Happy News :D

I just got an email from the Dogwood Arts Festival and I'm going to be participating in the Chalk Walk ! This will be my first time participating in the festival, and I'm SO excited!!

Rock on!

This piece was my final project drawing for my Drawing I class, and I absolutely adore it.





Graphite pencil, felt marker, Conte crayon on Rives BFK 100% cotton paper (love love love this paper!!!)

Adventures in Negative Space

I LOVE working with negative space! The finished products are always so striking.

This one is my favorite


"Jared" black felt marker on paper. No one can ever seem to decide if its one person or two!

I love this one too


"Amanda" black felt marker on paper

My Medieval Chair

Another project for 3D design. I was totally intimidated by this project. Build a chair with a theme which can support a person's weight. I *do not* build things, so I was pretty petrified. But it actually turned out pretty awesome, I think. It lives happily in my living room now :D




The bench section was actually a pretty beat up antique hope chest, which I sanded and stained. The shield and all the wood except the swords was free, found wood (which had already been used by others for other projects). I painted the shield and coat of arms. The swords are wood, and I ordered them from eBay for about $15. Very exciting!


This is the back of the chair. Its covered in the same velvet I used to cover the bench seat. The ribbon was used to resemble the corset of a medieval lady's dress.

My scary bear

So, I usually prefer to work in 2D, but I had to do some projects for a 3D design class I took. This is one of my favorites-


He is made from styrofoam balls wrapped with steel wool, and other random pieces of metal. His vampire-y mouth is actually made from a cut up soda can. The assignment was to completely change the function of an everyday object by only changing its texture. I can't imagine there are too many people who would want to snuggle with a steel wool teddy bear ;P

I'll shine a light for you

One of my favorite pieces, even though I really didn't like the idea of it to begin with. The assignment was to draw an object and use a grid. My object was quite objectionable- an ugly 1970's lamp, straight out of Mrs. Roper's living room. Ah, well. To my utter astonishment, I LOVED the finished work.


Lamp in the window, Mixed media (graphite pencil, felt marker, conte, masking tape) on paper

The immeasurable value of a paper bag

Both of these are value studies with crumpled paper bags. I LOVE paper bags. I can get lost in all the creases and folds for hours, maybe even days. Gives new meaning to "finding your way out of a paper bag!" ;-P


Graphite pencil on paper


Conte on paper. The right one is blended, the other is unblended, to add an interesting textural difference.

Value studies

Two very different pieces that were born from the same goal- to capture the highlights and lowlights of the subjects. I like them both, despite the opposite-ness of them.


Pumpkin- graphite pencil on paper


Conte crayon on gray textured charcoal paper

Matisse inspriration

I'm very into Matisse right now. I love his work. Especially this painting~


"Blue Table Cloth" by Henri Matisse, 1909, Oil on Canvas

I love the contrast of yellows and greens against the blue, and the texture of the cloth. I just love everything about this painting!

More adventures with Mr. Skele-bones

The first three of these are from September 2009, and the last is from November 2009. I don't really think these photographed very well, but I think its clear that my work is progressing. All are graphite pencil on Strathmore 400 series.

Speaking of gesture...

I love this quote from Matisse~

"Drawing is like making an expressive gesture with the advantage of permanence.” ~Henri Matisse

Gesture studies

All of these drawings are charcoal on newsprint...


I call this one "Ghostbuster Guy" because he reminds me of the Ghostbusters in their jumpsuits. This was a 10 minute drawing.


Another 10 minute drawing, which I call "Assume the Position." Its very funny to me, because the model was my class instructor. :)


This is also a 10 minute sketch. We drew this skeleton a lot in Drawing I, and I have named him "Mr. Skele-bones." No, I don't know why.