Violet Lemay Illustration

Her Shoes Sing

2012-01-06T13:34:00.007-08:00

I recently illustrated a mini-book for Highlights, a poem called "My Shoes Sing," by Joy Acey. What a fun project! A dream for me: twelve images featuring this adorable little girl, as she wears her favorite shoes throughout every season. The book (which you cut out and staple yourself) is at the very end of the January issue of Highlights High Five. Art Direction excellently provided by Kelley Cunningham.

To see a few more samples, click here.

a thousand sheets of paper

2011-10-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

This summer I was busy with three new children's book projects, one for Highlights and two for duopress. I can't share any of the art yet, but I do have something to show for myself: over a thousand sheets of printer paper, full of pencil sketches, charcoal smudges, and ink marks. Most of these sheets were scanned several times. (Thank you, trusty scanner!) In the end I compiled them into 24 beautiful full-color images, and 120 black and white ink drawings, all of which will be available for viewing in 2012.

zach and sara

2011-06-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

My friends Zach and Sara are moving soon; made this painting for their new digs in Columbus, Ohio.

Feisty, doe-eyed Nurse Sara exudes a passion for living rivaled by the likes of John the Baptist. She taught me to CHOOSE JOY. Don't let her sweet exterior fool you though; the girl is packing heat. She is one tough cookie. A warrior. As for the amazingly talented Zach, where should I begin? A natural leader with a razor-sharp mind, Zach tempers his mischievous sense of humor with transparency, sensitive to fellow humans in need of encouragement. He is both wise and humble: a highly excellent combo. Oh, how I will miss them.

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. ~ Psalm 127:4-5

God, bless Zach and Sara!

~ v

Honfest, for The Baltimore Sun

2011-06-10T19:28:00.000-07:00

This cover image ran in today's Baltimore Sun. Honfest is a big party in honor of John Water's cult classic, Hairspray. Thanks to Jay Judge & Anthony Conroy for the job and art direction. Great guys, both.

~ v

Special Guests

2011-05-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

At long last, Jamie Pierce of Resurrection Ink spoke to my Portfolio Class last Thursday morning. 'St. Jamie', a tattoo artist known for precision and delicacy, amazed my students with his portfolio and his stories—colorful, both! We had a great time visiting with Jamie and his adorable wife of ten years, Samantha. It's great for the students to hear success stories, and Jamie's was no exception. We all learned a lot.

Many guest speakers visit the classes I teach at SCAD, usually via Skype: my agent Anna Goodson, illustrators Kim Rosen and Natalie Dion, author/publisher Mauricio Velázquez de León of DuoPress, and Darren DiLieto (The Little Chimp Society, Hire an Illustrator!), for example. I've had a few local professionals drop in over the years as well, which is always wonderful—author, Marsha Marks; professional blogger, Tina Bonifacio; Lisa Stone, CPA—all offered tons of insight concerning everything to do with illustration as a business, from style to self promotion to keeping track of receipts. None of these amazing people get paid for taking time out of their busy schedules to share their thoughts with us. I am eternally grateful, and countless students are as well.

Many thanks to all of you, for making my classes infinitely more interesting!

scraps

2011-05-11T07:28:00.000-07:00

I scan a lot of black line work which ends up never being seen... this is a template for colorizing an illustration I'm currently working on. Scraps like this usually go directly to the recycle bin. It's a shame though; sometimes in their own weird way, they are (I think) uniquely beautiful. Thought I'd rescue this one to share with you today.
~ v

My Foodie ABC products, via Zazzle.com

2011-04-20T06:54:00.000-07:00

Together with DuoPress, the publisher of My Foodie ABC: A Little Gourmet's Guide, I've started designing products featuring artwork from the book. Several will post today, with more to follow soon. And yes, I take requests (the designs are quite easy to make and upload).

Enjoy!

~ v

Fred at 50: Happy Birthday, Honey!

2011-04-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

Today is my husband's fiftieth birthday. Amazing, how time flies.

At an absolute loss in the "gift ideas" department, I remembered Freddy's recent lament over some paintings I made to hang in my studio: "These are not paintings; they are illustrations." My response: "Well, that makes sense. I'm an illustrator, not a painter." "Next time," he suggested, "try using your left hand."

That's an old art-teacher's trick, making students work with their weak hands, to loosen them up. I am right-handed, and Fred is right: I am TIGHT. Years of training in technical architectural drawing sealed that deal years ago. So, in an effort to loosen up, for you, my dear, here is my rendition of your beautiful self, painted with my left hand.

Much love to you,

~ v

love and joy :-)

2011-03-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

Designed a few T-shirts today, for my Zazzle store; cards, too. Enjoy!

