Today's Inspiration: The Death of an Insect

I have been doing a bit of moth/butterfly research for an upcoming project. I came across this incredible work by the Finnish animation team of Hannes Vartiainen & Pekka Veikkolainen. I just had to share it.

This is experimental animation at it's best. This film was created with stop motion, 3D modeling and CT Scans. You can check out more of their work here.


The Death of an Insect - Erään hyönteisen tuho from Pohjankonna Oy on Vimeo.
Enjoy!

The Declaration of You! Learning to Trust

Learning to Trust the Universe by Debbie Styer 2013

I am excited to write my third and final post for The Declaration of You! Blog Lovin' Tour. As some of you know, I took the Declaration of You! e-course a few years ago and fell in love with it. It pointed me in right direction and asked the kind of deep questions to get me off the coach and on to the work I was meant to bring into this world...  The book The Declaration of You! (which is inspired by the the e-course) by Michelle Ward and Jessica Swift and is out now for you all to enjoy.

This Week's topic: Trust!

I'm pretty hard on myself so trust is a difficult thing for me. I thought I had to make exactly all the right decisions in order for my life to work out miraculously perfect. If anything didn't work out as I planned, the self doubt and fear flowed...Sound like you?

Here's a little story on how I learned trust...

Now, I must say,  I'm not a hugely religious person but years ago,  before I met my amazing husband, I was having the worst time meeting anyone to love me. Sad but very true. Everything seemed to go wrong, the guys I was meeting were pretty terrible (both online and in the real world). I just didn't get it. The more I tried to control what was happening to me the worse it got, and the more desperate I got. It was not a pretty picture. And I was miserable.

Then one day things changed...I just let go. Everyday I would walk by this beautiful church and instead of pleading Help Me to God (or the Universe, Buddha, or whatever you would like to call it),  I starting saying Thank You for the things that went wrong. I began learning from my mistakes and I could clearly see that what I wanted was not necessarily right for me. There must be a reason for the way my life was working out. I started to trust that there was some big plan for me out there in the Universe. I know it sounds silly, but it was one of the great epiphanies of my life.

Learning to trust in something bigger than me lifted so much weight off my shoulders. I didn't need to put so much pressure on myself when something went wrong, and I could better understand when something went right. I was learning to trust something deep inside myself, I was learning to trust my soul.

When I finally met my  husband, I was able to see that this brilliant... crazy... crooked (and sometimes painful) pathway made absolutely perfect sense. Everyday, I still Thank the Universe for my life. I thank the Universe for my friends and family and all those who helped me become the person I am supposed to be.


Now, I open my heart again with my artwork. Again I am trusting the Universe that there is a plan out there for me. Everyday, that I create more work and share it with the world, the pressure of self-loathing and fear is going away. My soul is connected to something big. And I feel like I am indeed on the right path. I may not know exactly where I might end up but I trust that it will be the right place for me. And I am happy...

A few things for you to ponder...

Learning to trust is a pretty powerful thing, don't you agree?

Do you trust you are on the right path for your soul?

Do you think there is a plan for you?


As I wrap up this last Declaration of You! post, I also wanted to thank Michelle and Jessica for helping me along my crazy path. You guys are awesome, and I wish you tons of success with this incredible book. May it help lift, advise and encourage millions of people throughout the world.

One last thing, if you want to read my other Declaration of You! posts. They are here (on Success) and here (on Self-Care).

Back to it...Ze Frank on Creativity.

Working through the weekend trying to catch up with my book project. (I'm so close to getting to the next level with this huge project). Sometimes, I have to remind myself to keep pushing through the work despite wanting to take the easy way out. I love this reminder by Ze Frank to just do the work...



Push yourself towards your dreams...everyday!

Update...I found this lovely post on Pikaland today that works really well with last weeks posts. Read it here.

Happy Friday!

I just wanted to share this lovely animation by Minkyu Lee that I found on the Drawn Blog today.

Beautifully done, don't you think?

"Adam and Dog" is nominated for an animation Oscar this year! Here's to it winning.

A Night of Vegas Type

I took a quick trip last week through Yosemite, to Bodie & Las Vegas. It was so fun and a bit nice to be unplugged for  few days. I will admit Las Vegas was a bit overwhelming to me. I found myself getting lost in the huge buildings...but I really loved the old part of Vegas, Fremont Street. It was a bit dirtier and naughtier than the fanciness of Caesar's Palace where we stayed. And I was pretty fascinated by all the neon.  Here's a few pictures that I took....

