Friendly and somewhat unfriendly invaders

Charmagne Coe
Jun 30, 2009 at 2:13 PM
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Well, it's been a really fantastic couple of weeks in my little studio. I've been hunched over scattered pastels, inky nibs and watercolor palettes. And here's the scoop: I just completed an illustration assignment with Utne Reader for the Sept/Oct '09 issue. Am I stoked? You bet I am. Utne Reader has amassed a huge readership due to its ability to stand its own ground on current issues, alternative culture, environmentalism and literature. So, it is such an honor to be included. I will post that illustration when the issue comes out, so keep reading. But in the meantime... here is the preliminary illustration to give you an idea of the final painting. :-)

Sketch #3 preliminary submission to UTNE Reader

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In July, www.BlueCanvas.com will premiere their first hardcopy art magazine and will do an extended feature on my artwork. I will post links when that comes out too. Check out their gallery of up and coming artists.

This is a menagerie from this weeks sketches. I've been asked if I do commissions and the answer is yes! In fact, if someone likes one of my sketches, I will be happy to paint it - though only once, since all my work is original! Or I can create something entirely new based on a handful of imaginations. You can go to http://charmagnecoe.com for more info.

Well, well... I have invaders from the forest. A lone but tenacious squirrel and a band of house finches have taken to my garden and wiped out many of the newest seedlings - they love those new little leaves. So now what? Take down the bird feeders? Move the feeders? Offer up bribes to the squirrel by building a trough with peanuts? What I most likely will do is put up more wire mesh around the new plants to ward of the visitors. Since this is my first real year in gardening, I am learning what to do, and what NOT to do. Good news for newbies... growing snap peas, squash, chives, green and yellow bean, cucumber and lettuce are good first crops. Harder - tomatoes, herbs. Note: I live in harsh mountain weather... so your weather will yield different results. This week, it may be late, but still on the advice of my sis-in-law and some friends, I'm planting radishes, carrots and some cherry red/yellow tomatoes just to see what happens. Rhubarb interests me too. Oh, and check out the Mr. Squirrel's LOVELY burrow dug right into MY FLOWER BUSHES.

Clues of an intruder

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Growing!

The color that has emerged from my wall flower garden really makes my eyes happy.

And here is another little invader!

hiding

Now here's something interesting. Burton's new Alice in Wonderland movie, due out in 2010, is fantastically utilizing the art genre of Pop Surrealism for its character design and overall art direction. I'm sure there will be some amazing buzz on this one and hopefully a gigantic spotlight shining on the formative (Mark Ryden, Joe Sorren, Gary Baseman....) and current artists of this modern art movement. These photos are from www.comingsoon.net. Check it out:

Wonderland

Hearts

Twiddledee

Thanks for coming by to read. I always appreciate everyone's comments and kind words. Hope to get back to my blog a bit sooner than last time. I'm off to play! Well, sort of. But work can seem like play, right?

xo,
C

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[das ist gut]

Hi! Congratulations to this contract. I am sure, it won´t be the last one.
Enjoy your work, and don´t forget to enjoy your life, too! I wished that the readers, too, will be infected by the magic of your drawings ...

Thank you so much, Rainbird. You are right! Life is to be enjoyed. :-) Cheers!

Friendly and somewhat unfriendly invaders

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