:-)

~ v

Ash Wednesday / Easter Sunday

2011-03-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago as I was driving through Savannah's beautiful city squares after class, I couldn't help but notice the ashes: almost every pedestrian I saw had a gray smudge right in the center of his or her forehead. Ash Wednesday... mid-day mass at the Cathedral must have just let out.

I grew up Catholic but haven't practiced in several decades (am currently non-denominational Christian)... couldn't remember the symbolism behind the ashes, so I looked it up. As far as I can tell, wearing ashes is an ancient practice associated with repentance.

Seeing all of those faithful Catholics, foreheads smudged, was rather lovely... it inspired me to create the above image as a Spring mailer. Rather than settling on a simple portrait, I set the ash-wearing woman next to a young girl in an Easter bonnet, to show the span of lent (from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday), and to symbolize the hope of Easter, which follows the sorrow of the cross. Easter, after all, equals hope: new life, abundant life, eternal life. Joy!

Globe and Mail

2011-03-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

I made this image Tuesday afternoon on a very quick turn-around for Jason Chiu a the Globe and Mail. The illustration, in today's issue, accompanies a Facts and Arguments essay written by a woman whose father recovered from a brain aneurysm. She likens him to a cat with nine lives; no matter how many times he falls, he always seems to land on his feet.

hello, old friend!

2011-03-17T09:01:00.001-07:00

It may seem like a small thing, but in the past month, I have re-introduced black to my palette. For years I shunned it, color and value alike; not sure why, anymore. In an effort to be BOLDER, allow me to say, Hello, Black—it's nice to have you back.

I saw this adorable student pedaling through one of Savannah's beautiful squares on my way to a coffee date the other day. Whoever you are, dear, thank you for the inspiration.

More to follow...

~ v

ipad cover

2011-03-08T08:45:00.000-08:00

I am building my zazzle store; decided to use my repeat pattern demo (see below) as a designer ipad cover. So cute! Makes me wish I had an ipad; or, that zazzle would sell a case for my MacBook!

repeat pattern

2011-03-02T12:27:00.000-08:00

Following the advice of illustrator / pattern designer Julia Rothman, guest writer at design sponge, I did a repeat-pattern demo in Portfolio Class at SCAD today. The resulting image (above) is more of a sketch than anything, but to be sure, the exercise was inspirational! I mean to try again soon.

help me decide

2011-02-24T09:42:00.000-08:00

I just made this image (the violet bus) for the home page of my website.

Last Friday I posted a call for help in deciding between these two illustrations. Thanks to all of you for your comments here and on facebook—what a gigantic help! Thanks to your input, I decided to go with the bus image, with a few modifications, and repositioned the little girl (also modified) so that she is well-represented in my portfolio. Change is a good thing, I guess.

Have a look: violetlemay.com.

:-)

~ v

process

2011-02-18T10:02:00.001-08:00

I saved this grocery list doodle a few months ago, thinking it would make a sweet little illustration; today I finally got around to making the art. Thought I'd take the opportunity to show how my work progresses, from beginning to end.

Once I have scanned the sketch, I make adjustments in Photoshop, and then, I print the file. Using a light table, I trace over the print on a fresh sheet of paper with my ink brush. First, I create an actual ink drawing that will become the top layer of the file. Next, I trace around shapes which will become templates for applying color. Before scanning, using a charcoal stick, I add cheeks, and, in this case, a shadow.
After the inking is finished and scanned, I colorize in Photoshop. The final step is to add texture, to give the image a screen-printing kind of look.

Voila!

stupid cupid

2011-02-14T11:52:00.000-08:00

My nine-year-old son (who thinks he is hilarious) was cracking up last night over the rhyme, "Stupid Cupid." Laughing along with him I realized, I have drawn the classic heart-pierced-by-cupid's-dart a thousand times, without giving much thought to the meaning behind the symbol. Love really is an arrow. Oh, how it hurts! And yet, how grateful I am for it.

Thank you, Freddy, for sixteen amazing years. Cupid, stupid? Not so much. I love you, dear.

~ v

zazzle shot

2011-01-31T11:56:00.000-08:00

Here's a photo (generated by Zazzle.com) showing how my design will translate. For more views and better details, read the entry below this one, and use this link:

http://www.zazzle.com/city_shoes_by_violet_lemay-167335549168159792

city shoes

2011-01-30T14:17:00.000-08:00

I just designed a pair of high-tops, available for purchase at Zazzle.com; the above city street scene is a portion of the black and white art, which wraps around both sides of the shoes. The tongue is aquamarine, for a touch of color, with an unexpected violet stripe at the back. Ladies, yes, pro-Keds high-tops are traditionally a man's style. I like them, however, and thought you might, too. There's a size conversion chart on the site. Once my first pair arrives, I'll post a photo.

http://www.zazzle.com/city_shoes_by_violet_lemay-167335549168159792

Chicago, Chicago!

