People who get it

These two women get it. and it makes me smile to see their work.
finally a wedding photog that takes stylie photos. If I ever go down that path again Anna Kuperberg will be on my call list. I guess I should say 'when I go down that path again' ;). Anna has an incredible eye and point of view with other people too. more good stuff here, and here.

and... because Ms. Andrea is one of my super heros and lead me to Anna...you must visit her site as well. I shed a few tears at the office [quietly] when I logged in one day recently and she announced that she was expecting, after a long battle with infertility that she has talked about here along with her great photography and great daily thoughts. Congrats Andrea and hubby.

Super Hero Designs

new at apartment therapy

sorry for the light postings this week, was traveling for work. AT:LA posted another story from me yesterday!

Micro compact home

Micro Compact Home

step 1 linoleum cut print Saturday 6/24

So I'm starting another beast of a reduction print. Because the technique is so difficult to understand I thought I would document the progress of the piece so that viewers may see the process.

The first step of a lino cut is to remove anything you want to keep white, or the paper color. I've included photos of the block itself [which must be cut in reverse so that the print reads right], and the first color which is a pale yellow. Sorry, the color is so bright on the sheet it's a little difficult to see. With any lino cut print you work lightest to darkest. Click on the images to see a close up of the work.

I haven't completly mapped this project out, sometimes thing change as I work but this should be an 8-9 color print once I'm done. Today's color took me approx 3+ hrs to complete. I printed about 20+ sheets, test sheets as well as good stock. If i'm lucky I'll get 10 good prints after errors along the way.

Stop by weekly to see the progress. This project will take about 2 mo to complete. I'm hoping less but the lab doesn't have evening hrs this summer so I'm stuck to Saturday's only.

-R.

Designed Down to the Last Detail

If you want to plaster your mug all over your AMEX bills, your child’s toothless grin on upcoming birthday party invites, or the pet pug on your Christmas cards then this is the place to go. Photo stamps are an ingenious invention [yes, sir approved by the USPS] that you can upload your chosen photo and then print out your stamps on site [for macs] or place an order and have them sent to you.

How cool would it be to send your best photo from this summer’s river rafting trip in for your next round of bills. Snail Mail never sounded so good.

Business Week voted it one of the best products of 2005, and the Smithsonian currently has a stamp design contest happening. Quite possibly, you could change the face of mail forever.

-Richele

Photo Stamps

Real [cool] Art

Most major cities have some historical preservation; Long Beach has an exceptional collection begging for attention. The wonderful people who archive and handle the photography collection at the LBHS have great art for the taking at really reasonable prices.

If you’re in need of inexpensive but fun photography I invite you to check them out, not only will you start a wonderful collection that will invite cocktail conversations, but you will help out a charitable foundation. [Maybe a write-off? I’d double-check that]. Most photos are 8x10 and are shockingly affordable at $30 or so. historicalsocietylb.org

Historical Society of Long Beach
110 Pine Ave #1200
Long Beach, CA
562.495.1210

HSLB
also their Ebay store is fantastic!
HSLB Ebay site

or check out your own cities history and start your own collection.

From the collection of the Historical Society of Long Beach
*All Rights Reserved by the HSLB do not use images with out permission*
A special thanks to Julie Bartolotto and HSLB for the use of the photographs
-richele

introducing...Scott Yeskel

I had the pleasure of first seeing Scott’s work last spring at the Brewery Art Walk, then in a strange set of coincidences also seeing his work at H.D. Buttercup. His work is so good I stopped in the booth not for the furniture but to inquire about the art on the walls. I was tickled to find out it was the same person I had admired months previously.

Scott has a new show that began last week in Laguna Beach. This group of work called ‘Maps’ focuses on his abstracts, which like his other work is rich in color and has this very unique ethereal quality to it. It’s most notable in his cityscapes series, a quiet haze that draws you in. Somehow the dulled images and lighting invites you in to focus more. I very rarely have the experience of wanting to stand and continue to look at a painting, but his work demands it.

I asked Scott to describe this new group of work for me and he told me that they are ‘moody, incorporeal paintings of landscapes that capture moods and ideas rather than realistic images and places’. One of his pieces entitled ‘Levee Break’ was a response to Katrina. ‘It is an optimistic painting filled with color, but moody in the sense that it’s composition references the disaster.’ His realistic work as he describes ‘is still dealing with Los Angeles and all it’s glory, as he phrases it…traffic snarls, heat, and sprawl.’

