nine feet of art

I just wanted to share this video with you that fellow Moly-X artist Tim Clary took of my Moleskine Exchange 13 book, which is currently on display at Minnesota Center for Book Arts. The fabulous artists I collaborated with on this wonderful project are (in order of rotation) Anna Denise van der Reijden, Emma Kidd and Laura Martin Ansa. I am so proud of our little group, and knowing my book is showing in a gallery is an amazing feeling— if only I could be there in person to see it!

Thank you Tim, for enabling me to share this book with the world— and an enormous thank you to Marty Harris, founder of Moly-X, for getting us into the MCBA!

when words become clumsy strangers

And here it is: my first entry in my second book for Moly-X13.
I had this idea of trying to capture that feeling you get when your heart is bursting with all the things you long to say, but they just can't form in your mouth— when that certain person can tie your tongue with their mere presence.

I used a combination of pencil, India ink, acrylics, Prismacolors and white nail polish. I like how the layers of nail polish kind of "fog" out the words— I wanted the words coming out of my heart to look like whispers. There was absolutely no plan in my mind when I started working on it, everything just sort of unfolded. I'm pretty pleased with the result.


Please click on the images to see them larger.

tuesday

Nothing like a few wasabi peas, a hot cup of jasmine tea, a pen and some ink. Oh— and a tin of colour pencils and Moleskines. I've been trying to catch up on some work for various Moleskine Exchanges I'm in. The lovely Mr. Behemoth in the top Moly is Emma's book for Moly-X48. I happen to know that she's a fan of The Master and Margarita, so I wanted to draw a few of my favourite characters for her. The book below him is my second Moly for Moly-X13.
I hope to finish these soon and send them on their way to the next artists.

completion

After a little over a year, and passing through the hands of four artists in six countries, my Moleskine for Moly-X13 has come home. It's a surreal feeling; I remember ripping off the plastic wrapping and looking at the blank paper, wondering what on earth to draw. I was in my little apartment in San Francisco, sitting on my little Ikea sofa with a cup of tea when I picked up a pencil and drew the first lines. I recall the anxiety I felt when I handed over the package containing my book to the woman at the post office, hoping that it would make it safely to Anna Denise in the Netherlands. Now my book is in my hands, in Istanbul, where I did not imagine I nor it would be 15 months later.


Click on this to see it larger.

four to go

Here's my final entry in Anna Denise's book for Moly-X13. Once Anna finishes the last two and a half pages, the book will be completed and we'll start all over again with new books. This is the first exchange I have participated in, an exchange I put together myself, so it's been a really special one for me.

I used a Micron Pigma pen, Winsor & Newton India ink and white ink, watercolour and gouache. This Moly is so beautifully vibrant that I wanted to use some subtle and soft colours to bring it all down to a close, like in a symphony. I don't know the proper term— diminuendo?

Now my stack of Moleskines has gotten down to a more manageable four. I'll be working on these during the next few weeks.

exchange 13 and urban sketchers

The rain today was unlike any rain I have seen in a long time— massive drops flying sideways, up and down. It was a perfect day to stay in, drink tea and do some drawing. I finished my final entry in Emma's Moleskine for Moly-X13.


Please click on the image to see it larger.

Emma's work is so full of life, colour, fun and a looseness that I would love to achieve. The characters she creates have so much personality, they seem to leap off the page. I highly recommend visiting her site.

If you find yourself stuck inside on a rainy day, or curious to see what the world looks like through the eyes of its artists, Urban Sketchers is a great place to get lost in. You may have noticed our logo on the right side of this page. Urban Sketchers was founded in November 2008 by Seattle sketcher Gabi Campanario, to showcase the work of artists around the world who draw the cities they live in and visit. We've got over 70 correspondents on six continents— I happen to be one of them. The talent contained within Urban Sketchers is truly inspiring, and it's a wonderful way to travel to different countries and learn about other cultures. In addition to looking at all the beautiful sketches, I love reading the stories that accompany them.

Since I've posted all of my Istanbul sketches here, I thought I'd share with you some of the ones I did back in San Francisco.