2011-01-04T15:37:00.001-08:00

Me and Gray, on a recent whirlwind visit to Chicago. Oh wow, did we have fun! Makes me think of the theme from Green Acres. ("You are my wife... Good-bye, city life!") I love Savannah, but it was thoroughly refreshing spending a few hours in a big beautiful city with my family. Photographer Fred had a blast as well.

Savannah Children's Book Festival

2010-11-15T10:28:00.001-08:00

I was able to participate in the Savannah Children's Book Festival this past weekend; my husband Fred and I attended a dinner at the main branch of the Savannah Public Library Friday night (fun!), and then, all day Saturday, sat at this little table in Forsyth Park signing and selling copies of My Foodie ABC. The park was absolutely packed, all day long. I was actually hoarse at the end of the day, from all of the talking! Tons of people stopped by, including many friends of mine. Thank you, thank you, friends! Sure made the event a ton of fun. Thank you also to my students Molly, Joanna, and Maria, who helped me man the table. All in all, it was a great day.

Roads Less Traveled

2010-11-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

I love to see how other people use paint... acrylic, in particular, because I've always found it tedious. In fact, I wrote it off long ago as an impossibility for me. Here's the thing though: I just came across this scan of an acrylic painting I made for a friend several years ago, and I can't help but think, it's not half bad. Maybe I should give it another chance?

If only there were a few extra hours every day!! Too many roads enticing me these days.

:-)

~ v

Coming Soon: My Foodie ABC Activity Placemats!

2010-11-04T12:17:00.000-07:00

A copy of My Foodie ABC Placemats, which I illustrated over the summer, arrived in the mail today.... and wow, does it look wonderful! Very exciting. It's such a great idea for a book (developed by my friend Mauricio Velázquez De León, at DuoPress). The pages tear off. Each placemat features a letter from the alphabet and corresponding art from the original book, My Foodie ABC: A Little Gourmet's Guide, and an activity related to the food pictured. Very practical, very hip, and tons of fun!

Check out the other great titles DuoPress has to offer, here: http://www.duopressbooks.com/

Pile Up

2010-10-28T13:07:00.001-07:00

My students are working on full-bleed spreads for their portfolios; I decided to join them this time. Adapted this image from a sketch I made for a book project years ago, that died in-process. Cute, don't you think?

~ v

Pumpkin

2010-10-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I carved up my entry for Anna Goodson Management's annual pumpkin carving contest. Special thanks to my husband Fred for his help. Anyone can enter:

http://agoodson.com/pumpkin/

Cluck!

2010-09-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

I've been looking all summer for some kind of motivation to bust out my watercolors (it's been years), and finally, opportunity came knocking. My soon-to-be-nine-year-old son Gray, quite uncharacteristically, did something very bad: playing at a friend's house a few weeks ago, he decided to throw rocks at some old windows. The two of them busted quite a few (13 or 14). I remain horrified about all of this, although my husband Fred assures me that all male humans simply enjoy breaking windows.

So.

Gray and Fred are taking care of replacing all of the broken glass. Meanwhile, I decided to have my son make a painting for my friend Melissa, owner of the windows and mother of Gray's friend (and partner in crime), Jonah. Melissa keeps chickens, and so we decided that each of us, me and Gray, would paint one for her. We bought some small frames and presented them last night. Gray's painting, an acrylic rooster, is posted on his flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lighthousecity/?saved=1

And here is mine, an ode to one of Melissa's sweet brown hens, who was recently taken by a fox. It's a rough world out there.

- v

In the Kitchen With Violet

2010-07-12T11:12:00.001-07:00

Mauricio Velásquez de León http://www.duopressbooks.com/ publisher of My Foodie ABC: A Little Gourmet's Guide (written by Puck, illustrated by me) compied a list of interview questions for me to answer, for a promotional video which is now being edited. I took this little snapshot from the raw footage. The kitchen theme, perfect for the book, was my idea; my husband (and videographer) suggested the apron... which is really our family paint smock, turned inside out. I may not be photogenic, but I'm nothing if not resourceful. :-)

http://www.amazon.com/My-Foodie-ABC-Little-Gourmets/dp/098252952X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278959219&sr=1-1

3, 6, 9

2010-06-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

My son is growing so fast. He'll be nine years old soon. Today I made these illustrated numbers for www.letterplayground.com, inspired by his beautiful little (and getting bigger by the second) self.

Who-Whoooooo!

2010-06-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

I made this owl image today, to post on http://www.letterplayground.com/. More to follow.

