Booth setup

I did a test setup of my booth to take pictures for my booth slide this morning. It was really warm so I was sweating like crazy before I was done. But I am really happy with the way it turned out- a definite improvement on my previous layout and booth slides I think.. and I LOVE the new carpet panels. Taken individually they are much lighter than the gridwall I was using before, not to mention they look much more uniform and professional.

I hope to be able to pick up a desk/counter for the setup before my next show in October. Then my next step is to get a new tent before my outdoor show season starts next year. I am hoping my semi-broken E-Zup holds together for one more show!! :)

Now I just need to put my old gridwall, accessories, and folding tables up on Craigslist to clear out enough storage space so I have somewhere to keep the new panels.

Tortoise pattern

When I went to the zoo the last time, I was delighted to find that the tortoises were back in their display. I have fond memories of watching them when I was a kid, and they hadn't been in their display for many years. So here is my take on these big lumbering guys...

Kitty playing

Finished off a new cat pattern- the model for this was a beautiful fluffy tuxedo cat named Buddha who belongs to some friends of mine. He LOVES playing with shoestrings! :)

New display!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I found an artist who was selling her used oatmeal-colored KD Propanels online, and I managed to get 70% of my planned display panels from her at a great price! So I can't wait for my next show to have a chance to use them! Of course in the meantime I need to get more hardware from the company, good velcro hooks for hanging things on the panels.. oh, and actually set them up with my tent to make sure everything works as planned. Once I do that, will get some pics up online to show them.

"Family Portrait" Limited series piece

I finished off and framed a new Limited series piece called "Family Portrait". It is a picture of three pug puppies snuggled together on a big pillow. The piece is 1/3 edition, framed to 11x14 with a aged-bronze patina metal frame, tan and maroon matting, and a hand-painted watercolor background of yellows, browns, golds, tans, black, reds, and oranges.

Polar bear pattern

Finished off a new pattern:

Red-tailed hawk

My car was in the shop, and my back was hurting, so I spent most of my day sitting on the couch. Which means I had lots of time for drawing, so I managed to get another pattern completed. This was from the Birds of Prey weekend I went to back in February- I am finally finishing this guy off now!

Frog pattern

I actually managed to get a relatively clear picture through glass of this little guy? girl? during my last visit to the Cleveland Zoo Rainforest exhibit. He was a fascinating blueish-white with dark markings and he smiled at me when I was taking his picture.. :) I want to say he was labelled as an Australian milk toad, but I can't find that designation when I searched the Internet, so maybe I remembered wrong? Will have to check on that the next visit I make to the zoo...

*Later note* turns out the Australian milk toad is actually an Amazon milk frog- the zoo's webpage has a fantastic index of animals with pictures. At least I got the 'A' and the 'milk' part right.. :)

Bull Terrier

New pattern- based on the handsome boy I saw at the Medina dog show a couple weeks ago... Wonder if his people get tired of people saying "Oh look! Spuds McKenzie!".. I must have heard that 5 times from people walking by while I was taking pictures of him. :)

Ibizan Hound

I finished a pattern for the beautiful Ibizan Hound I met at the Medina dog show last week. In most of the pictures she had her ears down, so I didn't think she looked as distinctive, but in the picture I ended up using as a model, her handler had just gotten her attention with a piece of food so she looked all perky.. :)