I have to say I am loving the simple user friendly site of the new Moyo Directory for Artists & Surface Designers! Love it! Let's hope it will get me some enquiries as well!
The momentum continues..
We took a small road trip to maryland this past weekend. A new route showed up and we found ourselves on this country road filled with beautiful greens, old rustic barns, antique shops. I haven't left virginia since back in May, when I went back to NYC to catch the 2013 Surtex show, also to see family and friends. This almost end of summer break was much needed. Feeling recharged and ancy I was back on it this week with yummy isagenix protein shakes, and flying out my revisions from MAT Class. I also did a lay out of all the icons I used for the Farmers Market Tote. It was truly a very productive week back and a collection is evolving. I'm also working on a nyc mural proposal for first street green, bowery project I believe. I'm also excited to work on some characters and going into my hungarian folk roots. so that is going to be so FUN!!!
Its Done! 2nd Round! Global Talent Search, Lilla Roger Studio
I really wanted to challenge myself this second round. We have 2 weeks! That's amazing time frame!!! The theme is a farmers market tote bag. There are so many elements about fall I love. First I think of Asheville North Carolina. Besides fall in NYC. Asheville tops it on my list. The leaves in the mountain from bright yellows to firery reds and oranges are intoxicating. So that was settled. The tote must have fall leaves. I have been wanting to just work on a tree and give it some meditative detail like I do with my characters. So I choose the apple picking theme. Then I wanted to draw canning. I love canning illustrations on anything! So it must have canning. Then the orange fox character showed up. How can you not have a orange fox in anything fall related. So what helped this round is looking at old vintage posters of farmers market. I love anything old, rustic, natural with modern feel to it as well. So I just try to merge all of it. The tree came as a grounding point. In the end after a bag of saltines have gone these last few days before submission I came to realize more about the concept. The concept of the market bag came from my travels to my husbands beautiful little town called Muncy in Pennsylvania. Their farmers markets are little stands in the mountains with all kinds of fall goodness during Autumn. There is no one running it. They are still on a honor system! How crazy is that?! So I guess I started imagining all these characters in the mountains coming into play. Hans Christiansen has a great quote I think of often. "Life is Like A Fairy Tale." I hope it translated here. Cross fingers. Deep Breath. Hopefully I can relax. Which is a foreign word unless I'm in a yoga class. Haha Thank you everyone for your support!! Hoping to catch some last of summer activities with my Ellie.
I'm A Semi-Finalist for Global Talent Search, Lilla Rogers Studio
I declared loudly in my heart and in my journals January of 2013. This is it. I'm going to have to do something. Go back to grad school, relocate, and or just take any art endeavors like the horns of the bull and just move with it. I can't keep going with my current work life. Then I get this course in my email inbox one day early spring. I woke up 5am before deadline to sign up for Lilla Rogers Course. Make Art That Sells. It was money I could not touch. We have been tight financially. Though my new york, hustling, rebel heart will take the lead again. It got me through 15 years living in Brooklyn & Queens. How could it fail me now?! Here I am with a beautiful art studio, life, home, daughter, husband and family. What do I have to loose?
The last few months had felt like a complete year of growth for me. The amount of AMAZING, positive people in this course with Lilla that started in June has been a flood gate of pink neon goodness, pouring into my heart. I can't help but feel this tremendous amount of weight lifted from my soul opening up a new path, point of view and just all around respect for all the artists involved through the course. Your energy has help me realize that I can do this. We can do this. Despite full time work schedules and children/spouses involved. We can make it happen. Week by week and having FUN again!! So that I have been so grateful of. Can I say that the gift art week with all the pouches were INSANE?!? And then the GTS Work!!!! It is amazing. The energy!!!! Please congrats your self!!!
So now I am this morning as I checked my iphone for emails and social network. I see the announcement on Lilla's Blog. Still in bed I said, okay just going to look at it quickly and get it over with it. The last few weeks was messy, but I kept on working on my art. And kept moving on plans. So I scroll down and am just so excited about each beautiful journal entries coming up. It was all the journals that I thought Lilla would pick. Then gasp! Tears woke my husband up like it was those good old pregnancy days. WOAHHHHH. What just happened? Thats my work!! In a contest!! Picked!!!