Summer Toes

2010-06-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

In lieu of going for a pedicure and/or actually buying new flip flops this year (so many adorable styles out there!), I decided to get my fix by making this image for my portfolio. As usual, it began as a doodle I made while on the phone. Don't know what I'd do without Comcast tech support to lull me into a creative state.

Happy Birthday to You!

2010-05-07T12:52:00.000-07:00

I stink at remembering birthdays. Seriously. And so, here it is, friends and family: My HAPPY BIRTHDAY greeting , to you. In case I forget (or already forgot) to send you a card this year. Please, forgive me.

xo

v

My Foodie ABC: A Little Gourmet's Guide

2010-04-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

In January I spent a month or so illustrating this sweet little alphabet book for DuoPress; a set of proofs came in the mail yesterday. How exciting! Working in Photoshop as usual, I chose all Pantone swatches (which I recommend to my students all of the time), and I'm pleased to report the prints are gorgeous: perfect color matching. Quel relief!

The author, Puck, is a perfect gentleman and quite talented. The whole project came together beautifully. Copies can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com, although the book won't officially be on the shelves until the fall.

A range of unusual foods are featured in the book. Trust me, it will make you hungry. I gained at least five pounds when I was working on the art.

DuoPress is a great little publishing company. Check out their other titles at their website: http://www.duopressbooks.com/

Happy reading, and Bon Appetit!

Dabbling with Flash

2010-04-07T11:17:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased Flash and, after spending days building up the courage to tear the cellophane off the box, am finally learning to use it. This little clip is the start of a 13 scene movie I'm working on for a writer friend of mine. Fun!

J'Accuse

2010-03-03T10:14:00.000-08:00

My final illustration in the series I've been working on, having to do with words and their effect on the people in our lives. I have a sketch showing a positive example, how words can lift up the people we love, but the whole vibe just doesn't seem to go with the rest. Think I'll make it as an individual image, and hopefully will post it soon.

Mocking Bird

2010-02-15T12:17:00.000-08:00

I'm still working on the same series concerning words and their effect on relationships... how they are first formed in our thought-lives and then find themselves spilling out of our mouths, causing all kinds of havoc. My husband sweetly pointed out that in all of my images thus far, the bad guy has been the man. So I decided to make an image that would show the reverse, how women hurt their men by talking about their flaws. Husband-bashing, you could say.

Editing

2010-02-04T11:01:00.000-08:00

I've been working on a small series of works concerning the power of words, how they can tear others down or build them up. My thoughts eventually come out of my mouth, so really, monitoring thoughts is the real issue, isn't it? If I could control my thoughts, it'd be much easier to edit my words, and I'd be much easier to live with as a result.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-01-30T16:39:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's early, but January has been such a long month I'm getting antsy. So, I made this new image this afternoon and posted it on all of my portfolio sites. You can see it on the home page of my personal web site, if you like: violetlemay.com

Happy Valentine's Day!

Doodles

2010-01-25T08:11:00.000-08:00

I doodle while I'm on the phone, and often my doodles become the basis for my personal work. Many months ago this little face turned up on a paper towel while I was on hold with the phone company, and it's been sitting on my desk ever since. I like way the pink highlighter bleeds into the towel. I can't imagine doing much with this little sketch—it is what it is—but I didn't have the heart to just toss it, so I thought I'd scan it and share it with you first. Before tossing it. Affinity aside, it's time for spring cleaning.

Teaser

2010-01-14T10:24:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in quite a while because, happily, I've been extremely busy. Can't share the details yet, but I'm working on a children's book project that is scheduled to be published in March. This little pig sketch, which I love, was cut from the book. I couldn't bear to just throw the scan away, so here it is!

Tangled

2009-12-03T11:06:00.000-08:00

I had to smile when I read that this week's Illustration Friday topic: 'Tangled.' I've been working on a short film project with a friend and have a folder entitled 'Tangled' on my desktop, which contains several tangle-themed sketches. So, I thought I'd take some time today and finalize one of them. This will eventually be a still frame in the movie. When the whole thing is finished of course I'll let you know.

Fitness Magazine

2009-11-18T04:05:00.000-08:00

I did a full page illustration and two accompanying spots for the Nov/Dec issue of Fitness. Was sort of a dream job, because they chose a sketch for the main art with a cityscape in the background (always a favorite of mine), and I also got to paint the headline.

Blur

2009-11-12T13:13:00.000-08:00

"Blur' is this week's Illustration Friday topic. Unfortunately it was not difficult to find inspiration... all I had to do was take off my glasses.

I made the image blurry by printing the line work twice, just a bit off-register. You can see it better at my website:

http://violetlemay.com/artwork/1059701_Blur.html

Trippy Dippy Hippies

2009-11-05T10:27:00.000-08:00

Anna Goodson does a super-cool thematic coaster promotion every fall. This year, each of us submitted art inspired by the 60's-70's. I couldn't decide which one of my hippie sketches I liked the best, so I lumped them all together.

