her 3 sons. of course i love them all dearly, particularly because they are all little smarty-pants-show-off-daredevils and funny as can be! over dinner, we were discussing my drawings, and how i was in need of some inspiration. adin, the oldest, suggested a few ideas, but this was the money-shot! the Mona Lisa. of course!! brilliant!! (don't tell him that, he'll get a big fat head...)

now the story behind the mona lisa is a bit of historical fact and a lot of speculation, because dear old Leo just couldn't do a painting without hiding something forbidden within the layers of paint. he was not the man to go to if you had a secret, because he would hide it in his paintings or in his writings (mirror-image, so as to trick people into thinking it was a different language. i learned how to do this at an early age for the sake of my christmas list...). whether he did or he didn't plan on people in the future having access to the technological advancements that would enable them to decipher his hidden secrets, we'll never know. but they did. and we now know all manner of things about this woman, supposedly the wife of Francesco del Giocondo.

many scholars have tried to uncover the truth behind the smile of the Mona Lisa, and there are countless number of theories out there, which one is the truth we'll never really know. but the one that i tend to favor, is from Dan Brown, the author of "The Da Vinci Code".

the Mona Lisa is without a doubt the world's most famous painting, and the reason for that is simply that it was da Vinci's best accomplishment. the speculation behind the guessing of the reason for the smile, he states, was that da Vinci was trying to make a point about the feminine being the finer sex, which all goes back to the theory of Mary Magdalene being the wife of Christ. in the composition of the painting, da Vinci had made the left side of the landscape in the background lower than the right, which made the left side of her look larger, more important. this is Leo's little inside joke, as the female is usually associated with the left, and the male with the right. so, here he has made the female more important and majestic as he was a huge advocate of the feminine principles. he also believed that the human soul could not be enlightened unless it had both male and female elements.

there is some truth behind the rumor that the Mona Lisa is androgynous, and da Vinci hid one big clue in it's title "MONA LISA". he was trying to get the message across about the power of male/female elements. AMON was the egyptian fertility god. his counterpart was ISIS, the fertility goddess (whose ancient pictogram was once called L'ISA). AMON L'ISA. as brown puts it, "...not only does the face of Mona Lisa look androgynous, but her name is an anagram of the divine union of male and female. and that, my friends, is da Vinci's little secret, and the reason for Mona Lisa's knowing smile."

so, after many hours of drawing (consider that it took Leo years to paint this!), here she is. and i love her.

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - BLYTHE IS BACK!!

2011-08-30T14:32:00.006+10:00

BLYTHE (DITCHED GI JOE FOR THE NEW NERDY GUY.

SECRETLY, SHE THINKS NERDS ARE HOT...)

after much deliberation, i just couldn't keep away from drawing Blythe. it was so bizarre, how i kept thinking of drawing the eyes of blythe dolls, and i finally posted a query on facebook (what a dork, right?) asking people to respond to the post if they wanted to see blythe back in my drawings. i got 15 "yes" responses in a very short period of time, so i took that as a sign.

so, here we have Blythe back, after just having ditched GI Joe (he was really not much fun at all for me to draw, so imagine poor Blythe's feelings on the matter!) and with her new nerdy blythe doll boyfriend, Romeo. and the response to that post on facebook was "i love nerds!!" and i think he's pretty cute so, good going Blythe!! you've picked a winner, and so have i!

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - THE KING OF SPADES

2011-08-29T18:49:00.005+10:00

KING OF SPADES

i know there is no King of Spades in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, but i'm pretty sure that if Lewis Carroll had lived longer and spent some time with me, there would be! i have a certain fondness for crows, and playing cards, jokers, the number 7, and several other things... but one day i came upon the most amazing thing ever, and when i tell it to people, nobody has heard of it before.

i was in a park around the corner from my house one day, when i saw a circle of crows on the ground, and a dead crow in the middle. they were making quite a bit of noise, so i watched. and i couldn't believe it, but i had witnessed a crow death ceremony. they all took turns to have their say, nudging the dead crow when it was their turn, and after they all finished, they squawked loudly together, then all flew away at once. now, i found this on the internet (because i have to have proof that i'm not imagining things... quite funny right?), and it describes my experience very well (except for the accent...)

"You know, when you spend a lot of time in the woods, you see the strangest things. One time I was out the woods road when I heard a lot of flutterin' and goin' on. I turned toward the sound, and pretty soon I came on to a little clearing, and in that clearing was a bunch of crows settin' around on the ground. What I noticed next was that they was settin' around pretty much in a circle, and in the center of that circle was a dead crow!

They kept settin' there, quiet like, and once in a while they would start up mutterin', you know, just makin' this odd, soft little mutterin' sound, and that sound went all around the circle of 'em. I watched for quite a little while. Looked altogether like a funeral. After a bit, I looked away just for a couple of seconds, when I heard a loud, sharp call go out. There was a great flutter of wings, and all of 'em took off right sudden like. And you know, when I looked around, that dead crow was gone too."

so, i ended up with a drawing of this beautiful crow with a crown on, and looking very majestic and stern. long live the king!

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - MAD HATTER

2011-08-23T12:01:00.003+10:00

MAD HATTER (KNOWS HOW TO ROCK THAT HAT WITH MATCHING GLOVES, EVEN THE TALKING FLOWER...)

i thought i'd do something a little bit different for the Mad Hatter: a woman. wasn't quite what you were expecting, was it?

it is a well-known fact that milliners (hat makers) were often said to be "mad as a hatter". this is due to the fact that mercury was used in the curing of pelts for making the hats. mercury poisoning was therefore unavoidable and the result was a neurological disorder that spelled confusion, distorted speech and vision.

"The Hatter explains to Alice that he and the March Hare are always having tea because, when he tried to sing for the Queen of Hearts at her celebration, she sentenced him to death for "murdering the time," but he escapes decapitation. In retaliation, Time (referred to as a "Him") halts himself in respect to the Hatter, keeping him and the March Hare stuck at 6:00 forever. As such, he exclaims "Tea Time!" at random occasions. The tea party, when Alice arrives, is characterized by switching places on the table at any given time, making short, personal remarks, asking unanswerable riddles and reciting nonsensical poetry, all of which eventually drive Alice away."*

well, it was a short-lived life for many hatters, but it most certainly did add to the entertainment in both the book and the movie "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland".

*courtesy wikipedia

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - THE WONDER IN ALICE

2011-08-21T18:03:00.004+10:00

ALICE (RUNNING LATE FOR THE SHOOT, BUT ALWAYS MAKING TIME FOR THE LITTLE TREATS HER CO-STARS LEAVE AROUND THE PLACE... SHE JUST HOPES IT'S SUGAR-FREE...)

this is the second "Alice" drawing i've done this time, and who knows? maybe i'll do another, but they are all very different. i thought this time Alice should be a little more, well, modern. not quite so innocent. a little less boring??

and what's not to love about seeing a woman in pretty lacy lingerie, and a couple of tasteful tattoos? these days they are both quite commonplace. i was at the roller derby bouts last weekend, and it was more uncommon to see someone without a tattoo than with one. when i got my tattoos, it was still a fairly uncommon practice for women to get them where they could be seen outside of the boudoir.

well, i must get going. i'm late, i'm late!! for a very important date (drawing the Queen of Hearts... should she be a little tattooed too??) hmmmm....

for a little refresher on our darling little Alice, and her story, here is the link to my "other" Alice ---> EAT ME

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - DORMOUSE IS GETTING HIS GROOVE ON...

2011-08-19T18:48:00.003+10:00

DORMOUSE (WHILE IN THE CHANGE-ROOM ON THE SET OF 'ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND', HE SNEAKILY TAKES A SEXY PHOTO TO TEXT TO THAT CUTE SET-MOUSE BACKSTAGE...)

i'm the kind of artist who needs a source for my inspiration. i can get and develop ideas in my head, but in order for me to produce a drawing or painting that i'm really happy with, i require images or objects in front of me to act as my model. i can draw from my imagination, but if i want the finer details, i must have a model, be it real or a photograph.

now, there are not always mice available, so i must rely upon the internet in order to be able to create my version of the Dormouse from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". and then there is this little issue of copyright, so it just makes my job a little more difficult, and increases the time i spend on each drawing. enough of the boring details: this here mouse, the Dormouse, who is seen here taking his own photograph in the mirror of the bathroom backstage, is a combination of many images. and the hand holding the phone which is attached to the scantily clad figure (much hair was applied and belly shortened and fattened of course, to make it more mouse-like) belongs to a dear friend of mine. yes, it has come to this. be careful when you send de Shan any photos, she may use them in her artwork!! :)

so this mouse, the Dormouse is native to several regions in the world, but the one referred to in Lewis Carroll's novel, is the one that inhabits the british isles. they are known primarily for their particularly long periods of hibernation - thus the sleepiness of the Dormouse character in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". and in this drawing, i have portrayed him as being a little bit naughty and very much awake and on the prowl...

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS -

2011-08-16T11:07:00.003+10:00

MOCK TURTLE (CRIES SO MUCH BECAUSE HE WISHES HE COULD HAVE A FUR COAT INSTEAD OF HIS ARMOR)

well, after a little research, i found out that the Mock Turtle in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" was named so after a popular victorian dish - Mock Turtle Soup! how odd

so here is the recipe:

Mrs. Fowle's Mock Turtle Soup: "Take a large calf's head. Scald off the hair. Boil it until the horn is tender, then cut it into slices about the size of your finger, with as little lean as possible. Have ready three pints of good mutton or veal broth, put in it half a pint of Madeira wine, half a teaspoonful of thyme, pepper, a large onion, and the peel of a lemon chop't very small. A ¼ of a pint of oysters chop't very small, and their liquor; a little salt, the juice of two large onions, some sweet herbs, and the brains chop't. Stand all these together for about an hour, and send it up to the table with the forcemeat balls made small and the yolks of hard eggs."*

and i've never actually had mock turtle soup, but it really sounds rather nasty! no wonder he was always crying...

as Lewis Carroll's character goes, however, the mock turtle was upset because he used to be a real turtle, but now he is a fake turtle. this is why he was illustrated by John Tenniel as an assemblage of the cow head, hooves and tail, the traditional off-cuts of the beast and the non-muscular parts to imitate turtle meat in the soup.

poor thing...

* courtesy wikipedia

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - THAT WASCALLY WABBIT!!!

2011-08-15T11:32:00.002+10:00

THE WHITE RABBIT (FEELING A BIT SMUG ABOUT HAVING THE DODO'S COSTUME ON... HE HATED THAT STUPID COLLAR ANYWAY!)

well i've definitely decided that G.I. Joe made a nice little cameo appearance and then he stole Blythe away. but now it's fairytale time

and in keeping with the whole Alice's Adventures in Wonderland theme, the writing of this particular blog today might be a tad bit peculiar...

so the white rabbit has been a thing of fascination for me since i first read the story of alice and her follies with all the m y s t i c a l creatures in her mind. now, we all have these when we're ren-child, and that's pretty normal, but to continue with them as an adult is

NOT

so normal (see the movie "drop dead fred" - one of my all-time favorites!!) and so, in my quest to appear normal (well...), i've tried to channel all of the inexplicable, extraordinary and downright unbelievable critters and traffic in my mind into my paintings and drawings... and it works most of the time...

