Paul Thurlby

So.  I'm thinking I'll be doing a bit more featuring of other cool people while I'm in the process of getting settled with my new schedule. (Who's got an internship in the kid's art department at Kohls?  This girl!)  Here's Paul Thurlby, who not only has a really awesome last name but does absolutely awesome art.  He works with old books and found objects, and his work has a great mid-century feel to it.  Check out more at his website!

Thanks!

Finished up the piece for my graduation thank you cards.  Not sure why I decided to paint on black board (actually, it's because I have so damn much of it--I couldn't bear to toss it all out after cleaning out my studio!) but I think next time around when I try it on a lighter surface I'll be able to try some different effects.  Still can't get over the lovely matte finish of gouache!

Free Time?

It's bizarre to do projects that aren't school related.  I'm working on a little piece for my graduation thank yous, and I've been in the mood to work traditionally lately, so I thought I'd try out some of the gouache paints I bought a year or two ago but never had the time to dabble with.  I think I'll really like them when I get the hang of it--I'm loving the matte finish. 

Here's a quick preview/horrid photo before I scan it in and clean things up a bit:

Mike Lowery

I think I'm in love.  Mike Lowery is a professor at the Savannah College of Art & Design, and his work does nothing but inspire me.  Three of the seven art interns at Kohl's will be coming from SCAD--maybe some will know him!  Don't forget to check out more goodness at his website, here.

(And he does pattern work!  Le-swoon.)

Movin' On Up

I'm officially a college graduate!  Two weeks of freedom before I start my internship in the art department at Kohl's.  I'll be in the kid's department and I can't wait!  Here are some pictures from behind the scenes, including Marisa and mine's bright tights and my awesome cake featuring a taste of my thesis work (har har, see what I did there?).

 (Sorry, I couldn't find a source for the kitty cat picture, I've had it saved on my desktop for ages waiting for today!)

Movin' On Out

College graduation is tomorrow and I still can't wrap my head around it.  I suspect it'll hit me in August when I realize I'm not going back.  Anyway, I always find pictures of artist's studios interesting, so here are a few of my old space at school where I've been working this past year.

One of my exquisite corpse prints from last semester communicated our feelings quite well.

The Roaming Gnome

Here it is; my final MIAD assignment.  :(  We were to choose a mascot and backdate it (prior to its invention) into two calendar pages.  I chose the Travelocity gnome and created a sort of travel brochure calendar.  First is the gnome climbing Mount Everest circa the 1950's, taking you "to the ends of the earth", and second is the little guy leading a wagon train across the wild west in the late 1880's.  The phrase for that one was originally going to be "to the final frontier" but Star Trek kind of killed that one for me, haha.

(click to enlarge)

Nine 'o Hearts

Here's my other card for our final illo project.  It was originally going to be full of details but I liked the way the flat colors looked, so it stayed that way.  It's basically everything I like/enjoy.

A+ Gold Star

For one of our final assignments :( the senior illustration class at MIAD has been working on an illustrated deck of playing cards.  We each picked two random cards, with the extras given to some of the illustration staff and our honorary illo-major, Kaycie.

Here's my first one- I'm still finishing up details on numero dos so you'll see that in a day or two.  I give you, the ace of diamonds (and a tiny testament to the "yay we're done with school!" feeling:

Sell Sell Sell

Guess what?  All ten of my thesis prints are up for sale on my etsy shop, Abithegail!  There are two available sizes, small (8x10 and 8x8) and large (16x20 and 16x16).  It's so exciting to see them all up in my shop. :)  Don't forget, I still have cup cozies for sale in my class's etsy shop, The Rodent Burrow!

True Love

Here's a little promotional postcard for next February!  I tried doing a piece with plenty of details and no linework; I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, give me a couple weeks.  However, the subject matter is purrfect.  I tossed in some process shots just because it's been a while since I've shown some.

The Rodent Burrow

Not nearly as cool as The Burrow (Potter-Dorks unite!) but still pretty freakin' cool, my class's pop-up Etsy shop has arrived!  There has been a lot of slaving over the needle and thread recently in my household, all to bring to you these little guys.  Their shining faces turned out cuter than I could have ever hoped for!

The shop also features some kick-butt stuff from my fellow classmates- stamps, wallets, wall decor, jewelry, and more.  Act quick, the shop will only be up for a month!

