cwdrawings

Corrie's Drawing Space

Self Portrait by cwdrawings

Self Portrait by cwdrawings

Custom Adult Pencil Portrait- Double by cwdrawings

Custom Adult Pencil Portrait- Double by cwdrawings

Custom Child Pencil Portrait by cwdrawings

Custom Child Pencil Portrait by cwdrawings

Custom Infant Pencil Portrait by cwdrawings

Custom Infant Pencil Portrait by cwdrawings

 A few weeks ago my best friend Corrie and I sat down together and, while I simply guided her through the process, she put months and months of work together in one place and officially launched her own Etsy shop: cwdrawings!  Make no mistake, opening a great Etsy shop is a big deal and requires a ton of preparation.  It brings to mind aspects of the business of selling our work we artists typically don't give much thought to: shipping, item photos and descriptions, taxes, etc.  But Corrie has made it seem effortless, and her shop is absolutely beautiful.  You really must see all of her portraits for yourself!  She draws people of all ages- ancient to infant- and somehow makes them all look equally amazing.  Click on over to her shop, her facebook, and her twitter pages and let her know how much you love her!  And if you think a portrait like these would make a great addition to your home or a wonderful gift for a loved one(Valentine's Day?), you'd be exactly right. ;)

Happy Monday to you all!

Zebra Swallowtail

Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly
12x12" Watercolor and music sheets on paper

Swallowtails are some of the prettiest butterflies, aren't they?  I mean, if I was a butterfly, I'd want to have those striking stripey wings!  What I love most about butterflies is that they defy science.  Honestly, I've watched butterfly documentaries, read books, studied diagrams, and science just simply can't explain what happens from caterpillar to butterfly.  There's no other word to describe them except miraculous.  It's like these tiny little beautiful miracles gracefully and quietly prove the hand of their Creator, just by stretching their wings out and flying.  It reminds me of this verse in Scripture:

"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." -1 Corinthians 1:27

I've made my new Zebra Swallowtail painting available in my Etsy shop and have paired it up with the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (painted earlier this year).  Don't they make a lovely duo?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here's to hoping your Valentine's day is extra special for you and your love.

As for me and my love, well, it should look a little something like this...

and with a kiss at the end.

<3

A new print in the shop...

Do you remember her?

I had my wonderful model, Sydney, pose for me near a window one day some time ago.

The photo turned out gorgeous (of course because Sydney IS gorgeous),

and I couldn't help but paint her with a few of my own little creatures.

Although the original is no longer available,

the print is now for sale in my shop.

Her Faithful Friends 8x8in. Watercolor on paper

'A Quiet Day' by TheArtofMichelle

Sheep Photo of Ewe and Lamb ... lucysnowephoto... $22.00	Alphabet Animals, Plenty of... holli $35.00	Stuffed and Painted Art Doll... Fishstikks $95.00
Pressed Flowers- Pansy in Fr... regularhome $15.00	SALE White wood dweller broo... sweetbestiary $34.00	ANTIQUE FERNS Print 1865 Han... NaturalistColl... $4.00
1950s vintage dress // 50s /... simplicityisbl... $28.00	A Winter's Morning - LAR... theaterclouds $33.00	Mini Painting -Selene- Hand... lePetitFoyer $24.00
French Farmhouse Sculpture ARTISANIEeurop... $180.00	vintage large brass deer fig... RustBeltThread... $90.00	Butterfly Photos, Nature Pho... irenesuchocki $30.00
ECO Gray felted Slippers Han... kadabros $65.00	Don't Look Back. laferrera $125.00	Winter Bird Print - Fine Art... NatureMandalas $25.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

the week ahead...

This week I've got my sights set on getting updates to my Etsy shop and website.  My website is almost done as I've added a "Calendar" section and a new banner.  Plus I've updated prices and pictures of my newest work.  Then I'll need to update my listings on Etsy, which always seems to take more time than I predict.

"Irving is an avid bird watcher" by Matte Stephens

In the meantime I've been taking "shopping breaks" on Etsy.  If I'm going to get around to decorating my new house this winter, I better start collecting now don't you think?

"Meeting to fee birds" by Matte Stephens

Here's a few of my favorites from Matte Stephens.

***  J'adore Matte Stephens  ***

...but I'm having difficulty narrowing it down to just one print...

"Boston" by Matte Stephens

His cityscapes make me feel all warm inside.

As the Wind Moves

As the Wind Moves 22x28 Mixed media on paper

When I graduated college and first had thoughts of launching my own "art business," I prayed rather fervantly that God would help me communicate His deeper truths in my art.  I didn't want to just make something pretty to look at...but needed art to speak of more than just my fleeting thoughts and feelings. 

The poem came to me first (written in her sash).  

