Creatively Inclined

Brian the dog (Thing-a-week)

2011-12-17T21:24:00.000-08:00

I painted this in the summer, on a lark. I spotted some Facebook photos my uncle had posted of my cousin's puppy - a Golden-Doodle named Brian - and thought I'd practice my pet portraiture.

My uncle really liked the piece and bought it as a wedding gift for my cousin and her husband.

I haven't painted any others, since, but when I'm back from my African adventure, I think I'll paint my mother-in-law's beagles. And, of course, I've always got some pet models at home...

Fecund (Thing-a-week)

2011-12-10T21:17:00.000-08:00

I'm writing this from the past - which is not nearly as cool as the future, but until someone invents a time machine, this will have to do.

This little ditty (can I call a digital sketch a 'ditty'?) was created from scratch (that is, not based on a paper-and-ink sketch) using Sketchbook Pro. I used the mirror function to create a perfectly symmetrical image. It's a pretty handy tool, I must say. And, thanks to my new drawing tablet, and the neat pen and brush settings in this program, this piece has a hand-drawn feel to it. It doesn't look like a digital sketch, which is kind of neat.

Tech-crazy Cait (belated Thing-a-week)

2011-12-06T21:06:00.000-08:00

So, I've been real trigger-happy with the technology purchases lately. In the last few weeks, I bought a wireless mouse, wireless keyboard, Sketchbook Pro 2011, and the Wacom Airbrush Pen. Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales killed my restraint!

But I've been putting these tools to good use - especially Sketchbook Pro. What a well-designed, agile program for making digital art. I think this could quickly replace Photoshop in my illustration toolbox. Like Photoshop, you can work in layers, choose a range of brushes (not as extensive, admittedly, but the layout is much easier), and even save files as .PSD, if you want to move a document into Photoshop for final touches.

But Sketchbook Pro has some neat things that Photoshop doesn't seem to (at least, in CS3, which is rather outdated now, I realize). If you'd like something to be symmetrical, there's a mirror effect you can choose where you draw/paint one side of the image, and it automatically copies what you're doing on the other side. Saves a lot of time.

This program is also a lightweight and loads up fast. It doesn't bog down my computer, allowing me to run other programs without any issues.

I've only been playing with it for a few days, so I'm sure there will be some drawbacks. Doesn't seem like you can make your own brushes, for instance. But, so far, at least for the kind of digital art I'm making, this software floats my artistic boat.

An illustration first (Thing-a-week)

2011-12-03T19:39:00.001-08:00

Today, I present to you, a couple of drawings I made for a new role-playing game called Victoria, created by Edmontonian, Daniel Hodges. I also drew some plan views, but I'm especially proud of these drawings, especially the warehouse:

While I've done quite a bit of editorial illustration, drawing images for a role-playing game was brand-new to me. Thankfully, Daniel was easy to work with and offered me a lot of guidance. He gave me quite a lot of creative freedom, but had a vision for the game, which he communicated clearly.

I'm hoping to post a few belated Thing-a-week projects before I leave for South Africa this week. While I've been making art, I've really fallen behind with the blogging. But I have some good reasons! After getting home from Europe in October, I was inundated with work (a good problem to have, admittedly), but also various life stuff (bronchitis, sick dog, house-related woes, etc.). While other people were celebrating Movember and starting their Christmas shopping, I was chained to my computer.

Anyway, a few belated Thing-a-week installments are forthcoming - and I'll also post some S. Africa photos while I'm gone. Looks like there's a good chance I'll be doing a safari excursion near Durban and perhaps even seeing some penguins near Capetown! Imagine: penguins! I'll have to bring my sketchbook.

As usual, Mike Kendrick is posting super-neato stuff on his blog, www.ironcladfolly.com, so I'd strongly advise you to check it out. He's also started a Facebook fan page, so send a 'like' his way!

Thing-a-week: Ink and pixels

2011-11-07T08:44:00.000-08:00

While recuperating from bronchitis last week, I doodled to entertain myself. Nothing fancy, just my usual sketchbook and a pen.

But when I finally felt better this weekend, I cracked out my brand-new, fancy shmancy Intuos4 drawing tablet and altered them in photoshop.

After being in Europe, and then sick, I've missed almost a month's worth of Thing-a-week installments. So, I plan to catch up this month.

It'll be a challenge though since I've got a big art event Nov. 18 and 19 called The Night of Artists, at the Italian Cultural Centre in Edmonton. It's an annual music and art festival produced by the art group of the same name. I've been a member for about a year and this is the first time I'm participating. So, if you're in Edmonton, I hope to see you there!

Hopefully you've been visiting Mike Kendrick's blog lots. While I've been MIA, he's been extra productive lately, creating neato Halloween props and tableaus. His post this week is no exception.

Thing-a-week: Au Revoir!

2011-10-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

Some say garbage is worth its weight in gold.

They say time flies when you're having fun, which makes me think September must have been a month-long party (I must have blacked out).

Suddenly it's October, and I'm just two days away from crossing the North Atlantic en-route to France. How did that happen?

With my 30th birthday looming (mark it on your calendars - October 15!) I'm pretty thrilled to be celebrating it somewhere fancy. I'll be in Paris that day and hope to do all kinds of cheesy tourist things, including eating bagettes from atop the Eiffel Tower.

Anyway, I probably won't be posting while I'm gone, so I'll see all y'all (yes, I just wrote that) in late October. Try to stay out of trouble, okay?

Oh - and while I'm gone, do not forget about the infinitely more talented Mike Kendrick, whose blog is always entertaining.

XOXO,

Cait

P.S. That image on the right? An illustration for a story on garbage mining, which is forthcoming in the Dominion newspaper.

On failure

2011-09-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

As a freelance journalist, I've become strangely desensitized to rejections from editors. If a story idea doesn't fit a publication, I shrug it off. Sometimes, a great idea doesn't suit the needs of a particular publication at a particular time. I send off loads of queries, and while I might get frustrated when I can't break into a particular market, I don't get terribly upset.

Naturally, when I began focusing on my art career in 2009, I figured I'd go boldly forth, and pitch myself just as shamelessly.

Turns out, I'm a big chicken shit. While I do submit my work to magazines and apply for art shows and galleries, the rejection has been much harder to bear. I have had many a pity party in front of my monitor - even when I realize that my work was inappropriate for a particular opportunity.

I have to constantly remind myself that failure's part of the deal - especially for artists. We will get rejected by juries, funding committees, the general public. We will inevitably display our art at an outdoor festival and overhear snide comments from passerby.

Success! This spring, my art graced 17 billboards across the province.

I'm waiting for my thick skin to grow in, but until that happens, I force myself to ruminate on the good that comes from putting myself out there. Sometimes I fail, but sometimes I do fantastically well. Earlier this year, for instance, I was one of three winners of the Art Upon Request campaign, and had one of my artworks on 17 billboards across Alberta for a couple of months.

Failing, now and then, helps me appreciate these wins. It also helps me bond with members of the art communities I'm a part of. Falling on your face is a kind of rite of passage, I hate to say, and it bonds us all together.

Another win: Sold this at a juried art show this month.

But failing's also important for the learning opportunity. Sometimes, I fail because something I've painted, drawn or written kinda sucks. Or, it's simply wrong for the market I've submitted it too. Knowing the difference between a piece of art that's missed the mark, or a piece of art that simply doesn't match a market, is a critical skill. You don't figure it out without putting yourself out there and risking failure.

That said, after a recent failure to secure a spot in a juried arts and crafts festival, I think I'll be laying low for a wee bit. As a writer, I know that success is 90% perspiration, I also know that a person needs to have reserves of mental energy to put it all on the line. So, for the next couple of weeks, I'll be doing the things that make me happy and putting applications and queries aside until I feel ready to put it all out there again.