If any of you, like me, were young in the 70's, perhaps you remember carrying a big plastic comb in your back pocket, like the one the guy in the background has in his hand at the ready. We needed those combs to keep our feathers in place! (I say 'we', as if I ever had feathers. Alas, despite endless hours spent blow-drying and shellacking with spray, my hair would never cooperate.)

Today's Parent: 'We Surrender!'

2009-11-03T16:04:00.001-08:00

Over the summer I made this image for the November 2009 issue of Today's Parent. The article poked holes in the myth that stay-at-home moms and mothers who work outside the home are at war with each other. Very uplifting and interesting article. The author explained that plenty of stay-at-home parents actually work from home, and those with brick and mortar jobs strive for flexibility in their schedules so they can spend more time with their kids. The boundaries between the two are blurry at best. And, in the end, each is supportive of the other.

Vegan Carrot Crisps

2009-11-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

'Skinny' is this week's Illustration Friday topic.

Huh.

For two days or so I mulled over various ideas, but to me, all were so boring... the problem with skinny is that there's not much to draw, you know? Fat covers a lot of surface area. Skinny, not so much.

Then I remembered illustrating an article for Modern Bride years ago, about how newlyweds tend to gain 10-15 pounds in their first year of wedded bliss. I did tons of sketches for that assignment, so I dug through the file cabinet until I found the pile of rejects. I love the way the guy's shirt in this one hangs on his skinny frame. The only change I made was the product name, from 'Marital Bliss Chips' to 'Vegan Carrot Crisps'.

A Violet at the North Pole

2009-10-29T08:04:00.001-07:00

This year's Bologna Children's Book Fair is honoring author Gianni Rodari with an illustration competition. Here is a study for my submission. If time allows, I'd like to make an actual painting, or a lino print... we'll see how it goes.

Finding his books here in the states was difficult. I was able to order a CD, however, on which a narrator read seven of his stories. I had to pick the one about the violet for obvious reasons. :-)

You can read about the competition and the book fair at the Bologna Fiere site:

http://www.bookfair.bolognafiere.it/bcbf09_internal1.asp?m=107&l=2&a=&ma=366&c=4114&p=1072009

Fast!

2009-10-27T00:33:00.000-07:00

Insomnia (sigh). So, I decided to get up and make a picture for this week's Illustration Friday. The topic: Fast. I love how little dogs with short legs seem to glide on wheels when they're running. This is my best attempt to show this fast phenomenon.

http://www.illustrationfriday.com/

http://www.violetlemay.com/

Frozen Kiss

2009-10-22T10:31:00.000-07:00

It is almost chilly in Savannah lately, before the sun comes up anyway. My son and I could see our breath hanging in the air as we walked to the bus stop yesterday—just barely, but it was definitely there. Made me wonder if, when it's chilly out and you blow a kiss to someone, you can see the kiss as it's wafting toward its target. All of these thoughts were the inspiration for this illustration.

Shoes

2009-10-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

I sketched this idea over a year and a half ago; finally had the time and the inclination to make it into an illustration. I thought it might make a nice gift card.

The shoe at the very top—the one with the butterfly—was the inspiration for this illustration. I bought that pair of shoes in Manila many years ago, and they are a precious reminder of that trip. They are beautiful black patent leather slides, very unusual. I was wearing them the day I made the sketch.

The shoe on the left, the one about to be hung on the tree, belongs to my dear friend Laura. This is the second time I've drawn that particular shoe. It's a navy Chanel sling-back pump, quite stylish.

The Girl with the Green Ribbon

2009-10-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

When I was little my brother and I had a few spooky records that we brought out at this time of year: scary tales read aloud by various celebrities. I think Ron Howard was one of the narrators. The stories were pretty tame (the records came from the Scholastic Book Club, I'm pretty sure), but riveting. The only one I really remember is called, 'The Girl with the Green Ribbon.' I googled it yesterday—apparently it's an old folk tale, so it's part of the public domain. Here's my rendition:

Once there was a pretty little girl, very cheerful and sweet, who always wore a green ribbon tied around her neck. The little boy who sat behind her in class wondered for quite some time about the ribbon which peeked out at him from beneath her bobbed hair. One day he mustered up his courage and asked, 'Why do you always wear that green ribbon?' She shyly replied, 'If we get married when we grow up, I will tell you.'

Her shy reply turned out to be quite prophetic, for many years later, all grown up, these two schoolmates did fall in love and were married. On their wedding night the husband asked again, 'My darling, why won't you take off that green ribbon?' His bride guardedly replied, 'If we ever have children, my dear, I will tell you.'