I get fickle, school-girl crushes on things easily; colors, design, clothing, sometimes people…and I can definitely say I have an art crush. Scott’s post card still remains on my board at the office a year later, which in my fickle rotation says my art crush might be art love.

Scott Yeskel
GC Gallery

apartment therapy

I've been doing a little writing for www.ApartmentTherapy.com [Los Angeles]

Check out AT if you haven't been there yet [the site is great!]--be sure to check out my listings as well. On occasion you might see me post items here as well that are noteable or that AT:LA pass on. I hope to share good design with others as well.

-Richele

Tamara's Stately digs

Topsy Turvy

i heart Cliff May

Ode to the Pool Party

Ode to the pool party


If I had a pool I would need to have these for certain and then follow it up with a very chic back yard cocktail party. Available through www.metalarte.com and designer retailers, these rechargeable lamps are molded from tough, waterproof polyethylene and cost around $450 each but so cool how can you pass them up?

Thanks to www.thecoolhunter.net for the tip

-Richele

Etsy Bitsy

I want to welcome any Etsy folks visiting. I recently opened an Etsy store to sort of cross platform my work and blog.
I am listing items on Etsy [slightly more expensive than here to cover costs] if you want a bargin. email me first I guess:)

PS there are pieces available here that are not available on Etsy. Secret Art!

This is a great adventure. thanks for visting.

Richele

etsy shop
www.richiedesign.etsy.com

saturday's class project

I just finished this project entitled 'Water Rising' this morning.
series of 9 pieces only
2 color reduction
8 are available for sale.
5X7 art, sheet is 11x15
$30.00

I wanted to make a piece of art geared toward the fear of not being a mom at my age. The only visual that kept coming forward was a lucite box with water rushing in. At 37 my water is approaching the danger zone and I'm not quite sure that when I get to the top [40] that there will be a pocket of air for me to breathe, or a lid to hold me down.

This is a lesson of letting go.

if I were a soundtrack

I would be this CD. the perfect music for a summer day
Nicola Conte, Bossa Per Due
-richie

Happy Fathers Day

This here is a new fangled way of saying happy fathers day to you Dad.
It's mostly because I didn't get a card made for you, but this posts it to
the world, so I thought it might be a more grand gesture :)

THE SAME BUT DIFFERENT...
I never understood the farming thing when I was younger but being
older I can understand the grace of working with your hands. We both
work with our hands, yours just happens to be in the dirt and cars... mine
printing and art [and an ipod blaring]. Funny how those things come about.

I love telling people I'm a farmers daughter...they always cock their head to the side and say hu?
Hope you have a great day.


love richie

Sign art

don't ya just love hand painted signage? from a recent trip to Sacramento.
you are "simply the nicest"
thanks for stopping in

-R

colored sheet series

More from the colored sheet series. see description below.

have a great day. Lunch break is over.
cheers richie

flower studies in pink

part of my illustration series, this pink combo was done with two of the images only. printed on 100% rag paper the print is really beautiful and elegant on this stock.

Again images are hand drawn, reversed, carved into lino blocks, then hand pulled on press.
sheets are quiet large for larger format framing, or can be cut down if desired. image is 4x6 sheet is approx 15x20
limited edition [I haven't numbered yet but probably around 20 available in each design]

flower studies

this is an ongoing project of flower illustrations. each design was hand drawn, reversed, carved into linoleum and then hand pulled on press. this is of the same image a sweet pea illustration done each on strawberry, orange, and pool blue paper. image is 4x6 on a 8.5x11 sheet.

available for $20 each.


these images will be reused on other prints as a continuing press project

RS.

green trees

this is a really pretty print in person. Green trees is a 3 color reduction and is sold out.

Free TV

this was my second attempt at a reduction and i'm pleased with the outcome. I still have a few prints left. remember that because it's a print, each one has it's own character to it and imperfections. I can email specific photos if you need.
price $100
Matte can be cut for an additional $30 [to fit a standard frame which I've done here]

I'll have a vanilla shake and a burger please

Welcome to richie design. this is a blog about all things creative. I'm currently working on new linoleum art prints that I'll debut here. Until then...I'll post some from the last batch of work. If you're interested in purchasing just email me. P.S this is a photograph taken in my hometown, not a print.