New Artwork

The past couple weeks of my life have been insane. From getting a random flu thing to having a million commissions to wedding dress shopping, which btw's I found "the" dress, it's been super busy! While I have had tons of projects and work to post about, blogging just hasn't been high on the priority list. Well, things seem to be somewhat stable so I will take this time to get back on blogging track. I'd like the start by highlighting some of my favorite projects from the past couple of weeks... First off is a custom fashion illustration for a blogger. Meet Abby from Seven and Stitich. While blogging may just be a fun hobby for her, you would certainly never know it...her blog is fabulous! Her posts and style are right up my alley. Abby found me via Instagram and wanted something fun to place on her business cards. She emailed me several pics from her fashion blog for us to choose from and geez that was a hard decision; I felt like each photo would look amazing transformed into a watercolor. Either way, we had to pick one and I think the outcome is perfect! Once the illustration was complete, we meet at Collective Coffee to exchange the goods (original watercolor and some notecards) and to finally meet in person and let me tell you, she was exactly as I imagined...super warm and sweet and of course stylish! While sadly Abby is leaving Charleston for her job, I'm so glad we finally got to meet in person and hope we can connect next time she's in the Holy City. Check out her blog for some everyday life and style inspiration!  Next up is a very different illustration. This subject matter has lots of fur, makes crazy noises when happy and are great companions. Yep, you guessed it...kitties! Finley the ragdolls huMOM contacted me about doing an illustration of Finley and his predessesor, Emmy, together. When she first emailed me the pictures I was floored. Both cats were insanely beautiful; pretty much CatFancy cover models if you ask me and I'm sure their huMOMMY would say the same! Although neither kitties got to meet in real life, they were able to meet in the watercolor world and I'd say they are the best of friends! ;-)    ..

Everything is all set up and my paintings are now on display at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport for the next three months! It is super exciting to be able to say my artwork is hanging in the airport. Now I just to need to schedule a trip so I can go check it out again. ;-) The pieces are set up in the main walkway just after TSA, as you walk towards the terminals. Each column has a piece of work from one of winners that participarted in the Contemporaries gala back in February. I painted three new pieces for the exhibit which included one of my classic "Sweet Tea" mason jars, a Charleston basket lady (similar basket lady), and a rooster (seemed appropriate for the Gamecock country). You can read more about the exhibit here and be sure to check it out if you find yourself in the Columbia Airport (traveling to some exciting place I hope).  ..

It is no secret that I'm a coffee lover. Needless to say, I go to "the coffee shop" almost everyday. Where is this coffee shop located? Almost 20 steps away from my studio. Conveniant, no? City Lights Coffee is like home to me. So it's not surprising that this is the 4th time I have displayed my work there. Yes, my artwork is in City Lights Coffee for the whole month of March. This time I am displaying only illustrations. There is a bit of everything...elephants, coffee cups (naturally), coffee drinking fashionistas (again, very appropriate), and Charleston sailor girls, just to name a few. Check it out when you're in the Market and King Street area. Also, don't hestitate to pop up in my studio and say "hi"; it's just around the corner! :-)     ..

Instagram really is a magical place; it brings together people from all over the world who post inspirational and beautiful photos. Through this wonderful (and my most favorite) social media site, I had the pleasure to become acquinted with blogger extraordinaire Caroline of Rainboots and Retail, which has 10,000+ unique views each month along with 12K+ Instagram followers...so you could say her blog has taken off! Caroline, a junior at the University of Alabama, started as a business major and absolutely hated it. Sophmore year she changed her major to fashion retail and never looked back. It was then that she started her own blog, which features everything from fashion to yummy recipes. Caroline is a girl after my heart...sweet, southern, and an animal lover. Point in case, she has two furry children...Odie, a big lovable lab and Champ, a shitzu/teacup poodle mix that she actually found on Craigslist.  A couple weeks ago Caroline contacted me about a custom illustration for her blog; I gladly accepted! I knew her fun personality would be easy to capture with paint and pen. I also did a cute little print of her pooch Champ, some Hunter rainboots and of course a shopping bag. If you weren't following Caroline's blog Rainboots and Retail, you certainly should now. Who doesn't love a fashionable southern belle?  ..

After extreme stress and turmoil, I have finally gotten my printer to work! You could say I was extremely troubled by this. It took me over 2 weeks, tons of adjusmtnets, a bizillian test prints, but I have finally done it! And I must say the colors look amazing! It almost looks like I painted right on the paper! These flat notecards are printed on high qaulity cover stock 120 lb paper and I'm in love! I want to send out little notes to everyone I know and perhaps I will!  How it works: Anything you see I have done can be turned into a print! So let's say you loved the "Pink Pumps" illustration I did? That can be on notecards. Perhaps the "Oscar" watercolor? That too can be placed on the notecards. Anything I've done can be printed on the notecards!  But let's say you want something special? Something specific? The process for that is similar to any other illustration commission. First, we have to come up with concept. I then create the 8"x10" watercolor illustration. I scan the original illustration onto my computer. From there I do retouching, color adjusting (to make sure it's the closest to the original) and layout for the cards. Voila! We confirm you love them and I print! You're very own custom stationery! At this time I am including a pack of notecards with any custom illustration order! Let me know today so we can get started!  Bangles Notecards   ..

Today I decided to make my own Valentine's Day cards! Why today? I'm not sure…perhaps I was inspired by so many other people posting V-day paraphernalia. Also, because I got a new fancy printer for Christmas which now gives me the capability to print anything my heart desires and stationery happens to be one of them! Yes, that's right, I can now make personalized stationery for you. That means any illustration can be turned into one of kind notecards. Oh, happy day! This printer has changed the name of the game. No more middle man for me. I can print on the spot whenever I want, whatever I want.  Anyways, my inspiration for this gingham wearing, flower holding girl came from Pinterest of course (AKA the "Lady Internet", coined by some friends of mine). While this outfit probably wouldn't be appropriate for this cold weather right now, she does have all the right attributes for Valentine's Day…red shoes, red dress, and a massive amount of flowers of all kinds. I couldn't be more excited to share the gift of personalized stationery with YOU! Feel free to drop me an email and we can get started today on the most unique notecards you've ever seen!  ..