Thing-a-week: Saturday doodlin'

2011-09-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

I'm a chronic doodler. As a kid, all of my class notes were covered in doodles - everything from grinning puppy dogs to abstract swirlies. I was always more interested in making art than anything else.

These days, I doodle on envelopes when I'm on the phone, in my daytimer when I'm jotting down appointments, and of course, while I'm watching the tube. Here's yesterday's doodle, accomplished while watching reruns of Sex and The City with my lovely sister.

Mike Kendrick's Thing-a-week is already posted! Check this shizzle out!

Portrait of the artist as a very awkward teenager

2011-09-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

In early September, I attended the Kaleido Festival, in north Edmonton. It's a great two-day arts festival, with everything from street vendors like moi, to stilt walkers, to acrobatic artists, to live music...it's good fun.

When I'm at a festival, I like to make art during the quiet times. On Saturday, I was sitting at my table painting, when a shadow fell over my canvas.

"Needs more yellow," said a familiar voice.

I looked up - it was my high school art teacher, Mr. Jones! He taught me all three years, in fact, and taught me a heckuva lot about art history. Since graduating in '99, I'd hoped to run into him, so it was great to catch up. We went for a coffee a couple weeks later, and chatted about travel, art-making, and what some of my classmates were pursuing more than a decade after high school.

Naked virgin mother meets Alien King?

Anyway, this blast from the past made me think back to those important years. But, there's another side to nostalgia. As a friend of my sister's once remarked:

There are so many memories I feel awkward about.

Well said, Lauren. Me too. And lots of art I feel awkward about, let me tell you.

Every now and then, I flip through some of my old sketchbooks from that terrible era, and there's an awful lot of teen angst bleeding through the pages. I was really, really obsessed with Salvador Dali in those days, so there are plenty of melting trees, naked people missing arms and legs, and other dramas. It's awkward.

But, is it terrible? Well, not really. I had my teenage pretentious moments, but most of what I drew and painted was pretty honest and raw - I can't fault myself for that. I was just extra, super-duper passionate about art. Some of that has melted away over the years, although I still have that fire in my belly to make art.

Another weird one.

Maybe that's what the naked virgin mary drawing is all about...me, representing that super-weird impulse to make art?

Or, maybe it was just an awkward moment.

Thing-a-week: Comics? Me?

2011-09-22T07:57:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's been two weeks since my last blog post -- sigh -- but it's been a crazy, whirlwind month. I had a couple of art things (including the Kaleido Festival in Edmonton), school started (I'm taking short fiction this year!) and I'm up to my eyeballs (ow) in writing gigs.

Craziness.

I should've expected as much, but it took me by surprise (as it does, every fall). Particularly the explosion of writing projects. I've been loathe to turn anything down since I'm heading to Europe Oct.6-18 (France and Belgium! Hurray!), and it's always good to fill up the coffers before I take time off!

Anyway, art-making has fallen by the wayside a wee bit - but I did make a wee comic recently. My friend Tammy Lee - a webbie, artist and comics genius - is showing me the ropes! So, over the last six months, I've been reading every graphic novel I can get my hands on (including plenty from the Library o' Tammy) and finally, FINALLY, I decided to start my own.

Okay, deep breath...here goes. Meet my alter-ego, "Grumpy Girl."

Yes, it's poorly scanned, and you can definitely tell that I got lazier with the second panel. But, I'm gonna give it the college try. There's so much you can do with sequential art (aka comics)!

As always, do not (seriously, don't) forget to check out the fine art works of my blog buddy, Mike Kendrick. He routinely puts me to shame! Lately, he's been showing off his graphic design skills. Check this shizzle out.

Flirtation with orange (Thing-a-Week)

2011-09-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

A family friend once told the story of his younger cousin, who went to art school in New York City in her 20s. One semester, she called him and exuberantly declared that she'd "discovered" the colour yellow.

I can't recall the finer points of his story, but at the time it made me giggle until my sides hurt. This young artist's "yellow period" was hilariously pretentious. It was the kind of story that makes me hope and pray I don't turn into a flaky artiste.

That said, I've had plenty of love affairs with colours. At the risk of coming across as a complete and utter flake, I think I'm a little enamoured with orange, this month. This piece, acrylic paint and acrylic ink on 10 x 12" birch panel, is all about colour and texture. It began as a painting of the night sky - complete with cartoonish planets and space craft - and evolved into a bright abstraction.

Where the magic happens

2011-09-01T09:00:00.001-07:00

While chatting with a rural artist at a trade show, I remarked that he must have a glorious studio. I imagined a deluxe set-up in an old refurbished garage or an unused barn or heck even a yurt. I was salivating at the possibilities.

Where the magic happens.

But nope - it was quite the opposite. This established Canadian artist, whose work has appeared in galleries across North America and Europe, works at his kitchen table. Where he eats his morning cereal.

He must have noticed the look on my face.

"You can make art anywhere," he shrugged. "Why do you need a big studio?"

I can think of a few good reasons - but here's the biggest: domestic harmony. I may not work on huge canvases, or use fancy tools, like a kiln, but making art makes a mess. And, frankly, my spouse isn't thrilled with my junk all over the living room.

But, he's not wrong. There are ways to integrate an art space into almost any home. In our home, I've set-up my easel etc. in a sneaky little area between the couch and the fireplace.

Sometimes, I'll drag the easel back to my office, at the back of the house. Thanks to my handy-dandy tool box, I can shut the lid and haul my paints and brushes down the hall to tuck it away. I keep my paint palette in a very portable cake caddy, as well, so the paint stays wet longer (and prevents colourful cat footprints everywhere). Sometimes, I even use the removal cupcake-holder as a palette.

But I love the bright light in the living room and since it shares the space with a TV, my mini-art studio is a more social place to be. Most of the time, that's what I prefer.

Favourite shows include: Damages and Intervention (don't judge me).

Eventually, I'd love to have an entire room just for my art and I've got designs on a big room in our basement. It was recently re-done after a flood this spring, which destroyed the carpet and a lot of the drywall. Now, it's got this fancy, mold-resistant lino that looks like slate (it's not tacky, I swear!), a huge closet with mirrored sliding doors, and a brand-new window that opens like a dream. It's strangely bright in our basement, so I have no doubt I'd be comfy.

Problem is, the room is currently the office of our very lovely tenant. We're eager to pay down our mortgage quickly, and Natalie is the quietest, most considerate human I've ever met, so I hope she stays a long, loooong time. I'm happy to settle with the dream tenant and wait a little longer for the dream studio!

This big toolbox has a top storage area as well as three drawers that slide out. A great place for brushes/pencils/tape/etc.

Found at Canadian Tire: A cake caddy. It's air-tight and keeps paint wet for longer.

Inside, a removal 'cupcake tray' has become a large-but-functional palette.

No regrets (Thing-a-Week)

2011-08-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

It's a painful thing to admit, but summer is already winding down in Alberta. It's pitifully short, but at this time of year, I always have regrets: should have maintained that garden/gone camping more often/spent more time outside.

But I have no regrets when it comes to my art. Lately, I've been painting quite a lot in my free time - even squeezing in an hour here or there during my work days (it's one of the perks of working at home).

This week, I finished a large-ish painting (20 x 24"). I think of it as an 'abstract landscape.' I'd intended to paint a minimalistic ocean scene, but it morphed into something far more abstract. And, of course, it continues the bubble motif I'm apparently obsessed with. But I think it's partially the result of all of the "swimming" I've been doing lately (I just splash around with a flutter board and look awkward).

I've got a few other new paintings up my sleeve, too, and also a comic. I'm a little nervous about pushing it into the world (I've got a lot to learn about the genre), so I thank my friend Tammy Lee for giving me the nudge I need.

It's finished, but I'll probably post it tomorrow, after giving her a sneak-peak first!

Tammy's very skilled in the ways of comics (and also fine art), so check out her stuff online.

