Halloween in July!

I recently illustrated a Halloween game board for Suzanne Beck at
Ladybug Magazine. Below is a cropped section of the gameboard showing the sketch, the finished art, and the game pieces.
Adding fun textures, patterns, bright colors, silly characters and of course, CANDYYYY...made this work very enjoyable. The child who collects the most candy pieces wins! (just like in real life!)

This game will be featured in the October 2015 issue of Ladybug magazine.

June 5th-30th Art Show at Java Nation

As if you needed another reason to visit Java Nation, an eclectic coffeehouse-bar-bistro (all my favorite things!) in Celina, Ohio, I am joining Amy Stucke Deal and Julie Baltes, two artists whose work I love and admire, in a group art exhibit which will hang at Java throughout the month of June.

Lately with the beauty of spring and summer, I am trying my hand at some florals in collage-I'll have some new ones at the show. And of course some landscapes.

Stop by, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy some art!

The View Landscape Exhibit - Kettering, Ohio

I received the good news that my collage, Summer Ends, was selected for the 2015 landscape exhibit, The View, at  the Rosewood Gallery in Kettering, Ohio!  I am honored to be included!

"The View is a juried exhibition for artists living in Ohio and working in all media. This year, 108 artists submitted 317 pieces, from which the juror, Kristen Spangenberg, Curator of Prints and Photographs at Cincinnati Art Museum, chose 53 artworks representing 42 artists. Spangenberg also selected the winners of six awards, totaling $1100.

 Hours for the exhibition are Monday-Thursday 9am-9pm; Friday 9am-6pm; and Saturday 9am-3pm. Rosewood Gallery is sponsored by the City of Kettering Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department, with support from the Kettering Arts Council and the Ohio Arts Council. The Gallery is located in the Rosewood Arts Centre, 2655 Olson Drive in Kettering.  For more information, call (937) 296-0294 or visit our website: playkettering.org/gallery."

Summer Ends, 30x30", Painted Paper Collage

Ohioana Book Festival, Columbus, Ohio

Had a great time selling and signing my books, catching up with illustrator pals and rubbing shoulders, literally, with some of my favorite authors at the Ohioana Book Festival in downtown Columbus, Ohio.
After the festival we were all invited to the Ohio Governor's mansion for a reception and tour.
Book people are the best!

The kid's table with Jeff Ebbler, Michelle Houts, and Tim Bowers 

That's me behind Cinda Chima!  #starstruck #loveherbooks

Sharing a table with amazing illustrator Tim Bowers

Ringing the Governor's doorbell 

Choose To Read Ohio 2015-16

My book, Farmers' Market Day was chosen by the Ohio Library Association as a Choose To Read Ohio title in the Books for Young Children category for 2015-2016! I feel lucky to be included with other authors and illustrators from the state of Ohio.

Choose to Read Ohio (CTRO) spotlights Ohio authors and promotes reading across Ohio. The State Library of Ohio, Ohioana Library Association and Ohio Center for the Book encourage Ohioans of all ages to read and enjoy books together.
More information, including promotional materials and toolkits for the classroom can be found at: https://library.ohio.gov/ctro

Let's go find a comfy spot and READ!

Artistry Under the Dome

Had another great art fueled weekend participating in the Artistry Under the Dome exhibit and sale at the old St. Charles Seminary in Mercer County, Ohio.  30 artists and 6 area high schools exhibits were on display. This event brings painters, sculptors, glass artists, metal artists, fabric artists, woodworking artists, bead artists, and more to create the largest art event in the area. 

Thank You Artistry Under the Dome!

 Some new watercolors for sale at Artistry Under the Dome. 

Grand Lake St. Marys

St Anthony Farm

Ohio Century Farm, Ft Recovery, Ohio

Clouds over Fields

Healing Arts Exhibit, Oxford, Ohio

I snagged a spot in the juried Healing Arts Exhibit at McCullough-Hyde Hospital in Oxford, Ohio for 2015-16!

About the Healing Arts Exhibit:
The juried annual Healing Arts Exhibit is presented by the McCullough-Hyde Hospital TRUST.  Research demonstrates that patients who view art recover more quickly - their attitudes are positively affected.

A varied and beautiful juried show of 67 original works of art themed around "healing" is displayed throughout the hospital for a year.  Representing the vision of artists within a 100-mile radius of Oxford, the art work is for sale to anyone, but will remain on display until the current show is replaced by a new annual exhibit in April of each year.

Blue Evening Sunset, Paper collage, 11x14"

This image is of a midsummer evening sunset near the Indiana-Ohio State line.  

Friday Night Art Talks at Java Nation

I was invited to display my art and give a short presentation about my career in art at Java Nation in Celina, Ohio. Thank you to Java Nation, a big supporter of music and art in our area (and great food, drinks and coffee!) and the Lake Area Arts Group of Mercer County for the invitation!