Lewis Caroll's character of the White Rabbit was deemed to be of a nervous type, but arrogant with his underlings, and obsequious with his superiors:

"I think the White Rabbit should wear spectacles. I'm sure his voice should quaver, and his knees quiver, and his whole air suggest a total inability to say 'Boo' to a goose!"*

how very apt this all was... until he decided to steal the Dodo's clothing instead of his own ridiculous costume. and i think he looks rather dapper...

* from martin gardner's 'the annotated alice', p.37

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - I LOVE ALICE!

2011-08-12T22:11:00.005+10:00

DODO (WARDROBE MALFUNCTION ON THE SET OF "ALICE IN WONDERLAND". NOTE TO SELF: GET TO WORK BEFORE THE RABBIT...)

so, what i was saying about that nice smooth transition, that little segue by means of G.I. Joe and Blythe together... bla bla bla! forget it! i'm just not passionate about Joe. sorry Joe, no offense, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, and i'm now off on a different tangent.

ENTER: the Dodo from Tim Burton's film, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"! i absolutely adore anything Alice. i have drawn an Alice Blythe, of which i am very proud. so, this particular drawing shows the Dodo character having just had a wardrobe malfunction, and wearing the White Rabbit's costume. sometimes i wonder if i really did grow up or if that is just a mean trick the mirror plays on me every morning... you see, this seems like a very plausible problem for this particular (extinct) creature to have. i must be mad.

anyway, the dodo was originally from Mauritius, and related to pigeons and doves. it stood about 1m tall, nested on the ground as it was a flightless bird, and has been extinct for almost 400 years. it is the standard for an extinct species because it became so as the result of human interference and during recorded history.

what an odd little creature, especially in the rabbit's get-up!

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

2011-08-11T11:09:00.004+10:00

GI JOE (PICKED UP THIS HOT BABE ON HIS MOTORCYCLE. SHE LOOKS VAGUELY FAMILIAR...)

ok, it's time i think to begin branching out into other areas, and i thought this image of

Blythe with G.I. Joe would be a nice little segue.

in 1964, the toy company Hasbro came out with the 12" action figure toys called "GI Joe",

and they incorporated all 4 corners of the military - army, navy, air force and marine corps. they depicted the soldier, sailor, pilot and marine, and eventually they came out with the nurse. the initials G.I. stands for "Government Issue", which was a generic term for U.S. soldiers before Hasbro came out with the action figures. (at this point, i am reminded of the episodes from M*A*S*H*, where the korean girls would address the soldiers with, "hey, G.I.!")

the toys have undergone a few changes, especially with all the changes in the military and their daily routines, not to mention terrorism, and so each figure has taken on special capabilities such as martial arts, weapons and explosive expertise.

i'm still searching for that realism in the toy that i find in Blythe, so i'm not sure how long this little fling will last, but in the meantime, they are off riding around on Joe's Ducati, and Blythe, as always, looks very nonchalant...

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - BLYTHE GOLIGHTLY

2011-08-10T11:47:00.001+10:00

BREAKFAST AT BLYTHE'S

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" would have to be one of my favorite movies of all time. and i do so love a good ol' fashioned 1960's film, including some Elvis and a little humor from the hilarious (then) Jerry Lewis. but Audrey Hepburn's character "Holly Golightly" is famous around the globe, even to the point of graffiti stencil art on city buildings.

in the film, Holly Golightly plays an eccentric social butterfly/cafe society girl, who is accepting money to pass on coded messages to a drug runner in sing sing prison, but all the while playing innocently ignorant of the entire ordeal. the story is based on the life of a beautiful society page girl and her neighbor, who is played by George Peppard (also known from the TV series "The A Team", which is how i grew up with George). the real star of the movie is the "Cat", who is constantly getting into all sorts of trouble and is seen here pictured with Blythe Golightly.

when i was still living in Oklahoma City, the Museum of Art had a film week program, and they showed "Breakfast at Tiffany's" one week back in 2004. so my friend Erin asked me to go but we had to dress up as Holly Golightly, about which i was ecstatic beyond all belief!

needless to say, we did attract some strange glances, but everybody who spoke to us knew who we were dressed up to be. i think someone even called me "Ms. Gorightree" (from the chinese upstairs neighbor character, played by Mickey Rooney).

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - CHICA CHICA BOOM!

2011-08-06T01:23:00.005+10:00

BLYTHE (FOR NO REASON AT ALL, WAS FEELING A LITTLE FRUITY THIS MORNING, SO OPTED FOR THE CARMEN MIRANDA EARRINGS AND PINEAPPLE HAT)

so, lately my mom has been greeting me quite early in the morning with a phone call, a little bit of a worried tone in her voice "are you ok? what's wrong", she says. "nothing, why?" i reply.

"well, there's no drawing on the blog. are you sure you're ok?"

i think this is all very cute, and it's lovely to know that my mom is loving what i'm doing it, and almost as ritualistically as making a cup of tea and reading the paper every morning,

she's reading my blog. if there is one.

(remember i said i wasn't going to go on about it, but i had knee surgery.

some days i can't move, some days i can...)

so, mom's suggestion was a carmen miranda blythe. i wasn't keen on the idea, but now that i've done it, i love it!

what a gal, that carmen miranda. born Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha in Portugal,

she was raised in Brazil, and went on to eventually get a job in a boutique where she learned how to make hats which would serve her well in her movie career. after working in radio and as a samba singer, she filmed several brazilian movies before signing a contract in hollywood and moving to the US in 1939.

soon afterwards, she was formally presented to Franklin D. Roosevelt, starred in 13 movies, and became part of the President's "good neighbor Policy" which would help to strengthen ties between the US and Latin America and Europe.

by 1946, not only was she Hollywood's highest paid movie star, but she was the top female tax payer in the US, earning more than $200, 000 that year (roughly 2.2M today).

her most famous role in a movie was to be "The Gang's All Here" in 1943, in which she wore her famous fruit hat and outfit (designed by her).

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - FLASHBACK TO THE 60'S

2011-08-04T02:32:00.004+10:00

BLYTHE QUANT (OPTING FOR THE MICRO-MINI DRESS FOR 60'S FLASHBACK FRIDAY AT WORK)

while we're on the subject of notable women in history (sorry guys, you'll have to wait a little while, at least until i start drawing boys toys, like Tonka trucks or Mr. T dolls...), who doesn't remember Mary Quant? if you don't, you know of her by her legacy - the mini skirt (now do i have your attention guys?)

Mary Quant was a British fashion designer who laid claim to the rise of the hemline on the rise - the mini skirt - and of course, hot pants. she was the first designer of our century to encourage people to dress to please themselves (what a novel concept!!) When she was asked what it was that inspired her to design the mini skirt, her reply was "Legs. I had good legs."*

In the mid-60's, women's clothing saw a change in tax methods - previously, the government taxed women's clothing based on the length of the skirt. now with the mini skirt being tax exempt due to the garment being classified as children's clothing, they began taxing the garments based upon bust size!

Quant was also a success in the cosmetics and beauty industry, and was known for her accurately cut short "bowl" hairstyle, and her dramatic eye makeup.

'good taste is death. vulgarity is life'*

-Mary Quant

*from "Women who Changed the World", Pier 9

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - BLYTHE VON TEESE

2011-08-03T01:47:00.005+10:00

BLYTHE VON TEESE (LOVES HER JOB AS A BURLESQUE DANCER - IT MEANS MORE LINGERIE AND SHOES!)

i'm really not fond of reading blogs that begin with "it's been 3 days since i last blogged, because...". it sounds too "dear diary" to me. and it's usually some quite lame reason as to why, and it's not as though we're in high school and we have to blog every day, and now this is sounding more and more as though i ought to... so, let me see, how to begin... it's been 3 days since i last blogged because i had knee surgery and the pain has set in! and now that i've said that, i'm going to get straight into the business of blogging.

i'm almost certain that most grown adults would know who Dita Von Teese is, however if they don't, it's not that uncommon. she's a very influential, almost cult-like figure in the world of Burlesque, strip-tease, and the tasteful art of seduction. once i had decided on this drawing today, i spent the best part of the day researching von Teese, her iconographic looks, (you can even learn how to do Dita Von Teese makeup on You Tube!) This lady has taken us on a journey back to a time when corsets were not optional, they were as mandatory a piece of clothing as your left shoe, and she has created a newfound interest in the corset as naughty-but-nice lustful underwear... the thing is, she does it with such elegance and high-class that it seems almost unimaginable!

corsets, a constrictive undergarment made from whalebone, steel or horn, were thought to have been around since the 15th century, and worn primarily to alter the appearance of the figure. they were a sign of status and wealth, usually only reserved for aristocracy, and were a source of constant medical problems from day one. women used to have access to "fainting couches", "smelling salts", and were known to have "spells", all of which were due to the corset constricting and limiting the human body's normal functions, namely the cutting off of circulation, causing digestive problems, dizziness and light-headedness, even fainting. the smelling salts were made from ammonium carbonate, and were used to revive the unconscious women.

we now find that corsets have made a comeback in the fetish realm, namely in burlesque perfoming. fortunately for the performers though, they get to take them off at the end of their shift! they do however, look a lot more pleasing to the eye than they did back then... and can you believe that men used to wear them?? see if that would happen today!

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - the bunny strikes again

2011-07-30T10:26:00.007+10:00

BLYTHE (WONDERS HOW A BIG FAT ROCK ON HER HAND WOULD LOOK, AS SHE PRACTICES SAYING "MRS. BLYTHE HEFNER...")

after i graduated college with my MFA in printmaking, i was invited to join and participate in the AGD (american graphic design) show called the "20 x 2", which was a monthly event held in a swank little lecture-type place, and there were 20 artists with 2 minutes each to discuss the chosen topic. the topic my group was given was "passion". well, can i just tell you that it's not easy coming up with a 2 minute presentation about passion, especially one that won't confuse the audience. the objective was to captivate their attention and leave an impression.

so, i invested in a playboy bunny outfit, did quite a lot of research, and found that i could take people on a 2 minute journey through history which went from the passions of christ and the crucifixion to easter sunday, then the easter bunny, and finally arriving at the playboy bunny, quite obviously one of many objects of passion. my presentation was fast, furious and to the point and all the while, i was striding through the crowd in my skimpy outfit and the highest of heels, handing out plastic pull-apart easter eggs with a bag of "passion" tea and a chocolate inside each egg.

now, the real connection i found between "passion" and the Playboy Bunny was a no-brainer - the bunny, present at easter and at Hugh Hefner's Playboy Clubs. as it turned out, to become a playboy bunny was quite an extraordinary feat. there was a certain protocol to being a Bunnygirl, beginning with the audition, the "Bunny Stance" and even the "Bunny Dip" (a technique for bending down to serve a drink while keeping the low-cut bunny uniform in place), down to the Bunny having knowledge of 143 brands of liquor, and how to garnish 20 different cocktails. Bunnies were not allowed to fraternize with the patrons unless they were a C1 patron, the most important of all patrons.

in a way, you could say that the Playboy Bunnygirls were some of the most memorable of the influential women in history, because let's face it, what little boy hasn't grown up without sneaking at least one peek at a playboy magazine? and what would the world be like today if it weren't for the Bunnygirls and Mr. Hugh Hefner?