And, of course, don't forget to visit my Thing-a-Week pal Mike Kendrick's blog. For once, I've beaten him to the punch, but I'm sure he'll have another super-duper post for you today or tomorrow. Certainly check out his latest blog post, featuring terrifying monsters from the depths of his imagination. They will haunt my dreams tonight, I'm sure.

Hey, remember me?

2011-08-23T10:15:00.000-07:00

It's a bright, sun-shiny morning in Edmonton, and after two hell-ish weeks, I am finally turning my attention to art.

After many, many mornings at my desk at the break of dawn, writing like a maniac and conducting phone interviews, my schedule has relaxed. I'm looking forward to not writing 7,000 words this week and painting at my easel.

Oh - and blogging about it, too!

In spite of the craziness, I did manage to finish some art, believe it or not (just ran out of time to update you, dear readers). I painted today's piece with acrylic paint on a 24 x 30" wooden panel. I used some gel mediums to add a little shine to the piece, but I plan to spray it with a high-gloss varnish, to protect it from UV exposure and add a nicer finish.

I'm also behind on my next newsletter and plan to catch up later this week. It's time to reveal the winner of my first art give-a-way! I'm excited.

Not surprisingly, Mike Kendrick has already posted his Thing-a-Week. I'm always impressed at what that dude accomplishes. I really struggle with self portraits, but he makes it look easy (and Mike, you don't really look like a wanted felon. For serious.)

Thing-a-week: Painting trees on trees

2011-08-09T07:17:00.001-07:00

This week, I finished one tree painting on a wooden panel and started another...

I'm loving the feeling of wood under my brush and the smell of birch. Dee-lightful!

Also found this snappy app to post blog entries with my iPhone. Snazz! Expect more regular posts from me, directly from the studio!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thing-a-week: Digital commission

2011-08-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

Earlier this summer, I received an e-mail from a fellow writer living in Edmonton. It was rather out-of-the-blue -- we hadn't spoken for a couple of years. Apparently, she'd been surfing the web for pregnancy-related art and stumbled across a digital painting I'd posted on my ImageKind.com account.

She loved the mood of the piece, and the aesthetic, and wanted to see more of my work. A few weeks later, she came by to view some of my other pieces (all acrylic on canvas) but nothing really resonated with her. There was something about the digital painting that really appealed.

As we chatted, it dawned on me that I could create a new digital piece, similar to the painting she loved, with a figure that resembled her. After a few tweaks, we came up with the image above. I had it printed on stretched canvas and will never print another on canvas, to ensure she has the 'original.'

It was a fun process and makes me want to explore digital painting a little bit more. It took years for me to warm up to the idea, but I've been tinkering with photoshop and my Wacom tablet for about a year now.

My goal is to upgrade to a larger, fancier tablet later this year. I've got my beady little eye on this one...

...which is what Mike Kendrick uses in his day job as a graphic artist. I'm more than a little jealous!

Speaking of Mike, check out his thing-a-week too. He's posted some old, and new, drawings from his sketchbook which chart his growth during the year. Very cool.

I think this thing-a-week business is paying off for both of us!

Thing-a-week: Tasty times

2011-07-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

I'm an awful baker. Like, really awful. While I realize it's more of a science than an art, I tend to measure ingredients haphazardly and add them in the wrong order. I despised the domestic arts as a kid and somehow managed to avoid all practical knowledge pertaining to baking. Last month, I discovered that you actually have to cream the butter (ie. mix it with the sugar), rather than microwaving it and dumping it in. Who knew?

Fortunately, while I stink at the culinary arts, I can paint a tasty-looking cupcake. So, after my little cupcake foray at art walk, I decided to take a cupcake book out of the library - not for baking, but as a photo reference for painting.

Here's the fruits of my labour. Oh - and as I mentioned in my first-ever e-newsletter, I'm doing a draw for a cupcake painting at the end of the month. Join my newsletter list for your chance to win free, original art. (BTW, I don't send out newsletters more than once a month).

"Calories be damned," Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 6"

"Eat dessert first," Acrylic on canvas, 8 x 10"


"Blackberries make it healthy," Acrylic on canvas, 8 x 10"

This week, Mike Kendrick filled up a sketchbook of goodies. I tells ya, that kid is just brimming with creativity. Although, I think his Justin Bieber dinosaur is my favourite.

Wood: The new canvas

2011-07-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

I've always loved wood. When I was a teen, I'd steal scraps of wood from my dad's workshop to paint on. I loved the feeling of the wood beneath my brush.

Recently, I went to de Serres again (my second home) and picked up a couple of small wood panels - 12 x 10" - to do a little experimenting with.

Here's my first experiment!

I used silver paint to outline the lotus flowers and to add texture and light to the background. I left the edges unpainted, too, since I love the look of wood grain. I'm debating staining it for a more finished look, but still hemming and hawing on that one.

Thing-a-week: Art Walk hangover

2011-07-18T17:04:00.000-07:00

After three days sitting in the sun, painting and chatting, I feel like I've been run over by a truck. It's mostly a good pain - like that muscle burn you get after working out a ton. But I still feel like I could sleep for a week.

But, there's no sleep for the creatively inclined. Tomorrow, I'll spend my morning setting up at Northlands in advance of the Capital Ex show I'm doing with my Night of Artists Peeps. I'll also drop off several artworks to The Daffodil Gallery, for a post-Art Walk holdover show! A dozen-ish artists from the festival will be appearing in the gallery for the first time, including yours truly.

I've got lots of new art coming down the pipe too - will post later this week!

As always, check out Mike Kendrick's blog - the guy did fantastically well at his first Art Walk this weekend! And not surprisingly - his stuff is solid gold!

Thing-a-week: Art as dessert

2011-07-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

A friend visiting from Vancouver recently remarked that art is like dessert - it's not a priority for everyone. Some people are just 'meat and potatoes' folks who'd rather put money aside for practical things. Others, like my friend, see value in beautifying their spaces with art that resonates with them.

I'm a practical person and respect that art doesn't float everyone's boat - that's perfectly okay. But, our conversation made me think a lot about the eat-dessert-first people who've supported me as an artist. It also made me think of a good idea for a series: cupcakes. Of all the desserts I'd eat first, cupcakes are at the top of the list. But only the deluxe, bakery-quality kind. Grocery store cupcakes are generally pretty wretched, in my experience.

All of my cupcake paintings will be available at Whyte Avenue art walk this weekend (beginning tomorrow at noon). I'll post whatever doesn't sell on Etsy next week. :)

Not surprisingly, Mike Kendrick's thing-a-week is dino-tastic. You'll be able to catch him at Whyte Avenue Art Walk this weekend too! So, if you're in Edmonton, come on out. About 300 artists will be in attendance, and there'll be live music, too!

Thing-a-week: Treedom!

2011-07-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

With Whyte Avenue Art Walk quickly approaching (it's July 15-17!) and Capital Ex a week later, I've been painting up a storm - mainly smaller works. I've also been experimenting with acrylic ink and invested in some fine brushes.

Here are three of the pieces I finished last week - all are 10 x 10", acrylic (and acrylic ink) on gallery-wrapped canvas, which hang well without a frame (although, you can frame them too).

Thing a week: More bubbles

2011-06-28T07:06:00.000-07:00

It's a gorgeous day in Edmonton, AB. We've had plenty of rain over the last couple of weeks (in fact, it's felt more like Vancouver than Edmonton), but now the sun's out in full force. On Sunday, I weeded the heck out of my flower beds (my arms are still sore), and finally planted our vegetable garden. Finally, we can sit outside on the patio and just enjoy being outside. My aunt's visiting from Victoria, BC, this week, so it's been nice eating dinner outside.

