off the sketchbook

c m heart k

2011-10-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

geeky designer goods i have made... Also available for purchase at the PHX DM.

finished dolls

2011-10-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

These will be available at the Phoenix Design Museum shop downtown. for the month of October as part of design week.

dolls to be

2011-09-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

Stacy: work in progress

2010-06-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

Inspired by a real person... :) She's just in her under colors right now. *gasp

year hiatus comes to a close

2010-04-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

My first finished painting after my little guy has come into my life. I was asked to contribute one of my girls for a fundraising art auction. But needed to paint a new one as I haven't had a finished painting sitting in my studio since August. Sooo, "Nurture Inner Tunes" was created for the Arizona Museum for Youth's Tune into Art evening on May 1. What great timing, the child-like character is the inner music mini-me of my girl in the painting. Bit of a happy coincidence. :)

And since I've been working on this wonderful little painting, I've also started "Stacy" one of my last sketches, and another girl.

I love my new roll in life, but I am soooo happy to find time here and there to paint again, I've missed it. And my girl's have missed me.

AIGA art auction

2009-11-25T20:33:00.000-08:00

Eve and Octavia did well at this years AIGA Annual Art Auction. Both of my girls were in the first set of the silent auctions. It was such a great night, and some good pieces up for auction. I was a bit surprised Eve had a bidding war going on over her and Octavia didn't as much. Still can't tell which of my girls will do better then their sisters.

6 months, still got it

2009-11-18T19:41:00.000-08:00

Wow, 6 months since I've picked up my red drawing pencil. Apparently it's like I never put it down. Two new roughs for paintings to start soon. Guess who'll be in the studio all Thanksgiving weekend? :)

two girls up for auction

2009-11-13T15:18:00.001-08:00

Just dropped off two of my girls for the AIGA Arizona Annual Art Auction. Proceeds benefits Free Arts of Arizona. So please come to see all the local art and you can have a chance to bid on Octavia or Eve. On November 21, My birthday! At the Bentley Projects at 6pm. Can't wait to see these girls in action.

new blog

2009-11-13T15:06:00.000-08:00

Where have a been. Well not exactly in the studio. Check out my new blog that's been up and running for the last month or so. Stitched Little Elephant. Don't worry I'll be getting back to some new girls soon.

4 months really!!??

2009-09-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

Well when life comes around and throws you some new bones you tend to veer from things for awhile. Just thought I'd ought to post something about this inexcusable amount of time that's been away from my wonderful girls and this little blog. When a special little stick gives you a sign you didn't expect priorities change for a while. And a big move into a much larger place puts your studio in boxes, well time flies!

Good news is, my new studio is going up quickly, as well as an additional blog about the things I'm making for this little new life that's coming along.

Thanks for the twitter love!

New goodies coming soon.

3 new Moleskin ladies

2009-05-06T13:11:00.000-07:00

Just a few pages from one of my moleskin sketchbooks. I realized I haven't posted in a long time, um...again. My new website will be done soon and new paintings will be started. So I'll post more and more sketchbook pages while finishing those projects. As always, enjoy the girls. Octavia is still in need of a home, so pass her around. Thanks so much. love, Jt

Octavia

2009-03-25T09:14:00.001-07:00

She is finished. Octavia has dark and hysterical secrets.
I'm sorry for such a long wait in between posts. It's been a busy busy March, and it is very nice to be back in my tiny studio again. Two new girls were also started while finishing Octavia. And Katrina is also in the works. She is my ambitious girl from the last post. Her name popped up two days ago while working on Octavia.

first colors

2009-02-18T21:22:00.000-08:00

The first colors are down. Layers and layers of color painted over and over.

I need to buy more paint.

ambitious is me

2009-02-05T09:59:00.000-08:00

New and exciting. My first girl who is life-size. Yes I am ambitious, this will be a good challenge.

Back to some classic printing

2009-02-05T08:54:00.000-08:00

This will be a lino-cut print on a birth/first birthday/baptism invitation I am currently designing. Boy I missed carving into linoluem. What a type of meditation and concentration. And can't wait to do more.