So fun. I love vintage neon. Too bad the Neon Museum was closed last week(it moved). Maybe next time.

If you're interested, you can check out my Bodie (an Old West Ghost Town) flickr set here. Also, I've been working on a bunch of new illustrations and I will post them soon.

Art Heroes - Southworth & Hawes Photography

Some of the most inspiring (and oldest) photography was done by the photography firm of Southworth & Hawes  ( Albert Sands Southworth (1811–1894) and Josiah Johnson Hawes (1808–1901).  They were primary active between from 1843-1863 in Boston.

These guys really amaze me. I love the way they arrange their subjects. The sitters seem a lot more real then most of the Victorian photography I've seen before. They photographed some of the most famous people of the time including Louisa May Alcott, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Daniel Webster. But the daguerreotypes that really stand out for me are the everyday people...the "unidentified" people.

Unidentified Child, circa 1850

The Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Family, 1849

"The artist, even in photography, must go beyond discovery and the knowlege of facts; he must create and invent truths and produce new developments of facts. "

--A.S. Southworth, 1870

Death of Pain (first public administered Ether anesthesia)1847

Rollin Heber Neal

Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1857

Alice Mary Hawes, 1852 "Learn to look and see the difference under different lights in the same faces. Learn to see the fine points in every face, for the plainest faces in the world are human faces, belonging to human beings... " --A. S. Southworth, 1873

Unidentified Girl with Ringlets, circa 1850's

Unidentified Woman, circa 1850

Unidentified Dead Child, Circa 1855

"In the nice production of light and shade which is the perfection of modelling, the Daguerreotype will be found to surpass the Artist's best efforts, being capable of representing independently, action, expression, and character to a great extent; and in some instances approaches very nearly, if it does not equal these higher branches, thus developing beauty in grace of motion and in repose, which is the first object and the supreme law of all Art."

--A.S. Southworth, 1855

Two Women Posed with a Chair, ca. 1850

Unidentified Woman, 1852

Laura Bridgman, 1855

Winchester Family Tomb, Mount Auburn Cemetery, circa 1853

Unidentified Girl, 1850

Winter Portrait with Fur Coat and Gloves Unidentified Child, 1850 Of course this is only a tiny bit of work by Southwork & Hawes. You can find more in the book, "Young America: The Daguerreotypes of Southworth & Hawes. You can also see more Photographs in this flickr set from the George Eastman House. I hope these daguerreotypes have inspired you as much as they inspire me.  Now, I'm off to work on a custom portrait...

Weekly Brain Mushings

I've been working away trying to get everything ready for the Etsy art show. I'm trying hard to get over my inner messy kid and find the perfectionist within. I'm working on measuring everything perfectly, over thinking everything and basically rethinking my entire life and career...

Yep, I'm driving myself nuts, but in a good way. It is pretty wonderful when you push your self father than you've gone in the past. And looking towards a hopeful future.

I came upon this wonderful TED talk by Alain de Botton.

 His talk really calms me. Basically he says we are all driving ourselves nuts.  Doesn't it feel good that we are all in this crazy world together?

Finishing up 2011...

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to drop a little update of what I've been up to. I am evaluating what I did and didn't accomplish in 2011, and figuring out how to make some improvements in the future.  This year I accomplished many things but most importantly 2011 taught me I have a lot to more to learn.

Right now, I am working on a bunch of new pieces to be posted ASAP and I'm trying to figure out what the grand plans of 2012 will be. I am pretty excited about next year and will be working on getting my work in magazine and books. I'll be focusing more on editorial illustration and storytelling...but more on that later.

So, until my grand New Years resolution post...here is a lovely new video by Featherbeard & Lavender Lee.  Isn't it fun? I love all the creativity(and happy darkness) that went into making it. It is kind of inspiring to me for the new year.

What are you doing to finish off your year? Are you excited as I am about having a clean slate? Here's to whatever is next!

Monday Inspiration: Maurice Sendak on Illustration

I love this video. Maurice Sendak is so honest about the nature of being an illustrator. How does it all work? He doesn't know...

Basically, as an illustrator, you just want to tell a good story with your drawings. Yep, that's about it. He makes it seem so simple...It suppose he has the experience, he has been illustrating for over 60 years...amazing!

Here's a few of Sendak's wonderful illustrations...

An illustration from "In Grandpa's House" (1985) via The New York Times

An Ilustration from, "Where The Wild Things Are" (1963) via DailyArtFixx.com

An Illustration from, "In The Night Kitchen" (1970) via loveardently.com

Yay for Maurice and all his curmudgeonly ways...

