Ode to the Hidden Mother

It's all so silly...but I love the Victorian child photographs with their hidden (and not so hidden) mothers. Mom's were used by photographers to comfort, calm and hold their baby's during long photo sessions. To various success... I don't know about you but seeing these just crack me up. Why not just keep the mother in the picture?  Here's one of my newest illustrations in honor of the Hidden Mom.  I'd like you to meet Alice. The newest member of my series, "The Foundlings".

Here's a few samples of Hidden (or Invisible) Mothers from How to Be a Retronaut:

 Aren't these wonderful?

And, of course, she is available in the shop.

Back to School?

Back to School Victorian Style via The Boston Public Library

I may be weird, but I love this time of the year. With everyone going back to school, it seems like a great opportunity to join in. It's as if everyone is given a clean slate to start something new no matter old you are, don't you think? And even though I'm not taking any classes this fall, it still seems like a great time to readjust and move forward. It's time to learn something new. What will I be learning? I'm pretty excited about making changes in my illustration world, learning how the world of publishing and editorial works and pushing myself out in the world more than I have before.

What new knowledge are you most excited about for your new school year? Anyone taking classes? I would love to find some new (and inexpensive) online illustration or design classes on line. Anyone have any recommendations?


Here's to learning new things. Enjoy the last few days of August!

New Work... The Sisters

My sister Laurie and I are super close. We share everything. Over the years, there has been thousands of miles between us but will can we still talk for hours about everything and anything. I couldn't imagine my life without her. Throughout life's ups and downs, she has always been there when I needed her. I am very thankful for having such an amazing sister.

Meet Mary & Ruth.

These sisters are part of my Victorian Orphan series, "The Foundlings".  And they are trying desperately to stay together...

Who would want to break the special bond between these lovely girls? Hopefully they will find a good home soon.



You can find them in my shop right here.

New Work...

I just wanted to share my latest illustrations with you.

Here's Seth. The original Victorian Goth. He loves spending his days alone in his room reading the darkest of  novels. He is looking for a special woman who will indulge in all his strange dark fantasies.

 Here's a couple of new kids from my series, The Foundlings...

Meet Daniel.  Daniel lives in the shadows with all the other dark things. He has survived through the kindness of strangers and those who look away. His secret wishes is that someone will find him and love him despite his wild ways.

Meet Polly.  She is so very, very quiet. And she radiates love, so much you will not find her without her constant feline companion, Charles. He is the only thing that has stuck by her side her whole young life after Polly was abandoned by her family at age 2.

And as always, you can find these guys in the shop! I hope you like them...

Now I am off to the store get more illustration board. I'll be bring you lot's more new stuff soon.

Illustration Friday - Lonely

I just finished this piece for my Ladies & Gents Series but feel that Miss Lorraine would be a perfect candidate for this weeks Illustration Friday challenge, Lonely.

Because she really,  really is. Lorraine is probably one of the saddest characters I created. She is a tiny little thing and kind of reminds me of myself in high school.

But who knows, maybe she get a bit of a surprise  and  meet just the right person soon, just like I did. Stranger things have happened...

Of course, she is in available in the shop!

It's Time for the August Meetup!

Bill Reaves, Field of Flowers, c. 1972 via U.S. National Archives

 Wow, the summer has just flown by! It's hard to believe that August is already here. How did all your summers go? Mine was pretty good so far.  I did manage go on a little vacation back East to visit my family and go to a wedding. I did get a bunch more illustrations done. Yay!

I think have a good mellow flow happening right now.  But, if I face reality,  I know I need to pick up the pace and get a lot more done. What about you?