I'm actually hoping to do some plein air painting this summer - starting with the backyard. I'm thinking of painting my flower garden, just to get in the swing of it. Until I'm more confident, it'll be nice not to expose myself to well-meaning looky-loos! Plus, there's always something in bloom.

Anyway, this week I submit for your approval, a revision of a painting I started in February. At the time, it was very unbalanced and awkward, so I didn't post it. Finally, after staring at it in my living room for months, I figured out what was bugging me and reworked it. Now, the brown is richer, the bubbles more balanced and definitely crisper, and I've added some iridescent touches.

It's a smaller piece - about 16 x 20 - and I hope to frame it before Whyte Avenue Art Walk (July 15-17) and Capital EX (July 22-31).

My blog buddy Mike Kendrick will also be at Whyte Ave Art Walk this year, with his delightful dinosaur series. Not surprisingly, he beat me to the punch this week - check out his Thing-a-Week here! I love a dinosaur in glasses.

Thing-a-week: Painting up a storm

2011-06-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

What. A. Week. Seriously. On Tuesday, I took part in the Rainbow Gallery, an evening of art and wine organized by the good folks at Edmonton's Pride Week, and on Friday, I was at the U of A Hospital for a mini art show with my Night of Artists pals. In between, I've had plenty of writing assignments to complete, errands and home repairs (like painting our basement suite). By the time Friday afternoon rolled around, I was struggling to stay vertical.

So, this weekend, I took advantage of a tiny bit of free time to sleep (ah, sleep!), spend time with my partner and pets, and paint - like, a lot.

I even did one painting ( 8 x 8" canvas) from a photo I took of a rooster on one of my travels. I changed the background slightly (he was actually an urban rooster), since a pastoral scene was nicer than the grungy looking driveway where I took my photo.

I've also been working on my first digital commission this weekend (yay!). Stay tuned for the finished product!

And, as always, check out Mike Kendrick's piece this week. I'm crossing my fingers for another dinosaur - I just can't get enough of those guys.

Thing-a-week: Productivity edition

2011-06-12T12:33:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to more podcasts lately, especially when I'm making art. My favourites include: Art and Story, Artists Helping Artists, and Paper Wings.

This week, time management was the theme of both Paper Wings and Artists Helping Artists. The timing couldn't have been better.

My blog posts have been late for the last few weeks as I've scrambled to finish up a whole bunch of writing and editing work. I'm realizing that as the economy improves, this is likely to continue. Also, I find that work begets work: having regular bylines means editors and clients think of me often and, consequently, I'm assigned more work.

Well, that's a theory, anyway!

But, like any creative, I've got to find time to nurture other projects. I've usually got art markets or shows on the horizon, and I'm currently developing a comic. And, of course, as an MFA student, I've got lots of creative writing to squeeze in, too.

Since I refuse to let any of my interests fall by the wayside, I need to juggle them better.

Fortunately, I have a few more tools in my arsenal after listening to the podcasts this weekend. I'm going to work harder to:

- "Eat my frogs" everyday (that is, do the most dreaded tasks first)
- Find ways to double-up (for instance, listen to podcasts while painting/dog-walking/cleaning the house)
- Spend less time on social media
- Be more conscious of my energy levels during the day, and when I'm most productive at certain tasks (I'm an evening painter, for instance)
- Re-order my tasks to be more productive (for instance, dog-walking before I create artwork or do any creative writing, since it's often a very creative time for me)

But, I think I also need to cut myself some slack. Sometimes, work and life are harder to manage, and certain tasks and responsibilities will be neglected. The house will be dirty. The dog unwalked. The painting unpainted...etc. There's no such thing as perfect.

That said, accountability is a really weird productivity booster, so thanks to my Thing-a-Week buddy Mike Kendrick for nudging me, now and then.

And check out his blog, too! He's a very creative dude.

Girl and fish

2011-06-10T13:58:00.000-07:00

Feeling extra artsy today, so sketched this in ink and coloured it in Photoshop. (And yes, I was totally procrastinating on some other work!)

Thing a week: Penance edition

2011-06-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

It's summertime, but the living's not easy. While I'd love to be lingering in my garden, smelling the lilacs and listening to the songbirds, I'm stuck inside, working. In fact, there's been far too few yoga classes, dog walks, leisurely dinners or painting, lately. Instead, I've been peering into an electronic interface, crafting e-mails and articles for various publications and copywriting clients.

Don't get me wrong: I love writing. It's a wonderful day job. I'd love to be spending more time making art, but I'd never want to be a full-time artist, either. The two things are natural complements to each other and by doing both, I keep the creative juices flowing.

But lately, things have been a wee bit out of balance, which is why I missed last week's installment of the Thing-a-Week challenge. Between my writing workload, professional development events, art events, and household maintenance and gardening, I've been up to my eyeballs.

Fortunately, it looks as if the madness won't prevail much longer. So, I can promise you all more regular updates from here on.

In fact, this week, I'm posting two pieces in penance for last week's flakiness. For your enjoyment, I humbly submit a sketch of Oliver Sachs (the psychologist) and another doodle of happy flowers.

Why Oliver Sachs? I came across a photo in one of my nerdy magazines and liked his expression.

Why flowers? Because I'm getting a wee bit obsessed with flora, now that my backyard is blooming. I plan to do some plein-air painting in my garden this summer, in fact!

Alright, without further adieu...

As usual, you'd be remiss to miss Mike Kendrick's blog post this week. Not only is the guy talented, but he keeps me honest. (Thanks for the nudge, Mike!)

Thing-a-week: Art-o-rama!

2011-05-23T21:52:00.000-07:00

This is a crazy art week. Which is why I feel justified in posting this simple watercolor doodlewhatsit for your viewing pleasure. It's untitled, to boot.

So why is this such a crazy week? Firstly, this Friday is the Night of Artists magazine launch! Yours truly will be there, chatting about art, eating snacks and watching live music, over at Expressionz Cafe, on the southside of Edmonton. (In fact, tickets are still available and I may even have a comp to spare...).

Secondly, I'll be on Breakfast Television Wednesday morning with some fellow artists, talking about the event. It's the morning after the Death Cab for Cutie concert at the Shaw Conference centre, so if my eyes are fully open, that'll be a major victory. If I can wax poetic (or even mostly coherently) about art, that'll be a miracle.

The day before, I'm having a prospective client come by to look at my available original pieces, too.

All of this makes up for the fact that my billboards are down now (or will be, in a day or two)! I was feeling a bit sentimental about the whole thing on Sunday, so we took a bunch of photos of the billboard at 70 ave and 50 st in Edmonton. I'll post some during the week when my computer cooperates!

Art pal Mike Kendrick is also busy as heck, due to all kinds of stuff - and yet, he still posts faithfully. What a guy! Don't forget to check out his own work this week here. And, as he notes this week, we're almost half-way through the year! Not quite, though. We're at 22, I believe...which isn't quite half of 52, apparently. :P So, ignore my post last week which declared us at the halfway point. (Well, I've never been known for my math skills...)

Thing-a-week: Half-way mark

2011-05-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

This colour-pencil sketch (with a few digital flourishes) marks the half-way point of the Thing-a-Week challenge.

Yessir. Just six months ago, Mike Kendrick and I were lamenting the lack of art in our lives. And now look! We've made all kinds of neato sketches and paintings because of this crazy plan.

That said, I've decided to start posting on Mondays, instead of Sundays, because I seem to run out of steam at the end of the weekend.

In fact, steam is in short supply these days. I've had quite a few art events on the go lately. As you probably know, my art billboards have been up across Alberta this month (until May 22) via the Art Upon Request campaign.

I've also donated art to a couple of silent auctions in recent weeks, created some illustrations, and started a commission.

I'd better get my ZZZZZ's this month, because there seems to be no sign of a slow-down anytime soon. I've got a few gigs on the horizon, including an appearance on Breakfast Television on May 25, alongside of a few other artists who belong to the Night of Artists. That's because we've got a big magazine launch on May 27. Then, in June, I'll be showing some of my work at the University of Alberta Hospital. July will be all about Whyte Ave Art Walk, mid-month.

