i probably shouldn't admit this, but i hesitated to reopen the etsy shop. to be perfectly honest, i'm feeling a little taxed. as i try to promote my work (something i find to be especially challenging because i've never felt comfortable or confident doing that sort of thing), i've come to realize the weight of the internet and its seemingly infinite venues. from twitter to blogs to facebook to flickr to sites like behance, it's no wonder that people have full-time careers...on the internet. oh, the internet–a place that doesn't even really exist, that's not physically tangible in any way unless you count your computer monitor. whoa. how can so much life exist within a place that isn't real? it's both nauseating (after too many red-eyed hours) and exhilarating. the best and worst.

where does that leave me? i'm still figuring that out. i just don't want to spend more time promoting myself and devouring my google reader than i do making work. because making work is the thing that really makes me happy, and everything else comes second.

that said, i feel like etsy is almost a necessary evil. well, not etsy exactly, but a shop. i'd rather have a nice little shop tucked away in some corner with a tiled facade where you could come and visit me and we could talk over tea and biscuits (i really love to do that), rather than floating in the webs of the web, but alas. maybe one day.

it's been a long weekend. is it obvious? over and out.

i decided to do another birthday card to go along with the one i made for allison. i'm even toying with the idea of selling the two as a set (minus a's name, of course!), but who knows. really, i'm trying to draw, draw, draw, and illustrate as often as possible. goals. goals indeed.

more recommendations! it's incredible, and quite humbling, that there is so much amazing work being done all of the time.

1/ stuart kolakovic i bubbled with equal parts awe and jealously upon seeing stuart's folk influenced work. charming drawings, incredible detail, and a most delectable palette. a favorite recent discovery.
2/ mauro gatti it's true that i have an affinity for all things italian, but gatti's seventies-esque illustration and design caught my eye alone. full of humor and general sillyness.
3/ jez burrows has been cropping up with increasing frequency in my general explorations. his work is bold and clean, bouncing back and forth between design and illustration.

what i really mean to say, quite simply and plainly, is thank you.

i'm trying not to let any occasion slip by without making a little something. tomorrow is my co.worker/friend allison's birthday, but being that i won't see her, it's done today! once again, i've fallen victim to a love for orange/yellow/red, but please note the pop of pink!

and because i am so fond of the other prominent alison (note the single, stately "l") in my life, i do recommend a visit to king popcorn. alison slowly creates hand embroidered cards that i wish i could steal by the handful and claim as my own.

jack-of-many-trades kristen felicetti has been working away at the immensely interesting and beautifully presented bushwick review. from conceptualizing the zine to gathering contributions, she managed to create something wonderfully tangible and completely digestible (keep it in your back pocket for daily snacking).

needless to say, i am incredibly pleased to have contributed and honored to be included among some of the finest thinkers, makers, and doers i know. soon to be found in tiny coffee shops and the like (and online too!), pick up your own copy in the meantime through kristen herself.




my humble little drawing

it's late and my pot of tea has already been exhausted, leaving me warm and content. the weekend has come and gone, but the cold is here to stay. sketches in the works–motown inspired as predicted. to be posted...soon? g'night.

have you seen these? if not, i highly recommend them. there are such beautiful things being made all of the time.

1/ eric testroete's giant paper head self sculpture. inspired by video game big head mode.
2/ lisa congdon's a collection a day, 2010. beautifully curated collections of all of her things.
3/ adrian johnson has new work. such sharp design and illustration.

happy weekend.

red and yellow. ketchup and mustard. rust and gold. when did this become my favorite color combination? maybe i miss sunshine and the pink cheeks of summertime. long days and warm nights. i love the winter's snow and snuggling, but it really is the bluest time of year.

here's to a weekend of sketching and ill-o-strating. i'm feeling inspired by motown, so we'll see where that leads me...

technically i wrapped this project up just before the new year, but, in typical fashion, i didn't post it in a timely manner. alas. being a better blogger is one of my new goals (but not an empty resolution, which are so abundant this time of year!).

social workout is a web presence focused on promoting health and fitness for both body and mind. their goal is community–an online group of members that essentially encourages one another to stay focused and stay healthy. every couple of months they post challenges for their members who can track their progress online. and to help them out a bit, social workout creates handy postcards to act as a check list. that's where i come in!





front


back 
this is actually the second time i've collaborated with social workout (yes, i will post the first project...eventually) and both times proved to be a lot fun–they're really great people to work with.

farewell, double zeros. hullo, twenty-ten. in celebration of the new year, new decade, and my new goals (different, i think, from resolutions), i've spruced up the blog a bit. once i get back into the swing of things, i'll be posting more more more and sharing the things i've found on the web. weeee!