forever friends

I made this with one person in mind.  Perhaps you'll read it and someone will come to your mind too.  

Have you noticed how often we concern ourselves the most with those who care the least and concern ourselves the least with those who care the most?  Join me today (you can use this drawing if you like) in saying thanks to those who are there for you always [the ones that bring you lemons and peeps when you're down]...your forever friends.

fun with peeps

In case you were curious, peeps don't technically explode when heated in the microwave :) [At least in my limited experimentation in peep explosion.]

They do, however, get very bloated...as if they just enjoyed too much Easter feast...which is equally as satisfying and much less of a sticky mess to clean up!

when you care enough to give a peep

I received this gift today.

Along with this note:

When life (or your friend) gives you lemons, what do you do?

Put them in a pretty bowl on a table to make you think of color and zest and remind you that though winters are hard, cold, and can give you dry skin...there is always renewal with spring!!!! (and if that doesn't help, pop a peep in the microwave and watch it explode)

How's that for inspiration?

let's get personal.

June 14, 1992

I have an idea for a new project. One I'm pretty psyched about. One you can help with! I'm currently seeking diary entries. You remember...when we recorded our thoughts in little books with keys, not on blogs without passwords? And no worries, you don't have to divulge your current secrets, just glimpses into your life years ago, when you were a teen or pre-teen. That's not nearly as scary, is it?!? Hahahaha...

Pick the funniest, cleverest, most life-altering lines and passages, scan them (the handwriting is important) and email to me [cabrera.suzanne [at] gmail.com], along with the approximate date of the entry. These pieces of info [scanned excerpts and dates] are crucial, but you can remain anonymous or have a pseudonym. It's totally up to you.

So where is this all headed? How about into some illustrations?!? I have plenty of my own teenage angst to capture in sketches, but I love collaborative projects! While I can't guarantee that every contribution will lead to a drawing...I'll certainly appreciate the inspiration!

pokey rocks

...or at least that must be what Edgar thinks.
Taking it slow today and doing my best to enjoy the small things.

where i am today

I'll admit that I would be a bit embarrassed sharing this point, if it weren't for the feeling that this is a universal affliction affecting otherwise content individuals worldwide. Uggghhhh.

the jetta went down to georgia

First Day of Kindergarten : August 1985 : Same haircut.

I won't be posting anymore this week as I'm heading out of town today to a conference in Athens, Georgia. My friend Debbie [who, like my sister in 1985, also happens to drive a Jetta] and I are presenting about the ways in which design thinking applies to all community-based projects. We're hoping the presentation we make can turn into a series of workshops to share with schools, non-profits and community organizations elsewhere. Do you represent one of these groups? Have any interest in learning more?

It's all very exciting...so let's see!

Also, this is my first time in Athens. Any recommendations on where to go, what to see...what to draw?

our color story

I'm happy to share that after hours spent staring at paint swatches, analyzing the differences between 'Tame Teal' and 'Aquaduct', we've finally settled on the color palette for the walls of our house. Yay! One task crossed off the list, only 5,426 more to go. Good thing we love doing this!

In case you're wondering, we're not completely abandoning the brighter colors of our inspiration images. But, in an effort to avoid having it look as though a clown or Easter bunny (you take your pick) exploded in our house, we're reserving the bolder hues for furniture and accessories.

We meant to get started painting this past weekend, but only got so far as taping up half the living room. In the words of Patrick Starfish, tomorrow for sure!

fields of gold...and red...and violet...

I don't know about you, but I'm wishing I was here today.

Running a little low on inspiration at the moment [it happens]. Please share something that makes you happy...I'm willing to bet it will make me happy as well.

one-hour group exercises

Wow...I am so excited to share with you the fine work of those who participated in the one-hour exercise.  And who said exercising wasn't fun?!?  Oh, wait, I think that was me...

Please an enjoy a sample of each artist's work below, but be sure to follow the links back to their individual blogs for even more images and commentary on their hours of drawing.