Mike Kendrick posted his Thing-a-Week yesterday (I salute you, Mike!), so don't forget to check it out.

Thing-a-week: Spring!

2011-05-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

Some people think that those of us who work from home spend our days lingering in independent coffee shops or hanging out with the garden gnomes in the backyard.

Not so. Being a work-from-home creative type has it's perks, for sure (PJs, pets, and Judy Judy on my lunch break), but most days are spent in my home office, glued to a computer screen from 8-5pm, like everyone else.

Like anyone else, I'd love to be frolicking outside, now that it's finally spring here in Edmonton. The sky is blue, the birds are singing, and it's getting harder and harder to stay focused.

This week's post is a wee pen-and-ink/watercolour doodle, with a little digital magic on the side.

It wasn't meant to express my spring fever, but it's pretty obvious, I think.

Now, back to work! Time to close the blinds and pretend it's cold outside!

My pal Mike Kendrick's Thing-a-Week isn't up yet, probably because he's had a whirlwind weekend (read his blog for the deets!), but I'm sure it will be soon. Don't miss it - he's a talented dude: www.ironcladfolly.com

Thing-a-week: Playing catch-up

2011-05-01T21:42:00.000-07:00

I haven't painted in watercolor since I was a small child, so when I spotted some watercolor pencil crayons at my friendly neighbourhood art store the other day, I went for it.

I've been noodling around a little in my sketchbook, without photo references, while watching Mad Men with my significant other and two judgmental cats.

Doodling with watercolour pencil crayons.

Watercolour pencil crayons and pen-and-ink.

But I think my plan for the next little while will be to start experimenting with comics. This weekend, I was at the Creative Non-Fiction Collective's annual conference, at the Banff Centre. There were plenty of great speakers, including Sarah Leavitt, author of a graphic memoir called Tangles: A story about Alzheimer's, my mother, and me. As a graduate of the UBC creative writing MFA program (the same program I'm taking right now), I was initially interested to hear about her publishing experience, more so than graphic novels. But her presentation transformed how I see the genre. I've just started reading the book, and I'm impressed at how text-driven it is and how the panel art pulls the reader through the story.

I'm inspired to play around with the genre myself...so, stay tuned!

In other news, my billboards are up all across Alberta - about six in Edmonton, five in Calgary, four in Lethbridge and one in Medicine Hat.

They look something like this:

So, if you spot one, take a quick picture with your camera phone and e-mail it to me at caitlin@inkslingermedia.com, with info on where you spotted it and your mailing addy. I'll send you FREE postcards in the mail, with images of my work! That's right, free -- just a small thank-you for passing along an image of the billboard. After all, I can't possibly find all of them before May 22!

Oh - and I'll be posting regularly next week. Last week I was pretty overwhelmed with work, but things are returning to normal - or, whatever passes for normal in a freelancer's life!

As always, check out my delightful blog buddy Mike Kendrick's Thing-a-Week. He's a talented dude - and way less flaky than I. :) You may have noticed that he posted last week, while I totally spaced...three thumbs up to you, good sir!

Thing-a-week: Worth the wait?

2011-04-18T14:49:00.000-07:00

This week's (late) thing-a-week is brought to you by the 30-day yoga challenge I'm doing at my yoga studio. For the month of April, I'm going to yoga every day of the week.

Yep, even on the weekend.

I'm feeling better and, yes, getting stronger and more flexible, but many of the changes happening are internal. I think a regular practice is helping me become more resilient to stress. It's getting easier to feel grounded when things around me aren't stellar.

This weekend was a bit rocky. My Nana had a health emergency and was in the hospital (fortunately, she's okay now) and I had car trouble on Sunday (someone slashed my tire while I was grocery shopping).

While both were upsetting, for different reasons, I was able to reconnect to this sense of stillness I'd previously only found on my yoga mat. Increasingly, I'm finding peace off of my mat, in situations that should be rattling me.

The challenge is also making me more grateful than ever for a healthy body and the privilege (because it is a privilege) of practicing yoga - as well as painting, drawing, walking the dog, doing laundry, writing, editing...the list is long.

What makes you feel grateful?

As usual, check out Mike Kendrick's delightful artistic wanderings at his blog, www.ironcladfolly.com.

Thing-a-week: Exactly what it looks like

2011-04-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking and yes, this image depicts exactly what you think it does. He is, in fact, looking down his own pants.

See, my sister's boyfriend, Mike Berry, is a psychology PhD student in London studying erectile dysfunction. He was in search of a light-hearted illustration for a presentation this week, and asked me to create this masterpiece! Voila.
To lend some dignity to the awkward subject, I made my cartoon gentleman extra manly: note his dimple chin, broad shoulders and pecs. Take note, kids: this is an issue that affects men of all kinds. Or, something.

I have no idea what I'm talking about.

For something a little more coherent, check out Mike Kendrick's Thing-a-Week here!

Thing-a-week, yoga & new schemes

2011-04-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

Going Deeper (digital painting)

You may recall that last month, I attempted to give up chocolate. Not really for Lent, since I'm not religious, but a spring challenge.

Well, I failed that challenge -- with flying colours. Ten days into it I could no longer resist the mini eggs sitting in the kitchen. With a couple of noms, and a big cup of coffee, they were gone.

This month, I've renewed my commitment to improved health in the new year, this time with a 30-day yoga challenge at my yoga studio. Since April 1, I've gone to a yoga class every day. So far, so good!

Yoga was also the inspiration for my Thing-a-Week. Although I've been painting a lot lately, I decided to do some digital art this time around.

Like me, my Thing-a-Week buddy Mike Kendrick was a little late with his this week. But he has a good excuse: three major term papers. Me? I was just...pooped. No good excuse for me, I'm afraid. Hopefully it was worth the wait!

I'm off to catch up with some writing, but I'll post again soon with news about the Art Upon Request billboard initiative and my first official give-away.

Thing-a-week: Pet portraits

2011-03-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

Like many artists, I'm a bit of an animal nut. My spouse and I share a home with a couple of feisty cats (as if there's any other kind) and a 65-lb Shepherd-X. It's hard to do anything without some sort of animal interference: the dog tap-dancing in the kitchen while I'm cooking, a cat pawing at my wet palette while I'm painting.

Portrait of Henry J. Sasano, 11x14, acrylic on canvas

But I've never tried painting my animal friends -- or anyone else's. So, this weekend, I decided to try my hand at pet portraiture, starting with the very personable Henry J. Sasano, a Boston Terrier who owns my good friend Mari Sasano (an Edmonton freelance writer).

It seemed easier to start with someone else's pup, rather than my own dog, who I see every day. I worked from a photo from Mari's Facebook page, and added a whimsical, wintery backdrop since Henry's a big fan of dog parks.

It's not a bad first try, I think, although I'd do it differently, next time. In hindsight, I should have picked a more active shot of Henry, to capture his fun-loving personality. In my portrait, he seems to be saying, 'Uh, now what?'

Photo of Henry, taken by Mari Sasano

After hitting up a great art sale at de Serres on Saturday, I had loads of fresh paint and canvas on hand and decided to do another portrait -- this time, of my Truman.

It is, perhaps, the cheesiest thing I've ever painted. However, Truman may also be the cheesiest dog you'll ever meet. He smiles with his whole face and generally, the tongue is lolling and the tail's a-wagging. In many photos, he looks a little nuts, actually. But don't be deceived -- he's a little nuts in real life, too! (It runs in the family).

Truman, looking a little nuts.