So, as far as the next few months go, here's the big plans:

1.  I'm trying to get close to 100 pieces in the shop by October 1st. So basically I will be drawing/painting like a maniac the next few months...
2. Start getting prepared for the holiday rush on Etsy. 
3. Work on a bunch of editorial pieces to add to my portfolio.
4. Focus on getting my work out there more...blogs, websites and online magazines.
5. Work on my portfolio site. Make sure it looks perfect to start showing off to publishers.
6. Gallery shows...hopefully I have a few coming up.
7. I applied to my first art contest/art show. Fingers crossed that I get in.
8. Art/Craft shows. I would love to get in at least one this fall. 
9. Get my jewelry in stores. There a couple places that would like to consign them. But I have to make a few more to feel ready.
10. Add more necklaces to Etsy.  
11. Rework photography (photographing these necklaces has been harder than I thought).
12. Design postcard mailers and have them printed.
13. Choose 10 publishers to send my work to.
14. Study up on professionalism in send my work to places. 
15. Design logo.
16. Design stationary and stickers.
17. Rework blog.
18. Look for some magic way to make some money (Ok, maybe not magic but I need to figure out a way to get a little more income coming in). What do you do when you need a little extra?
19. Damon and I have a bunch of mini trips coming up, so I need to get better at time management.
20. Find some few places to advertise my shop.
21. Get more involved with SFEtsy and the Center for the Book! Volunteer and get out of the house more!!!
22. Work on book ideas with the Ladies & Gents series.
23. Get better working schedule for New Bohemia Signs.
24. Get a better blog posting schedule.

Well, that seems pretty good for now, don't you think? Do you have crazy plans for the end of summer rush?

Here's to much success and productivity!!!!!

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.  

The Art of the Autochrome...Part 2

I really love the colors of a good Autochrome.  I know that the colors aren't real but they certainly fit a certain mood.  Autochromes were created in 1903 by the Lumiere Brothers in France and marketed in 1907 to the rest of the world. There were a lot of incredible photos taken with this technology but by the 1930's it was dated and people went on to color film.

Here are some of the beautiful autochromes that are inspiring me today...

Arnold Genthe, Lady of the Sea, c. 1910

Gabriel Veyre - Casablanca  - 1908

Lumiere Bros, Woman in A Colorful Costume c. 1912

Georges Chevalier,Angle de la rue Lepic et de la rue Puget, en bas de Montmartre, 1914

Alfonse Van Besten, Two Girls Picking Cornflowers, 1912

Arnold Genthe, Nude Study, c. 1920's

Richard Sullivan, Charlie Chaplin, 1915

Photographer Unknown,Woman in Pink Dress Sitting in Chair Holding Roses, 1915 via George Eastman

Alfonse Van Besten ~Modesty c. 1912

Charles Corbet, Young Lady with a Fan on Couch, 1910

Charles Corbet, Melancholia, c. 1910

Do you have any favorite old technology's you wish would come back in style?

Want to see more? Here's the link to my original post, "Art of the Autochrome" .

Inspiration Overload...

Have you seen this yet? Check out Julia Pott's latest animation, "Belly". It really tears at your heartstrings. Don't you think it's amazing how much emotion she can create in such limited time. Cheers to your creativity and talent Julia!

Belly from Julia Pott on Vimeo.

Check out more of her work at juliapott.com

New Work....The Owl & The Butterfly

I still have a huge thing for owls. I suppose it is the mystery of them. With all the camping I do, it is pretty surprising I've never seen one out in the wild in real life. Have you?

Here's my latest illustration. I was inspired by the Victorian nature photographs and hand painted photos of the colors of Autochromes.

Like him? He's available in the shop!

I'm back!

Making up my future as I go along... photo via McCall's Magazine, Fortune Teller Cover 1940 by Nickolas Muray

 I'm back! After a lovely but busy vacation visiting my family and going to a wedding in Boston. I'm finally relaxed and ready to get back to work! I must say, it is always a huge relief when after a vacation you are excited to get to work instead of dreading what's next workwise. Yep, I'm happy to see what's next and currently prepping a lot of new illustration boards to get painting.Woo Hoo!

I'm getting ready to do a few more Foundlings (Victorian Kids) for my new series. I'm also going to work on a Victorian Couple for a art contest and start working on a few painting for a upcoming show in September. Basically, I'm becoming open for anything.

As far as the Editorial work I want to do, I'll be doing a bunch of new pieces. My plan would be I would love to start sending work out to publishers in September.

As far as books go, I'll be diving into Breaking Into Freelance Illustration by Holly DeWolf and The Right- Brain Business Plan by Jennifer Lee. Both books are amazing so far. I just need go deeper. What creative business books do you love?