: Tim Robison of That's Just It: 

: Keith of Lining a Drawer : 

just one of many lovely portraits

: Jasmine Nora :

: Kerstin Klein of Snowflakes + Black Vampires :

: Krista Meister of Hope in Everyday :

one image from a hour spent shopping + drawing

: Miti Aiello of Sketchbloom :

: Liz Steel of Liz and Borromini : 

Thank you so much for exercising along with me.  It's much more fun with buddies.

shaky

Actually, YESTERDAY I was a ball of nerves : too much caffeine, too little sleep. TODAY I'm fine...a new person! I hope you'll tune back in a little later to see the work of those who participated in the one-hour exercise. Fun stuff!

happy home hues

Lately we've been working on developing a color palette for our house.

We're inspired by the colors seen in these beautiful log bowls by Loyal Loot:

and this Feist concert poster by Vahalla Studios:

Surely a home filled with these colors will be a happy one.

silent heads

As I've mentioned before, I loooove to draw 'characters'. Unfortunately, there aren't nearly enough these folks in my everyday life. With this being the case, I also find it fun to draw ordinary people and, with a few exaggerated strokes, turn them into characters.

As with most of my sketches, I think I have more success creating characters the quicker I sketch. I don't over analyze decisions, I just make them. In light of this, I encourage you to take a look at this informative post by Paula of AccessArt on sketchbooks + speed. Hmmm, speed sketchbooking---wonder if this could be a new olympic sport?

let's go fly a kite

I wish I could capture today's weather with a sketch. It's that great: the type of weather that, after months of cold, makes it feel like anything is possible.

ANYTHING.

Hope you also feel anything is possible today.

Need some more good weather vibes? Check out Tim's post.

Update : 2 hours later : It's raining... But, on a positive note...it's still warm!

new resolve

You may remember that some time ago I stood topless at the front door of my home and declared that I was going to start updating this blog with 'housekeeping' posts. [If you don't remember, and are concerned by my exhibitionist tendencies, I suggest you look here.]

Well, I've totally not kept up my housekeeping pledge and I'm sorry. Sorry for you....but, even more so, sorry for me.

You see my friends, this is the current state of our studio [if you can even call it that]---Let me restate---this my friends, is the state of the room that stores our computer, chair, filling cabinets, wastebasket and cords. It's sad, sad, sad. Which makes me not feel like being very creative in it, which is even more sad, sad, sad. SOMETHING has to be done.

So, from here on out, it's going to be design on steroids. Either that, or I'm going to pull my hair out...and that doesn't make for fun drawings about bobs.

for sideburns and giggles

I have this saved on my desktop. I open it every now and again when I start feeling a funk coming on. It takes me right out of it.

from the U.S. National Archives flickr photostream

Wishing you a funk-free-Friday.

tuesday, the 8 o'clock hour

On Tuesday night I took advantage of commercial breaks during Lost to draw the things, people knomes and pets around me.

As someone interested in telling stories with drawings, I'm struck by how much information little doodles like this can convey. I definitely won't forget an otherwise 'unforgettable' hour as a result. A fun exercise and DEFINITELY something I want to do more of.

I'd love if you'd join me in this challenge! Choose one hour this week to document in sketches. Leave a comment here with a link to your post and I'll create a master list of the 'one-hour exercises' that I'll post next Thursday [February 25].

restful

I don't know if it was the worry dolls under my pillow, or your kind words of encouragement, but I'm sleeping much better. Thank you.

August 1983 : Same haircut.

We're going through some changes at school--changes that may mean I'll need to turn the page to the next chapter quicker than I had anticipated. But, as a wise friend reminded me, now is a perfect time to ask the question : 'What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?'

hands-on

Experimentations in drawing hands by hand and manipulating with mouse in hand.

worry no more

I received some discouraging news last week. As such, I'm bringing the worry dolls out. Here's to sleep-filled nights and better times ahead.

take me out

I wouldn't say I'm over winter...I'm just that ready for spring summer.

[background texture courtesy of steffan jakob]

heartfelt thanks

What do you say we start celebrating Valentine's Day a little early?

No reason to save love...