So here I am one of the semi-finalists for the Global Talent Search Contest, Via Lilla Rogers Studio. I'm flying, but I'm trying to be humble. No matter what happens I'm signed up in MATB Course in October from the start. I'm still continuing on with plans written down in January & July. If any of the people that entered the contest or are MAT students reading this. Know that we are all amazing. For the last 15 years out of school. I've had moments of many giving ups. Though I kept seeking support from coaches, yoga, to volunteering in creative communities. I kept on going. So you can let something like this get you down or give you more fire. I always choose fire in that case and a lot of yoga class like grounding in the other. I look at not just the artists in Lilla's studio, though world wide, and I feel like an ant. (The eames power of 10 Film pretty much sums that feeling I think well.) Okay maybe I'm exaggerating!! But its a great movie!! The work on this planet is amazing. All of us has a unique story and dedication behind our work. We all have so much to contribute and calling in our lives. I'm constantly in battle with mine, but every week. I have a to do list. And every week I have a quote in my studio to look at. And every day, I do something with my Ellie to make her smile and appreciate all the little things.
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Here's a video of the song Fly me to the moon, By Frank Sinatra. Whether that quote is related to this. Every time I think of that quote I think of this song ;-) It always cheers me up or relaxes me a bit So I can get on with it! So this is for all of you guys.
All my love, and Round 2 Here we Go...
I have grown an extra something.
I could not be even more devoted then I can ever imagine
I have grown an extra something
I don't know what it is
Appreciation?
Deletion of time?
To make art and push myself to the limits of it
Never lazy, but ever curious on details
Those centimeters
Those lines
Those paint drops
Those microns
Those pixels
Just to reach a little farther then I could yesterday.
Yet for myself. and for no one else.
To look at all the art progression these last 8 months.
Wondering who is making all this art at times
Asking how insane it has been these last 8 months.
How I declared that this is what I want.
And I will do everything.
Give it my ALL..
Why?
Because my art is worth it.
my soul demands it.
And I LOVE it.
Last Week of Make Art That Sells: Lilla Rogers Studio
Every week has been a time challenge. I had so much fun. I really pushed outside technology for all my projects which is great. What is interesting is the work process slowed down. Even though I made every deadline. I still would loved more time for the assignment. As the work process was so fun!! I wished the assignment would've came out on a Tuesday and the mini warm ups started on a Monday. I think I know why Lilla set up the schedule like this:-) Wall Art has been great for me as I love working big so Ive been getting into collaging this past year which has helped. Children's book project. I needed more time. It was crazy to think you can make it work in one week. Especially when I decided to work traditionally. I had more time in the real world with projects. So I'm not too hard on myself. I love to revisit the plates. I made a decision in the last project to do only scanned objects and really colorized my black and white girl illustrations well in photoshop. The collections of things is fun. I like to do more. Deciding to just work in photoshop helped with time, which allowed me to do two pieces ready for site updates. Anyways I'm not sure if I have improved, stayed the same, or should be pushing more insanely. I have not been picked for review. So it has been slightly frustrating. I feel like some kind of one on one validation from Lilla will really help with more clarity & fire building even more. Im sure everyone in class feels the same.. What's killing me too is I ALWAYS hit all my project briefs with clients right on the money. These class projects are all so hard because it is for ourselves. They are highly personal, yet there is still an audience to consider!!! That is not easy at all!!!!!! My market is evident with tween and adult. But I like to target smaller age groups. That is new for me. What's nice too is it has pushed me out of my perfectionism issues. Just getting on with and making art regardless how it's going to turn out. That was cool. Also fabric pattern art. I struggled with that not because I couldn't do it, but it was our first week. I didn't turn the faucet off and I over thought the process. It was simply developing a lot of icons. Yet I felt like was going to do a massive painting, as I was so ready to really do something innovative with tradional methods combined with technology. I like to revisit fabric art and just work on vectors with that project, since I only worked mostly in photoshop or traditional methods these last 5 weeks. Im definitely backed to the girl that drew every single day no matter what which is pretty epic.
Patience, Process, Walking Away & Coming Back..