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - BITTEN

2011-07-27T13:11:00.005+10:00

BLYTHE (TIRED OF REPRIMANDING HER FRIENDS FOR NOT TELLING HER ABOUT HER LIPSTICK-TEETH, HAS FINALLY FOUND A NEW LIPSTICK THAT DOESN'T LEAVE MARKS ON HER VAMPIRE FANGS)

now this little lady is not any particular woman of note in history, but who doesn't love a sexy vampire? personally, i am of the opinion that all vampires should be sexy to the point of 'don't do it, you'll regret it, there's major danger ahead if you proceed, but you can't resist the urge to be drawn in by this creature who wants to bite your neck, drink your blood and possibly ruin your life' gorgeousness.

historically speaking, however, the vampiric stories have been around since prehistoric times but were not popularized until the 18th century. they became legendary in the balkans and eastern europe where the vampires were known as "vrykolakas" in greece and "strigoi"* in romania.

after quite a long period of the vampire being portrayed as a nightmarish, almost rotting-corpse figure, it was John Polidori's novella "The Vampyre" in 1819 that settled the score for the charismatic, sophisticated and attractive appearance of the insatiably erotic creatures. but it wasn't until 1897, when Bram Stoker's "Dracula" was released (at a time when people were still reeling from the anxieties of the victorian patriarchy) that we fell in love with the quintessential lustful, erotic and increasingly sexy vampire creatures of the night.

and in this image of Blythe, she is drawn in the most seductive light possible, so as to emphasize the powers of being a lusty blood-thirsty vampire...

*information courtesy of wikipedia

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN

2011-07-27T01:19:00.004+10:00

BLYTHE (THINKS THAT THE GIRLS AT THE MAC COSMETICS COUNTER WENT A LITTLE OVERBOARD ON THE CLEOPATRA-INSPIRED MAKEUP COLLECTION...)

as i was trying to wrack my brain for inspiration for a new Blythe drawing, i was poring over images of historically powerful women, or women of note in historical times, and i came across an image of the late Elizabeth Taylor in her role as Cleopatra. what a beautiful woman she was, and timelessly lovely. my mother used to say that there are two types of beauty in women - "chocolate box pretty" and "classical beauty". the former being that of the glitzy, sparkly, shiny and attractive (on the outside, but lacking inner substance) women, and the latter is the type of woman who was just stunning all the way around, just like Elizabeth Taylor.

now, i did some research on darling Cleopatra, and while she was a very influential woman historically, she came from a period in time when families were in-bred to preserve the integrity of the throne... ahem... wow! that's all i got to say. wow! (and YUCK!) yes, her first two husbands were her brothers (again, YUCK!).

her third partner, to whom she bore a son, was Julius Caesar, who was not related (hail Caesar!!), and finally Mark Antony, to whom she bore 3 children. when Mark Antony committed suicide, Cleopatra followed suit by way of a bite from an asp...

Cleopatra was renowned not only for her leadership in the Egyptian Empire, but more notably her liasons with extremely powerful men, which were testimony to her aesthetic and sexual appeal. go Cleo!

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - IN MEMORY OF AMY WINEHOUSE

2011-07-24T23:43:00.005+10:00

BLYTHE WINEHOUSE

this morning, it was all over the news that 27 year-old singer Amy Winehouse died last night. i have to admit, i wasn't her most devoted fan, but i did enjoy her music, i loved her beehive hairdo, and the woman had an amazing voice! unfortunately, as her famous song "Rehab" tells the story, she was known to indulge in too much drink and drug from time to time.

but she's not the only young singer to have lost their lives at the ripe old age of 27 - joining "club 27" are Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain from Nirvana, and Jim Morrison from the Doors. so, in memory of Amy Winehouse, today i decided that Blythe should be a famous singer with an even more famous beehive hairstyle...

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - DREAMING OF JEANNIE

2011-07-24T00:52:00.004+10:00

BLYTHE (IS WONDERING HOW ON EARTH SHE CAN FIT ALL HER FURNITURE INSIDE THE JEANNIE BOTTLE...)

it was just a couple of weeks ago that i was watching the morning news show, and they had the stars from "I Dream of Jeannie" in the studio, and i could not believe how Barbara Eden had aged so beautifully! who knows, maybe she has had some work done, but she looks amazing. and what a racy little number she used to wear on that show from back in the 60's!! they were talking about how she could expose her belly, but not her belly button - that was taking things too far (if only they had known then what we are like now!)

i've decided, at least for a while, to feature famous women or female roles in showbiz history in my 'Blythe' drawings, simply because i think we all get a bit of a kick out of seeing how someone else might portray that figure. and i will be drawing the Blythe dolls for a while, possibly moving along to other things for the rest of the 100... or maybe not. i have yet to decide... so stay tuned.

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - pocahontas takes a ride with thelma and louise!

2011-07-21T10:48:00.004+10:00

BLYTHE (IS INSISTENT THAT HER FRIEND LOUISE CALLS HER 'THELMA' WHILE THEY DRIVE AROUND)

or as my mother calls it, 'de Shan and Laura', after my niece was visiting from the US last year. she rented a convertible and we drove around and stirred things up a little bit during her trip here, much like the two in "Thelma and Louise"... we did not, however drive the car off a cliff. this is a very good thing.

but this movie was a classic tale of female soul-mates, and if you haven't seen it, do make the time to check it out on DVD. Thelma is played by Geena Davis, while Louise is played by Susan Sarandon, and they both do an exceptional job of portraying 2 women throwing all caution to the wind and just living their lives the way they want to. and i think that's what my niece and i are doing at present as well. sans the driving off the cliff. again, this is a very good thing... "Somebody said get a life... so they did".

BLYTHE (POCAHONTAS)

it is a well-known story, thanks to Walt Disney, about the little indian girl, Pocahontas, whom i have chosen to illustrate Blythe-style. i have just read a little bit about her life, and it was most definitely interesting to say the least. she was born around 1595, and her nickname was 'Pocahontas', meaning 'frolicsome'. in her tribe, they used to have many personal names, for use at different times or in different contexts. among the many things that happened in her life, Pocahontas was captured by the english and held for ransom to release the english prisoners held captive by her father Powhatan, the paramount chief of Tsenacommacah, and she was considered a princess. there is this story about her rescuing the englishman John Smith, which has been under dispute, but she then went on to meet and marry the englishman John Rolfe and bear a son.

there was just so much about Pocahontas in the blurb on wikipedia, but this is just a smidgeon of what you will find there. at any rate, she has always been portrayed as a beautiful woman, and here i have drawn her as a beautiful Blythe.

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - CHASING THE WHITE RABBIT

2011-07-19T23:08:00.008+10:00

BLYTHE (TRYING NOT TO GET CAUGHT BACKSTAGE IN ALICE'S CHANGE ROOM)

i think it is fair to say that my favorite all-time children's story is the classic "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll. (Lewis Carroll was a pseudonym later adopted by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, which happens to be a play on his real name: Lewis was the anglicized form of Ludovicus, which was the latin for Lutwidge, and Carroll an irish surname similar to the latin name Carolus, from which the name Charles comes*). in 1865 the book was first published, after much begging from a family friend's daughter, Alice Liddell (after whom the book was supposedly based upon), and other friends of his. the story was whimsically created in his head and told one day while he and a friend took alice and her sisters on a rowing trip, after which she made him promise to write it down for her.

so there is a little bit of history about the famous author and his most famous story. but i have to say that of all the movies made over the years, my favorite was the recent Tim Burton version. spectacular.

i even have an entire series of paintings entitled "chasing the white rabbit", which were derived from my similar experience as alice's with the search for the ever-elusive (fill in the blank...). mine was abstract painting. my elusive "thing" that i could never quite get a hold of, was to be able to paint a proper abstract. but i think i eventually did - and they all sold!

at any rate, i always try to include a little alice everywhere i go... even my cat is cheshire.

*courtesy wikipedia

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - the bunny gave it all away...

2011-07-17T13:07:00.003+10:00

BLYTHE (THE ONLY DEAD GIVE-AWAY THAT SHE WASN'T A MOULIN ROUGE DANCER WAS THE BUNNY...)

it's really hard to not get too attached to these drawings during and after i have worked on them. that is particularly true for this one... when you create a piece of work, you are building a relationship with it while you're working on it. every song that plays in the background, every phone call you take, every interruption or smell, taste and sound is recorded inside the artwork. and what amazes me, is that when i hear a song or a tv commercial jingle that i listened to while drawing, it reminds me of the drawing. and likewise, when i revisit a drawing much later on, i can remember what song or tv show was playing... (just for the record, i was listening to the movie "punch drunk love" in the background while i drew this one!)

so i am quite fond of my little Moulin Rouge girl here, with her amazing costume and the cutest little bunny toy.

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - giddy'up cowgirl and the screen siren

2011-07-17T00:29:00.008+10:00

JESSICA (BLYTHE) RABBIT - "I'M NOT BAD, THEY JUST DRAW ME THAT WAY"

a friend of mine was admiring my Blythe doll drawings, and was commenting on how i should do a jessica rabbit (blythe), from the movie "who framed roger rabbit". she was the notoriously-sexy-lounge-singing-vixen who was married to roger rabbit, had a gorgeous unmovable mane of flame red hair, purple satin gloves, a fire-truck-red sequined gown with a slit up to "there", full pouty lips, and the most amazing curves that you needed to slow down for... and when i grow up, i want to be jessica rabbit...

so this is the Blythe version of the classy "jessica rabbit".

BLYTHE (JUST QUIT HER DESK JOB AT THE FIRM TO BECOME A COWGIRL AT THE O.K. CORRAL

ah, good times. i grew up on a quarter horse ranch when i was a girl, and i just could not wait to get my own horse, so i could get the cowgirl hat with the pretty band, the boots with the engraving and multi-colored leather detailing, the fancy saddle, etc. such a girl. but i guess it's always there in the girliest of girls that you have to look good while you're out there stomping around in all that horse poo.

now for this blythe drawing, i used two different types of pen. her eyes were so light that my 0.1mm pen was still too thick to cross-hatch her eye color, so i used a much smaller ball-point that i could use to "shade" in her eyes. i'm happy with how her eyes turned out, and yes, her hair took forever!

