new doodles

just a couple of new ideas that keep popping up while I'm drawing away...

3x3 nuts & bolts conference

from my experience the first annual 3x3 nuts & bolts conference this past weekend was a huge success! getting to see/hear each illustrators progression from student to working professional was truly awesome and inspirational. each speaker had a specific topic to elaborate on ranging from children books, to self publishing, to protecting you work... it was overwhelming to hear one person after another but in a good way. 

Charles Hively (who is photographed here taking a picture of the whole group) opened the conference by saying even if you take just one thing away from this, it was successful/worthwhile. that stuck with me.

home from the woods...

.. and on our way to the city.
it's been a busy, jam packed week.
matt & i just got home from a short trip to westmoreland virginia where we made these delicious bald eagle marshmallows (that were dipped in white chocolate, rolled in coconut, and stuck on an oreo cookie. yum.)



and painted these rocks & shells found on one of our walks. that big blue one i'm going to turn into a whale by drawing on it with a handy dandy pen/marker that works on crazy surfaces!



we are heading up to NY tomorrow for the nuts & bolts conference hosted by 3x3 magazine. it should be pretty excellent because 
1. it's being held at the society of illustrators
2. we are going on a studio tour
3. we get to meet amazing illustrators working in the industry doing what they love day in and day out
4. well, do i need any more reasons? it's going to be a fantastic experience.


also this weekend is the drawgasmic show in st. louis where (former classmates/current illustrators) matt, amanda, joe & myself have pieces on display/for sale!! i wish i could attend, i'm sure the show will be spectacular.

a trip to the brandywine

we ended up at the brandywine river museum on thursday & it was absolutely beautiful. matt had never been so it was definitely extra special.

we purchased the general admission and the NC Wyeth home/studio tour. 

the studio. was. well, still is amazing. unfortunately we weren't able to snap photos inside, but this photo below is the north facing window of the studio. it had the most amazing light.

this is the path between the studio and the home.

from my own experience of the trip... even though i don't paint like the masters on display there, it is (beyond) amazing to see where/how illustration started. just to be in the same room as those works of art is jaw dropping. the history. the significance. and to put it simply, the talent. it was truly a fantastic day filled with inspiration.

our mini collection from the trip... the 2 postcards on the right are paintings by Andrew Wyeth & the bottom postcard is from inside NC's studio.

happy july

can you believe the year is halfway through?
it's another beautiful day out & both matt and i are off, so the plan is to enjoy the lovely non-humid weather!