Botanical gardens

We just can't take any more winter here, the brown dirty snow, frozen and refrozen 4, 5 times over, walking the dog in the blistering cold air, can't park, can't walk, can't drive.... Ahhhhhh

So we went to Tower Hill Botanical garden to escape.

It was lovely :)

In the Guinness World Record Book

my piece of the jam comic

Yay! 94 artists around the world, myself included, get to say we are contributors to the "Most Contributors to a Published Comic Book" world record.  Woohoo!

The Pieces Project was assembled by Jakub Mazerant of IllustrateYourLIFE Gallery and I would imagine took much time and effort on his part to organize, collect and promote all this work.

This is essentially a world-jam comic, full of color and equally full of sequential nonsense.

My contribution is on page 27 of Part 1, top panel with the pink skeleton.

You can see a buddy of mine from Boston, Brian Reddy's work on page 26, panel 2 (wow we have similar color sense)  He's amazing!

Another sick day, another snow storm

Day 5... I think these new Sudafeds are going to do the trick, though.

This cold has really knocked me out, and it came at a really bad time.  I have about 6 paintings due in a month and besides getting them framed, photographed and shipped out there are so many client projects that have immovable deadlines.

Usually I enjoy the pressure, it keeps me from over thinking things and that typically makes for a better piece.  But lately I can't keep the inspiration going.  I keep scrapping ideas and starting over, which give less time for production.

While being sick I've been discovering some new things, namely Ken Burn's "The West" documentary (and even found the companion book at my favorite new old book store "The Shire")

The endless snow storms are also wearing me down.  Every year I think "Dear Lord, why do I live here??" But it's pretty just the same and soon it wil be over.

Bought my favorite peach jam and thankfully could actually taste it!  Hallelujah!

Dorothy in Blue Velvet

A recently finished painting for the upcoming show "In Dreams: a Tribute to David Lynch" at Spoke Art Gallery in San Francisco.

If you are out that way be sure to check out the show!

"Dorothy in Blue Velvet"

9"x12" gouache on cold press paper

Isabella Rossellini as Dorothy Vallens

(disclaimer: Grandpa, if you're reading this, don't watch this movie, XOXO Veronica)

Happy Valentine's Day

Another storm... Inside with lasagne and a beautiful necklace from my husband so how can anything be bad today...

Nagoya wanderings 2

More pictures from last month :)

Taken in various spots around Nagoya

(downtown Osu, Sakae, Mukigaoka and Hill's Walk)

a very 70's sign from an old shop in Mukigaoka called "Tanpopo" or dandelion

神子　Miko (shrine girls) cleaning up after the thousands of New Year's visitors.

Most of these girls are in high school, and this is their part-time job, working at the shrines.

I couldn't help but get a bit excited thinking about Rei Hino from Sailor Moon!

I tried to get to Tokyo to see the shrine used in the comics, but sadly it was not to be.

Miauen!  I believe this is the German word for "meow"?

My favorite zakka store in the world!  The little old lady who runs it is super nice.

Link… [Osu Guide]

Some day I'll go inside this mysterious place...

Another top favorite store in Osu Market place.  Filled with American and Japanese retro toys, cards, games, antiques and other bits of nostalgia.

The farmer's market stays open until about 8pm down the wider alleys of Osu

万松寺通り or "ten thousand pines temple street"

Nagoya wanderings

Just a photo dump really, some pictures from December: