DRAWING on OBSERVATIONS

detail

Life can be serendipitous. It’s good to have a plan, but often what unfolds has no resemblance to your grand scheme. Continuing from yesterday, I’m going to take this short week to feature more wine label work and the serendipitous way it came to me.

detail

It wasn’t by design or hard work, but had it’s seeds in my seeking a little rest and relaxation.

We spent a weeks vacation in San Francisco and Napa Valley and I was floored by the beauty of the region. I had been busy with commissioned illustrations and hadn’t painted a landscape in far too long.

detail

This was before I had a weblog, so I thought I would do a few quick sketches for fun, post them on my illustration site, and tell family and friends what we did on our summer vacation with an email and a link…. more travel log than portfolio piece really. Within a month I got my first call to paint a landscape for a California wine label. Gotta love Google.

finished illustration

Continue Reading

A while back I was commissioned by Timothy Harris Design to paint this wine label for Livingston Cellars, an E&J Gallo Brand. I was honored to learn that it was selected in the Professional Illustration category of Creative Quarterly 16 as a runner up.

Detail

I fell in love with painting landscapes as a young art student when I was fortunate enough to study abroad in the Parsons In Paris program.

Detail

Six weeks of lugging my French easel around Paris and the South of France painting every day en plein air was an invaluable life experience.

Detail

So, getting an assignment that basically calls on me to paint a landscape, with or without floating car, is a real pleasure, and having it recognized by Creative Quarterly is especially gratifying.

Finished illustration

Continue Reading