A sketch a day: walk in the park

A sketch a day: a walk in the park - colored pencil on Canson drawing paper, 4" x 6"
A sketch a day: a walk in the park – colored pencil on Canson drawing paper, 4″ x 6″

Trying to exercise patient light strokes after dealing with canvas and rough watercolor paper. Somehow I got too heavy-handed for smooth drawing paper and with this little sketch had to stop and remind myself that the goal was to go with light strokes. As in, light on everything.

Artist trading card exchange at CAG

Yesterday at the meeting in the Campbell Artists’ Guild we had an artist trading card exchange. This is what I brought, they are my experiments with metal pens and markers combined with colored pencils:

artist trading card

artist trading card

artist trading card

And this is what I got in return:

Gudrun Baumeister - Sunset in the North Sea - watercolor 3.5" x 2.5"
Gudrun Baumeister – Sunset in the North Sea – watercolor 3.5″ x 2.5″
Barb Overholt - Golden Open acrylics, 3.5" x 2.5"
Barb Overholt – Golden Open acrylics, 3.5″ x 2.5″
Anne Olander - Zion National Park - acrylic, 3.5" x 2.5"
Anne Olander – Zion National Park – acrylic, 3.5″ x 2.5″

Pretty wonderful extra gifts for my Birthday! 🙂

Glowing mountains – miniature

I have so many pieces in progress that each one seems to be a never ending drawing journey. It’s good to switch gears between subjects and media all the time, but at the same time I would really love to finish at least something already. So, a something finally got finished:

The original is available in my Miniatures online gallery for $35.00

Explorations in Colored Pencil II

Today the San Francisco Chapter of the Colored Pencil Society of America had an opening reception for their annual juried show, Explorations in Colored Pencil II. We drove down to the Coastal Arts League Gallery in downtown Half Moon Bay hoping to make it in time, and luckily for us the traffic was very bearable.

The show is great, and I am not saying this because I am very partial to the medium. It’s really a strong collection of different styles, techniques, and subjects.

The show will be open till October 6, 2013.


Malibu Succulents, by Phillip Zubiate III


Malay Lacewing, by Denise J Howard

Cover illustration for a book in progress

About two months ago I received a rather unusual request to create an illustration for a book that was not finished yet and didn’t have a title. All I had to go by was a short foreword and a few more details from the author. The interpretation and medium was left up to me. On one hand, it was very enticing to have that much creative freedom, on the other, it was as reassuring as walking through a thick fog. The temptation prevailed.

To make myself feel a little better, I sent the author a rough sketch of what I had in mind, and to my surprise she enthusiastically approved it. Since I didn’t know which parts of the storyline are going to be the most prominent in the book, I went with the main theme of an abrupt change from a farm teen to raising the son on her own in a city. The shadow in the illustration is the girl’s son in the end of the book, grown up and capable of supporting herself, her concern for years and a final reward. Today I turned the illustration to to the author. Thankfully, she loved the finished work which made me happy. She is till working on the book, hopefully the illustration will give her an extra creativity nudge.

Cover illustration for a book cover

colored pencil on drawing paper, 9″ x 12″

Silicon Valley Fall Fest Art Show 2010 – reception and awards ceremony

Outburst - colored pencil on paper, 6
Outburst

colored pencil
6″ x 9″

The juried Fall Fest Art Show 2010 had its opening reception and award ceremony yesterday. This year the show was back to the Quinlan Community Center, Cupertino Room that looks so much nicer and more inviting than a formal Community Hall.

My Outburst won the 3rd place in the Mixed and Dried Media category. The judge, George Rivera, commented on “Outburst: “Wonderful discovery! It drew me in. This piece has quiet poetry that continues to reward you. The positive and negative spaces together make it successful.”

Belinda Lima won the Best of the Show award for her “House Of Shoji.” I love that collage, so glad it received the highest award! Could not find the image anywhere online, or I would post it here. Congratulations to all other artists who won a place or an honorable mention!
Thank you everybody who stopped by, it was a pleasure to spend the evening with you chatting and admiring wonderful artworks by fellow FALC artists.

The show will still be open tomorrow, 10 am till 6 pm, if you didn’t have a chance to see it yet or know someone who may like to see it.

Reception at the Silicon Valley Fall Fest Art Show on Sept 24
Reception at the Silicon Valley Fall Fest Art Show on Sept 24

Reception and awards ceremony at the Fall Fest Art Show 2009

This Friday, September 18th, Fall Fest Art Show’s reception and award ceremony were held, and my Fortitude received Honorable Mention:

Yelena Shabrova ~ Fortitude ~ Prismacolor colored pencil on drawing paper, 9" x 6"
Fortitude ~ Prismacolor colored pencil on drawing paper, , 9″ x 6″

Something fascinating happened during the reception: Nava Attia-Benoit’s painting just happened to look like a gentleman who walked in. Not only the face, but the hat and shirt looked about the same! He was asking for the artist who did the portrait and was finally introduced to Nava who never met him before. What a surprise for both of them!

Congratulations to winners Kim Newell, Karen Mumford, Jim Burns, Nina Uppaluru, Nava Attia-Benoit, Nancy Near, Jane Kwant, Janki Chokshi, John Perez, Belinda Lima, Slava Shabrov, Grace Seidman, Yao-Pi Hsu, and others.

Many thanks to everyone who organized this show and helped to make it a success.

Fortitude

Fortitude – 9″ x 6″, colored pencil on drawing paper

“Fortitude” is an ode to the plant that grows in our patio. I can never remember what it is called. But whatever it is, it survived a serious frostbite last winter, had to be completely chopped out, and in a few months came back as lush and healthy as ever. Right now this plant with an unmemorizable name is taking over the patio despite the heat. I keep hoping that it will stop on its own and I won’t have to trim it. It would be difficult to decide which parts to take away.

“From the Heart” exhibit with FALC, 2/1/2009 till 2/28/2009

Two artworks on display at Main Street Cafe as a part of the group exhibit “From the Heart” organized by Fine Art League of Cupertino: Plum Blossoms in Los Gatos Creek Park and a new one, Mom & Son.

The exhibit is from February 1 till February 28, 2009.

Reception: Thursday, February 12, 6-7:30pm

Address: 134 Main Street, Los Altos, CA 94022

Hours: Monday – Saturday: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday: 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Yelena Shabrova ~ Plum Blossoms in Los Gatos Creek Park ~ Prismacolor colored pencil on Bristol paper, 16" x 20"
Plum Blossoms in Los Gatos Creek Park ~ Prismacolor colored pencil on Bristol paper, 16″ x 20″
Mom & Son - charcoal on colored paper, 20" x 16"
Mom & Son – charcoal on colored paper, 20″ x 16″

Earth Expressions, 2008 FALC Juried Fine Art Show, 9/12/2008 till 9/14/2008

I will have 3 artworks (Daydreaming, Bonding, and Running Free) at the 2008 FALC Juried Fine Art Show. The theme of the show is “Earth Expressions,” and I’m glad that my horses will be a part of it.

Reception and Auction to benefit the Sichuan Earthquake Victims will be held on September 12, 7pm to 9pm.

The show will be open September 13-14, 10am to 6pm, at the Community Hall, 10350 Torre Ave., Cupertino, CA. 10% of all sales on September 13-14 will be donated to The Shelter Box Project for the Sichuan Earthquake Victims.