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - punk blythe and too much mascara...

2011-07-14T01:22:00.004+10:00

BLYTHE (IN A GLAMOR FRENZY, APPLIED TOO MUCH MASCARA, AND CAN'T OPEN HER EYES...)

it's nice to be caught up. i get so busy with all the stuff in my head, and i end up forgoing the drawing for the little bits and pieces of information/pretty pictures/new recipe on the internet, that by the time i get to really work on my drawing, it's bed time... i'm like a moth to a flame when it comes to finding new interesting things on the web. it really out to be called the "spider web" of information...

i'm starting to realize that the level of tones depends on exactly how you hold the pen. and i didn't get that until i bought the new pens in .1, .2, .3, .5 and .8mm. it's even more easy with a plain ball-point pen, but don't tell my old college professor that!

BLYTHE (OK, JUST DON'T TELL MY PARENTS I GO OUT LOOKING LIKE A PUNK ROCK STAR)

i received a comment on my Pinterest page today with regard to what sort of dolls these are, and that his daughter would just love them. unfortunately, they are hard to come by and they are quite expensive. and of course, i want one... don't we all now... but you can find them on ebay, and try pinterest for a beautiful custom doll.

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - WE CAN DO IT!

2011-07-12T20:48:00.003+10:00

i found when i was doing this "100 drawings in 100 days" in 2008 (wow, yes it's been that long, but 2009 and 10 were just too crazy to be able to do it), that each day my drawing was improving. and i am finding this to be true this time as well.

i'm not bragging, just making a statement. as an art teacher i try to gently instill in my students the importance of practice, and how (i know this sounds corny, and i sometimes want to hunt down the person who coined this phrase and do things to them that would ensure i get my face on the front page news) 'practice makes perfect'. in this instance, i find that my practice is greatly improving my skill. and that makes me a very happy little artist. and that makes me want to do more.

so, here i am on day 9, and i still have today's drawing to do as soon as i finish posting the last few days' drawings here.

they are becoming increasingly more interesting to me, and this last one ("BLYTHE - WE CAN DO IT!", above) i just adore! i have seen this old WWII poster a thousand times, and now this war wife is here in all of Blythe's glory! how about that. i'm always intrigued at how good art is often mimicked by other artists, as a tongue-in-cheek gesture that keeps the spirit of the original piece alive.

and here we have "BLYTHE (KNOWS FULL WELL THAT SHE IS A CHAMELEON AGAINST THE POLKA-DOT WALLPAPER)".

i just love the costumes that people are making for the Blythe dolls nowadays. when i was a little girl, my dollies had home-made clothes (maybe that's why i went on to study fashion design before i studied art...). and they usually were just tied on, not made with buttons and little velcro closures.

this little one is just darling. "BLYTHE (FEELING A LITTLE BIT SMUG ABOUT HER FANCY NEW HAT)".

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS - MORE BLYTHE

2011-07-11T00:05:00.005+10:00

i'm still so amazed at how these dolls have such a huge impact on the world of grown-ups! myself included.

these little beauties though really do have the most expressive eyes, and i have to admit that i love drawing eyes. anybody's eyes. it doesn't matter.

and i'm still floored at the fact that it's on already - my friends and i are planning which charity to donate a percentage to, and all the things i will add to this year's show.

anyway, these two dolly's are (top to bottom) "BLYTHE (ROCKIN' THAT BEANIE AND MATCHING SWEATER SET THAT GRANDMA GAVE HER FOR CHRISTMAS) and "BLYTHE (SUPER-STAR WITH THAT FRESH BED-HEAD LOOK)".

i'm just loving my new pen set... very nice fine lines....

100 DRAWINGS IN 100 DAYS 2011 BEGINS

2011-07-07T11:01:00.008+10:00

i started a little early this year... i just couldn't wait! and i have been off work for some time due to a work-related accident, so i have a bit of time on my hands... i broke my arm (AAARGH!! the drawing arm too!) and injured my knee, but the arm is much better now, so i am spending my time drawing and researching for drawing inspiration all day.

i stumbled across a plethora of websites that creative people can post images, photographs, recipes, and OH!! i love EVERNOTE! so in love with evernote, and it has reduced my time rummaging through my files by half!! ok, staying on track here... so one of my all-time favorite things in the world is the 'blythe' doll by kenner, and i found 'blythe-ville' on the internet. she's such a pretty doll, and so high up there on the "doll-o-meter"! (i think she's much more clever than barbie...)

so here are the first drawings, titled "BLYTHE (KNEW SHE MIGHT GET CAUGHT WITH THE PRETTY SCARF, BUT IT MATCHED HER SHOES!)", "BLYTHE (ACTING COY, BUT IN REAL LIFE, ROCKING THE GEISHA WORLD)" and "BLYTHE (ALWAYS HAD A BAD HABIT OF KEEPING THE THINGS THAT FOLLOWED HER HOME...)"

then i went out and celebrated with some new ink pens...

CIRQUEL ART SALON - NEW - now open on the Sunshine Coast

2011-07-06T18:53:00.009+10:00

'A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace'sdefinition of the aims of poetry, "either to please or to educate" ("aut delectare aut prodesse est"). Salons, commonly associated with French literary and philosophical movements of the 17th century and 18th centuries, were carried on until quite recently, in urban settings, among like-minded people...' - Wikepedia.

having said that... i'm in desperate need of some like-minded artists who will congregate with me on all topics art-related, and talk about their art and what they're working on at the moment; art shows they're entering and suggestions to others about relative art shows; new art supplies; new exhibitions and openings; and just newsworthy art/music/poetry/dance/performance stuff. who else is interested? if you are, and you care about helping your sisters and brothers in art, then go here to the facebook page and sign up to stay updated as to when and where we meet each month http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_186976554692292

this month, we are meeting at the 'loaded lizard' in mudjimba on the sunshine coast. it will be on wednesday afternoon, the 27th july at 530pm, and will go until 630 or whenever everyone leaves. so please come along, bring a friend or 7, and show us what you're working on. we might be able to help you if you're stuck, or offer suggestions as to where you should take it to sell it, or whatever. it's an open forum. they have coffee there too. and beer. and wine. enjoy!

and... just to kick off the spirit, i put together this fabulous quote that sums up the salon mission:

you entered this world as an artistic genius.
curious. playful. somewhat tenacious.
but over the years society molded you into an obedient, well-mannered citizen. your questions became more polite, the decisions safer, and the answers more certain.

***WE'RE HERE TO REVERSE THE JOURNEY***

we want to unleash your imagination. and dare we say, make every single person on this planet one percent more creative??
does this sound a bit naive? if not a little overambitious? we agree. our vision is easy to criticise, ridicule and dismiss. but we feel it’s a small price to pay in order to encourage your independency and nurture your brainchildren.
it’s not an easy task. it’s a never-ending battle.
because the world is full to the brim of faceless bureaucrats and greedy bullyboys just waiting to assassinate your ideas with just a flick of the wrist.
so whatever you do, don’t just do it. put your heart and soul into it.
love it.
hate it.
turn it up-side-down.
turn it inside-out.
bend it.
break it.
shake it up.
torture it.
blow it up.
whatever you do, don’t just do it.

push it to the limits.

please come and support us. we'd love to have you.

Find a Funky Venue Competition

2011-06-24T18:31:00.008+10:00

it's time for the "100 drawings in 100 days" art show again, beginning in july, and i thought i'd get a jump start on things by trying to find a venue for the show. i'm not that familiar with the sunshine coast yet, nor brisbane for that matter... so i've decided to run a competition to find the best venue for this art show. please feel free to head to the site on facebook and enter.

there is a prize! find out more when you click here. oh, and while you're at it, why not "like" studio de Shan too? here are the details as posted on facebook:

Hi! Well, de Shan is about to start working on her annual "100 Drawings in 100 Days" art show again, but she needs a venue... There is a prize for the person who can find the winning venue for de Shan's art show this year (held in late October, or early November. Date TBA), and that prize is one of your choice of her "Little Tins of Sin" (which you can view here http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150265942008142.370380.29601673141)

THE VENUE NEEDS TO BE:

a) preferably on the Sunshine Coast
b) a bar/restaurant/cafe with a license
c) can hold 100 drawings (28cm x 35cm each) on the walls
d) is a fun and hip establishment
e) would be happy to have up to 200 people coming in on one night, some staying for dinner, but most of them drinking lots of tasty beverages...

So, take your time, put your thoughts together and send de Shan a message if you come up with something, and be in the drawing for a fabulous Tin of Sin to carry all your little naughty-or-nice things around in your pocket. (And she'll buy you a drink on the night of the show!) Entries close at midnight on the 31st August, so tell all your friends, and good luck to you all!

A Little Tin of Sin, Anyone?

2011-06-21T18:46:00.008+10:00

what a great name for these little pocket-sized functional art pieces! i began making these when i opened my first studio space in the US, and one of my friends who was a smoker, had an old camel cigarette tin into which he used to put his bits and pieces. over time it got a little shabby, so we covered it with some funky red duct tape and glued some pictures on it here and there. and thus begins the story of the LITTLE TIN OF SIN...

more recently, i have been sourcing my tins from all over, and most of them are recycled, as are the adornments, but keeping the general purpose in mind which is to house whatever takes your fancy on a fabulous night out (naughty), to the clubs (ID, lipgloss, cash and key), or just to the markets on the weekend. each tin is lined with flocked fabric or card or felt, has a mirror, and they are all original one-of-a-kind. they fit in your pocket, so you don't have to carry a massive bag and run the risk of losing it, or getting it stolen.

i am selling them currently at Buttoney Boo in cooroy, and Sinerji in forest glen, both on the sunshine coast, so if you would like to check them out, go there or send me a comment and i will see if i can custom make one for you (of course i will...)

Greeting Cards... A New Sensation?

2011-05-09T22:51:00.003+10:00

ok, so i'm recovering from a broken arm. my painting arm. i haven't been able to paint, but i have started drawing, and this is one of the cards i drew. maybe it's just me, but i think it's pretty clever, as it covers all the bases as far as cards go. except weddings, births, anniversaries, sympathies... i think i'll do some more...