 I will be going on bit of a journey in the next year or so. It is pretty scary to be jumping into something really new. But it's going to be fun right? Yep, I'll be learning something. Maybe you will learn something too.

During all of this I will be looking for a job in the fall. You know, something part time. Hopefully, something fun, creative and a place I can learn something. I'm trying to picture the perfect job in my mind. Chronicle Books are you hearing me?

On Making Changes...

Quote by Neale Donald Walsch, Design by piscolophoto

 Have you ever been stuck directly between two different career worlds? I've been going through this strange thing with my illustration in the last few months. I have really enjoyed opening my etsy shop and have learned so much, but I'm feeling I want something more. Things are just not right. (One just doesn't live life on Etsy alone...)

In truth, I am a very social person. I love working with people. All my jobs in the past were working with the public. My last job working at the Asian Art Museum was good for the fact I was surrounded by lovely people all day. I had plenty of people to interact with. My work place was filled with art and there was inspiration around ever corner. But the job itself was pretty terrible for me. I sold tickets and memberships for way too many years (7.5 years). It was pretty soul sucking...And I didn't grow. I didn't learn anything. I just grew older.

As you may know,  I quit a couple of years ago to fulfill my dreams of being an illustrator. And I have been working hard trying to get myself out there. And slowly it is happening.  I know that in reality, it takes a few years for things to really get going when you start a new business. But I wonder, when is it time to look around and see, you know you must go in a different direction to survive.

I've been talking about this change for a while here on the blog. I've always dreamed of doing editorial work, illustrating books and magazines. I dreamt of making some type of difference in the world with my artwork, and I've dreamt of working and meeting new creative types too. But dreams aside, I have been so petrified to really go to the next new step. I have to wonder, it is easier to keep doing what I'm doing and hoping the right person will discover me and miraculously all will work out well...(because you know, that happens all the time) or try something entirely new.

So what do you do when you are truly stuck in the middle? Do you stop what you are doing to focus on something else? Do you keep plugging away at what your doing and pray for extra hours in your day? Or do you just jump and reach for the new thing?

 Here's to dipping my toe into something new and seeing what happens next!

My question to you...What are you most afraid of trying?

Now, time for some deep thinking time.

New Art Series...The Foundlings

I'm happy to announce a new illustration series that I'm working on. It called, "The Foundlings". Of course, you know I have been a bit obsessed with the Victorian era, well, I wanted to explore something new. This time I'll be doing portraits of orphaned children. I remember seeing the movie "Orphan Train" on TV
 as a little kid and it has always stuck with me.  Anyone else see that movie?

I love the dark stories that can come out of these kids too. I love creating little histories. It is so much fun. So much sadness and so much hope. Here are the first of "The Foundlings", portraits. I hope you like them.

I created Hattie a few months ago..she is sweet but very, very lonely.

 And now I'd like to introduce, Martin. He is 7 and a bit of a hellion. He has a mean streak and will do just about anything for attention.

And this is little Gertie. She is 3 and looking for anyone to love her. She carries around a dirty little rag doll, the last thing she ever got from her family.

I'll still working out the stories but am having fun creating all the new characters. I am going to include some illustrations of Victorian toys and other kid related drawings.

Here is a little history of the Foundling Hospital and Orphan Trains in New York City.

And of course, these new portraits are available in the shop.

Out & About - Ocean Beach

Saturday was a gorgeous day here in San Francisco. Damon & I decided to take a bike ride along the Great Highway.  Although I love living in the Mission, sometimes I really need to be reminded to visit other areas of San Francisco. There is just so much beauty within this city. And it still amazes me that we are so close to the beach. It's so incredible...I definitely need to get out there more often. Perhaps, a picnic on the beach?

Don't you love playing tourist in your own town?

And remember, don't forget your camera!

Restored Windmill

Cute Modrian House

On the beach

My Hubby

Bathing in the Sun

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend too. Here's to a new week!

These Days...

So many good things, changes and challenges lately. Sometimes I don't know what to think about where I am right now with my work.

This song really seems to some up my feelings for my day.


Are you having, "one of those days" too?

Photos Everywhere!

 Yep, I'm on Instagram. You can follow me there... @bluehour23.

Are you on Instagram? Share your Instagram name in the comments for me to follow you!