Photo inspiration #1

Photo inspiration #2

As always, check out Mike Kendrick's Thing-a-Week too! He creates excellent portraits of humans and dinosaurs. :)

Thing-a-week: Knowing when to stop

2011-03-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

When I first set up my art site a couple years ago, I was positively giddy when people began leaving comments in the guest book. Until one morning, when I came across this:

your paintings look like over-worked acrylic, but you do have potential and an interesting perspective... My advice (NOT THAT ANYONE EVER ASKS!) is to stop sooner on each painting, they will have more light this way and will look more fresh.

My knee-jerk reaction was to roll my eyes and rant about his arrogance to my cats (who were surprisingly unsympathetic). The problem was...he wasn't wrong. Even in the photographs of my work, he could tell that I'd edited and re-edited my paintings, piling layer upon layer of thick acrylic paint on the surface of the canvas.

I've always been drawn to thick paint -- I love the feel of it -- but I realized that it was limiting me. It gets tougher and tougher to modify a painting with every layer of paint. I generally like to paint fairly tightly, and it's hard to get clean edges and tidy lines of colour when you're painting over layers of paint.

Since then, I've made it my mission to practice setting a piece aside early in the process, rather than pushing ahead in order to "finish" (but later make a gazillion changes). Now, I work on several at a time, and put try to put each piece aside after an hour or two, and move onto something else. Fresh eyes can make a huge difference (that's a life lesson, really).

It's tough for me to stop. I regularly see things I don't like and feel a strong need (compulsion, really) to make changes. But a painting isn't a piece of writing; it cannot be modified ad infinitum. The vibrancy of colour and my original intentions can get lost in the process of "editing."

Last week, I decided to start another triptych, on three 12 x 16" stretched canvases. I resisted the urge to finish it in a single sitting, but when I sat down to tinker with it a couple days later, I got lost in the piece and 45 minutes later, the piece was covered in flowers. My partner politely noticed that it was "busy" -- but that was probably an understatement.

Fortunately, I hadn't slathered on the paint and could go back to make changes without damaging the integrity of the work. After lightening the forefront and painting over many of the flowers, I had a fresher piece, with greater visual balance.

So, thank you, Mark from London, Ontario, for your critique. Not bad for unsolicited advice.

As always, check out Mike Kendrick's Thing-a-Week at his blog, Ironcladfolly.com. This week, he offers a quirky rendering of ~~Paul Bunyan~~ a Facebook friend, and another dino wearing sunglasses and a cheesy smile. You ride that productivity train, Mike!

Cat vs. Easel vs. Artist

2011-03-14T18:12:00.000-07:00

Although hardly a year old, my easel looks as if it was rescued from an elementary art room. It's covered in paint, sure, but it's also held together with green painter's tape. It's been this way since a month after I bought it, when a certain tuxedo cat tried to climb it and it came crashing down on the hardwood floor.

Well, I presume that's what happened. I found it later that day in a heap, with one of the adjustable wooden slider-thingies in two pieces. This is a 6-ft tall easel, and not inexpensive, so I've kept it, partly out of pride (can't let the cat win!) and partly thinking I'd actually fix it (yeah, right).

The culprit.

But chances are good that my attempt to fix it would be in vain, anyway. The cat's taken to rubbing against the easel's legs (especially that dodgy third leg) and bumping canvases onto the floor. It's a bad scene. He's seriously cruising for a bruising.

But here's the good news: I'm still managing to paint quite large pieces, in spite of my precarious studio set-up. I finished a new painting today, in fact! It's 4-ft wide and about 2.5-ft tall.

I'm still not sure what to title it -- any suggestions?

Thing-a-week: Tastefully nekkid

2011-03-13T21:37:00.000-07:00

No, not me -- the model at the lifedrawing class at Harcourt House!

Sure, I've drawn my shoes in art class, and sketched trees outside, but my life-drawing experience is really quite pitiful. To develop my drawing skills and better understand human anatomy, I've decided to start going to life-drawing sessions in town.

On Thursday, I went to my first session ever-ever, at Harcourt House (a neato art co-op) with sketcher extraordinaire Mike Kendrick! Armed with a too-tiny pad of newsprint and various writing utensils, I drew until I could draw no more.

Three hours, with two five-minute breaks (why didn't I bring snacks?), and strangely, I fatigued well before the model. I'm pretty sure she could've kept going, even though she held some pretty dynamic postures for increments of 30-seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes and 5 minutes.

The sketches below represent a range of time frames, although it's pretty obvious that the better ones came from the longer periods.

Wow, was it ever tough. It's actually really hard to
presented, rather than extrapolating other angles that your mind is aware of, but your eyes can't technically perceive. And the relationships between parts of the body can be really tough to master. I think I make thighs and forearms much longer than they actually are. Time to re-train my brain!

As always, don't miss Mike's Thing-a-Week! His griffin is just lovely, although his sketches from the life-drawing class were more than blog-worthy!

If you didn't check out his neato dinosaurs from last week, make sure to do that, too. You may even get a chance to see them in the flesh at July's Whyte Ave Art Walk (that is, if they don't sell first!).

Thing-a-week: Sleepy Sunday edition

2011-03-06T22:42:00.000-08:00

Ah, March. It's in like a lion and out like a lamb (hopefully). Winter's final hurrah. While we have yet to see any sign of spring, this week I thought a lot about my summer plans, including several writing conferences I hope to check out and Whyte Avenue Art Walk in July. This time around, I'll be exhibiting at McIntyre Park with members of Night of Artists. As a result, I was lucky to dodge registration day on Saturday, which often means hours spent in line (as my blog buddy Mike Kendrick can attest to, unfortunately). However, it's well worth it. As art events go, the exposure's amazing, the fees are reasonable, and it's a helluva lot of fun to paint outside in the sunshine!

Anyway! This week's Thing-a-Week isn't a painting -- it's a digital illustration I completed for the Ubyssey (UBC's student newspaper). The story it accompanies is about scholarship funding.

I'm slowly getting the hang of drawing entirely in Photoshop. It's a lot of fun, but challenging with my tiny 4x6 Wacom Graphire tablet. I'm really hoping to invest in a large Intuos 4 in the near future...it's a thing of beauty, truly.

Make sure to check out Mike Kendrick's Thing-a-Week too! This week, he cracked out the acrylics, rendering a frighteningly rad T-Rex. I'm looking forward to the next in the series...crossing my fingers for a tricerotops in high-tops!

Coming to a billboard near you!

2011-03-03T08:02:00.000-08:00

So, it's official: I snagged a spot in the Artuponrequest.ca competition! Very exciting. I was one of three winners, including my friend Karen Bishop, an Edmonton watercolorist and new gallery owner (www.karenbishop.ca).

In coming weeks, my painting ("Bubbles") will appear on billboards across Alberta. So, many thousands of people will see my work!

As an emerging artist, this is a pretty big deal -- this kind of exposure is tough to find. Naturally, I can't expect everyone will like my work, but I'm hoping my image will offer a few stressed out motorists and pedestrians a moment of peace. Or, at the very least, provide some colour on dreary, winter-weary Alberta streets. March can be a really ugly month in
Alberta, thanks to the accumulation of sand and gravel on city streets, gray skies and blustery snow-filled days. And, unlike the start of winter -- when new snow has a certain amount of novelty -- we're damn sick of the white stuff by the time March rolls around.

So, a little art scattered in public places makes a lot of sense to me!

I'll post pics of the billboards when they're up. I expect it'll be pretty surreal when it happens.

Thanks again for all of your support...you made this happen!

Thing-a-week: Chocolate edition

2011-03-01T10:50:00.000-08:00


What's on my easel today: a large (2.5 ft tall and 4-ft wide), acrylic painting. Unfinished.

Like so many North Americans, I'm a pretty terrible sugar junkie. My sweet treat of choice? Chocolate. Chocolate chips, chocolate cookies, chocolate-themed coffee drinks...the list is long. So, for the month of March, I've decided to ditch this vice in an attempt to reduce my disturbing dependency on chocolate and reduce my sugar intake in general.