100 Drawings in 100 Days 2009 Postponed...

2009-09-21T18:53:00.002+10:00

seriously, i forgot how much of my time i put into this event!! unfortunately, i have to postpone the show until late january. there are several reasons for this: firstly, i had a job change, followed closely by having to move house (due to the landlord selling the house), and then followed by a massive 6 week bout with tonsilitis, laryngitis and other throat issues... now i don't know about you, but i'm pretty sure most people find it hard to be creative when you feel awful! and more importantly, my mom and step-dad will be out of the country soon and won't be back until the end of january, and i must have them there - they are my biggest cheerleaders and helpers!

but the good news is that it will be just in time for valentine's day, so keep that in mind. what better gift than an original drawing already matted, and they're only $100!! there's bound to be something in the entire collection that your valentine would love!

also, i have found the most amazing charity to donate to this time - Radio Lollipop, which is a charity that helps sick kids in the hospital at Mater. i'm so excited, and i got to meet them all last week, and they are most helpful. i should get a lot of help from their volunteers and i can't wait to donate to them! they are just amazing!

i'll keep you posted as to when i start up again...

100 Drawings in 100 Days 2009 + What's On!

2009-07-07T20:17:00.002+10:00

STUDIO DE SHAN

ART-STORMING
de Shan's monthly newsletter about gaining a better knowledge of fine art

This Month's Topic:
Great Art Events On Now!

July 2009

A Personal Note From de Shan

Yes, it's that time of year again - my annual "100 Drawings in 100 Days" is underway this month!! On the 15th July, I will begin completing one drawing a day, which will put the show at the end of October, 2009. Stay tuned in to my blog and I will let you know where and when the exhibition will be.

Last year was the inaugural event, and it was such a success, that I have decided to have the show each year in October. I sold all 100 drawings, and I donated a percentage to charity, which I will also be doing this year.

The show was held at Watt in the Powerhouse in New Farm, and although I would love to do it there again, the only thing that would hold me back is the lack of lighting. But, let's face it, it is a restaurant, not a gallery, and a very good restaurant at that! And again, the show is only for one night, the sales will be held for 100 minutes, and all drawings (matted) are priced at $100. What a bargain!! Especially during the current economic climate, we could all use a little art shopping spree, with minimum damage to your wallet!

Sincerely,

de Shan

What's On In The Local Art Scene?

Recently I have been preparing for the beginning of my drawing expedition, but in between inspirational thoughts, I've been looking for great art shows and exhibitions to attend. It's a great activity for singles, couples and families, especially when the weather is cold and rainy... Stay inside, keep warm and enjoy some art - then grab a nice hot cup of coffee at the surrounding cafes!

As i mentioned above, my annual art show, "100 Drawings in 100 Days" is about to get underway. Here are just a few of the images from last year's show at Watt in the Powerhouse.

The images were many and varied, and a couple of them have been the "working sketches" for paintings in my new oil series. There will be more of those to come also...

Harlequin Girl, Pen and Ink on Cartridge '08

All of the images when matted were a standard size 11"x14", (28 cm x 35.5 cm) which easily fits into a ready-made frame from your local framers.

Please check out my blog each day after the 15th July, as I will be posting the images every day or two as they are finished. studiodeshan.blogspot.com/

And if you see one that you

Rooster Roulette, Pen and Ink on Cartridge '08

absolutely must have, send me an email and I will be happy to hold it for you.

Stay tuned for the location and the date for the show.

Venus' Eye, Pen and Ink on Cartridge '08

WHAT'S ON

THE LEONARDO DA VINCI MACHINES EXHIBITION
The Pages Pavilion. Cultural Forecourt, South Bank, Brisbane
The Exhibition presents over sixty machines based on the original drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, featuring his amazing flying machines, nautical, hydraulic and architectural innovations, groundbreaking applications of civil engineering and incredible war machines.
10.00am to 6.00pm Daily
Tickets from $10-$50 for individuals to families
June 6th to September 6th 2009.
Open Every Day - Including Public Holidays!

MICHEL SOURGNES FINE ART

16 Stevenson Street Ascot

George Morant: Country Rugby League in the 50's

Until July 28th

ART FACTORY GALLERY
84 Merivale St, South Brisbane

Contact Pam on 0439677755 or Michelle on 0408749238 Email: pam@pamelagough.com or artsalon1@hotmail.com
Web: http://4degreesofconnection.blogspot.comGallery hours: Saturday to Wednesday 11am to 6pm.
"4 Degrees of connection" In this diverse exhibition of paintings, ceramics and photographic works 4 Brisbane artists explore their
connections to history, nature and each other, which in turn connects the viewer to a deep sense of belonging, identity and place.
Artists: Irene Brown, Pamela Gough, Michelle Bowden and Kirsten Dale Cutler.
Opening night Friday 24/7/2009, drinks with the artists 6pm to 9pm. Special morning tea 26/7/2009 from 10am. until 29/7/2009.

EDWINA CORLETTE GALLERY
555 Brunswick Street New Farm QLD 4005
Tel (07) 3358 6555 http://www.edwinacorlette.com. You are invited to preview "The Winter Show", an exhibition of works by Erin Smith, Zom Osborne & Tjunkiya Napaltjarri
Until?

GALLERY 2120
Shop 2a 9 Doggett Street Fort Valley
P: 07 3254 1192 E: michael@gallery2120.com.au Web: http://www.gallery2120.com
ANDY WILD Commences 16th July Until 1st Aug.

Join Our Mailing List!

STUDIO DE SHAN

de Shan Visual Artist

PO Box 793

New Farm, QLD 4005
email: info@studiodeshan.com
website: www.studiodeshan.com

inaugural newsletter for studio de Shan

2009-05-19T09:55:00.001+10:00

STUDIO DE SHAN

ART-STORMING
de Shan's monthly newsletter about gaining a better knowledge of fine art

This Month's Topic:
Where do YOU Get Your Inspiration?

April 2009

A Personal Note From de Shan

Recently, I made a trip up to Eumundi for their first ever Gallery Walk, a tour of 7 galleries, which I understand will be an ongoing event. I will keep you posted on that. It was absolutely amazing, a great afternoon and evening, with some wine, hors d'ouevres and culminating with some fabulous Carribean music at Treefellers Restaurant.

Being around such a vibrant community that afternoon and night, feeling so much energy, great visual art, and talking with the gallery owners and some of the artists, it made me realise that i need to do more in the art world to gain inspiration.

I have just decided that I need to keep my creative mind flowing during these challenging economic times - and one way to do that is to write a newsletter about fine art for artists and collectors.

This is my inaugural newsletter, but I hope you will stay tuned for monthly information (perhaps increasing to every 2 weeks), about creating art, helpful information for artists and collectors, listings for art exhibitions, as well as some hints on how to buy art that suits you, your home and your budget. And please feel free to pass this along to any of your friends that may enjoy it!

Sincerely,

de Shan

What Inspires You?

So many artists are asked this about their work. How do you approach this question and what would your answer be?

I painted an entire series about my black Labrador Retriever, Hank, who was stolen in 1995. I was just beginning my graduate studies at the University of Oklahoma, where we had to select a style or theme around which to build an entire two-and-a-half years of work.

This was such a difficult task, because, as you probably know, artists sometimes get blocked and change direction. It took me at least a month of floundering and searching, only to realize that I just had to look within and paint about how I felt over the loss of my darling dog.

After I graduated, I still found myself painting Hank - for quite some time. These paintings have been hugely successful sellers (everybody loves a Lab!), but after a while, I ventured into abstract, only to eventually come back to the paintings of circus-inspired animals and wild-looking people.

Some artists gain inspiration from nature, their surroundings, day-to-day life, sadness and sorrows, pain and depression, happiness and love. For me, it is life experiences, music, nature and the circus. I just love the circus! So... it's natural for me to want to express that kind of passion in the best way that I know how - visually, on a canvas. In every painting I create, there is a little piece of me and the way my mind works.

For most artists, their work expresses what they are feeling - or seeing - or hearing. Consequently in each and every piece of art you possess, you also have a part of that artist with you. Therefore, in order for you to have full appreciation of your art acquisitions, I'm sure you will agree it's important to take the time to meet your local artists, ask them questions about the piece you admire, and get to know the story behind it. As a result, when your friends make comments on your choice of art, you will be in a position to discuss it in depth.

Join Our Mailing List!

STUDIO DE SHAN

de Shan Visual Artist

PO Box 793

New Farm, QLD 4005
email: info@studiodeshan.com
website: www.studiodeshan.com

studio de Shan video

2009-01-17T11:33:00.005+10:00

as i was going through my boxes of belongings i brought over from the u.s., i found this cd with footage from one of the gallery walk nights in my gallery. my dear friend and fellow-artist john haynes filmed this evening, and it was the most fun gallery walk ever!

once a month, all the galleries in the oklahoma city paseo art district would open their doors to host an evening of wine, hors d'oeuvres and fabulous art. and people from all over the city would come and enjoy the wares of all the artists, the street music, the fine food, taking in the bohemian spirit of the evening, drinking too much, and probably buying some art.

this was back in a time when i used to wear butterfly wings to any occasion, and i still had my beautiful attention-deficit-disorder german shepherd/pit bull mix puppy, named kitty. sounds too good to be true (ha ha!) but it was a great time of my life, and i will always have fond memories of this gallery and the art community there.

children's book illustrations - hank and the hurricane

2008-11-27T14:33:00.003+10:00

i'm back to working on my illustrations for an author in the U.S., after a little hiatus. among all my personal hiccups, including moving from the U.S. to australia and trying to get settled sans all my "stuff", there were problems on the author's end with the publisher...

so, we're now back at it again!! i thought i'd start posting them as i finish them, and i have completed 10 to date.

the story line is about hurricane katrina, and how so many families were separated from their beloved pets. now, a little background here:

the author, william riggan, was the chief editor at a publishing company i used to work for in college - it was a small operation, and the quarterly journal dealt strictly with international book reviews. i loved it! back then, i had my black labrador retriever, hank, who used to come up to work with me on occasion. and of course, all my co-workers loved him!! what was not to love? he was adorable. and so, when bill retired, he wrote this children's book, using hank as the main character, and he chose me to be the illustrator!! how cool is that?

this is the first color image in the book - where henry and hank are walking through the park on a nice sunny day... and i'll post more later...

100 drawings in 100 days - SOLD OUT!!!

2008-11-18T22:30:00.005+10:00

I SOLD OUT!! all the drawings sold within 1 1/2 weeks of the show opening!

i am most definitely making this an annual event! not only did i manage to stay focused and disciplined, i improved my drawing skills dramatically - a win-win for all!

if you would like to be on the mailing list for the "100 drawings in 100 days" show for 2009, please visit the Studio de Shan website sign-up and contact page.

thanks again go to Variety of Queensland Charity for Children, who were so helpful during the event and the donation process.

100 drawings in 100 days - the show

2008-11-11T10:06:00.003+10:00

what a great evening!! thanks so much to Watt for having the event at their premises, and Variety Queensland, a Children's Charity, and my amazing checkout girls for a job well done. it was crazy at the close of the sale, and they handled it all so well!

thinking this is going to be an annual event...

let's get the show on the road!