 Also had the opportunity to speak about art as a career to an enthusiastic group of high school students on Saturday morning at the Mercer County Library. A great weekend!

Ohio Skies...always changing

An incredible sunset on a snowy cold day! Ohio is beautiful at all times of the year in different ways.

Art in Coldwater

the official unveiling

I was asked over the summer if I would be interested in creating a collage painting of a scene from Memorial Park in Coldwater, Ohio.  Well, it didn't take me long to say YES!

This painting was commissioned by the 175th Anniversary Celebration committee to hang in the Village Hall in Coldwater.
This is the largest collage I have ever done to date. Challenging but fun! It is an honor to have my artwork hanging in the town where I grew up.

Members of the committee and the mayor on the right

I enjoyed creating the collage of our beautiful park; it is a huge part of everyone's childhood in Coldwater.

Thanks Coldwater!

Christmas Market

Enjoyed the day at the Coldwater Holiday Open houses!

I was invited by the Lake Area Arts Group in Mercer County to be the first artist to start their 

traveling artist exhibit tours through the libraries of Mercer County.

Once a month a different local artist is featured in the display cases at each of the libraries in the county.The LAAG is a brand new arts group that is supporting creativity and a love for the arts in Mercer County, Ohio.

The earth without art is just "eh"!   Thank You Lake Area Arts Group!

Best of Show

Marbled Sky       30x30"       Collage on Canvas

Straw Field in July          18x24"          Collage on Canvas

St. Joe Corner          12x12"       Collage on Canvas

These three paintings were chosen for the juried 25th Annual St. Marys Artfest in St. Marys, Ohio this past week.  The top painting "Marbled Sky" won the Best of Show award sponsored by Don Glaser.

It is always inspiring to get together with other artists and enjoy the annual show! 

Art for a wedding

Happy Trails        14x18     Collage on Canvas

 I created this painting for my nephew Scott and his new wife Kathy for a wedding gift.

In deciding what to create for them, I asked Scott for some photos of places they have been or someplace special to them. Scott sent me a photo from one of their many hiking trips and I used it as inspiration for their wedding gift.

All the best to the happy couple!

the beginning...a light layer of brushstrokes...then

add lots of paper!

Healing Arts

Peach Sky    24x36"  Collage on Canvas

Summer Ends   30x30"   Collage on Canvas

These two paintings were selected to be displayed in the 2014 Healing Arts Exhibit at McCullough-Hyde Hospital until March 2015.

"A varied and beautiful juried show of 67 original works of art themed around "healing" is displayed throughout the hospital for a year.  Representing the vision of artists within a 100-mile radius of Oxford, the art work is for sale to anyone, but will remain on display until the current show is replaced by a new annual exhibit in April of each year."

It is an honor to be included in the exhibit!

My Easter Cards for Current 2014

These are some new designs I created for Current for Easter 2014...sweet bunnies and classic watercolor florals.

Let's skip emailing, facebooking, texting and calling on Easter (well, you probably should still call your Mom) and...
SEND A CARD!

It'll be just like 1980!

I love creating and sending greeting cards so I for one will be mailing these babies out!

To order some for yourself check out the Current catalog online:
http://www.currentcatalog.com/900534.html
http://www.currentcatalog.com/900535.html

New Illustration In Click Magazine

When I was a kid my sister and I would always make fortune tellers with choices like "You will be a millionaire" or "(insert neighbor boy's name from the bus) is in love with you"!

This new illustration for February 2014 Click Magazine is a story starter that uses a fortune teller. It lets a child come up with a place, character and object to create a story around.

I still think you could insert the name of your favorite neighbor boy in your story!

Imagination can get you through winter....

I created this collage painting for a talented golfer who made a hole-in-one at hole #5 at the Mercer County Elks golf course. A great memory of what she calls "the prettiest spot at the Elks" I'd have to agree although on the day I took pictures it was snowy and cold!!

I had to remember how beautiful summer in Ohio can be and "green" up the landscape in the photo. I created the collage below...given as a Christmas gift by a sweet daughter to her golfing mother.

All together now..."think Spring"!!

Farm Sweet Farm

Around Christmas every year I start to feel a little bit like Santa Claus, working on commissions that are going to be given as gifts and then making sure I do not spoil the surprise with a phone call or email to the wrong person.
This beautiful location in St. Henry, Ohio has new barns, tons of charm, and would make anyone want to be a farmer...or at least have a beautiful garden!

Yellow Springs Brewery Exhibit of my Ohio Landscapes

My collage paintings of Ohio landscapes will be on display at the Yellow Springs Brewery in Yellow Springs, Ohio from Dec. 11th-Feb.2, 2014.

The Yellow Springs Brewery is a cool place to visit with cool people and cold fresh unique beer!

Owned and managed by my friends Lisa Wolters and Nate Cornett, YSB brews their signature beers with Jeffrey McElfresh, the lead brewer.

Thanks to Lisa for giving me a great place to show my work!

Lovely Lisa