As time went by, the couple had two lovely children, a boy and a girl. And so one day when he could stand it no longer the husband again asked, 'My dear wife, when will you tell me why you always wear that green ribbon?' The color left her cheeks as she replied, 'Husband, please... I'd rather you didn't know. Not now. Ask me again when we are old.'

The husband adored his wife and decided to be content with her answer, as his question had upset her so.

Many more years passed. The wife became ill and very frail. At her bedside, her beloved husband kissed her ashen cheek. 'My beloved, perhaps you will tell me now. Why do you wear that green ribbon?' A tear rolled down her sweet face as she replied, 'Forgive me for keeping it from you all this time, my dear. I will show you now, why I have always worn it.' With that she untied the green ribbon, and off rolled her head.

I made this image into a 'pretend' book cover, as a sample for my portfolio:

http://violetlemay.com/artwork/906539_Book_Cover.html

My Friend Joyce

2009-10-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

The last time I saw my friend Joyce, she was propped up in bed just like this... all eighty-five or so pounds of her. It was a chilly February day. Joyce had recently been admitted to a nursing home, and I thought I'd check in on her. Toting a big pot of tulips decorated with red foil for Valentine's Day, I stopped at the nurses' station and was directed to her room. The door was wide open connecting my delicate little friend to all of the cheerful activity, the buzz of the busy nursing home happening in the sunlit hallway. Deaf as could be, she didn't notice me at first. I stood there in the hall and couldn't help but smile as I watched her, happily sipping what looked like a nutritional shake from a clear plastic cup as she watched CNN's headlines zip across the television screen. She was so thin that her body hardly disturbed the clean line of the blanket that covered her; she was completely dwarfed by the hospital bed.

I drank that moment in. It was nice to see her looking well and happy. Joyce, my across-the-street neighbor, had been sick for a long, long time. We had a nice little visit that day; she remembered me and was (mostly) awake the whole time. As I gave her a hug and a kiss on my way out, I wondered if that visit would be our last. Sadly, it was.

Joyce passed away on September 29 in Huntsville, Alabama. Her family had moved her to another nursing home there, to be near them. This afternoon however, we had a little memorial service for her here in Savannah. There weren't many of us in attendance: some family members who had traveled in from Huntsville, a handful of other neighbors and friends, the minister from her church, my son and me. As we sang 'How Great Thou Art,' I cried for my friend Joyce. I will miss her.

It's funny, Joyce and I were great friends, but she really never cared for my illustration work. She was much too polite to ever come out and say that, of course, but she was also too honest to pretend to be a fan. Thought I'd post this little sketch of her, because I think she might actually approve of the style of it... although she'd be upset with me for showing her as she was that day, thinning hair all mussed, and in her jammies.

http://obit.foxandweeks.com/obitdisplay.html?id=711185&clientid=foxandweeks&listing=Current

For a thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.

You sweep men away in the sleep of death;
they are like the new grass of the morning-

though in the morning it springs up new,
by evening it is dry and withered.

~ Psalm 90:4-6

A Very Frizzy Day

2009-10-09T14:30:00.000-07:00

According to my friend Kim's mom, 'frizzy' weather is any humid, misty, or rainy day. If your hair has natural texture or body (a.k.a. is a styling nightmare), I'm sure you know what she's talking about. We had a particularly frizzy day here in Savannah recently and my hair was such a disaster, words were not adequate to describe. For fun I scribbled out the little black and white ink sketch you see here to post on facebook. Hearing comments everywhere I went that day from Savannah ladies who were equally dismayed concerning their frizzy locks, I was inspired to make my little sketch into this color piece.

http://violetlemay.com/artwork/833406_The_Frizz_Factor_Humidity_and_Your_Hair.html

Farewell, Modern Bride

2009-10-08T08:17:00.001-07:00

When I read the news that Conde Nast is shutting down five magazines in order to get their financial house in order, I thought, oooooh, that's too bad. It's not the end of the world, of course, but still, a bit discouraging for people in publishing. I was very sad to learn that one of the magazines they are discontinuing is Modern Bride. I've only worked for them once or twice—they published this image a few years ago (when I was going through a brief and semi-regrettable gouache/collage phase)—but it was a gorgeous magazine and I always enjoyed knowing it was there.

Au revoir, Modern Bride!