2008-11-11T09:52:00.005+10:00

well, this is what it looked like during the hanging process... we JUST BARELY had enough room for all 100 drawings!!! i was afraid that with the mats, they might be so much bigger that they wouldn't all fit, but they did. a little squishy, but it still looked awesome! i think it actually added to the visual impact, and the gravity of the whole event (100 drawings in 100 days?? are you MAD??)

100 drawings in 100 days - preparing for the show

2008-10-29T23:27:00.003+10:00

i have been delegating jobs out to friends to help me get ready for my show. tomorrow morning we hang it! i will be really relieved to get it up and on the walls. here is the stack of stuff to take, and my work bench where i did all the mounting... whew! i'll take lots of pics at the show for you all to see.

the polar bear, the jack-in-a-box, and the ringleader

2008-10-27T11:55:00.006+10:00

FINISHED!!!! I DID IT!! I ACTUALLY DID IT!!! 100 DRAWINGS COMPLETED!!!! wow, how excited i am that i had the opportunity to do this, and how amazing it is that i find myself drawing a lot easier now.

the 98th and 99th drawings were still circus animals, one of which is a jack-in-a-box. i have always loved jack-in-a-boxes, and a dear friend gave me a vintage one for christmas a few years ago. it still works, and is just gorgeous, even though it's a little tatty, it's still a wonderful toy. i have called these two, "the fortune teller" for the polar bear, and "the cow-in-a-box".

now the last drawing is kind of a self-portrait, using my face but the pose of a different woman, so it's not terribly precise, but i was too anxious to get it done to get a great picture taken. and seeing as how it was the last drawing, and most of the drawings have some sort of circus inspiration, it only makes sense that i be the ringleader... so that is what i have called it, "the ringleader".

the snake lady - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-26T09:32:00.003+10:00

i'm still in a mad rush to get all the drawings scanned, and uploaded onto my website, still having some issues with all of the devices, so... this will have to be brief.

after watching "carnivale" about 78 times, i think i know all the lines that each actor has, but i just love the imagery, and the characters. one of them is a snake charmer, and her arms and back are covered in snake tattoos which i find visually intriguing, but the snakes are pretty wild too!

i once was drawn by a tattoo artist, whilst i had two baby albino pythons wrapped around each arm - it was oddly enough a very thrilling experience!

this drawing is called "the snake charmer".

bananas and cannon balls - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-24T16:09:00.001+10:00

almost there!!! 4 more to go...

"carmen bananas", a macaque monkey, and "cannonball sam", the cat.

deer in drag - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-22T18:51:00.003+10:00

not too long ago, i was at an antique store and saw a deer head on the wall for sale. it made me think about the history behind the head, and what it's life would have been like, who hunted it, what the house where it was hung was like, and why it was here in an antique store, etc. and then, as it does so often, my mind wandered to having a deer in drag on the wall...

now, i definitely do NOT condone hunting and killing a deer or any animal for it to become a trophy on a wall, nor would i ever WANT one. however, if i were to come across one that was already for sale (such as the one at the antique store) and i could afford it (far too expensive at that store), i would like to get it and dress it up in drag. i think that would be a discussion piece...

so, this one is called "deer in drag".

the jester - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-22T15:08:00.005+10:00

when i was living in oklahoma city, i had a mama raccoon that would frequent my back porch each night for food, as the upstairs neighbor would leave a bowl of dog food for her and her babies. now, granted, they do carry rabies and other nasty things, but they are just so cute with their little "bank-robber" masks on!

and what makes them even more interesting, is that they have opposable thumbs, so they can get into things like doors, and drawers, and carry plastic bags of food away from your back door (i know, because it happened to me - fortunately it was just a sack full of bagels, so no big deal).

so i decided to make this raccoon into a jester, and thus, i have called it "the jester".

the bird-watcher and the viking - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-20T23:40:00.004+10:00

i cannot believe how many ink pens i am going through!!! and i cannot believe how much the price varies from place to place on the exact same pen! sometimes almost 1 1/2 times the difference... fortunately for them, this pushy american lets them know that the newsagent around the corner charges a lot less than they do for the same pen... i'm sure they really don't care what i have to say...

anyway, here i have started with an ibis, a bird that is quite common here in brisbane. they are actually quite ugly, the black-headed ones we have here, if you look closely (however this particular white ibis is quite pretty). they can be found in the park or in the front yard, or sidewalk, merrily picking up scraps of food people have left behind. i heard someone sarcastically refer to them as "dump chooks" (in other countries, that would be a "trash chicken"). but here, i have him bird watching, so i called this one "the bird-watcher".

then on the bottom, i have a brahma bull posing in a striped cap, with his striped horns, and looking very much like a viking i think. this one is called "circus viking".

see no, hear no, speak no evil - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-19T16:31:00.005+10:00

it's been a few days since my last post (sounds like a confession...), but i really wanted to post these three together, as they are a set in a way.

i started this series of drawings back in 2000, but i never finished them. they were all three, 22" x 30" in size, and graphite with charcoal and red pencil. they were slightly different, but i think i like these three women better!

so from the top we have "speak no evil", "hear no evil" and "see no evil" - a different take on the three monkeys...

scuba bird and the fox - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-15T07:22:00.004+10:00

as i am nearing the end of my amazing drawing journey, i am finding it a bit more difficult to cultivate ideas. however, the ones i do get seem to be the most interesting so far!!

i have only 13 drawings left to complete, and the show is in 15 days - but the ideas are still trickling in. it has been my experience that the creative process here has been an ebb and flow, which is unlike any other body of work i have created. usually i have a rush of ideas, frantically sketching or painting them as i think of them, and then it dries up completely. i think the concept of having to really search for 100 ideas has changed the way i approach my inspirations - a lot of it depends on mood, but if you press on, they are still there, and the energy keeps flowing.

i wasn't sure about the crow in the antique scuba apparatus at first, but once i finished it, i loved it. the title of the top drawing is "circus scuba crow". and the lower image of the fox is called, "andy you're a star".

the two falcons - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-13T09:12:00.004+10:00

while i was surfing the net the other day, i found a site for birds of prey, namely, falcons. there is such a marvelous history behind falconry, and it spans many countries, but primarily the middle east.

but, from a creative point of view, the hoods that they use on these magnificent birds are just amazing!! so many and varied, and some quite ornate, some not.

these two guys had the most beautiful hoods that i saw, and in a way, they remind me of WWII bomber helmets, sans the top-notch. i have called this drawing, "circus falcons".

the fish and the girl - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-08T15:28:00.005+10:00

a friend of mine was just looking at this drawing, and made the comment, "it looks like 'a fish called wanda'!". now, it's been a long time since i saw that movie, but she really doesn't look anything like jamie lee curtis, or the fish. it's a fish-girl.

so, just go with me on this one - you take the face of an attractive woman and begin drawing it. after about 30 minutes of drawing, the idea comes to you that she should have a fishtail for her hair. no, better still, she IS a a fish, and not just any fish, but a koi fish. and the fish has, not a fish head, but a woman's head. right.

and that's exactly how it goes...

this drawing is called "koi girl".

the kangaroo and a bowtie - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-08T12:23:00.002+10:00

it's been exactly one year since i arrived in australia on the 5th october, 2007! and what a year!

to celebrate, i thought i'd throw in a drawing of something very australian, but with the de Shan twist - a circus/birthday party kangaroo wearing a gigantic bowtie!

i noticed that this particular kangaroo had one ear forward and one back, and i was trying to make the ears look like horns with stripes - however, he didn't look much like a kangaroo then, so i left the one ear forward as it was in the photograph. i have noticed that kangaroos and llama, and sometimes dogs, all have the same type of face when you cover the ears, or alter the ears. this is why i left one ear looking very kangaroo-like.

so happy anniversary to me, and this guy is called "the kangaroo and the bowtie".

the turtleneck sweater - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-07T18:14:00.003+10:00

ok, we all know how uncomfortable an itchy turtleneck sweater is... and this one looks particularly so.

i saw this really alert-looking pup the other day during lunch at a local cafe, and just had to snap him up! i never really know what i'm going to do with the subjects until i see the photo enlarged. only then, and sometimes not until i start drawing, do i know what kind of costume or background will accompany them.

so, here we have a dog in a very long-necked sweater, and i have called it "the long turtleneck".

bat in a poncho - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-04T14:37:00.007+10:00

there are thousands of flying fox (bats) near where my mom lives on the sunshine coast in queensland. every time we drive down the motorway, i see them. on the east side of the road there is one spot amongst the palm trees where all these critters sleep.

occasionally, it appears that the trees are bearing a bumper crop of black pears!! i know people have mixed feelings about these cute little guys - some people hate them, yet they are a protected species, so somebody loves them!

this little guy is seen wearing the striped poncho that zorro the canary wore last week, and therefore this drawing is called, "the striped poncho makes its rounds".

harlequin girl - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-02T15:49:00.002+10:00

in a way, this girl reminds me a little bit of a nun... i guess it's the way the hat frames her face, which is very similar to a habit.

ok, so this drawing is called, "harlequin girl". and now i'm going to keep drawing!

the tango dancer and the stork - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-02T10:44:00.005+10:00

ok, i'm all caught up!!! yay! i have this amazing sense of lightness now...

it is officially DAY 81 today! only 19 days left!! i cannot believe how fast this has gone, and how, for the most part, it has been relatively pain-free. the rewards of having an increased sense of artist-self and a better feel for drawing than when i started (i was very, very rusty!) are immense!

so, i have drawn here a stork over the circus tent canopy - and in true spirit to the common thread in a lot of my works, i have thrown in the 'strings attached' from my series "girl on a string" in 2000. i would link this series, however i cannot, as i did have to be prudent and edit my website down a lot to keep it under control!! they were a series of paper dolls and puppets, of which i am also rather fond... so, this one is titled "circus stork".

while i was researching images for my drawings, i came across this lovely woman dancing the tango, and everything about her was elegant and poised and ripe for drawing! not to mention the difficult angle of her face and jaw, so it was quite a challenge! i have always found the tango to be the sexiest dance on earth, and i have added it to my list of 100 things i must do before i die - i must learn to tango. this one is called " the tango dancer".

half-cocked and a silo - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-10-01T15:10:00.004+10:00

i've never really been good at drawing hands, unless they are from a photograph, where the hand is perfectly still and i can zoom in to see it more closely.

hands are one of those things that i never really pay attention to, mainly because i never used to have pretty hands (i do now - nice nails, etc.) and therefore i used to dismiss them all the time. but i saw this hand, and it was perfectly clear and large enough to see all the details. and of course, it had to belong to a rooster, right? even though it's holding a revolver, i thought it should belong to a fowl. this drawing is called "rooster roulette".

and as for the silo, i've just always loved silos. they are usually so lonely out in the middle of wherever, and yet each one is distinctively attractive in its own way. this one looks like an italian cathedral in a way, with its domed roof, so i've called it "cathedral silo".