One huge art journal page is now on canvas. I can now see how abundant just with simple shapes of nature, found objects or papers can create layers and layers of love. I couldn't stop playing with whatever that was happening. I was in love with the surprises. Eager to stay in the studio all day. Though it was the breaks, walking away, and coming back to it to continue that created this balance that I 'm seeing..It was all about resistance and process. Which equates patience for me. The start of the week was a painting deadline done for a little girls room. My art journals that are filled with collages and writing assisted me greatly with this Wall Art Assignment. Mainly it helped the confidence level of spreading the work pace out for the full 7 days. Which allowed me to really take good breaks with this piece. Instead of forcing it with an unrealistic deadline for myself. I actually am so in fear of last minutes that I try to get as much done before the day anything is due. Lack of time spent with my family, not taking care of myself, has been disasters of bad relationships created or just bad work. It is actually slow at the moment, so I do have the luxury to really play this week. What is most exciting is I get to use all these found papers from an old antique shops. I brush pre-dripped the canvas with different tones of dark purples, spray paint, and then washed over with prussian navy blue to start a base. The paper layers are filled with old graphics of clothing pattern templates. Then collected travel papers are cut in circles combined with left over palette papers from the paints. It's a never ending process. Really fun.
Oh my goodness!!!
I don't know where to start! These last 2 weeks with Lilla Rogers has been amazing! Intense, inspiring, motivating and fun. I'm in class with 500 plus talented creatives from all over the world. We are getting some serious tips on new and revising old portfolio pieces to propose to our dream clients. My whole work routine has been shaken. I have a sketchbook next to me in bed. The muse comes at 3am I'm coloring and drawing till I go back to bed. Or some cases. I am just rolling with so much energy!!! It is amazing. I love it!! This is the latest portfolio piece I have been working on. It is to redesign china. I finally am doing what I been saying for years! There are a series of this before I propose. It was so much fun! Everything is hand illustrated with different kinds of pens and water color. Then all scanned in with placement, color adjustment and layout. That is it. Done deal! 3rd Week Children's Books, So ready!! YAY!!
My paintings are ready to pack a suitcase. Where shall it go?
I go into a zen like trance when I'm working on a painting. I like to be clear about the artwork I am creating which aligns with the life that I'm living. Though I also like to leave room for discovery and play. I feel that art has a energy that moves a public and private space. Therefore it is essential for me to live a loving life. This helps the painting process that sustains this life force that is moving me forward. It also works as medicine or inspiration for others when they soak the work in. That has always been my intention. The life that I am leading takes a lot of letting go, mastery, patience and commitment. I let out most of my raw emotions in my artist book series. My sketchbooks are also a place of practice. I look to it as a resource for everything I do. From painting, illustration to design. They are sacred so I don't prefer to share all of it online. Though I do document some of it on instagram and share it here time to time.
All these paintings are for sale except the white wolves piece. Please email me if interested. Thank you! Go here for better viewing! Thanks!
Surtex Show, Yoshitomo Nara & Beagle Attacks. Good to be home.
I left for New York last saturday, and got back late tuesday night. Catching up with family yesterday and organized my studio. Shifting through great swag and cards to follow up. It was a really relaxed well planned trip. I got to see a lot of things going on at the Surtex Show in different markets for artists, illustrators and designers. Also various ways of dealing with art business and licensing. (From people doing it themselves to agents.) So it was inspiring and I am very excited that I got a clear picture and the personalities of each booth. I'm hoping to do a booth next year or be represented by an agent. So cross fingers on everything with follow ups and Lilla Rogers Course coming up in June. In the mean time I caught up with so many awesome people in my life from family to old friends. Bought some great tees from Brooklyn industries ate at my favorite places, and ended the trip at Chelsea to check out art. The colors were so refreshing in all of the galleries. I'm excited to explore new color combinations!! One of my favorite fine artist Yoshitomo Nara also had an exhibit. His beautiful new paintings, were just tantalizing. The layers and softness was deep yet zen like and ethereal. I always naturally run into one of his shows. Last time it was 2 years ago at the asian art museum uptown. That in itself was very welcoming! I definitely have more to share with this trip. And yes I got attacked by a beagle and almost scored a goal. My lovely boots saved my leg.
Brand Popping New!