3 new girls

2009-01-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

Meet Valery, Mira, and Audra. Mira has been sold but Valery and Audra are available. Valery is a tiny 4" x 4" she is available for $45 and Audra is a 5" x 5" gallery stretch and available for $65.
Give me an email if your interested in any of my girls. I am always up to do commissioned pieces as well. Enjoy.

more paintings... in progress

2009-01-08T11:56:00.001-08:00

Two of five works in progress paintings i have going right now. One of these is already sold. just got to finish 'er up. She is Marin's little sister. Marin was sold at a charity auction in December and one of the bidders who didn't win her loved her so much she wanted one just like her. Well I cannot repeat any of my girls, so Marin will have a little sister.

handmade blocks closeup

2009-01-08T11:55:00.001-08:00

Christmas & Hannukah Gift

2008-12-30T16:37:00.000-08:00

These block are a little gift for my 1.5 year old twin niece and nephew, Joey and Ethan. One side has the English alphabet, the other the Hebrew alphabet. The other sides have butterflies, turtle, numbers, and colors. The last side is a puzzle of a beagle puppy. I know they'll love it. They were so much fun to hand paint each and every one of them.

Instrument Drive

2008-12-16T09:33:00.000-08:00

My girls in auction. Candy and Marin.

Two more of my girls went to a charity event at the beginning of December. This was a great event. Not only was there an awesome bidding war over both of my wonderful girls, but I got to design Ear Candy's posters, brochures, event banners and donation cards for all their up coming instrument drive events.

Time flys... fly fly

2008-11-20T11:01:00.000-08:00

I have just been such a busy little turtle lately. It's just been crazy. And unfortunately no painting for a while. Shame on me for neglecting my girls, they do not deserve it, and I've got some catching up to do. Good news is that Sasha will be on auction at the 17th annual AIGA Art Auction in Scottsdale tomorrow. Please stop by and see her and the other local artists work. It's always a good time, and great work to bid on.

3 wips

2008-10-17T17:18:00.001-07:00

Aren't these great!? I know not much to them right now but soon. Probably a bit more this weekend. Stay tuned to see more to them next week. I know I can't wait either.

Anne

2008-10-17T17:09:00.000-07:00

New little girl, and in a frame. She's 4 x 6 on a standard canvas. This was a very old canvas. I had painted some abstract on it over five years ago. You can still sort of see the circular indentations of the previous work. To be honest I have no idea what it was. Just a canvas with pink circles on it.

Sasha's sunset

2008-10-07T13:19:00.001-07:00

Yes, I know, no new post for a long time. Or at least new girls, and it's true I have had no new girls come alive until just this last weekend. Sasha is my newest girl. Her paint is still a bit sticky. And there is only one work in progress image as I only put her down for one night. She has a kind of sunset behind her, which is why her eyes are aglow.

new chairs

2008-09-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

before

after

I had a crazy notion to reupholster my furniture cushions after finding fabric in the back of my closet last week. The chairs needed more pillows too, and dark gray and burnt orange felt was perfect. There are five pillows and each has a letter on both sides. They spell d u s t y on one side and j e s s on the other. Now to more painting...

Marin

2008-09-25T08:44:00.001-07:00

One of my older girls was killed off so Marin could thrive. And thrive she did, she came out so beautiful. A mermaid with an attitude. Love her sneekyness too.

for Tavis & Jonah

2008-09-12T17:35:00.001-07:00

Hanjo & Jonah

Avist & Tavis

What a great pair they are! Finishing the boys' paintings, my hubby skillfuly took two cardboard boxes and five rolls of packing tape to safetly protect these two painting so they can be shipped to Fairbanks. I was so happy to here that the boys loved the paintings.

Kitty

2008-09-04T12:50:00.000-07:00

This is Kitty. She is Star's little sister. Can't you see the family resemblance?

Made Art Boutique

2008-08-22T09:05:00.001-07:00

Jade is sitting up at the Made Art Boutique's 5 x 5 Permanent Revolving Show. This awesome art boutique is a great little gift shop and art gallery. It's located on Roosevelt St. right in the middle of Roosevelt Row, the First & Third Fridays Downtown Phoenix Art Walks. Stop By when you are in the neighborhood, not only to see Jade of course, but to see everything the Made Art Boutique has to offer. Cheers!

Star

2008-08-19T12:36:00.000-07:00

New girl finished last night. Star. I changed my mind from the previous idea. Actually been doing that a lot lately. soon you'll see a few others redone completely different then before. But, hey, I can do that. My girls can't be forced, they come out when they are ready.