zorro and the pimp - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-30T14:44:00.003+10:00

ok, i think i might officially be over my artist's block. after i wrote my last post, i became very inspired - funny how that works!

while i was toying with the idea of the canary, i was trying hard to think of what i could add to him to make him more interesting: a hat, a stripe, a suit? then it hit me, that he needed to be in black and white stripes, like a convict. but, that evolved into a poncho, with the black mask and the zorro-esque hat... and bingo!

then i had to draw an otter - my favorite animal, besides my cat atticus finch. i've always loved the playfulness of otters, although this one looks more like a bouncer at the circus than a fun-loving water-splasher! these two are called "zorro the canary" and "buster".

the white rabbit and the buddha - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-30T11:17:00.004+10:00

could it be possible for a crazy girl like me to run out of ideas?? or am i just in an artist's block? i've been there before, and the good news is that it doesn't last forever. and it's usually better on the other side than it was on this side. or, could it be that i'm starting to stress a little about getting the show prepared, ready to pick up the mats, get the titles and numbers organized, chase up the venue manager, the mailing lists, etc... whew! no wonder...

but that's all part of a show! and i should be used to it by now, but i don't know that you ever really do, because each show is so different from all the others. oh well, here goes!

so, here we have a character from my all-time-favorite "alice in wonderland" - the white rabbit (always looking very stressed out and worried!), along with the ever-relaxed and unperturbed buddha, who happens to be at the circus here. both of them are. and why not? it's my favorite place at the moment...

the top image is called, "hiding from the queen", and the other is "buddha goes to the circus".

the lion tamer - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-27T15:22:00.002+10:00

another circus image... this time a lion. don't have too much to say about this one, as i am busy drawing at the moment, so i think i would rather channel my energies toward producing the images for now, rather than write about them!

this drawing is called "the lion tamer".

allora windmill - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-25T18:54:00.002+10:00

when i was a child, we had a quarter horse ranch, as well as a 20 acre plot way out in the middle of nowhere, which we used as "spillover" for the millions of extra horses that my dad just couldn't resist (a gross exaggeration, but you get the idea). it did, however feel that way to my mom, who used to take us kids along with her when we'd have to drive out there (sans dad, who was usually away in a remote location working on a pipeline) to feed the horses.

but i used to, and still do, love the windmill on the property. there's an old-world, clean air, down-home feel about the sturdy old windmill. and they just used to sit there and flail around in the wind (hopefully) and pump water for the horses and the oats that we were attempting to grow for them to eat.

this drawing is called "allora windmill" in honor of the dear old war-horse that helped our family.

the hat and the flying pig - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-24T17:37:00.003+10:00

even though i am most definitely looking at the world differently since i started this project, i sometimes have a hard time finding things to draw. other times, i just cannot stop my camera taking pictures of everything i want to draw!

recently i was at the saturday morning markets, and bought a new sun hat - a beatuiful wide-brimmed black hat, which should come in very handy this summer (hopefully it will be a much sunnier summer than the last one). the dove/girl in the black hat is the model for my beautiful hat (don't ask me where i get these ideas to put a pouty girl's head on a grey dove's body...), and it is titled "miss de's new hat".

i just had to draw a pig, and what better pig to draw than one that flies! hence the title, "pigs can fly".

the organ grinder and the elephant - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-20T14:07:00.005+10:00

have you figured out how much i love the circus? i admit though, that i much prefer circus acts featuring humans, rather than putting these poor animals through a lifestyle not suited to any of them. i really like drawing the animals and personifying them in ways that are a little tongue-in-cheek: the monkey is probably trying to make his great escape while no-one is watching and the elephant looks as though he's either an old man sitting around talking to his grand-kids, or a politician! i didn't give these guys any human bodies, not this time, for their poses were just priceless! call me crazy, but the elephant looks as though he's about to tell a fabulous tale...

the drawing at top is called "circus escape", and the bottom drawing is "so there we were...".

the prophet - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-17T23:27:00.006+10:00

i found this very creepy but cool image of (what was to be) frank-enstein on the web today, and it was so beautifully crisp and perfect for drawing. however, i think that frankenstein might be a little too over-the-top here in the 100's, so i changed him up a little bit, as you should. so, no bolts in the neck or zippers or any dark bells and whistles, just a man's head, closing his eyes. in a way, he looks like a monk, or a prophet in prayer.

so, this drawing is called, "the prophet".

atticus finch white - 100 paintings in 100 days

2008-09-17T08:36:00.002+10:00

i'm thinking about trying to do 100 paintings in 100 days when i finish with the 100 drawings... i did this painting as a test to see how long it would take, and with some juggling, i think it's achievable. it will be a bit difficult, but that never bothered me!

anyway, here is my cat, atticus as a white circus cat, "atticus finch".

the rat, the king, the skulls and the duckling - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-16T11:38:00.010+10:00

this is the last of the catch-up! now i'm all up-to-date!! i think i am really developing an infinity for the pen and ink technique - it's like sculpting in a way, trying to carve out darker and darker recesses, while bringing forth the lighter, less touched areas. all the while, i just love drawing eyes! i just think eyes are the most amazing part of creatures, no matter what species!

from the top, we have the (eyeless! go figure...) "doggett street skulls", "circus duckling swimming", "sydney street rat", and "king crow and the man". now, i actually have seen a rat at my apartment in the driveway - he only comes out at night, and is pretty fast. so this is taken from a photograph of a posing rat, not a scavenging rat. the duckling, well my family used to have a few ducklings when i was a girl. my brother actually built the duckpond - well, he wanted to, but i think it was either my neighbor or my mom who did the digging; it was the neighbor who laid the concrete. and then we put in the ducks and ducklings... they were so cute!

now i don't actually have a pile of skulls in my basement, but i did rent a studio space in oklahoma city that did have a pile of skulls in the back stairwell. they were casts of real skulls, but not the actual skull. nonetheless, they were still life-like and creepy, but in a good way! the artists there were great guys - slightly on the dark side.

and then the crows - my favorite! this is taken from the studies i drew in preparation for the painting i did years ago, titled "crown of crows". this painting depicted a circle of crows around a dead crow. this was the death ceremony of the crows. fabulous!

sydney street snakes - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-16T11:38:00.009+10:00

yesterday morning, my neighbor and i were talking about my spider bite (white-tail spider - very nasty, and very painful), when he told me about the snake on my sidewalk, a carpet snake i think...

now, thank goodness it was dead, because this snake was BIG, 7 feet long, big. it was too big to have been hanging around in a city suburb, and definitely too big to have been hanging around in MY yard in this city suburb!!! it makes me wonder if it didn't belong to someone and it had escaped... anyway, it had died somehow, so i drew it. he was very beautiful, had gorgeous markings in the most lovely olives and browns with cream. i've only been so close to a snake once before, and they were pythons too, but these two were babies, and albinos at that! just lovely!

so, here we have "sydney street snake" and "mr. snake on sydney street".

wool weigh and customs house - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-16T11:38:00.005+10:00

yesterday i totally played catch-up! and i will be all caught up this afternoon, and i do have my computer back up and running, as well as my website looking all sparkly and new!! check it out http://studiodeshan.com

so, i went to my friend's house on saturday night for her housewarming party, which was a fun night. she has moved into one of the wool warehouse apartment buildings, and it is just gorgeous!!! i loved it, and it was so airy and light, but cosy. and of course i loved her bedroom, and now i have bedroom envy. but, this fabulous old scale was featured in the lobby area downstairs, and i knew it would make the cut for the 100's. so here it is, "wool weigh".

and yesterday i was tootling around on my scooter especially to find this dome and draw it! i can see it from my street and i just love it, with it's gorgeous patina green copper dome and beautiful architecture. so, i found it, took pics and drew it - "customs house".

100 drawings in 100 days ... works in progress

2008-09-13T13:03:00.002+10:00

i know it looks like i've fallen off the wagon here. however, i haven't had my computer for a few days, as i have a friend uploading my new website for me. i'm not sure what i'm doing in that area yet, so it's best to have someone who does do it for you! and seeing as how my scanner and computer go together, well, you get the picture.

so hopefully tonight i will have that up and running, and my computer back! please be sure to visit my new website to see what's new, and all the latest information on the 100 drawings series at http://studiodeshan.com.

drains, plants and a rooster - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-10T15:26:00.002+10:00

while i was at the powerhouse the other day (waiting for a meeting with the manager of Watt, where the show will be held), i found the most interesting drain pipe. now, i became much more aware of these urban utility fixtures when i was in graduate school at the University of Oklahoma School of Art. my thesis exhibition involved over-sized woodblock prints of various fire hydrants, man-hole covers, culverts, phone booths, parking meters, just to name a few... so i therefore, spent a lot of time photographing and looking for these usually un-noticed objects. and now i can't stop noticing them... so, the top image is titled "powerhouse drain".

the second, "front yard plants" is just quite simply that. i don't even know what all these plants are called (i know my mother will read this, and she will either email me the names or call me and tell me... thanks mom!) i know one of them is a periwinkle, and, um... no that's all i got!

the last one is just an amazing specimen of a rooster! i shot this pic from a poster at the powerhouse, but i added a little bit of background. the poster advertises their bi-weekly farmers' markets, which i usually attend to get my fresh yoghurt, veggie and flower fix. he's called "powerhouse cock".

circus kitty and prince - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-08T13:12:00.005+10:00

well, i have been successfully going through the encyclopedia to draw inspiration from all the animals i can find!! and of course, adding some of my own little touches...

at the top we have "circus kitten" and below is "prince". i am somewhat intrigued by children's fairy tales, and would love to do a series of adult fairy tales, using the same stories, but making the images less juvenile. we'll see...

anyway, i have managed to find a suitable venue for the showing and sales of these works!! it will be held at Watt, which is inside the Brisbane Powerhouse, on the lower level. AND i have chosen a charity to which i will donate a percentage of the funds. Variety is the name of the orgainsation, and they help sick, disadvantaged and special needs children - a good cause, i think.

circus girl - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-04T10:45:00.003+10:00

well, you know you don't have many friends when you rely on the people in DVDs to be your models! no, i do have friends but not many of them can afford the time or would want to sit still and be bored for 30 minutes?

this is a girl who plays 'sophie' in "carnivale", the HBO series. i just love that show, and i find myself playing it over and over again. mind you, i don't own a TV, so i actually find that i get a lot done around my place, whether it's artwork or housework.

i have drawn my favorite moon/sun in the top, as i have done for years in a lot of my paintings. it stems from my days as an astrophysics major with a wicked telescope binocular set! i could never decide which was more fun to observe through them: the sun or the moon. both were fascinating!

anyway, this is along the lines of the new series of paintings i am working on, and i have called this one, "circus girl".

the dog and the bird - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-03T14:34:00.000+10:00

i am still gathering material for my new series of paintings, and these two are part of that. i think i might even use them for the "100 paintings in 100 days"...

the drawing of the dog (top) is called "hoover" and the peacock (below) is called "peacock" or "aunty phyllis", take your pick...

birds - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-09-02T15:43:00.000+10:00

i am in the process of beginning a new body of artwork - i became very inspired over the weekend. it's all so very exciting when you start something new: unchartered territory, the magic and mystique that goes along with the unknown... anyway, i think i will be using some of these birds, or parts of them in the new series. these are quite simply titled (because i am using them for studies), "flamingo" (i wanted to call him "uncle ken" because my uncle ken has that exact same look...), and "wren".

and i am going to open up a new blog page here for my events to be posted. i just have to figure out how to link it with my website, and this page, and then it will all be groovy. i'm still battling on with the webwsite - hacking chunks out of it actually... oh well. maybe i'll get it finished tonight.

the church, cat and man-cat - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-30T23:48:00.000+10:00

i was wandering around on my scooter this morning, looking for some cool architecture to draw for the other day's drawing, and found this cool old church. i used to draw church steeples and archways years ago because they are so fascinating. i guess life got in the way of continuing that little endeavour... this is called "crooked church", no pun intended...

then, i decided to draw a cat with a man's body (atticus finch de shan, the cat) and a man with a cat's body. i think i love black and white pen and ink...

the titles are: "atticus the cat, in a hat" and "sampson".

speed - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-27T23:59:00.000+10:00

yep, it's official - i truly enjoy drawing machinery and metal. still working on the chrome though, it's a little tricky...

