Pin Up Girl!

My best friend is celebrating her one year wedding anniversary early next month and asked me to do a painting for her to give to her hubby as a gift.  They both love the vintage pin up girls from mid-century and she had even decorated his college dorm room with cute vintage posters of them.  She asked me to paint her in the vintage pin-up style wearing the things she had on their honeymoon.  It doesn't look exactly like a vintage pin up because she is wearing more modern clothing, but the idea of it was so cute.  I think this will be the next thing I put in my etsy store, custom artwork of yourself or significant other as a pin up girl! 

Watercolor and acrylic on hot pressed (smooth) watercolor paper, 8"x10". 

Some Amazing Etchings

I've been in Cleveland, Ohio, for the last six weeks while my boyfriend did two medical rotations there.  On my last day in Cleveland, I finally got myself over to the Cleveland Museum of Art.  Honestly I'm mad at myself for not going sooner because there was so much to see and I didn't get to it all in just one visit. 
On display was an exhibition by a British artist named John Taylor Arms.  He did amazing, detailed and gorgeous etchings of Gothic architecture in Europe.  His work is so precise and detailed, they even provided a magnifying glass to observe the etchings.  They were fairly small in size, roughly 9"x12" if I had to guess.  Some were smaller.  I would think it would be difficult to work much larger than that, given all the detail of the etchings.  I was so drawn to his work because I love his style and I love his subjects.  
I am absolutely fascinated by medieval history and it is one of my favorite time periods.  I've had the opportunity to travel a lot though Europe and see some old Gothic architecture up close.  And I want to see more.  Looking at his work, it was exactly the sort of thing I would love to do myself.  I took some photos, which I will share on here but I only had my camera phone, which isn't the best quality. And there is some glare from the glass but I tried to take the photos at angles that gave the least glare. So I apologize for the poor quality photos. 
I hope you enjoy these etchings as much as I did.  If you would like more information on this artist you can of course google him or go to Cleveland Museum of Art's website. 

Portrait of Axl Rose

So back when I was a senior in high school ('02-'03), I discovered Guns N' Roses and became obsessed.  I was in love with Axl Rose and anything Gn'R.  For one of my senior art projects, I drew a portrait of Axl.  I labored over this drawing, as drawing faces has always been very challenging to me.

As much as I still love Gun's N' Roses, my obsession has faded a bit and I would like to give Axl a new home.  If you're interested in purchasing my drawing, please contact me.  The drawing is fairly small but comes with black matting and all together is a little smaller than 9"x12".  

Finished Plumeria Watercolor

Well, it's done!  Cluster of Plumeria, 9"x12. Watercolor on paper.  

I had a lot of enthusiasm for this painting when I started it, but by the time I got to those leaves at the bottom, I think I was a little tired of it.  I painted this using a photo reference I found on the internet.  Maybe I just can't wait to go to Hawaii and get my own photo references of these gorgeous flowers.  Maui in T-3 months and 24 days.  I cannot wait to get there!!!! 

In the meantime...here's another recent watercolor painting I did of some plumeria. This is about 5"x7" ish....I made a wedding card for some friends a few months back and I painted this inside.  The photo isn't very good, sorry about that. It does look nicer in person.