Town Meeting final art

Town Meeting

Here's an idea that I've had for quite some time. It's called 'Town Meeting'. The bird houses are made to look like a small town church, covered bridge and school house. I'm nearly done the final color image, but here's a pen sketch. The birds that will be portrayed are Chickadees, a Robin, Bluejay, Hermit Thrush and a Barn Swallow. Also, on the far right on the schoolhouse porch, a tiny chimpmunk!

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays (aka Christmas)

For quite a few years since 1998 I've been asked to illustrate newspaper supplement covers for the Valley News, a daily that serves a portion of Vermont and New Hampshire. They are usually printed a few days before 'Black Friday'. There's always two covers with a holiday theme, and they have to tie into each other. As I was going through some of my archives, I realized that somewhere along the way that the word 'Christmas' was dropped. I think it was right after the first year that I did them.

These covers are from this year.

These are from last year. Notice after the 'snowstorm' there's a guy snowblowing.

Here's the covers from 2007. Not my favorite, but I remember being in a time crunch.

And here's the first one I did back in 1998. I did it very cartoony. I'm most definitely a cartoonist at heart!

Revelry!

Quick study

Right on the Nose

Here's an illustration that has proved to be a very popular card. 'Right on the Nose'. When I was working on it, I had in mind that it could be a scene from a children's book. That's the look I was attempting anyway! Below are some sketches of cows I had done for it. I'm really bad about keeping a sketchbook the way other artists do. Mine are always on loose paper, which usually get tossed away when I clean my studio. 

Studio Addition

Here's my new drafting table. It's a beauty! It's a replication of a 1920's french drafting table. They are handmade to order and mine will be showing up mid-March of 2010. Years ago when I headed off to art school, I had a new table. Unfortunately, it was stolen in 1995. Since then, I've made due with an old loaner table from my good friend, Todd Casey. I ended up replacing the top, but one leg was broken, so it wobbles when you lean on it. I'm pretty excited to get this new one! I've already decided to change my whole studio around when it arrives.