I'm really happy to be presenting this new site. It was created with the Atlier Template from Squarespace. I have been in complete excitement over Lilla Rogers New Course that is starting in June. Coincidentally I had been planning for a few years now to check out the Surtex & National Stationery Show in NYC. Which is happening this weekend. I also am due to visit family and friends. I don't remember when was the last time I was back in NYC for the month of May. But the weather during this time is fantastic!! I'm going to see my cousin Shari, whom use to be a costume stylist for Radio City Music Hall. She is now a super happy Art Teacher. She is also the only other black sheep creative in the family like me. I also have to truly thank my husband from the bottom of my heart, for all the hours looking after our four year old while I finalize my new portfolio site. I'm really fortunate. Work wise I'm still taking on graphic and web design work. But I am not actively pursuing it as much as I am now with Illustration, Licensing, Murals, and Fine Art. I'm really happy to have the Digital and Business Skills to deal with what's in stored for me. Learning about contracts years ago has saved me many work and finance kaos. I hope this new focus will be a much easier transition. This blog post image is a little illustration of my daughter. It is what has kept me going with this site. I had a lot of fun which is important because I like to update my site weekly with inspirations, tips, and possible videos?! I can't promise you a live alpaca in this house. But I can sure promise really fun and inspiring work. Enjoy!
Patiently Waiting.
I'm not sure how I didn't learn about Lilla Rogers sooner. But her body of illustration, creative work, and advise is phenomonal. Now an agent that represents 38 illustrators world wide I just wished I got on her boat sooner. Though it is never too late and her new course will open up the amazing world of creating portfolio pieces that will authentically target the market that I 'm trying to reach. It hasn't been the easiest, this last decade out of college. I've been pursing mostly in web designing & various graphic design industries. I moved from different countries. Got married had a child. So how I managed to get to this point has been a fullfilling road of failures and successes. I also worked in the animation licensing area for some years. But it was mainly for animation industry which is VERY DIFFERENT market. I find designing for children's books, merchandise, products, fabric, stationery, and many more a lot more flexible creatively. Now I'm patiently waiting for this course to bloom!
A Growing Vision.
I should've, couldv'e been blogging like a maniac, working on art like crazy and be ready for spring. It has been a very interesting few months interms of weather on the southern east coast area. Its been cold, warm for A DAY and then cold again. The sun is shining and we are not fully in T-shirts yet. I haven't been as motivated as I was like the begining of the year. BAM! This occured. I was called upon by three awesome ladies Amanda Page Stephens, Jenn Stringer, and Hannah Serrano. For the project Better Block. I heard their voices. Filled with love, and enthusiam on what I can contibute to this. That's all it takes really. I had two afternoons to get this done. I wished I had more time. But don't we all wish we had more time. So I pulled out super new york, chinese/hungarian, butterpop skills and just got this together. Spray paint, some house paints, and a thumbnail sketch. Concept is a girl envisioning a growing city, with a star on her head in reference to the texaco bldg. The graphics along the side are my personal signature of underwater organisms. Attaching and detaching into clusters of melting something.Three panels put together making a 12ft, by 8ft art. The guy at Lowes thought I was insane to do this in two days. I said it was so nice to be able to paint outside in this great weather barefoot on a weekday!!
Here are some photos from the event, I also have prints online for sale if you are interested in the art work that I also brought out to see the public finally. It was a great event. Cheers to more!
Why I am doing this?
Lately what has been on my mind is why I draw, and why I make art, or why am I so devoted. It is something I have been doing all my life. I can't tell you how much my art has saved me from the amount of troubles I got into. Or how it saved me from anxiety attacks, how it lifted my depression. How it helped my confidence. HOw it got me through some horrible relationships. How it got me a scholarship despite all odds against me. How it helped me with my ideas to land my first paying job in NYC and how it helped me connect with some amazing people on this planet. My flyer I first designed was a club flyer, I hand drew it. I got paid for it. I was like 15, and completely stoked. I kept going. I did my largest mural in the city of Hong Kong. Its been a long time since that project, and till this day when I think of it, it still gives me jolts of electricity through my veins.
