Garden of Eatin'

I am in awe of my garden! Every day something delights me. On Thursday it was the cucumber blossoms.

Self Portrait - must be viewed large - Robin

Check out this mosaic self portrait I created. I used family photos I have taken (except those that I'm in) and the self portrait as the main image. So much fun!

This quarter is almost history!!!!!

Oil Spill - Robin

I have been really busy lately, unlike Rachel who has oodles of time.  ;-)
You really scare me Rach, with all that energy. Your dedication is an inspiration to me.

I am attaching one of my recent works that I did for class. I am very proud of it but so very sorry that the subject of the oil spill even exists. I feel that we all have some responsibility due to our voracious need for oil. Let's all try and conserve wherever we can. This is a great time to get out that dusty old bike for local errands....

Let me know what you think. Thanks a billion!

Orange Flower (Weed)- Robin

I am trying to get a few more flowers done for my current portfolio. Not sure if I'll include this one but I like it. This is my aesthetic. I like the dreamy watercolor affect and i like the colors a lot. It makes me want to nap. Not sure if that's a good thing or not. :-)

It's funny how such horribly noxious weeds begin as such delicate and fragile looking flowers.

Disappearing Heritage of the Native American - Robin

I had to create a digital and traditional artwork depicting my version of the disappearing heritage of the Native American. While contemplating this assignment, I though of it in terms of growing up in the south bay. I am a 3rd generation San Josean. There is such a huge difference in the San Jose of my childhood and what it is now. I have heard stories about when my grandparents had a ranch on McLaughlin Avenue and how much it had changed through to my childhood. I feel so connected to this place and I can not help but think of how the Native Americans must have felt/feel about how their home has changed without their consent. At least we had a choice when we turned this amazing farming land into the maze of business parks and hazard waste sites.

I played with the idea of was/is overlays but didn't want to use the required materials. I liked the idea of portraying  the land being turned on it's head by the thieving white man. I found a very appropriate quote by Chief Seattle. Shockingly (NOT!) there are not a plethora of poems or quotes about how wonderful it is to steak the land and heritage from people. I'm shocked only because it happens all the time by people so proud of their actions that you'd think they would be writing epic verses honoring themselves for their gall.
Okay, back to the artwork. The verses were typed on paths in Illustrator. The sky image was a photo that was desaturated. The Indian side of the drawing was all done by hand in watercolor (don't laugh!) with the once semi-mighty Guadalupe river proudly flowing through the scene. These days it isn't much to look at all contained in cement canals. I copied that image for the other side, broken up via live trace and the bottom bit removed. The cityscape was also a photograph found on line. I use live trace and removed the sky and other bits necessary to create an image that used the same sky and mountain range as the Indian side.

 

My Time project - Completed - Robin

I always laugh when my instructor says we should spend 8 hours a week on our homework projects. What is he kidding? I spend tons more time on mine. Maybe that's a bad thing....

I like this better hand colored. It doesn't have the poignancy of the original pen and ink concept but as it is a digital art and illustration class I had to expand on my vision. The good thing is that I don't cry every time I look at it like I did with my original simple sketches. :-)

Time away from time - Robin

I'm letting my hand colored Time project dry and so I decided to get some stuff ready to print for my little show/sale coming up. Here are a couple I really like with the watercolor filter. What do you think?

Now I'm going to try and get a decent scan of my 11x 17 Time project. Back later.

Time Project Part 2 - Robin

You never saw part one but this is part 2. The project is to show a progression through 12 small artworks. Mine is obviously done using photo collage.  My favorites are the 2nd, 4th, 9th and 11th. Tomorrow I am going to hand color a black and white version. I hope I like that better.
I think it will create some needed cohesiveness. I'll let you see how it goes.

Gardening for hours over the last few days. My back is loudly screaming, "You bitch! You BITCH!". Luckily it will rain tomorrow and wash away the nasty pollen and give my back a day off. G'night!

You can never have enough Peonies - Robin

In lieu of being able to go back to Filoli this week I am revisiting the photos I took last week.
I thought I'd share this one with you!

A bit o' camelia - Robin

I like the way this looks like the fold of fabric.

Another Wacky GIANT Poppy - Robin

Lori is right about the poppies we saw at Filoli yesterday. They were gigantic and gorgeous. It's always fun to discover something new that you've never seen before in nature. I wish I had my macro lens and my tripod. I want to go back next week. Anyone want to come with?

The Peonies! The Peonies! The Peonies! (Robin)

What a magical day for us and the the peonies at Filoli!

Spring Break! - Robin

We're off early tomorrow to San Diego until Friday. Of course the weather is going downhill fast but we'll still have fun with my baby boy (turning 30 on May 1st!) and my sweet Lily. I'll see you on my return!

This is another classic spring scene for me. I hope you like it!

The Flower Thief (Robin) Strikes Again!

This time it was wildflowers found on a hike. Again I know it's wrong but I only took one of each type. To pay me back, most died before I even got home. :-(
I am continuing to play against colored glass and I really like it. It's kinda like painting.
Let me know what you think. And Lori, tell me what the flower is. Thanks!

I'm back! - Robin

I love succulents and how a bit get's broken off and you just stick it in water or dirt and away it goes!
This is the shoot coming off of just such a succulent. It feels very Dr. Suess-y to me. I bet a whole little world is existing there right now.
I did a selective color in Photoshop as the background was neutral anyway. I helped it along to make the plant stand out.

Another Magnolia??? Jeez Robin!

Just how long can I put off doing my Flash final? Well that depends on how many magnolia pictures came out. Yet another....

More Magnolia - Robin

Another shot of the purloined magnolia.

A New Photo - Robin

Okay yes. I did steal this flower while I was at the cemetery today - but it's not what you think.
I took it off of a tulip/magnolia (Lori ?) tree and then I took it home and I shot it!

Another View of a Dead Hydrangea - Robin

Rachel inspired me to pull out my dead hydrangea picture. I have no live hydrangea photos. Hmmmmm...what does that mean?

A doodle - Robin

Something from my sketching for my final project : patterns.
I doubt this would qualify as a pattern. It seems more of a motif  but I see it embroidered on a bright goldy green slouchy handbag. I may try and make it happen. Can I embroider? Why, no but I can try!
Maybe.