NOLA, will you be my muse?

On my trip to New Orleans I took my small red sketchbook, a larger drawing pad full of black paper and a box full of Prismacolor colored pencils. I didn't want to miss out on any inspiration that might hit me. I'm never without a sketchbook and pen. That would be ABSURD.  I'm still a little shy when I sketch in public because in my case it automatically attracts people to see what I'm drawing. I was even asked out on a date once outside my workplace in Brooklyn because they saw me sketching and drinking iced coffee.  It could also be because I'm the most adorable person you'll ever meet. hahaha
So I was able to fill up my sketchbook with a good amount of sketches. I was proud of myself! I gotta keep my artistic mojo  going at all times.
During our trip we would have some down time at the apartment in between adventures. So I took to my drawing pad and colored pencils and drew what inspired me that day. It was anything that I saw on our outings, from a New Orleans sticker to my friend's legs.
Here are the drawings I was able to finish in our cozy studio apartment filled with 4 other people and all the entertainment a girl could ask for.

There was a sticker of the New Orleans Fleur de Lis on the refrigerator and it reminded me of something a native king from decades ago would wear on his face. I started with the fleur de lis and expanded from there. There is so much history in New Orleans, it's amazing all the transitions they have gone through.

There was drinking involved in the trip and it proved to be very amusing. I don't drink much back home, so I did it up for my vacation. The city has so many options to partake of some local music and you can't listen to jazz without a beer or two. We found two local bars (thanks to our hostess) that we fell in love with. One was St. Joe's bar and the other Snake and Jake's. Each one of us had our own experience with the locals and other tourists. It was a great time and I get saucy when I've had 2 or 5 gin n' tonics. lol I saw Shawshank Redemption for the first time with a drink in my hand. I became the entertainment for the rest of my friends the next 2 hours of the film. :) 

And you can't have a hot Louisiana summer with out MOSQUITOS!! They were everywhere and despite using bug repellent, they freaking loved me. I was their daily buffet and I have the bug bites to prove it. This inspired me to draw our little friend and add some festive beads and a hat. They were getting wasted off our blood. I look like I have chicken pox all over my legs. haha

My friend Andrew has the longest legs I've seen on a person. I want them so I can reach the top shelves of my kitchen. I think of him as a superhero because of his height. He can reach anything and do anything! In the drawing  above I started drawing his legs and just added an octopus as a weird contrast. I am reminded of a Simpsons episode where Mr. Burns is a robot and Smithers is his robotic dog at the end of the world. I loved reliving an old Simpsons episode after awhile of not watching it. 

aah! *sigh* New Orleans gave me the perfect shot of inspiration. I love it. Thanks NOLA. You are the perfect muse. 

Great southern vibes

I'm drinking iced coffee before heading out to Magazine St.  for some shopping with my buds.  It has only been 3 days and I'm madly in love with the vibrations of this city.  All the heat and movement have inspired me in so many ways. I brought two sketchbooks with me and I'm quickly filling them up. Below is a picture of sunset at the lake and a jazz band we saw last night at The Spotted Cat.  I look forward to the days ahead.
I took these photos with my camera phone so the image is a little off.

From VA to NOLA

Sketches from the airport all the way to a New Orleans backyard.
I had some hours to kill before I departed for New Orleans. The airport was surprisingly easy to concentrate on drawing. I would just look up every once in awhile to check the time. And now I am relaxing in a hot sunny backyard in New Orleans complete with hammock, kiddie pool and awesome company.

Distracted by the summer breeze

I haven't picked up a paint brush to paint or a pencil to draw in 2 weeks. Summer is my season and I can't just see myself staying inside and not enjoying the sun. So I'm more out and about going on tiny adventures than I am working in my studio. I have gone to parks, to bbqs, a wedding, tubing and soon a grand adventure to NOLA. I leave Thursday and my head will explode as soon as I land. The South has a totally different vibe and I'm all about taking all of it in.

I can't go months without creating something - it should be at least a sketch or two. So today while I was work, I pulled out some register tape and started doodling. The store was a bit slow so I took to drawing and I somehow came out with this....

The image is in reverse and it says "This way to Retail".  I just let my mind go and it always comes out weird. hahaha It's not a spectacular piece of art but at least I'm drawing something. My casual attitude and my want to be outside all the time does not help my work in the summer.  I save all these tiny random sketches and put them away in the my sketchbooks. I never know when I might use it again.

After work, I headed over to my cousin's car garage to have the car looked at. He knows cars. I know jack shit about them. He had customers so I waited 3 hours in the back of the car garage for him to be done. I had no entertainment except my phone, my sketchbook and my iPod. I watched 2 episodes of THE IT CROWD on Netflix on my phone and then bam it died. So I was left with my sketchbook and my music. I had all the windows down, I propped my feet out the window and started sketching while listening to my playlist of awesome. I manage to get 6 sketches done of random anything. It made me feel so good. That's why I can't ever give it up. It feels so good!
I remembered something I saw at work and came up with this sketch.

It's in pencil so the image is not clear enough. It says Cucumbers remind me of whales. So I drew a cucumber and made it into a whale. And they do. I was born to be the odd duck in my family. The way people see different things in clouds, I see them in anything I come across. My brain has a strange way of processing images but I don't fight it. It's when I'm not really trying that the best work comes out. So I don't lose my artistic mojo, I'm carrying my sketchbook everywhere I go.

DISTRACTION IS AN OBSTRUCTION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION.
It's a quote from one of my favorite movies - The Science of Sleep starring Gael Garcia Bernal.
I must continue to get better at being more productive and less of a procrastinator.

My next immediate project is an illustration of an Atmosphere song for my friend Dan. He sent me the lyrics via snail mail and I'll be working some magic before I leave for NOLA.
This week will be awesome. I just know it. :)

Just call me Uncle Traveling Matt

Uncle Matt was one of my favorite characters from The Fraggles.  I thought that would end being me later in life. haha Traveling all over the world and sending postcards of my adventures to my loved ones. 

I have moved well over ten times since I graduated college back in 2003. I realize there's is something in me that is always wondering what is beyond my horizon. When I was younger I thought the norm was to stay where you are raised and never leave. I was not about it at all. My perspective has changed so much from moving from one place to the next. So I have made a goal to travel at least twice a year from now on.

I'm getting ready to leave for New Orleans in a couple of weeks. It's going to be an epic trip. Along with three of my friends, we are going to visit for a week and get inspired in so many ways. I can't wait! An artist, two writers and a photographer traveling to see NOLA.  It is possible to get inspired in the place you reside in, but inspiration grows to the ultimate level in places you have never been to.
I thrive on knowing that I have barely scratch the surface of my travels and the world offers so much left to explore. I love to travel because it expands my perspective. I get inspired every trip I take - small or big - it gives me fuel to create more art.

Right now I am in love with Steve Thomas and his retro travel posters.

Steve Thomas Art and Illustrations

 

It is just the right inspiration I need to get me ready for my next adventure!