My art has mostly been around women and nature. Women I know in my life, past, present, or future. Nature and people are a reflection of me to them and back. I make art, I draw, I connect with it, so that I can be a better human being of character. These days a better mother. I have a love for biography art such as Frida Khalo, manga, the beatnik movement, my chinese history, japanese painting, the beginning of postmodern new york city, vintage signages, hand crafts, my childhood, lists of artists, designers and movements. I hope that their deaths are not wasted, that I can learn from them. I soak in the lines, layers, emotions, and moments like a human video camera when at museums or turn the pages in my library. Through authentic inspiration of what I love I like to make sure it expresses and interwine then explodes delicately onto the page. At moments raw, black and white. Clear and natural like chinese calligraphy paint drops or paint strokes. And at moments controlled, repetitive, organized and zen.
I'm not just doing this for a living, this is all I have. This is my soul speaking. This is my hell and heaven of joys. I did a lot of things so that I can keep what ever I create sacred. So I'm wondering why you should buy my art. Why you connect with it so you can buy it and hang it on your wall. I feel that I don't need to know the answers to all that. And that all I have to focus is on what I love to do, and how I can master what is in my mind on to that page everyday, and how I am able to get it to you nicely and affordable. That is all I care about, because where ever my art lives, there is love in that space. There is hope, there is possiblity, there is abundance, there is probally so much more then I can possibly see, because the art becomes your friend, and its not my business to know why it speaks to. So some days for you and some days for me. But every day I will rock this out, and give you all that I got.
Star stellar January and Febuary hearts of blues..
January was amazing start of the year, I had my first little art show opening locally in Norfolk at a wonderful handmade shop called Kitsch. Followed by a Q&A article on Altdaily. Then I got my 2012 Sketchbook Project in on time to Brooklyn Art Library to go on tour for 2013. I slammed out a website, and finished a logo for a local non-profit Prevent Child Abuse Hampton Roads and topped it off with a hand lettered Etsy Banner for Gymbohannah. I've been mentoring my intern fiercely, and sticking to her goals she landed her first design job in a desired location. In between all this, I have a household to run, drawing and writing whenever possible, and then a child to run around and be present with. It's been amazing, but I do not prefer this to be happening like this every month. I have a child and family to be part of, and they are my core values for who I am to my word and to my work. So being that said, inorder for me to completely thrive creatively somethings will have to give. More to come on that! But in the mean time the Febuary hearts of blues is already singing me a new tune, things are getting better this month already, I just dropped off new prints at Kitsch. So be sure to look for them when you visit their lovely store. I just love everything in there!
2013 Calendar is done and some updates and recaps!
It's been an amazing AMAZING, busy, fun, relaxing year to be ending soon.. I like to write more but I have to get back to some things and then finish off my day so I can be with my little family.. My daughter Ellie picked out her clothes today, and insist on putting them on herself. It's enough for me to have a slight break down, but yes its bitter sweet..This feeling of growth and change, and we are in the midst of begining of winter. Funny how a child can make it feel like spring all year around, and well some days loud as thunder.
Lets start with the epic 2013 Calendar, I have to thank my intern Christina Cagle, she has really helped me moved foward in getting this done, and then advised that I should get into our local indie, handmade shop called Kitsch in Norfolk, Also my dear friend Chelsey Barnes, her Company Parallel Graphics, got this printed out for me super quick, and awesome price..without delay this is some shots of Instagram of the products:
This is a well contained 12 month 2013 post card style calendar, limited edition set of unique black and white illustration of female characters. (These characters and illustrations have never been used in projects, its all been self promotional work, all from my private journals..) I have another 10 sets available to mail out on http://www.etsy.com/listing/116441215/2013-calendar-of-butterpop-studios
These imaginary characters are from self portraiture, people in my life, and sometimes into my daughter's world.. The original illustrations are very hard to part, and very hard to price, so I created a calendar that will present it self in a belly band, mini wooden clips, and hemp string. All the items will come in a box, that will be decorated by one of kind hand drawn illustration outside the box. Its ready to go for the holidays. And you can use them as postcards, or to adorn your surroundings with high contrast of love and energy..
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And to recap back to begining of Fall my Ever so wonderful friend and Art Director I use to work for in NYC finally came out with her book, and she chose me to illustrate it! It's made it on AMAZON in the UK, and also we are trying to get it published in English, I know it will happen, because new moms will want this version then the big old dictionary they get at baby showers. Flavia's blog: http://mamaesabetudo.blogspot.com/ is absolutely adorable and addicting, so much cool stuff for kids, moms, teenagers, I LOVE IT!! Anyways check it out and leave a comment! I'm going to interview her hopefully by January 2013, so if you guys have questions about motherhood, shoot away here, and I'll try to get them on the blog Q&A..
