The Journaling & The Cards
This page will eventually have some images of some illustrations I pull from my watercolor journals. As much as I’ve wanted to sit for daily or frequent (written) journaling, I don’t have the extended time yet or patience. I did find that rushing to my sketchbook at different times of the day to get a drawing or two in on thoughts about life, struggles with parenting, self-reflection was all easier to do in drawings. It turns out to be a wonderful way for me to capture all the thoughts, the feelings, and the actual event in the one sketch.
The cards here have been a continuation of my card adventures that all started from wanting to make one message for an old friend who had been feeling the weight of the world for quite some time. The cards started off as individually hand-cranked letterpress and hand painted to the inked and watercolored illustrations. I think of certain people when the messages come up and I imagine packaging my best wishes to them in the envelope and sending them off.
The Valentines Day Cards
Each individually inked, watercolored with Schmincke and Mijello watercolors on 300lb arches paper.
The Thank Yous
I Think of You
Individually hand cranked and then hand painted with Kuretake paint on 300lb Arches paper.
The First Card
I had observed from afar an old friend who had been feeling down for quite some time. I wanted to send this message to him anonymously. And I wanted it to be beautiful, so that it would make him stop and really take it in when he first opened it. So, I spent months researching and hunting down a small used hand-crank letterpress, designed and ordered plates to press, and then hand painted the first one. Then I finally sent it.