Illustration Friday- Smoke

On Saturday I went to a "wake" of sorts to say good-bye to a dear feline friend. Maggie was 15 and had cancer & her mother knew it was time, so we all got together & said our good-byes & I took some pictures. I did this sketch of her quickly from her picture. I am playing with a few ideas around it and its my first try at soft pastels-- I have never used them. So, I decided that it pertains to this week's topic in that, when a loved one is gone, it feels like they have gone suddenly in a puff of smoke. And Maggie was a white cat....PUFF!

Illustration Friday- Wind

This sketch was done on an old almanac page reproduction. If you can't read it, the page says "January hath 31 days" but it does not give the year. The page gives not only the weather but the astrological signs as well.

The animation of nature is something I like to look at, both historically and culturally, although it seems to have come into disfavor in the last few decades, being that people think it is presumptuous to make everything have human characteristics. I find some of these old ideas an intriguing theme artistically.

Illo Friday- Trouble

This is piece about ending the trouble, taking a stand against it, perhaps. We don't know what was really going on, but you can bet it was trouble of some kind that would drive this dark piece. I enjoyed making it.

Found art, actually "left art"

This is the first of many "left art"s I hope to pepper over Portland. This was at Carl's Jr. on B-H Hwy #8 I think, near Pier 1 imports.

Illustration Friday- Safe

"Flying Safe", completed 9/2/06, my comment on the following:

“And I was sitting outside the classroom waiting to go in, and I saw an airplane hit the tower -- the TV was obviously on, and I use to fly myself, and I said, ‘There's one terrible pilot.’”
-- George Bush quoting himself on his first reaction to seeing an airliner piloted into the World Trade Center, speaking in Orlando, Florida, Dec. 4, 2001

“Part of having a secure homeland is to have a good airport system, that's safe for people to travel, an airport system that is inspecting bags by inspectors who are qualified to inspect bags.”
-- George Bush, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Feb. 5, 2002

I don't know about you, but I do not feel safe flying anymore, especially internationally. And I love to travel, when I can afford it. Don't even get me started on what that man has done to the economy.....
This image came to me as I thought about the cliche safe falling from a building (and hitting Bugs Bunny or Elmer Fudd or whoever) and it emerged from there. Plus, I had those "puffy wings" to use up! (ghastly!)

Illustration Friday-- RUN

This collage is page in an altered book I am doing. After reading what the topic was this week, I ran across this proverb & the idea popped into my head immediately. Just a little humor to start off the last week before school starts for some. My son begins classes at his college on the 28th, this Monday. It has been a summer of changes for both of us and now I want to keep up with my art.

Introduction

I am trying out this new format. Instead of the blog I had before, which was fine but very limiting, this one will be not only more personal but also truly more my style, I hope. I am trying to make it as an artist late in life in a world that confuses and distracts me. I want to have people like my art when I settle down to make some, but I do not necessarily want notoriety. I promised myself that I will make my art no matter what the consequences. So, this new blog is the beginning of that commitment. As you can see right off the bat with my first posting, I prefer anonymity. Its more fun. Its like spreading magic & I get to pretend I know what they will say, do and feel when they find a piece.
I will be spreading pieces thoughout to my home town soon. I need to compose my new designs and my "labels" so that when the pieces are found they can go to foundart.com and see about me, well, the "art ego" called Arbriel.