With the same publisher Silvia that owns Dash Editoria I was also able to cross out my bucket list project for a children's book called Serafina, its about a little goat that won't stop jumping.. with Author Marianna
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Besides Illustrations, I have been working on AGENT 88 Coffee Book Project with Old Friend Digger, and Jan from 88Transmedia His kickstarter project helped realized his dream come true: This is the coffeebook I'm working on right now. Its been a bit tough as we are on different coasts, but the book is going to look so beautiful, and ready to be send out to all the supporters on this project. It's recently made it on to LA TIMEs, so happy about that!!
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More to come on this project..
And then I complete a illustration/comic like intensive for a wine marketing company, called Connoisser Live. Animation collaboration work By Michael Jefferson | Gravy Graphics.
I will post the final animation soon, after it is render ready for the web. I'm also revamping a new site on squarespace6.. Here is a quick screen shot: You can find the Hat company off their Facebook Page:
Oh Also I uploaded some products to my society6 account: They have throw pillows now, and it is so cool I ordered one myself!! 
So I'm ending it with my butterpopstudio girl on a meditation cushion, and this blog post is finally caught up, and I'm back at Angela Philips Yoga studio lately for her Wednesday Bliss Yoga Class, its been absolutely wonderful to shift from hot yoga back to her classes, so that I can breathe again, tomorrow I'm also heading over to Brianna CeCee to get some color in my hair, she is amazing!
Serafina, its here!! Childrens Book!
It was so much fun working on this project. I can't thank how all this came into place. But its here, and even though the children's book is published in beautiful Sau Paul Brazil & in Portugese. It just amazes me still that with the power of the internet, connection, and the love for what you do as an artist, anything is possible. And it was such a pleasure to work on it with Marianna Oliverio & Silivia Ribeiro (dasheditoria)
Preparing art work for Photoshop and Illustrator.
There is something so sensual, intimate, delicate, and vulnerable about hands on working with pens, brushes, pencil, or whatever you are playing with. It is a different experience when translated into digital image. It also slows your over thinking mind down a bit, so that you actually...um.. enjoy the process? But at moments, work will call for speed. So for me I just balance and see what the client is looking for and a time line they are expecting from me, and I go from there.
My newsletter next week will be focusing on preparing art work for photoshop & illustrator, this intro tutorial is for beginners, students, or anyone interested in Butterpop Studio's work process.
The fire keeps on.
I would love for you to continue to travel and travel more, no matter what..
The world is sometimes small, we live day to day, month to month, in our routine lives, doing what we must, to stay alive, get ahead, or maintain. What ever kind of warrior you are, I like to remind you that its okay to get that you sometimes get sucked into a small world. But always have a passport handy. Always look at plane ticket prices to anywhere in the world during break time. Because it is so worth it, I promise you. You are very fortunate to have family all over the world, it helps your travel expenses an (ENTIRE-bit-fully) easier. Though the rather unfortunate part is, you miss your family way too much. And it stirs up an insatiable emotional travel itch, seasonal actually, scratching away your insides and causing an adrenaline motivated restlessness that finds you on that plane. This time, with your toddler, whom never been on a plane before. Yes how dare you bring Ellie on a 15 hour plane ride. But you had to go. It was way too long since you've been back. Your hunger for family, love, inspiration, food, culture, scooters, millions of chinese characters, brightly litted sinages, small crammed streets filled with objects and food. People, your people, your childhood. To have memories, and smell senses of old airports you frequented often as a child is a gift and curse. Even at your busiest days living in a small world of routine back in the states. These memories were never lost, they came up like suttle flashing film negatives, and harder and more clear they came once the tickets were booked. So why were you ever so worried about not being able to get home. Why were you ever so worried that your world was even so small? The worries had stopped. Your world is actually quite big really. It is so big like an unending resource of experiences, memories, senses, inspiration, passion, power, inside of you. The librarian was just busy on some days, waiting for your heart to come in and check some books out. This time, one of the books came with two tickets. One for you, and one for Ellie. There you go.