What I did this week

Stocks were falling and so was the rain, though they continually report on the news that it won't help us in California with the drought. I finished the painting I'd started a year ago, and which had languished since then on my drawing board while I toiled away at the magazine factory. It's the story of a childhood spill I took from a sled on the hill where we all used to go on the rare occasions when snow covered the ground and we were joyously let off from school. My best friend Kelly Keffer, who I believed to be a careless daredevil, was steering the sled and I was on the back. When she careened toward a mailbox, off I leapt to avoid the crash, but alas, I flew face-first into the mailbox while Kelly and the sled veered safely away.

Finished this. "Accident on Waldron's Hill"

Finished this. "Accident on Waldron's Hill"

In progress.

In progress.

Painted in my journal.

Painted in my journal.

Painted this little abstract.

Painted this little abstract.

Ate this.Spinach Bolani from Whole Foods. With Trader Joe's Lentil Soup with Ancient Grains. Quick and perfect for a rainy day.

Ate this.Spinach Bolani from Whole Foods. With Trader Joe's Lentil Soup with Ancient Grains. Quick and perfect for a rainy day.

Abstract Saturday: Tim Biskup

Today I want to share one of my favorite artists, Tim Biskup. While he's not technically an abstract painter, I figure it's okay to stretch a point... Tim's current work is not as whimsical as these older pieces, but takes a more serious tone. I, however am partial to the witty and wonderful paintings inhabited by birds, eyeballs and monsters. I see a bit of Jim Flora in his earlier compositions, for sure. You can see a good chronological sampling on his website.

A Volary of Birds

Bird filled sky 2002

 “CYCLOPS ARMORY” 2010 Cel-Vinyl Acrylic On Wooden Panel 20″ x 16″

Vision #1  2006

Poison Shallows 2010

Winnie Fitch

I only just came across this illustrator the other day. She's been working hard in the industry for many years and is happily still at it! Her work is available on Imagekind. Here are some especially nice book covers and a catalogue cover from the 1950s. I love her line work in these book cover illustrations, and the catalogue gives us a taste of her quintessentially mid-century style of character illustration. She also created some whimsical advertisements while working in Chicago, New York and Boston. See more here.

University of Chicago Press | Illustrated by Winnie Fitch (with then-husband, Joe Phelan) 1953

 

Catalogue cover Marshall Fields | Illustrated by Winnie Fitch 1950

Children's Press Illustrated by Winnie Fitch 1952

You and Space Neighbors by John Lewellen 1953 via letterology.com

It's love, love, love

February is the month of love, so we begin some utterly random posts to salute this rather popular emotion. "L'amour, l'amour, toujour l'amour" — The Countess DeLave "The Women" 1939

Popeye calls on Olive Oyl. Picture book 1937  via

Vivian Maier 1960, Florida vivianmaier.com

Swindern's Love-birds | Birds of the Tropics, Allen & Ginter cigarette card ca. 1890 via

A vintage valentine card

The seamy side of love: Honeymoon Romances #1 (Artful Publications, 1950) via

MCM home in Perth, Australia

This unique modernist home was designed in 1969 by revered Bulgarian architect Iwan Iwanoff, who was responsible for a number of incredible homes in Perth at that time. These windows are what I want at the back of my MCM home. The home is owned by Mark and Christine Baxter. Read more here.

The Baxters have also chosen modern but warm danish modern pieces that match the strong design of the home. Warm woods, a splash of color, and an ART WALL!

Really gorgeous built-ins.