Good morning world! Here is a new 7x8 ink drawing titled, "Sancta Simplicitas," Latin for sacred simplicity. 

"What I want to say is

that the past is the past,

and the present is what your life is,

and you are capable

of choosing what that will be,

darling citizen.

So come to the pond,

or the river of your imagination,

or the harbor of your longing,

and put your lips to the world.

And live

your life."

― Mary Oliver, Red Bird

Happy belated Valentine's Day everyone! Here's a little cut paper illustration to celebrate the day. Xo.

Oftentimes when I tell people I'm an illustrator, they're a bit confused about exactly what that means. Am I a graphic designer? A fine artist? What is the difference anyway? 

The answer is that illustration is an art form defined not by its medium, but by its context. Illustration combines the masterful creation of art with a practical application, and you can find examples of it all over the public sphere of popular media. Illustrators make images for advertisements, editorials, consumer products, children's books, clothing, movies, video games, comic books, and much more. Illustrators use their ability to visually problem solve and create striking images to manifest their client's ideas and needs.  

A recent job I just finished offers a perfect example of what an illustrator does. I was approached by the lovely and talented Renee LaLonde of Denver's Bakin' Bakery to bring to life an image she had in her mind. She wanted a woman with a rustic homesteading feel to her, wearing an apron and holding a basket full of peaches. Oh, and she wanted the woman to have a pigs head!

Delectable creations by Bakin' Bakery. 

Concord Grape Rosemary Donut... Yum!

Bakin' Bakery does weddings too! 

This offers a perfect example of what an illustrator does because I would have never come up with the idea to draw this image on my own. It was entirely her vision and quite different than anything I'd attempted to draw in the past. With her approval, I added in a wreath of flowers and foliage, comprised of ingredients she often uses in her baking- lavender, sage, prickly pear cactus, and dandelions. It actually proved to be quite a challenging assignment, but in the end I came up with an image that Renee was extremely happy with, which in turn made me extremely happy. 

The pen and ink part, in progress.

It's really rewarding when a client loves the work you've done for them. For me, there's something really meaningful about offering this skill I have for visual problem solving to help bring other people's visions to life. I feel really blessed that I have such wonderful clients like Renee who come to me to create the images for their business. If you're in the Denver area, definitely check out her food truck- she's a delightful lady and her food is not to be missed!

The finished image!