I've always known I had a bit of a chocolate problem, but I think the reality of the situation hit me over Christmas. My sister, visiting from Victoria, commented on my stash of chocolate in my desk drawer. It seemed odd to her, that someone who worked at home would also have a secret candy stash in her home office.

Well, Ceara, I see your point. Hence this chocolate-free month! It's something like Lent, but without the religious motivation. This is entirely a self-centred endeavour. Especially since I'm bound to be more than a little grumpy for the first little while.

We'll see how the art practice is affected. I may ditch my 'bubbles' series for paintings of cupcakes and chocolate cakes. Mmmmm....cake...

A quick recap of my week: Lots of painting. My thing-a-week is the large, unfinished piece above. It's coming together rather slowly, but surely. My colleague, Mike Kendrick, spent a day at the museum drawing neat stuff for his thing-a-week, which you can view here. I like his style. I need to do more sketching myself, and hope to attend some figure drawing classes soon.

Weirdly, I think I'm most excited about some admin stuff I did this week, namely setting up an account at Image Kind. Now, it'll be possible for people to purchase prints of my works online, without having to go through me. The company even provides framing, which is a neat option if you don't feel like fussing with this yourself.

There are several high-quality paper options and I've ordered a sample kit to see them myself, so I can recommend the best options to interested buyers.

I'm also in the process of sorting out my Etsy storefront, newsletter, and new websites. Both my writing site (inkslingermedia.com) and art site (crawshawcreative.com) will be getting a facelift in the next couple of months. I'm thrilled that my art site will include 'buy now' buttons on all of my pieces, allowing people to easily purchase artwork without the hassle of contacting me.

As for the Artuponrequest.ca contest, I find out if I've earned a spot on Alberta billboards tomorrow. So, I'll let you all know the verdict, either way. I'll be crossing my fingers and toes for the rest of today...thanks again to everyone who left a comment and asked their pals to do the same!

So many things!

2011-02-20T19:11:00.000-08:00

So, before I delve into my Thing-a-Week, I want to thank everyone who left comments for me over at artuponrequest.ca. As of 7:44pm Sunday, Feb.20, I was sitting at third place -- which would be enough for me to be chosen for the billboard campaign, since the organizers have decided to choose three pieces of art, instead of two.

But, I'm not holding my breath. Studies show that oxygen is actually a fundamental part of brain health and with so much on my plate, I need every brain cell I can get. So, tomorrow I'll deliver the verdict on the competition.

On with this week's thing!

Bubbles 3, 22 x 30", acrylic on canvas

For now, I'm calling this one 'Bubbles 3,' but that may change (it's a bit lack-lustre). The idea for the piece came from the goalie of my partner's hockey team, who noted that she loved Bubbles, but would have preferred a piece without the woman, and only bubbles.

So, on Saturday, I grabbed a brand-new, 22X30" gallery wrapped canvas, peeled back the plastic to reveal the delicious smell of pine and virgin canvas, and got to work!

It was actually quite a productive week, in terms of painting. I also painted a brand-new triptych ("Ready for Spring") for a silent auction for a non-profit organization called Camp fYrefly. I've actually been donating art to the group for the last three years.

In addition to the triptych, I donated another piece called Body of Water.

This week was actually a double-whammy in terms of silent auctions: I donated another piece, Tree Birth, to the Parkland Institute (a University of Alberta research institute and an editing client of mine).

Ready for Spring, three 8 x 10" cavas panels, acrylic

Each year, I give regular financial contributions to the Edmonton Humane Society and Plan Canada. I wish I could give to more organizations, so in lieu of cash, I donate artwork to be sold at fundraisers.

However, with a few art events coming up in the next few months, I'll have to be a bit more cautious with my inventory. At the end of May, I'll be showing my work at the Night of Artists (NOA) magazine launch, and I'll be attending Expressionz Cafe in April. I'll post more information about these events closer to the date.

Anyway, that seems like more than enough for a Sunday night blog post (I think it's time I start writing twice a week)! Onwards and upwards.

As usual, check out my blog buddy Mike Kendrick's Thing-a-Week. He's a talented guy and, after having a chance to finally meet him in person on Friday, I can confidently attest to his conversational skills, too! We both worked at the U of A student newspaper, the Gateway, but in different years. So, while we knew of each other and connected via Facebook, we didn't really "meet" until two days ago.

Alright! I'm officially gone! Thanks for reading!

Thing(s)-a-week: 'Gettin' er done' edition

2011-02-13T12:49:00.000-08:00

The trouble with being creative, is that the to-do list is always getting longer. Even on my most productive weeks, I'm crossing off as many items as I'm adding!

This week, for instance, a couple of paintings were hardly off the easel before ideas for new paintings were popping into my head. I've been poring over art books for inspiration for weeks and the ideas have been percolating.

On Friday, I met with my lovely web designer to talk about redevelopment for both of my sites (inkslingermedia.com & crawshawcreative.com), and thanks to some great ideas she had, I've got a bunch of prep work to do (including upgrading a paypal account, creating images especially for the site, etc.).

My brain was already full when I headed to a Night of Artists (NOA) meeting on Saturday afternoon at Expressionz Cafe. Now, I've got a small tile to paint for a large mural project, an invitation list to compile, and other prep work to do in advance of the NOA magazine launch event on May 26 & 27, and the actual NOA event this fall (stay tuned for the deets!).

But, here's what I did get done -- two paintings, 12x16 each, acrylic on canvas. Both are actually revamped paintings. I'd been quite unhappy with them and left them sitting in my basement storage room for a few months.

I still haven't finished the large painting I began a couple of weeks ago, but it's on my ever-growing to-do list! On top of some painting goals for the week, I've got a couple of illustration assignments on the go.

Well, onwards and upwards! Time to tackle that list.

As always, don't forget to read my blog buddy Mike Kendrick's Thing-a-Week.

Thing-a-week: Yogini and her loyal dog

2011-02-06T20:35:00.000-08:00

One day this week, I grabbed my sketchpad and pen, and hopped into bed early. I had children's illustrations on the brain when I when I sketched this one.

One of my goals in the next six months is to put together a number a portfolio of kid-friendly illustrations. I'd love to illustrate children's books and magazines one day, and I figure my whimsical style might be a good fit. The first step is putting together a portfolio to send off to prospective publishers and art directors -- and perhaps some agents. I'm reading all I can, and chatting with illustrators, to figure out how to wedge my foot in the door.

Like any new creative pursuit, there's lots to figure out.

This week's (unfinished) thing

2011-01-30T20:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a helluva week! Oodles of writing deadlines and school work. Had to fight the urge to hibernate but, with some help from yoga and too many cups of coffee, I managed to stay on track. No loafing for moi.

That said, there wasn't tons of time for my Thing-a-Week. Since I was clearly deluded about my schedule, I started a large painting (it's about 2-ft wide and 4-ft tall), and didn't finish. I've been very conservative with my paint usage this time, in an attempt to have more wiggle room with editing it. At the moment, I'm unhappy with the expression of my figure, as well as her lower hand. It doesn't suggest a sleeping posture, as I'd intended -- nor does her facial expression. And, there's something out of proportion with the shadowed side of her face. And don't get my started about that flower. Bah!

I'll likely repost this in a few days with some design improvements and finishing embellishments. :)

Mike Kendrick had a busy week too, but his Thing-a-Week is snazzy. That Bunny Boss will haunt my dreams tonight.

My art...on billboards?

2011-01-28T08:50:00.000-08:00

Bubbles, by Caitlin Crawshaw (Acrylic on canvas)

If you're like me, you loathe redundant, obnoxious billboard ads around town. Some are tacky; others are downright unsightly.

