new art

new art created for the other piece below but on it's own it's quite lovely.
test print...but hope to make it an official piece later on down the line.

-R

reduction print week 3

Feels like I've been working on this for months now. Last week was not a good week in the work process. After discovering the linoleum had come loose from the wood at some point, and really effected every single print in registration, I decided to take a detour on the original concept. The second image was added with a one color print. I owe David Zaitz a big ol thanks. Both of these images are from him, and he'll be getting some freebee art from the useage.

Anyhow here it is... there will be a 3rd color/image but haven't decided if it will be text or another carving. I have a tentative plan but we'll see if I can pull it off.

-R

I know you've been waiting for this

THIS JUST IN: RED IS THE NEW BLACK...

BECAUSE BLACK WAS BACK FOR SPRING

AND THAT IS SOOOOO OVER!

KEEP UP FOLKS! DON'T FALL BEHIND

fownd!

in case you were missing your tortoise. it's been fownd.
how much do you love this?

more good neon. Tower Theater, Roseville, CA.

reduction print week 2

step 2 of the 'laundry' reduction print. had some time off for the 4th and the weddings, but back working.
stay tuned for more updates

sean & michele

the happy couple.
congrats!

greetings from Lake Tahoe

Back from the wedding. It was beautiful weather and a great weekend congrats again to Sean and Michele

great old neon

I love old neon. I love the shadows it casts, I love it lit up at night...just everything about it. I became a bit obsessed about it when I saw some paintings 15+ years ago based on old neon, since then I take photos, sometimes use it in my own art, worship other artists that use it as well [Dave Lefner is my hero currently]

This lovely photograph is of Iceland Skating Rink in Sacramento, California. It has a special fondness for me for a few different reasons...the owners of the rink have lived next to my Grandparents since I've been alive, My mom skated in the "ice follies" there as a teenager [have the photo to torture her with] and later I broke my leg there my first time on the ice...hotdoggin' around the rink and probably no more than 30 min into my session. Yep, They call me Grace.

-Richie

new at apartment therapy

my story on the Long Beach Historical Society LBSH

I posted this on my site a couple weeks ago but AT:LA just picked it up.

cheers
R.

hilarious street art

I would love to think that the 10$ reward would bring 'fluffy' back but I suspect some 16 yr old kids took it and probably dragged it down the street on their skateboard or something. It made my day regardless! maybe secret flamingo photos will appear from the kidnapping. I'll keep you posted if anything new developes.

Wedding Week part 1 Anne & Chad

It’s wedding week around my circle of friends this week. Annie and Chad, Michele and Sean are both tying the knot on Saturday.

I had the pleasure of doing both of their invites earlier this year. Anne wanted something classic. She knew she wanted something with flowers, but knowing A. the way I do it wasn't the typical 'cheesy rose' thing. I started with hand illustrations, then scanned them into the computer and traced them into Illustrator to create a clean but delicate flower motif to use. We had about 3-4 images to choose from initially but this one both spoke to us when it came down to decide.

I created an invite housing the day's information, and then mounted it on a chartreuse green card stock. They had two versions, one to a private ceremony for close family and the second to a reception including all of their guests. I'm down with that, you don't want your co-workers watching you blubber like an idiot. Not sure that was their reasoning, but it sounded like a good theory to me.

A hand drawn map to accompany -unmounted. I felt something a little more rustic was appropriate for the initial images that we started with hence the hand drawn map.

The RSVP continued the illustration to the end. The RSVP had a matching chartreuse envelope, all of the pieces were sent in a #10 Chartreuse envelope.

A special Hello and Congrats to Annie and Chad as well, I couldn't be in two places at once this Saturday and I won't be able to attend my dear friend's ceremony. Have a fantastic day you guys. Remember, something will go wrong/blow up/not be as you thought it was, but in the end it doesn't matter, what does matter is your promise to each other and being a good friend to one another.

click on images to enlarge

-All my love
R.

Wedding week part 2 Michele & Sean

Happy wedding week to Michele & Sean. I had the lovely opportunity in designing their wedding invites earlier this year. I woke up one Sunday morning with this really wacky idea of a vintage ski poster for them [based on the Tahoe theme]. Michele and Sean are fairly new friends of mine so I didn't know how they would take this idea, but surprisingly to me, they loved it. I've since learned they are just as funky as I am which makes since why they would be open to something so off the charts.

We designed the poster to just read the basics, knowing that we would need to include travel info and also activities that the bride and groom had planned for the weekend for their out of town guests. We did two sheets, one travel information, one a weekend itinerary to accompany the poster. These sheets are also geared to travel well if guests need to pack the information. A RSVP card was also included with boxes for guest to check their plans...golf? hiking? cocktail boat cruise? these two had planned it all. The RSVP was accompanied by a kraft color envelope to match the shipping tube everything was sent in.

The logo type of their names became the continuing icon throughout the piece, as a header for the second sheets, a return address logo ect...most likely they will use this for thank you cards, and other pieces for the wedding.

This was a blast to design for them and their guests have been really excited about the whole package. Even the men seem to be responding [which we all know never happens] there's a report that one of them took it in to be framed because he liked it so much.

You can click on these images to view larger.

R.