Eve

2008-08-12T08:50:00.000-07:00

Another one of my girls I finished last night. I was so happy to get so many done in such little time. Eve is such a sweet faced girl. She is on a gallery wrapped 4" raw linen canvas. Not as brightly done as my previous but sometimes you got to go all earth tones in order to appreciate the brighter hues.

this is Jade

2008-08-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

Actually the full name of this painting is "Jade deserves flowers everyday". Another finished painting from the weekend.

hello, my name is Candy

2008-08-11T09:53:00.001-07:00

What a great weekend! While watching the first three episodes of Madmen with the commentary back to back, I sat for 6 hours and Candy was born.

love that moleskin

2008-08-05T18:32:00.001-07:00

Hey finally some sketches on this blog that is so named "off the sketchbook". These are just a few quick sketches to work up to paintings or perhaps something else. hmmm. enjoy!

big tears

2008-08-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

So I did a silly thing and dipped my awesome tiny camera into the pool a few weeks ago. Taking it a part and letting it dry out unfortunately didn't work. Now begins a new search for a new tiny camera, since Canon has stopped making this wonderful little baby. Big tears, this camera was great and will be sorely missed.

Two new blank slates

2008-07-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

They need face lifts. hehe

new flower abstract

2008-07-28T13:25:00.001-07:00

What is great about my abstract flowers is that they can be displayed any way. This one is not quite finished, but its getting close.

Ruby's Pond

2008-07-28T13:09:00.001-07:00

This is Ruby. She is finished and available for sale. Give me an e-mail if you are interested in keeping her. I wanted to show a good close up with scale so you can see the tiny detail that I really enjoy doing in my work. In fact I think I'll tweek the background and sides a bit more and post a few more pictures. She is on a gallery wrapped canvas, so part of the painting is along the sides. Stay tuned I will post more photos of her later this week.

I think they are finished

2008-07-23T13:06:00.001-07:00

These two are looking great, and I think they are so closed to being finished. Sometimes I can't tell weather one is finished or not. There is a another painting I am currently working on, started back in 2002. It is never finished. Some tiny tweaking may be needed in these two, like the eyes. I have gone over the eyes on the gal to the left about a dozen different times. Which is great because it adds so much wonderful depth and glassiness to the eyes. Gives my girls some life.

Meet Hanjo.

2008-07-18T17:09:00.001-07:00

Yea, he is coming to life. Like his brother Avist, Hanjo's character is starting to show in the paint.

It's wonderful to see them together.

2 allllmost there, maybe

2008-07-17T14:42:00.000-07:00

This guy is almost finished. Need more of a background, maybe a few smaller octopi in the sky. hmmm, we shall see.

I am not sure what she is feeling. She is not finished, at least her environment isn't. Maybe her face isn't right? I think I'll take a break from her and work on Hanjo.

Avist is trying to fly.

2008-07-15T16:56:00.000-07:00

He is so close to being finished. A few more coats and a bit more personality, I think. This will be Tavis' painting come the trip home to Alaska in September.

Last Sold Work

2008-07-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

Corral
two flowers
water lily
These were the last few paintings I finished and sold. They had been the best I have done in a while and have inspired me to do more. These are mostly acrylic on hand stretched gallery canvases. And here and there in each painting or illustration I use soft pastals, graphite, pen, and paint marker.

Two Girls almost finished and one trying to help.

2008-07-10T17:35:00.000-07:00

My husband's little cat, Bit, tried to help with my painting last night. She is so cute when she wants attention. Its just always when you are not expecting it.

New Girls

2008-07-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

A wonderful start to a few new girls of mine.

Paintings for Jonah & Tavis

2008-07-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

Here are the first images of my work-n progress for Jonah and Tavis in Fairbanks. I will take a photograph everytime I work on them so you can see the process and development of these two fun paintings.

First sketches, out of the sketchbook. Tavis' character's name is Avist and Jonah's is Hanjo.

Built and not quite built stretcher bars. 32" x 32" squares.

Finshed stretched canvases ready for paint.

day 1 with paint

day 2

These are a lot of fun to work on. They are great now, but only a quarter of the way finished.