What am I working on?

Amy Crehore 2009 preliminary sketch

Amy Crehore 2009 preliminary sketch

I'm working on oil-primed fiberboard right now. I usually paint on linen, so this is a little bit different for me. I'm doing a couple of 12"x12" paintings in preparation for a show at comic-con in San Diego which I will tell you more about soon. I have posted some partial images (above) as a teaser. My process goes like this: first, I sketch the image in with raw umber (after transferring a pencil drawing to the board) and then, I rub raw sienna over the entire surface (or vice versa), so that I won't be painting on a stark white board. I plan to fill in some of the color today and "lose myself" in painting. Stay tuned....

Oh yeah, feel free to add a limerick to the post below if you'd like a chance to win an art t-shirt and a limited edition print. Use Edward Lear for inspiration!

The Art of Amy Crehore

Write a Limerick to Win a Free Print and Uke T-shirt

(Artist T-shirt by Amy Crehore)

(Amy Crehore 2009, limited edition, signed print)

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE
I have some new signed, limited edition prints of my recent paintings available on my website. LINK How would you like to win the print shown here, plus a Tickler Ukulele t-shirt (top image)? All you have to do is write a clever limerick about this painting and leave it in the comments section of my blog. Here is an example of a limerick . Remember, it has to be funny. You might want to give a silly name to a character and take it from there....for example: "There once was a lion (or girl) named__________".
On Sunday, at 6pm PST, a winner will be chosen.
Posts using foul language will be deleted!
Double entendres are encouraged, however. Be clever and funny, people!
The Art of Amy Crehore

"Alice" Never Dies

Alice Liddel, photo by Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) 1860

I was just looking at a book of photos by Lewis Carroll, "Dreaming in Pictures" (put together by SFMOMA and Yale University Press). The pictures are mostly of children and they are exquisite, representing the early days of fine art photography. He didn't just photograph Alice Liddell, as shown above, but many children in groups and costumes. Getting them to sit still was a feat and he managed to do it by having them relax into sleepy-type poses which made his photos quite dreamy and artistic.

Today, Tim Burton's upcoming film is in the news. In less than a year, a new movie called "Alice in Wonderland" will be in theaters. Here's a first look at the beautiful sets for that film. It sounds like it will be a sequel to the story, with a more grown-up Alice re-visiting Wonderland. Lewis Carroll and his Alice will never cease to inspire others. LINK:

USA Today

The Art of Amy Crehore

More Drawings...

"Banjo Gal" drawing by Amy Crehore
"Lolita Part Two" drawing by Amy Crehore

Detail of larger drawing "The Banana Eater" by Amy Crehore

People have shown interest in my drawings lately, so I added more of them to my website. I bring my ideas into focus by drawing. My drawings usually evolve by erasing a lot and/or tracing rough sketches. Often, I have no idea what I am drawing and it's all about the "process" and the design. The more I erase and re-draw, the better. By using my intuition, I refine my compositions. These are the preliminary sketches for my oil paintings.

The Art of Amy Crehore- Drawings

NEW Crehore Dreamgirl Prints: A Lion and a Tortoise

"Song of the Sea" by Amy Crehore 2009

"Weed Smoker's Dream" by Amy Crehore 2009

I am releasing two new, artist-signed limited edition giclee prints of paintings from my "Dreamgirls and Ukes" L.A. solo show. One is called "Song of the Sea" and the other is "Weed Smoker's Dream" (which also happens to be the title of a song by the Harlem Hamfats, 1936).

These paintings feature a tortoise and a lion. One has a banjo-ukulele in it.

Printed on Hahnemuhle acid-free photorag 308 gsm paper with the finest quality printer using superior ultrachrome inks (by Sterling Editions). Comes in archival sleeve with free postcards and a certificate of authenticity. Each print is signed and numbered by me. Only 60 prints in each edition. Some orders will have small, signed, pencil drawings tucked in them (numbers selected at random).

They are $50. and $55, plus shipping and handling. Here is the link to buy:
NEW DREAMGIRL PRINTS by Amy Crehore

P.S. I added some more drawings to my website drawing section.

Vintage Japanese Book Covers

1928
1927

1928

A Journey Round My Skull Blog (one of my favorite blogs) has posted some incredible specimens of early 20th century Japanese Book Covers. The worn-out quality only adds to the appeal of these designs. I needed some inspiration today and this is it. The 1920's is my favorite period of design, illustration, music and fine art. Even in Japan, surrealism and art deco were flourishing. "These covers come from Bookcover Design in Japan 1910s-40s (ISBN 4-89444-426-7) edited by Masayo Matsubara. Published in 2005 by PIE Books, this incredible book is already out-of-print and becoming hard to find."

Please follow this link to view more extraordinary book covers from Japan:

A Journey Round My Skull

The Art of Amy Crehore

Big-Eyed Art

Click images to enlarge

Here we have some big-eyed, bug-eyed art. In the first one, the eyes may have been painted on the eyelids before taking the photo? Or maybe it's a doctored photo.

(images from wackystuff's flickr set)