As the wind moves the leaves in Autumn,

so it begins to graze the wings of the Monarchs,

whispering a secret song so enticing that their wings itch to fly

to move

to be carried with the winds to a distant land where the sun rarely hides

and the trees keep their leaves and all the orange-winged bugs gather.

But what is left behind to weather the storms of snow and cold as it encases the land

and covers the leaves on the ground until a New Spring?

Sadness may linger in the wind

but it is taken too

to a warmer place inside her chest to be stored until 

a New Spring brings them back.

It was a beautiful Autumn day at my favorite spot in my favorite park, and I was thinking a lot about my Grandma and her poor health.  I don't mean to be overly sad here, but truly I was struggling.  She was dying and there was nothing I could do about it except pray that God would help my family and me cope.  Generally poems don't come pouring out of me, but on this occasion in the park that day, I poured out my heart to God.  Come to think of it, I think I was writing that poem to Him...or perhaps He was writing it to me.

It's basically the story of loss and how we don't have much of a choice about it sometimes.

The Lord gives life and He takes it away. 

As often is the case, an image flashed through my mind...something I knew I'd have to draw.

The image was of a young girl, wind blowing through her hair, a slight sadness about her.

And butterflies.

My Grandma raised butterflies.  She'd find butterfly eggs on milkweed plants and raise them in jars in her apartment.  Then she'd get everyone together and release them all at once.  She was the one who first peaked my interest in them when she told me once that Monarchs migrate thousands of miles every year all the way to the much warmer Mexico. In fact, August is the month many of them will begin their Fall migration.

Not only did my Grandma collect butterfly eggs, but she collected almost everything else including music.  She played the piano for decades and helped lead worship in the churches at which my Grandpa preached.  My parents were trying to decide what to do with all of her old music when she passed. I couldn't stand the thought of it all being dumped in the trash, so I kept it.

Here, the sheets of music represent a feeling of emptiness...like she's turning into a puppet or an empty shell of her old self.  And sometimes doesn't it feel like that?  Do you notice how her arm turns into a puppet as the butterflies leave?

So much of my Grandma is in this drawing.  I can't see it without thinking of her.  But honestly, it's not meant to be a sad story.  In fact, the poem concludes with this line:

"Sadness may linger in the wind, but it is taken, too,

to a warmer place inside her chest, to be stored until a new Spring brings them back."

Her hope is in the new Spring when she'll see her old friends again.  Ours is in the new life that awaits us in heaven...a new life with God and all the ones we've lost who are waiting for us there. 

The original has sold, but 9x12" prints are available in my shop here.

Another new one in the shop...

Although I finished this drawing several months ago (sometime last winter?), I'm just now getting it in the shop!  I realized while wandering through the studio a few nights ago that I have work lying around everywhere that I haven't posted on my blog OR added to my etsy shop.  Eeks! 

So here's my effort for the day!  :)

As the Wind Moves 22x28" Graphite and acrylic on paper

Click here to purchase or simply to learn more about As the Wind Moves.

I've started thinking more about prints lately...in order to make my work more accessible to the general public.  I'd love to find a place to make prints that I'll sell in the shop for under $50 (hopefully even less than that!).  Does anyone have any suggestions as to the better online printing companies?  I'd love to see As the Wind Moves as a print.  Wouldn't that be nice?

Oh, and don't forget about my June giveaway! 

Happy Thursday!

simple beauty...

Words cannot express the sheer beauty of art to me. 

I can't tell you how much I love artists who make things like this...

And can you guess how she does it? 

I think you'll be surprised when you go to her Etsy shop and read her profile here.

Her name is Lauren and her shop is called

The Haunted Hollow Tree (love that name!).

You might also agree that this next piece is quite striking...

You're going to love the rest of her work in her shop called Lori's World.

She's like me in that she sells both originals and prints, but the best part is

that she's Italian (which always makes me curious to see more) 

and ends all of her item descriptions with "Ciao."  How cute is that?

Now just imagine with me a portion of a wall in your living room or bedroom

covered with a collection of your favorite pieces from these two shops. 

Would that not look amazing?

Quite tempting....

I'm completely captivated by the simplicity and detail of these paintings. 

Just look at those feathers!  And all of the gorgeous shades of gray!

Now these last few images are just for fun.

Lately I've been fantasizing about filling my terrariums with tiny villages.

Perhaps these shops will peek your interest as they have mine...

Click here to see more from this shop called The Oak Leaves.

(Be prepared to swoon.)

Now, if you just haven't had enough, look how one European artist
makes her jewelry from these tiny ceramic homes...

Check out her shop at Artisanie Europe.
How absolutely adorable!

I could go on...but I'm afraid this post would never end!
Happy Wednesday!