What is your favorite Maurice Sendak book?

It's time for the October Meetup!

Trying to keep some balance...via How To Be A Retronaut

I don't believe that it is October already...Where the hell did the time go? Yikes...Well, it has been a crazy couple of months...but I did manage to complete a few things...

1. I'm on Etsy! It has only been a couple of weeks but I'm am so happy to get this going. I still have a few weeks  to make but I am excited with the possibilities. Here is my shop!
2. I'm got on Illustration Mundo! Ok I'm a nerd...but I am happy to be official part of this amazing illustration site. Here's me.
3. I started my own Tumblr site. It has been so fun just to play around with the things that inspire me. It is called, Little Penny Dreadful and I hope you like it.

So what's up for October?

1. Get more of my art on my Etsy site. I would like to get 2 new pieces a week done. I've never done a holiday season before so I am a bit nervous, but I am part of the "Holiday Bootcamp" and am learning a lot.
2. Blog 3 or more times a week. I need to keep a good schedule going and I would love to add more artwork to my blog.
3.  Keep adding more work to the portfolio page on my website.
4. I need to start thinking about the Big Picture and start introducing myself to magazines and websites.
5. Make a Halloween costume for Virginia City...I'm thinking of being a silent film star...
6. Illustration Friday...2x a month.
7. Keep working on my Ladies & Gents series. Create a few more portraits...write their stories.
8. Keep fighting off my procrastinating by making better daily schedules and sticking to them.
9. Keep a solid schedule at New Bohemia Signs (10 to 15 hours a week)and practice my lettering every week.
10. Keep up with my homework, meditation and exercise for my Integral class.
11. Find balance...Is this is possible?
12. Research possible new income streams...

So busy, busy, busy...I think it will be a good month. I'm looking forward to the big challenge is ahead. But I think I am ready for it.

I hope you all have a great month ahead, full of accomplishments and goals made. October seems like the make it or break it month for the holiday season...so let's all kick a bit of ass this month.


What is the Meetup thing, you ask? It is a group of creatives that encourage each other each month to make and complete their goals. Join us...it is an amazing to watch the progress of others and yourself...
Contact Liz for more info here.

Falling into Fall

I love fall it is my favorite time of year. I love gearing up towards Halloween and getting ready to share in some spookiness. I love seeing the colors of the leaves change. I will admit, I do miss seeing the wonderful yellows, oranges and reds now that I live on the west coast. It is here but it is not quite as vibrant. But still, there is that wonderful crispness in the air that I love. I feel more alive with it. And for some reason, it seems to propel me to do a lot work. Which is a very good thing, and I have been in the dream mode of creating all sorts of new art lately. Now to just get it down on paper.

Here are some lovely paintings & photographs that get me into a creative Autumn mood:

Alphonse Mucha, Fruit

Can't you smell the crispness of the air here? Autochrome via George Eastman House

Amy Hughes by Charles Lutwidge Dodge(Aka Lewis Caroll)

Another wonderful one by Alphonse Mucha, "Autumn" from the Four Seasons

Autumn Gold by John Atkinson Grimshaw, 1880

"I Wait" by Julia Margaret Cameron

Autumn by Giuseppe Arcimboldo I'm quite excited about these season of changes.  It will be a very busy one full of work, mini-trips (Virginia City & Tahoe) and fun. San Francisco's summer seems to happen in the fall.  I better get into my Halloween mode soon too. What will I be this year? I better get planning... What are you getting excited for in the next few months? Hope you enjoy the fall!

Blog Hop...What do you love? And why?

This is what a good story can do. "Children at a Puppet Theatre", Paris 1963 by Alfred Eisenstaedt

      "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."
                                                                          Anais Nin

When I heard about "The Courage to Fly" blog hop from Stephey Baker of the Marked by the Muse blog, I really connected to it. I love the idea of giving willing participants(there are 37 of us)the opportunity to sit with a big question and answer it on our blogs.  For my question, I chose a seemingly simple one, "What do you love? and why?" I will admit,  it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be to answer, but I am going to give it a try.

 This past year has been kind of a spiritual quest for me. Last summer, I quit my dead-end job and  I started my new illustration business. It's been a pretty scary endeavor for me but I think I've been preparing my whole life for it. And guess what? I'm doing it. I'm living my dream. And I feel like a completely different artist from who I was a year ago. I've finally allowed myself the time to truly sit down with myself and figure out who I am as an illustrator. Believe me, this has been one of the most rewarding and difficult years of my life. And I realize how much I really still need to learn.