Thank you so much for helping me brainstorm yesterday and for sharing my list on your own blogs. I've completed both presentations and your feedback really paid off. Which leads me to another round of thanks to the kind art student at one of the presentations who helped me figure out how to better adjust the colors of my illustrations in Photoshop. It works! Cheers!

building communities

This week I have the pleasure of making two small presentations on blogging: one to a freshman-seminar focused on service learning, the other to art students in a writing-intensive drawing course. While I'll need to shift gears for the different audiences, I thought in both instances it would be helpful to provide some advice of building a network--which, to me, has been the MOST beneficial aspect of blogging.

These are some of the key lessons I've learned [or should I say leaned] over the last couple of years, but is in no way an exhaustive list. With this said, I'd appreciate your help. What's your advice for the new blogger?

one of those days

super-lazy-super-bowl-sunday

This weekend was one of the laziest of my life. I loved it.

makeshift shelter

Thanks to everyone who commented or gave some thought to the question I raised a few days back about the role art and design can play in social justice. This is something I'm working to explore in my own work, both in and out of the classroom. In fact, at the time I posted the question here, my teaching partner, Stephanie, and I were actually formulating some ideas for a quick studio project that I'd like to share with you today.

Here's the abbreviated project statement:

In the wake of the devastating earthquake that recently hit Haiti, we cannot help but think how fortunate we are to have shelter that offers protection from outside elements and, equally important, affords us with a sense of security.

In this first project, we ask you to examine ways in which you can provide peace of mind within a public space using only found objects. The goal here isn’t merely to provide cover, but to explore the notion of how interiors shape experience. Over the next week and a half, working in teams, you will consider the notion of interiority, process solutions and outcomes, and design a shelter for a given activity. Your will then construct your design vision in the lobby of Gatewood Friday, January 29th.

With a few additional requirements along the way (met by a few additional moans and groans) the students developed five shelters for five activities (sleeping, studying, snacking, sketching and socializing) using only five found objects (no money could be spent), two fasteners and no power tools. I'm quite pleased with the results, which you can see more of here.

photo courtesy of cassandra gustafson

spelled forward or backward

I've been wearing my hair differently lately. I called Edgar's attention to this fact, to which he replied:

Oh Edgar...your thoughts make the best illustrations. What would I draw without you?

body language

This semester I've divided my drawing course into five units (objects, people, spaces, buildings and places) aimed at helping students develop the skills of perception and communication they will need as interior designers. Last week we kicked off the people unit with quick gestures. I love these fast-paced exercises. There is such a sense of satisfaction that comes from quickly capturing the essence of a person on paper, deciding on the spot what information is important to focus on and what to leave to the imagination.

If you'd like, you can follow our class via the fine documentation of my teaching assistants at our class blog here.

lots and lots of variables

If you could see into my brain today, I have a feeling it would look something like this: a blind contour gone awry. Too many things to keep track of, not enough brain power to do it.

But I'm going to push through. I am. Wish me luck!

reilly's guide to a cozy snow day indoors

morning : take extended naps in laundry basket


afternoon : play board games (i.e. checkers) with mom


evening : warm bum next to a roasting fire


See more of what Reilly likes to do here.

currently

...covered in snow and lovin' it.

speed sketching

You've heard of speed dating? Well this is the results of speed sketching...a fun exercise undertaken by my drawing class last week. In an effort to get students to loosen up in their new sketchbooks, I had everyone lay 3 objects out on their desk. They drew these objects until I called 'time'...at which point they left their sketchbook and traveled to another student's desk to pick up on the drawing where the previous sketcher left off. After 5 or 6 more switches students were able to go back to their own desks and see the results of the collaboration.

I love what resulted in my own sketchbook! I'm intrigued by how the style of the first drawer, influenced the sketches of others. For instance, if someone begin in a tight and precise manner, all the subsequent drawings in that book would be tight and precise.

I later decided to add watercolors (which I haven't used in forever!) to the sketch in preparation for a demo I did the medium this morning. Stay tuned for more on this.

my morning vice

I've actually done a decent job ignoring the Nutella. This, however, remains a problem.

Please tell me I'm not alone...

advice for the weekend

Take your pleasures seriously. -- Charles Eames

the writing on the wall

Before leaving Florida, we made a quick pit stop here. And while I don't think I have any readers in Tallahassee (do I?), I want to continue to play the 'where am i?' game with this sketch.

Here's a hint: this eccentric chain is found primarily in college towns.