My first Blurb book

In preparation for Blueprint I made a Blurb book to use as a portfolio. It was my first time to create a book online and the process was fairly easy. The turnaround time was quick and yesterday my very own book arrived.

The quality of the paper and color are great. Here are a few spreads from the book.

Getting ready for the Blueprint Show in NYC!

I've been a busy bee as I prepare for the Blueprint Show in NYC May 20-23rd. There are two venues, Diane T Design will be at Shop Studio at 528 W. 39th Street in booth #45. I decided to do the show just three weeks ago, so I've been scrambling to get banners, business cards, and my portfolio together...all while going to my full-time day job.

Here are a few samples of art I'll be taking to the show.

New direction

I just returned from Detroit and the ICON 10 Illustration Conference. Detroit held up to the hype as an up and coming art city and ICON was an inspirational shot in the arm. I've been creating a lot of new art in the last few months; both digitally and with a paintbrush and watercolors. I will be selling on Spoonflower if you want fabric, giftwrap or wallpaper with one of my designs. You can visit me on Instagram to get a taste of what I've been up to. I will announce it here when the Spoonflower designs are up and running.

Makers gotta make

It's been almost a year since I posted so I don't know if anyone will care but here are a few of the things I've been making this year. There was felt, polymer clay, sterling silver, copper enamel and collage. I tried laser cutting, beading and knitting hand warmers. I still have a love affair with paper, printing and linoleum prints. So many ideas and so little time.

Japanese seed beads, with brass and gold highlights.

 Detail of a beaded necklace

African glass, brass and leather necklace 

 Textured enamel earrings

 needle felted brooch

Two needle felted, beaded and embroidered brooches.

 Polymer clay beads

Sterling silver forged cuff

Paint on Paper

I've been doing some freeform painting with black gesso and watercolor. I learned this particular technique at a workshop I too with Laura Wait at Penland. We used all kinds of twigs, rocks and other found brushes to make marks on paper. It was one of the most freeing classes I have ever done.

I made some papers last night and then folded them into signature and made a little artist book. I still need to sew it together but wanted to show you my process.

Painted papers:

Felt Flower on Cardboard

Coffee Filter flower

7/366 Make a Day Challenge - Coffee Filter flower (dyed in coffee and dipped in black gesso). Working with what I've got around the house.

Collage

I used to do a lot of collage. I've been doing more jewelry making and have gotten away from paper and glue. With the new year I am going to make one thing a day... nothing fancy and using whatever is around. I've made two new collages and I'm excited to get back into this medium.

Take a look .https://www.flickr.com/photos/picturegirl/23559861873/in/dateposted-public/

 https://www.flickr.com/photos/picturegirl/24186629045/in/dateposted-public/

Playing with enamel in the jewelry studio

With some time off from my day job I've been able to get back into the studio and play with enamels. I'm using a little kiln that my studio mate bought and it is small but mighty. Here are some of my results with enamel and texture.  All of these are for sale on my Etsy webpage.https://www.etsy.com/shop/artnestbydiane

Lilla Rogers Global Talent Search

So tomorrow the 50 artists who made the first cut in the Global Talent Search will be announced. Here is the entry I submitted along with the one I didn't submit. In the end I decided I wanted to make a bold statement and stand out...I still like the other one, Grow, too.

Which one do you like?

Global Talent Search - Thinking about terrariums

I turned in my entry for Lilla Rogers Global Talent Search last night...I had a hard time deciding between two of the paintings I had done...We had two weeks to work on it and I did about five paintings. Here are parts from the one I didn't submit. I'll show the one I entered on August 26.

It was a fun project. I had a blast painting...I used mostly gouache and watercolor with some pen and ink thrown in.

Daily drawing 7/24/14 Floral Zendoodle

I am starting to add color to these pen and ink drawings. The colors on the top one were inspired by a beaded bowl I bought in Mexico.

Strung out cats : daily drawing 7/23/14

Daily Drawing 7-23-14

Making metal houses

I just finished up another metals class. I ended up  with the theme of houses and home. Here are a few things from the studio today. I'll be selling them in my etsy store. http://www.etsy.com/shop/artnestbydiane

Happy Summer Solstice!

Here is how I spent the summer solstice...In the Fremont Solstice Parade. It is truly one of the highlights of the summer in Seattle. People wear body paint and ride bikes, others are in colorful and imaginative costumes. It is a creative event I participate in every year. The Solstice Parade is one of the reasons I'm glad I live in Seattle.

Me with the Sol Train group at The Center of the Universe Photo by Brent Smith

Sol Train Ensemble

Sarah Lovett and her wonderful Elephant

Naked Bicyclists Are Ready to Start the Parade

Add caption