Hello and welcome to the Let's Fly Blog Hop! You may have just joined me from the Life and Times blog of the talented Claire Smillie. Claire was the "hostess" of the last blog hop that I participated in and she's based in South Western England.
The theme for this hop is FLYING (also in reference to our careers) and we were encouraged to use a palette based on Emerald (Pantone's 2013 color of the year.)
Being from New Mexico where the International Balloon Fiesta is held every year, hot air balloons felt like the natural choice for my main print. During my childhood I spent years watching the balloons silently drift aloft the mesa horizon, landing in parks and open fields, and observing the hardcore balloon culture that rises at the crack of crazy cold/dark to witness a mass ascension. The ornate balloons of early flight have the frivolity I wanted to capture and the two coordinating prints reflect my life now. My Cumulus pattern is a nod to Tibetan Thangka cloud drawing style, textured with fine tatting work. And the third pattern, Terra illustrates what an aerial ride over my adopted hometown in Sonoma County would look like. The winter rains have soaked the lush grasses and fertile farmland, revealing every possible shade of green.
I've often thought that I'd like to get an soaring overview of my future path in illustrated design but 2012 brought many new and exciting opportunities— many of which I would never have expected. So, although a lift in the flag waving balloon amongst delicate clouds sounds lovely, I'm content to take the surprising ride of the unknown!
I enjoy a thriving freelance career providing private label and retail clients with graphics and illustrated patterns and prints for a range of products. Spring 2013 will be the debut of some exciting work I've been creating for a major swim retailer. Click here to see my pen and ink illustration for surfaces, editorial and advertising. One of my 2013 goals is to license my own inky pattern collections, with a special focus on the sewing fabric market. If you have inquiries about my work or collaborations, please contact me.
Next, head on out to Turin, Italy to see Dawn Clarkson's version of FLYING. Dawn's fresh style is a real treat.
This has been another fun project. If you'd like to start of the beginning of this round the world flight, hop over to Gill Eggleston's blog from France. Lastly, a big huge thanks to Rosie Martinez-Dekker of the Netherland's Believe Creative Studio for curating this event!
Balloon facts: + On the 19th September 1783 Pilatre De Rozier, a scientist, launched the first hot air balloon called 'Aerostat Reveillon'. The passengers were a sheep, a duck and a rooster and the balloon stayed in the air for a grand total of 15 minutes. + The Three Little Bees are some of the most popular balloons at the International Balloon Fiesta Special Shapes Rodeo. + I was obsessed with last Fall's monumental sky jump from more than 24 miles above earth.