So what have I learned? I learned enough to answer the question, What do I love?  So, here are the basics.... I really love dark stories. The spookier the better. I suppose it is because in most of these tales there is always a hero that must rise and save the world. The hero finds hope within the darkness, and he/she always seems to  find hidden strength within themselves. There is something really romantic in that to me. 

What else do I love? I really love learning about history. It really fascinates me. I can get pretty geeky about it, but I don't care. I love doing research for the illustrations I do. I love creating characters and imagining what their lives would of been like. What did they look like? What kind clothes did they wear? Where did they live? What did they believe in? How did they live their lives? It's all totally amazing to me,  just like jumping in a time machine. I love sharing all the cool things I've find with friends. The research is almost like finding a treasure chest if you dig deep enough.

What is biggest thing I learned this year? Just how much I love creating things. It still amazes me how many emotions you can create with a few simple lines drawn on paper...I always wanted to be an artist and storyteller. And now I am.  I just need to learn to go even deeper with it. I need to learn how to conquer all of those demons that stop me from sharing all the stories I have buried within me. Slowly, it's happening, I'm so happy to be finally dealing with those fears.

 And lastly, I have one more big thing I love. The fact that my life is good and I am surrounded by love. I have to thank the universe for sending all of these amazing people in my life(especially my husband, Damon). I feel very lucky that I can do what I do. And perhaps with a tiny smidgen of extra luck, maybe by next year I can figure out a way to make a living...Now that would be something I could really love!

So...What makes your heart soar?

On strength...

I have to admit, sometimes I feel that doing this art thing is just so impossible...I hate it when I feel this way.  It is just so damn depressing. I really just want to curl up in bed while my career miraculously gets itself straightened out. And yep, I know that this is not my reality.

So what do you do? This depression thing just can not be.  I know that I need to stay positive and just push on through. And I have to grow a little everyday and stay strong if I want to see my dreams become real.  I must just keep going today and everyday. Ignore my fears and anxieties and keep pushing forward. That is the key even when you feel you can't go any further. You must. And remember to take those baby steps...

I love this picture of Anais, does anyone know who took it?

Sometimes just getting out of my own head for a few minutes helps. Take the pressure off and try to read something that makes you feel good.  Here are a few inspirational quotes from the lovely Anais Nin that might help:

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."

"I believe one writes because one has to create a world in which one can live." 

"Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death." 

Well, it feels good to get that out. Sometimes writing it down really does make you look at life differently.  I am a firm believer that journaling saves lives...

So, I better get moving. Maybe go out and enjoy the sunshine and have a nice cup of tea. Or maybe I just might do some drawing. Yes...that seems about right.


What do you do when you get the blues?

winter white

Living in San Francisco is wonderful. There is always something going on, things are easy to get to and the weather is just fine. Nothing too crazy, a little rain here and there. Maybe a few minutes of hail if your lucky enough to witness it but pretty much the same kind of weather all year long.

So why am I talking about the weather? Well, I'm originally from Massachusetts and ever so often I yearn for the cold and the snow. Maybe not enough to live there again but just a little taste to get those memories flowing...

Every kid should get to go carriage skating...via Nationaal Archief

Winter Walk original drawing by Oh My Cavalier

Now that's dedication via the Smithsonian

Lovely Snowy piece by Lizzy Stewart

Here's one from my snow weekend in Tahoe last year.

Hope you are all keeping warm and toasty. I'm off to finish a few paintings.

Letterpress Love

I've been asked to create a letterpress invitation for the San Francisco Center for the Book's "Donor Appreciation Party".   What an honor.  So today I have been happily jumping around the internet looking for inspiration from all sorts of amazing letterpress masters. Here are some of the favorites that I found, with a little holiday twist, of course:

Happy Couple Joy card by Egg Press

Holiday Polar Bear + Whale Letterpress Notecards by Ink an Wit

Cheers Letterpress Card by Binth

Chestnuts Letterpress Card by Fugu Fugu Press

Happy Holiday Letterpress Card from Sycamore Street Press

A Fete for Two Letterpress Card by Mr. Boddington's Studio

Winter Wonderland Letterpress Card by Hello Lucky! Make sure to stop by some of their shops to be dazzled by the work they do year round. This is, of course, just a smidge of what's out there in the world. Have a missed someone's work  you love? Please share. What are your favorite letterpress artists? I'd love to find out about more.