First Assignment for the Globe and Mail

2009-10-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

In the ten years I've been illustrating, somehow or other, until very recently, I had never worked for the Globe and Mail. This is a little odd because AGM (my agency) is based in Montreal, and the Globe and Mail is a Canadian paper. I've worked for plenty of other widely circulated newspapers (The New York Times, The Washington Post, etc.), but all here in the states. It's not that the Globe wasn't interested; I've had to turn down several of their offers over the years due to schedule conflicts. When a call came in late last week for me to illustrate a travel article for them, I was thrilled! I accepted the job even though we were on our way out the door for a weekend in Atlanta. Got sketches approved before we left and completed most of the final art in the car on my husband's laptop. Those of you who know me are very impressed right now, aren't you? (I get car sick at the drop of a hat; as a rule I can't look at anything in the car while we're on the road). This time I was so excited about the job that I just decided not to get car sick. I was a little wobbly when we arrived in Atlanta, but felt fine after a good night's sleep. All in all, it wan't too bad.

The article is about traveling without luggage; I posted one of the rejected ideas a few days ago. I'm extremely happy with this image: went for the concept of traveling light, of being as light as a feather.

Here is the image on my website, in case you'd like to see:

http://violetlemay.com/artwork/833421_Traveling_Light.html

Something for the Fellas

2009-10-06T11:41:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago I was working on a full page illustration and two spots for Fitness Magazine. I just finished this image, which was one of the rejected spot sketches. Of the batch (I sent quite a few), it had been my favorite. Because of it's decidedly masculine vibe I thought I'd go ahead and flush it out, as a challenge, and for the sake of balancing out my girly portfolio. In case you haven't noticed, my work tends to be a bit feminine (understatement).

The article was a list of tips for increasing the amount of fat burned during an average day. The tip shown here: climb stairs two at a time.

Soaring: Mastering the Art of Traveling Light

2009-10-05T11:38:00.001-07:00

This afternoon I found myself with some unexpected time in the middle of a very hectic Monday, and decided to relax by making a new image. I drew this idea last Friday morning (I had accepted a bit of a rush job for the Globe and Mail Thursday evening) and submitted it with a few other sketches; this particular concept didn't make the cut. I like the image though and filed it as a personal project for some future rainy day. I knew it wouldn't take long to realize—just an hour or two—so I gladly sat down in front of the computer and brought up the file to make good use the extra time I'd been given today.

Funny, it's been raining buckets for the past twelve hours here in Savannah. Who knew my rainy day would come so soon!

New Christmas Image

2009-10-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

Every year I do at least one new holiday image inspired by my love for Christmas in New York. When I lived in Manhattan, I was enthralled by the rows of Christmas trees for sale, lined up on the sidewalks. They smelled sooooo good! For last year's holiday image I drew those very trees. My technique/style has evolved a bit, however, since I created that image early last fall. It was the only remaining 'old' image on my website, and I knew it had to go. A sad realization, as I really love that illustraion. One of my all-time favorites. You can still see it on my altpick page; It's the very last illo in the portfolio:

http://altpick.com/violetlemay

This year's inspiration relied mostly on color. In my mind's eye I saw a yellow cab contrasted against a rich blue background; in the back seat, a red glove pressed up against the window. I didn't intend to use a primary palette, but that's pretty much how it ended up, isn't it? Oh well... as I tell my students, you can never go wrong with a primary palette. It always satisfies.

Storefronts never fail to bring me joy—I love to draw them—so creating the background was a pleasure. The falling snow ended up contributing quite a bit to the overall atmosphere of the piece, I think, and I'm very pleased with the whole thing. I was a bit sad, removing last year's image of the Christmas tree forest to make room for this one, but I'm quite relieved to have done it. Now my portfolio is consistent, and the new image tells a nice story. As for my beloved Christmas trees, I think I'll make a print to hang in my studio. Any of you who live in the Big Bad Burg, enjoy that evergreen scent for me!

Letter Girl

2009-09-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

I've been working on some poster projects lately, for various organizations (more on this to come!). During the sketching phase for one of these groups, I had a foggy idea to do illustrated letters, like the kind you'd see on the first page of a children's book. The idea remained stuck in my head, however... I didn't have any luck at all trying to sketch it out.

Several weeks later, the idea popped up again. It was one of those lightning rod moments (makes me think of Roger Von Oech's book, A Whack on the Side of the Head). I was in the middle of teaching a class, and suddenly, out of the clear blue, I saw this illustrated letter in my head, clear as a bell. I don't get inspired like that very often, but I'm always grateful when it happens! Initially, anyway.

Remember Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the version that was released in 1977? In that movie, Richard Dryfuss' character has a close encounter, and subsequently becomes obsessed with creating conical shapes. He carves them out of shaving cream, mashed potatoes, any malleable 'medium' he comes in contact with. That's how it feels, I think, in the hours/days/weeks after inspiration hits. It's an obsession, sort of an internal directive given from above, and until a girl is able to realize that vision, to get the inspiration out of her system, it can be quite overwhelming (understatement). It's sort of maniacal, but in a good way. Mostly.

