Quick sketch commissioned for a friend of a friend, the only information I was given was that she liked Catwoman, so off I ran!
Netflix & Purr
An Epic Duel!
Presents for friends.
Artisanal Hipster Bingo!
I had the good luck to visit with an old friend in Seattle last weekend who inspired a fun little project and pastime for our trip. He suggested we play Hipster Bingo, since his neighborhood is pretty much the hipster capitol of Seattle.
Things we learned while playing this game- Portland hipsters and Seattle hipsters are pretty different (we’re a little more crunchy in PDX, there was no chicken talk in Seattle, but lots of start up shirts). We also learned we are both way more hipstery than we’d like to admit. This was not a shock to my friends when I confessed this discovery.
It took us nearly 24 hours to complete the game- but we persevered (he was way more vigilant than me, I was too busy drinking delicious coffee or pondering how good mac and cheese is at Pike’s Place).
We had so much fun with this I thought I would share the game with you all, feel free to print this out, or if you’re feeling decorative about it, I’ve also posted it to my Society6 here.
Simple Pleasures
There isn’t much better and simpler pleasure for me than new art supplies. I decided to treat myself last night and I picked up a new bottle of ink, a travel water cup to clean my brushes (it’s so tiny!), and a couple of new brushes to be dedicated ink brushes. It might have been 10 years or so since I refreshed my little brushes- it was about time!
I had decided to break them in at one of my favorite boho restaurants on the east side, I love all the colored lights on the patio, the kitsch art and the mismatched chandeliers. If you’re ever in Portland and like things a little weird, I highly suggest The Pied Cow. The obnoxious teenagers two tables down are just bonus entertainment.
I’ve been participating in an instsgram challenge hosted by the lovely Kimberly Haydn (she blogs here), and I’ve really been enjoying the prompts she came up with. Yesterdays was ‘Flower Power’, so I decided to draw a pretty lady with some peonies. You should totally try out this challenge thing if you haven’t done it before- its a fun way to stretch your creative comfort zone and meet some cool new folks!
Queen Elk
One of my close friends works outdoors teaching kids how to be wild in safe ways, and yesterday she posted a picture of herself with mud all over her face and twigs in her hair. She does this for a job, and is basically everyone’s hero/idol. She knows what plants you can eat, and what plants are totally great to wipe your butt on (for real). Last week I learned she can make rope out of anything. When I saw her after work selfie I got totally inspired and created this:
I’m getting pretty jazzed about the idea of a girl in the wild, and I’m hoping my friend can add her vast knowledge of the natural world to make this more than just a sketch! Until then, I will keep playing with this new ‘toy’!
Action!
I spent some time playing in my ink bottle last weekend. I love lazy weekend mornings over coffee with my cat, it lets me loosen up and just create.
I learned afterwards that the origin of this quote is actually more fuzzy than I thought! Woops. In any case, I really enjoyed the message- action is so important! Sometimes that action includes better research.
Sundays with Nature
Last Sunday I spent my morning playing with lettering and ended up with this happy Bob Ross homage. This Sunday I woke up in a picturesque forest, having decided at the last minute to escape the latest heatwave by camping on the Oregon Coast. Sundays like these, I feel like a lucky lady.
Wandering Into the Forest
It is hot in Portland. Not like, ew, I’m a little sweaty hot, but like, it’s almost 8 PM and it’s still triple digits out. I grew up in the desert, I should be able to deal- but there is no humidity in the desert, this heat is a whole different beast. All I want is to go sit in the forest and cool off. Of course instead I made a painting.
Allow me to introduce a thought I’ve been thinking, and I must thank my friend Sarah for suggesting there should be a baby in the scene- it really ‘ties the room together’.
Grace V. Anderson 