"speed" (above) is a drawing of the handlebars of my scooter: a study or close-up shot, if you will. once i was about half-way through it though, i realized what a daunting task it was to draw all the reflections, but i managed to get through it. and now it's late...

the circus truck and a cat and a hat - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-27T14:44:00.000+10:00

well, i am still enjoying the machines... the first drawing here is called "the circus truck parts ii", and shows the cleverness of this artist to put together an entire truck kitted out with rusty old tools and parts-turned art. they are almost little portraits of people that the artist must have known, or perhaps they just began looking like figures and faces to him.

the other drawing, "the hat and the cat" is a self-portrait with my kitty, atticus finch-de Shan (from gregory peck's character in "to kill a mockingbird). while i was in melbourne, i acquired this gorgeous top-hat from the oldest hatter in melbourne - they've been there since melbourne became a city! it was such a quaint little old shop too!

circus truck parts - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-26T15:38:00.000+10:00

i have fallen a little behind... i admit it. BUT... today is catch-up day. so either tonight or tomorrow, there will be a few drawings in one post. don't judge me...

so, once again, rummaging through my inspiration files, i find myself coming back to the "circus truck" - and because this is a close-up of the inner-workings, i have called it "circus truck parts". for some reason, i am really attracted to drawing mechanical objects, metal machines and vehicles, more so than figures, which surprises me. i used to spend hours a week drawing the human form, but then, i was in college and they paid for the model! i have since hired a couple of models, or subjected my friends to the gruelling task in exchange for a drawing, and i loved it! the human form is just beautiful, but lately, i prefer to draw machinery and mechanical devices, such as yesterday's "the thing" - who knows what that was?

i'm going to try my hand at architecture in the next few i think. i used to be a landscape and architectural design illustrator, but i believe that i will still come back to mechanics...

the thing - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-26T01:18:00.000+10:00

i have no idea what this is, but it looks cool! it's rusty, it's metal, it's got moss all over it, and nuts and bolts - the makings for a fabulous de Shan piece. so, i'll just call it, "the thing", for want of a more informed name.

it was at the brisbane powerhouse, just over the edge of the railing and in the river. it was low tide, so i could see the whole thing, and it was just begging to be drawn. it looked like something out of a Dr. Seuss book, really. maybe it was a device that turned muddy old salty river water into a fabulous new hold-all industrial-strength glue used for horse-shoeing, or something like that...

anyway, i think i must go looking for more "things" like this.

fire hydrant - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-23T15:09:00.000+10:00

ok, i am behind a couple of days, but that's only because i've been busy taking some paintings to and attending a charity auction.

so, i'm pleased to say that the two small oil paintings i donated to the Daffodil Day, Hazell's Lunch for Cancer Research, sold!! yay! i love it when i can give something to charity and the woman who bought them was so thrilled!! i did get to meet her, and after a nice chat, i discovered that this was her first "grown-up art" purchase! how cool is that?

the event was held in the ever-popular power house in new farm park, brisbane. this is the most amazing building, as it's old, and used to be (apparently) the place to go shoot up heroin, back in the days when it was an old heap of rubble. now it's home to many a fine art event, 2 restaurants, and it's just gorgeous with it's interior still showing signs of the grafitti here and there.

this is the fire hydrant in one of the entrances, and really caught my eye - ever since i made giant wood-block prints of such urban work fixtures. there were tons of things to draw there, so i must go back for a photo and sketch session.

the car and the cafe girl - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-21T14:42:00.001+10:00

i took a drive to my home town, toowoomba several months back, and i just had to go check out my old street. my old house was a little bit different, but the house across the street was just the same. old man cumner (after whom the street was named. i want a street named after me!) owned this huge block of land, and among other things, he was fond of collecting old decrepit cars. this one is no exception - i think it's been there since i was a child! so, this drawing is called "old man cumner's car", and features the down-trodden fence to boot!

the other drawing is of my friend alana, who works in my favourite coffee shop in the world - the red cup in oklahoma city. if ever you are in the midwest and need a great coffee, and a fabulous vegetarian meal served by the sweetest hippies, go to the red cup on classen blvd. in okc. this is a picture i took of alana arranging some yellow roses, and i think it might just make the cut to the 100 paintings in 100 days!!

studio freak-show - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-19T23:45:00.000+10:00

i'm over a third of the way, and i'm finding myself a little stuck on what to draw... i hate that feeling!!!

so, the key here is, JUST DRAW! so, here we have the line-up of likely and unusual suspects from my toy shelf. minus the rubber ducky. he's in the bathroom... he's innocent.

my poor old "cat in the hat" talking doll (far left) is (now this is going to date me...) 35 years old. yes, folks, he's an antique. AND... he still talks. i didn't yank on his voice-box rip-cord until he died, oddly enough, because i was kinda tough on my toys. but he was my favourite, besides "bunny", which i still have, but he's looking a little sad - too sad for the line-up. and the others are, well, just inspirational muses for me, like right now.

so, this piece is called "studio freak-show", and i hope i will always love freaky little toys.

booger - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-18T15:03:00.000+10:00

i just received an email from a dear friend in oklahoma city, telling me that my kitty, booger, has a bladder infection. apparently, they are quite common with cats, but do have a tendency to recur quite frequently. he was in the kitty hospital overnight, and has to go back again tonight, so i am very sad...

booger was named as such by the marking under his right nostril - a brown smudge. so, i had to call him "booger", as is the name of this drawing.

i hope you get well soon, booger!

circus truck grill - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-16T18:48:00.000+10:00

i'm still all wound up about the fair. and especially the groovy truck sculpture i saw there. yesterday's drawing was of a section of the front and the tire of this amazing beast. today, i give you a drawing of the grill - yes, this jolly roger was welded onto the grill of the chevrolet. now, the cool thing is that all of the parts that make up the skull and cross-bones are tools and ratchets and other things that i don't know what they're called. i know they are either truck parts or just found pieces of metal. the reason why i am so attracted to this piece, is that i myself used to go to the train tracks and pick up whatever scraps of iron and metal i could find to use in my paintings. and i wish i would have thought of this skull and crossbones first!

circus truck - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-16T00:01:00.001+10:00

well, i finally got to the fair! it was great - not as weird as i was hoping for, but maybe that's just the experience i had when i lived in oklahoma city.

this was the highlight - i didn't catch the artist's name, but i must go back and get it. this is an old army truck he had bought and added, by way of welding, all of these tools, scraps of metal, etc , to make this fabulous sculpture! the whole thing was rust-ridden and gorgeous! i just love rust in art! in the places shown here in my drawing, "circus truck", the rust looks just like black islands in a rusty sea... i think this truck sculpture is one of the most amazing pieces of art i've seen in a long time!

chesterfield - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-14T15:35:00.002+10:00

i really wanted to draw more circus-inspired things, but that will have to wait until tomorrow... i am going tonight!!! i'm so excited. but my best friend from high school wants me to draw some of the whales i saw the other day, but alas, the photos i did manage to get of them, although they are great photos, and i will have some great memories of that day from them, i don't think anyone else would recognize what they are... so, i will have to create something special that involves whales soon.

so, i was just flipping through a magazine, and saw this gorgeous sofa, which looks a lot like the leather sofa in one of my paintings of a miniature schnauzer that i was commissioned to do years ago. the dog was perched upon this chair, looking very much like Thurston Howell the Third (gilligan's island) and wearing an ascot. from then on, i have always enjoyed drawing/painting beautiful furniture and architecture, as well as wild wallpapers.

the face of the circus ii - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-13T14:56:00.000+10:00

oh how i just love the circus!! and the carnival, and the fair, and mardi gras, and, and, and...

i saw tons of these when i was in new orleans in 2002, pre-katrina. i was there just right after mardi gras and was sad that i missed it, but the city was still vibrating from the big festival.

i would just love to go to venice when they have their mardi gras.

but, mardi gras originated in rome, where it was called lupercalia, long before the new world began in europe. the ancient custom began when Christianity was embraced in Rome, and rather than abolish all pagan rituals, it became a period of festivities and merriment that preceded the penance of Lent.

circus and snakes - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-12T21:40:00.001+10:00

in honor of my anticipated visit to the city fair, i have drawn
"circus elephant" (top left) and a goofy-looking weird snake, "ninderry snake" (bottom left). the snake theme came about when i was at my mom's this weekend, and they had found the skeleton of either one very large, long snake, or possibly two. nonetheless, there really are no good snakes in australia, so i'm quite glad that it/they were dead. the reason why we couldn't really tell if it was one snake or two, is because the crows had been around and the majority of the skull was absent. i did, however, manage to swipe a few pieces of skeleton for artistic research...

"venus de sydney" - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-12T15:22:00.000+10:00

i came across this figure in my "inspiration" folder on my desktop. it's so interesting to me how i collect all this information from the web, and i can even get my act together enough at times to create an "inspiration" folder, in which i keep any and all things that COULD potentially inspire me in those moments when i am stuck. and such a devastating void it is, to be stuck in artist's block. but here, i have created myself an escape route, an easy way out, a cheat-sheet...

do i use it? no. not really. only when i'm searching for something else and i accidentally stumble across this folder. like today. so, here she is, "venus de syndey" or "venus de fogotten folder"

whale watching - 100 drawings in 100 days

2008-08-11T22:13:00.000+10:00

i just got back from whale-watching at harvey bay! how absolutely amazing those creatures are! i haven't finished my drawing yet, but stay tuned, tomorrow it will be up!