Art Upon Request is an Alberta campaign that will place art by local artists on billboards across the province. While a drive home from work will never be like a walk through a gallery, this project will offer a brief reprieve for your eyeballs.

There's a social media element to this, too -- pieces will be selected based on how many comments their pieces receive on the website. Since there's only two artists can win, competition is stiff.

As you've probably assumed by now I've entered a piece of my own ("Bubbles") and I'm super thrilled to see today that I've got the second-highest number of comments. However, this could change very quickly, so I'm still soliciting comments until Feb.20, when the competition closes.

I'm hoping you'll help and leave a comment here.

If you like this piece, would you ask pals and family to do the same? As an emerging artist, this could mean big things for me!

Anyone can vote, so if you've got pals outside of the province, they can also make a difference.

Many thanks! :)

Cait

Thing-a-week: Lester and cousin Maggie

2011-01-23T16:18:00.000-08:00

I decided this week to do another Photoshop painting -- this time of my cat, Lester, and my sister-in-law's dog, Maggie. I think bed-sharing qualifies them as friends, but Lester's expression suggests a darker take on the situation (like the claws will come out the moment I turn by back).

Although...that might just be his face. I worked from one of a zillion photos I have of Lester and in almost every one, he looks like he's up to something. Hmmmm.

As always, don't forget to check out Mike Kendrick's Thing-a-Week!

Mid-week sunshine

2011-01-20T08:07:00.001-08:00

In honour of Edmonton's improved weather (thank gawd), I'm posting a new painting today. Actually, it's an old painting that was sitting in the basement, annoying me. I'd painted the thing 8 months ago and hated it. So, I let it languish in a closet.

A few days ago, I dragged it into my studio and decided to revamp it. I figured I'd try to paint something sunny and vibrant after too many gray winter days. I'm nostalgic for my garden, which is snoozing beneath six feet of snow. I suppose painting some happy fleurs reminds me that the worst part of winter is over, and spring is (almost) around the corner.

Well, hopefully. It is, after all, Alberta.

New art show: Body/Image

2011-01-18T09:56:00.000-08:00

In just two short weeks, I'll be participating in a group show entitled Body/Image, organized by Take Back The Night Calgary and hosted by the Marquee Room.

The piece I'll be contributing is a triptych titled, "Namaste: I see the light in you." It's not finished yet, but when it is, I'll offer a sneak peak before the show.

Hoping my Calgary friends can make it out to the show sometime in February. I'm crossing my fingers I can make it to the opening on Feb.3, but that may be tricky with my work and school commitments! What a crazy month.

Self-portrait in Technicolor

2011-01-15T20:58:00.000-08:00

On Friday, the grumpies had a firm hold on me, but I was able to shake them off with some help from my Facebook pals.

These lovely souls sent me some fantastically hilarious links (including a video of everyone's favourite cat, Maru, and www.damnyouautocorrect.com), which turned my frown upside down.

After a good yoga session in the early evening, I was feeling extra zippy. So, I sat down at my computer, cracked out the Wacom tablet and Photoshop book (Digital Art Revolution, by Scott Ligon) and started experimenting.

My plan was to doodle around to re-orient myself with the tools and then crack open the book and actually APPLY some of the concepts. You know, like a beginner really oughta. Start at the beginning. Very, very logical.

Three hours later, I hadn't gotten past the first chapter, but I'd created a self portrait, using a photo of myself as a guide (see above). Wasn't exactly my mission, but I'm happy with the result.

Earlier in the week I figured I'd finish off a painting and post it, but I'm still fussing with the pieces I have on the go. So, probably next week. I've promised myself to finish the partially finished works before getting started on a virgin canvas. This will be tough: I've got five, very large, brand-new gallery-wrapped canvases after hitting up a fantastic sale at de Serres today, as well as new paint and a whole lot of ambition.

My coffee table is stacked high with art books from the library for inspiration, including a book about Dale Auger, the aboriginal painter from Alberta. Unfortunately, Auger passed away prematurely in 2008, but he's left behind a fantastic artistic legacy. I'm really drawn to magical realism -- especially when it's got a spiritual edge.

This image is on the cover of the book and made me reach for it immediately:

Artsy fartsy

2011-01-10T13:09:00.000-08:00

After a bright-and-shiny holiday, January can be...well, blah. Very, very blah. This is almost always the case for me: the days are too short and the snowbanks too tall. (As I write this, my poor van is firmly lodged in four-foot snow piles looking utterly abandoned. Let's hope the neighbours don't call city bylaw again. Yikes.)

Thank goodness that my fellow Edmontonians organize amazing winter festivals to help keep the blues at bay. This weekend, I attended Deep Freez e, a two-day winter festival in the Alberta Avenue area. In addition to outdoor sleigh rides, ice carving, hockey, maple sugar candy and live music, there was an indoor art-and-craft market and a juried art exhibition.

I had a great time meeting local artisans like Jake at Craving Color (she makes beautiful silver jewelery, among other things), and Kathleen Décosse, who makes lovely stained glass night-lights and clocks. No shortage of raw talent to be sure.

In spite of being totally swamped, I did manage to create art for this week's Thing (just posted it really, really late! Oops!). Here it is (sorry for the terrible iPhone pic):

I'm not satisfied with the balance of the piece, so I may tinker some more with it...we'll see.

In addition to Deep Freeze, I did an illustration last week for an Edmonton magazine called Birth Issues. The story is on rural prenatal care, so I figured I'd so something simple and stylized. I painted directly in Photoshop, rather than scanning in a pen-and-ink drawing and digitally colouring it. A far superior method.

I'm officially in love with my teeny-tiny drawing tablet (it's an old 4 x 5 Wacom Graphire, circa 2004). I'm not sure why I resisted digital art for so long.

My next technological investment will be a medium-sized Intuos 4, methinks. It's taking a lot of resolve not to break down and buy one online right now, but it seems like a greedy thing to do right after x-mas. Maybe I'll make it my reward for surviving another harsh January in Edmonton.

I'll be starting on my next blog project later today, after missing last week's deadline (whoops!). Many thanks to my Thing-A-Week buddy (the visionary behind this project), Mike Kendrick. Nice to have a buddy to egg me on when I'm ~~exhausted~~ lazy. Check out his entry this week...it's magnificent.

Thing-a-week!

2011-01-01T22:11:00.000-08:00

When New Year's rolls around, I tend to do a little scheming.

I think, 'Maybe this is the year I'll finally lose that freshman 15/walk the dog twice a day/paint more often!' (The list is actually longer and more embarrassing, but I won't bore you).

Some people completely eschew New Year's Resolutions, but to a small extent, they work for me.
The scheming gets me in the groove and I'll take a few baby steps towards my goals. I go to yoga, throw on the woolies and take the dog for a stroll when it's -30 (ugh), avoid the frozen pizzas in the grocery store, little things like that. Progress isn't terrible, but it can be slow.

Here's the problem: keeping my plans in my brain makes it all too easy to back out when I'm tired/grumpy/hungry/stressed/sick/etc. Procrastination is a hallmark of a creative mind; artsy types like me benefit from structure and, most of all, real accountability.

That's why I'm doing a Thing-a-Week with fellow writer/artist Mike Kendrick, who shares my goal of getting artsier in 2011. Each week, we'll both be posting a project of some kind on our blogs.

It's not always possible to finish a painting in just seven days, so I'll be posting drawings, crafting projects, and other creative stuff here. With plenty of canvas and paint stocked up, a recently serviced sewing machines, tons of beads for jewelery making, and a neglected digital SLR, I've got everything I need to get artsy.

So, stay tuned for all kinds of creative projects from me in the weeks and months to come. To kick it off, I'm posting a recent painting created for Deep Freeze 2011, an Edmonton art festival running Jan 8-9, 2011 (next week!).

This piece is titled, "Whole, from the parts 1," (acrylic paint on stretched canvas).