So anyway, I got the inspiration, and thankfully had time to do something about it. Voila! My Capital L Girl came to be.

A few days later, my wonderful agent Anna sent out a group e-mail to tell us all that Nate Williams had posted a link to AGM's Pumpkin Carving Contest on illustrationmundo.com. She included a link, which I followed... only to stumble upon Nate's new site:

http://www.letterplayground.com/

Two seconds later Anna sent another e-mail, explaining that she had sent the wrong link. But I thought, Wow, that mistake was meant just for me! Ten minutes later, my illustrated letter was posted on the letterplayground site, and I sat back in my studio chair, deeply satisfied. Directive: complete!

Girl Pumpkin, Home from the Salon

2009-09-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

During a bout of insomnia the other night, I made a second jack-o-lantern for Anna Goodson's pumpkin carving competition. Got the inspiration from a display of mums outside a shop here in Savannah. I bought the mums and a melon to be on the safe side, in case my first idea (see below) wouldn't work out. The melon is a beautiful bright, clear yellow—a canary melon—but for some reason looks rather 'road-cone' orange in this particular shot. Go figure. The melon was much easier to carve than a pumpkin (easier to eat, too!), which was a nice surprise.

To participate, carve something up and post the photos on flickr or facebook:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/agm-pumpkin-2009/

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=137395738070

October 16th is the deadline!

Run, Gourdy, Run!

2009-09-28T06:28:00.001-07:00

Just finished my pumpkin for this year's contest at AGM. Actually, mine is a very small gourd. No pumpkins here in Savannah yet.

For the first time this year, anyone can participate. You should give it a go... it's fun! It's free! Just carve up any big fruit or vegetable. Last year's winning entry was a watermelon.

http://agoodson.com/pumpkin/

The deadline is October 16th, so, get busy!

Mail Me Art

2009-09-28T05:42:00.000-07:00

I painted this cardboard box for Darren Di Lieto's Mail Me Art project. In this view, you see the back of the box (left) containing most of the art, which wraps around the spine and onto the front (right). The addresses are cropped off.

Anyone can submit to Mail Me Art:

http://mailmeart.com/going-postal/

My inspiration for this image was Dejeuner sur l'Herbe, a painting by Edouard Manet. I have a clear memory of the painting from a set of fine art books that my mom bought for me decades ago. Schnucks, the grocery store near my childhood home, ran a promotion during which, every week, you could buy another book from the collection. I loved all of them, but my clearest memories are of Sargant (Madame X), van Gogh (Starry Night), and Manet.

So at first, I decided to simply use Manet's work as a springboard, just for fun. While researching the piece I read that apparently it caused quite a stir when Manet originally exhibited it in 1865 in a Parisian gallery. I hadn't thought about it before, but I guess it is quite odd, arranging a scene of three people (four, if you count the girl in the water), one of whom is completely nude. Some art historians theorize Manet's motive was to pull focus from his rival Monet, by exhibiting such a scandalous scene. I'm sure that was probably part of it. But, I'll bet it started innocently enough: like most artists, he appreciated the nude female form, and just didn't want to muck it up with clothing. Maybe he didn't feel like painting all of that drapey fabric. For whatever reason, there she sits, naked as a jaybird, with two fully clothed gentlemen, and they all seem absolutely and completely comfortable with the arrangement. I never wondered about it before; just thought it was a beautiful painting.

Reading about the scandal, I thought, 'Perfect! Manet was pushing the envelope!' Get it? Mail Me Art... Pushing the Envelope? I know, conceptually it's thin at best, corny at worst. But in it's thin, corny way, it made me happy. To make the whole thing even more deeply perfect, I had used my collection of envelope interiors to make the collage. This, before concocting the 'Pushing the Envelope' theme. Suddenly the whole project seemed to have been divinely inspired; it was all coming together so well. Bliss!

Until... my husband popped in. Fred liked what I'd done well enough, but frankly thought the scene was weird. I explained the whole thing about Manet, showed him the original art and went into great detail about my genius concept, all to no avail. "It's bizarre for a naked chick to be sitting in the park with two guys," said he. Which gave me doubts. I started to wonder what the ladies at the posts office would say, and the customs officials, and Darren, the world at large, etc. I'm a Sunday school teacher, for Pete's sake! What was I thinking? In the end, I was happy to paint some clothes on her; gave me a chance to use my machining stamps with white gouache, which was fun. I like to use them whenever I can (which doesn't happen much at all in my professional illustration work). Crisis averted.

I love your art, Eduoard Manet, and I admire your pluck. As for me, modesty prevails.

All's well that ends well. Hopefully my box has arrived safely in London; I haven't heard yet.

By the way, the ladies at my post office LOVED it. Ah, sweet relief.