Photo Booth

Today my school had something of a school-wide series of talks among students they called MIAD Define, where seniors could volunteer to talk to any interested underclassman about their thesis work and the entire "end of school" experience.  We had a sort of fancy photo booth set up near the elevator, taking a slice of art school life one by one.  The camera was controlled via smart phone and while still standing in front of the lens, we could glance down at the phone in our hand and see the photo we'd just taken.  The set up was great- I'd love to have an entire school sort of yearbook taken that way.  Here are some of my favorites from the day, but you can see all of them here.

(Pictured: Me, Jasmine Barmore, Jake Otto, Mariah Holterman, Calvin Whitehurst, Leah Sablich, Courtney Allison, and the MIAD River Rat.)

A Little Somethin' Somethin'

Just a kitty I drew last semester that I found while cleaning up some files.  Hope your week is starting out on a good note!  Mine hasn't been too bad- a couple episodes of Carnivále, sewing so much that I might have nerve damage in my fingertips, and doodling up a Valentine's Day postcard filled to the brim with kitties!  Meow.

It's Official

With the help of some of irreplaceable friends (the saint-like Liz Nugent and the splendid Marisa Seguin) my website is now up and running!  There are still some more pieces I need to add, but right now I'm sewing up a storm and making some super adorable cup cozies--more on that later!

In other news, Gallery Night at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design was last night and it was a blast.  I met some great people and got excellent reactions to my work.  There was a mini-crisis when the drywall my shelves were mounted to began to fall apart, but a young usher man saved the day by running into the 3-D lab and grabbing a screwdriver so I could quick make some new holes and reattach my shelf.  I wish the night would have lasted longer, I love when people start reading my work and grin at a joke or hold their kids up so they can appreciate it closer.

Food for Dorks

It isn't often you'll see me posting recipes on here; there are plenty of food blogs out there who know what they're doing, so I'll leave that to them.  I'm just here to gush about this recipe I found for Butterbeer cupcakes.  Since senior thesis will be up and ready in a few days and I just had my final internship interview today, I'm hoping I'll soon have time to whip these babies out!

A cream soda-esque cake filled with butterscotch ganache topped with butterscotch buttercream and drizzled with even more ganache?  It sounds like overkill in the best sort of way.  Go big or go home, my fellow Potter dorks.

Happy Halloween!

I'm only six months early, right?  Here are some little guys I made to base a collection of home goods off of.  There will be some coordinating patterns, of course... I just have yet to make them.  Do you have a favorite?  I think mine might be either the vampire or mister ghostie.

Lucy Knisley and the Awesome HP Summaries

My bud Alexis linked me Lucy Knisley's works the other day and I am (im)patiently waiting until she finishes up posters for the last three Harry Potter books so I can buy them all together and save monies.  They're hilarious, adorable, and accurate.  You can see one through four here, and purchase them here.

 (Note: That kitty next to Hermione when she first shows up is not Crookshanks.  Would I really link you something Harry-related if it weren't accurate?  Come on.)

Sylvia the Silky-Faced Wonder

This weekend I gave away shifts at Starbucks so I could do more homework.  Yes, I am that cool.  In lieu of paycheck, I have received the comfort of knowing not all hope is lost when it comes to thesis.  After working my tush off, there are only three out of the ten pieces left to finish, and all of those are about half done.  The end is nigh!

Meet Sylvia (and click to enlarge, for heaven's sake).  There were all sorts of goodies I managed to hide in this one, stuff for a lot of my friends, names, my birth date, and then just some silly snake-tattoo-humor like the dead mongoose.  The idea of putting "Jesus Sssssaves" somewhere was tossed around but ultimately discarded (sorry Thad!). 

Man Ties

Or tie, rather.  In case you've been living under a rock, thesis time is looming. Thankfully, my pattern & licensing class has been busy doing in class only assignments, so that's one less thing I have to give me ulcers.  Here's what this week's project was: a floral tie for a investment banker in his 40's to 50's using the specific flower you were assigned.  I got dogwood.

It gives me a kind of modern Americana vibe (the red, white, & blue) but Marisa thought it looked Japanese, maybe kind of like cherry blossoms?  A little bit of both?

Things I Want To Spend Monies On

My senior thesis show is right around the bend and it seems everyone and their cat is shopping for dresses and shoes.  So... I wanted to waste time and do it, too.  I think I'll just be wearing something out of my closet, but it's fun to window shop.

Social Diary Dress & Nantucket Clam Bake Dress from Modcloth

Spotted Scallop Collar Dress & Mustard Crochet Collar Jersey Dress from Topshop

 

Humming Soon Dress from Modcloth

(Check out the amazing detailing in the back that would totally prevent me from 

wearing a normal bra!  Love the front, though.)