NYC skyline


I created this stacked cityscape by piecing together parts from a NYC kids travel journal I recently completed. When I get the time, I'd like to expand the scene horizontally and add more buildings, filling the entire screen!

baking is an Art


buttermilk doughnuts with powdered sugar
Are you guys familiar with Stonewall Kitchen? The charming kitchen supply and specialty foods retailer out of York, Maine.  We are huge fans of their entire line of homemade doughnuts and made these yesterday for breakfast. As someone who takes baked goods very seriously, I was very happy with how these turned out and had to snap a shot with my phone in the morning light. : )

My Favorites:
1. Blueberry Glazed
2. Pumpkin with Maple Glazed
3. Cinnamon and Sugar

sneak peak at my new children's book



 


I wanted to share a little preview of a children's book series, I just wrapped up for Capstone Press. Each of these stories are centered around a quirky origami character, and offer a fun take on the science of our everyday world. The samples here are from the first book, in which a 'dirt diggin' pup and his earthworm friend, explore the ecosystem of a traditional Japanese garden. More info and samples to come!

While working on the project, I came to rely on some great origami resources online. Check out the following links.

http://en.origami-club.com//animal/index.html

 http://www.origami-instructions.com/origami-dog.html

National Trust for Historic Preservation

full landscape

west coast

east coast

 interior scene

 farm scene detail

 Golden Gate bridge detail

 western scene detail


NTHP Promotional Materials: folders, business cards, note cards, and banners
design: Mila Arrisueno
illustration: Jamey Christoph 

 







We also developed a storyboard concept with an animated version of the NTHP logo for internal use. I'm hoping we will develop it further, down the road.




This was a very cool job for an organization very near and dear, The National Trust for Historic Preservation.  Collaborating with Mary, Creative Director at NTHP and Mila, Art Director at Grafik here in Alexandria, we created a collection of 'bright and sunny' scenic illustrations to freshen up the NTHP identity. The challenge was unique, to design a sort of super landscape composed of historic elements from the eastern shore line, the interior, and west coast of the country. It was designed to work in its entirety (potential mural) or as individual scenes for use in publications and promotional material. After a lot of hard work,  I'm happy to share our efforts here today - heartfelt thank you to Mary and Mila for the incredible opportunity.  

Let's save and treasure our beautiful historic buildings and sites!

morning views of Washington








August 19, 2012
I wanted to share a few other photos I recently shot of the Washington skyline. My day began insanely early that morning, thanks to my restless dogs.  Rather than watch tv, I grabbed my camera and headed out for a morning drive.  I'm not usually an early riser, but this felt like a special occasion and I would soon discover why.  As I walked up the hill to the Netherlands Carillon and looked down at the view of the city, all I could see were clusters of colorful flowers everywhere! Jackpot! Minutes later, I was almost giddy, laying in the slick grass to get the best angles. Visually, it was almost overwhelming, the way foreground colors and textures were relating to the day breaking sky. Each flower seemed to lend something different to the iconic DC skyline.  Sure it was way too early in the morning and the white polo (I was wearing) will probably never be as bright white, but these pics made it all worth while. : )

Cursive Writing: Around the World in 26 Letters

Royal Yacht, Britannia

 
The Acropolis, Athens
 
The Great Wall of China, Bejing
 
The Temple of Heaven, Bejing

 
Tokyo Subway

Gandan Monastery, Ulaanbaatar


 
Jeepney Street Scene, Manilla

Olmec Head

Ha' penny Bridge, Dublin
Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
Uspenski Cathedra, Helsinki

National Monument of Pakistan, Islamabad
The Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall, Jerusalem
Prague Castle and Charles Bridge, Prague

Hundertwasserhaus Apartments, Vienna


St. Mark's Church, Zagreb


Yay! The georgraphy themed handwriting book I mentioned a while back, was just released!  You can find it on Amazon here.  So much hard work went into it, it's a treat to see in print.  BIG THANK YOU to Merideth at Sterling for this opportunity! You can order copies here.

skater boy stickers


It's been a super busy Summer and as it begins to wind down, I'm reminded that I have a lot of catching up to do here on the blog. First, I'd like to share a recent collaboration with Peaceable Kingdom Press. I got these samples in the mail a few months back and was so happy with how they came out. Kinda funky cool right? I guess little skater and bmx boys/girls want stickers too. : )

Papa's Day 2012




Happy Father's day to all the Dads, Papas,  & Pops out there!
This was a kinda funky-cool card series I developed with card planner Christine Wierzbicki for American Greetings. I liked their unconventional styling and feel, different from the usual mix. As you can see, each layer of the scene is cut out and assembled like a shadow box. I'm not sure where they were sold, or if they even made it out there, but I had fun with them and wanted to share here.

Weekend in Williamsburg



Governor's Palace, Williamsburg

Spencer and I out front of Moore House, where the British Surrendered the last battle of the American Revolution

We finally had the chance to get away, heading south to the colonial Williamsburg area this past weekend. What a treasure! A little hamlet of a place - truly suspended in time. I put together this little home video of the trip, more for my personal enjoyment (down the road), when the passing of time and all the margaritas have taken their toll. I'm posting it here as things on Alley Cats and Drifters have certainly taken a more architectural and historical bend. ...and in the second half, Spencer and Owen go to the beach! Good times. : )

Pinewood Derby Car


I have to give credit for this post to my Dad, so this one's for you Pop! Recently, he stumbled upon these old photos of me and wanted to reunite them with the actual wooden car (which miraculously survived my childhood!) As you can see, I took the design of the thing very seriously. It was inspired by the little Hot Wheels car in the pictures. I guess it's a 1936 Auburn 852 (in yellow and brown). I've always loved old cars.

Anyhow, the car never won any races but I did get a prize for best design! Ha! : )

Hunger Games (dark parallels)

I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but with the release of the film a month ago, I got sucked into the world of the Hunger Games.  I even channeled my inner 13 year-old-girl and read all three books!  According to NPR, Dystopian novels like the Hunger Games are all the rage. A recent story on All Thing's Considered touched on the phenomenon, attributing it to the economic uncertainty of our trying times. Where 'young hero protagonists inherit dark and broken worlds', check it out here if you have the time and interest.  This is all very interesting and so is the movie's commentary on our glitzy media and entertainment obsessed culture. Though, what drew me most to the Hunger games, were the images of the dystopia itself.  Here, the film makers seem to have drawn inspiration from the decadence and austerity of 1920's-30's Germany. First, in brightly colored deco couture that conjure up the glamorous and grotesque subjects of an Otto Dix painting.  Then through architecture, referencing the monolithic classicism of nazi architect, Albert Speer.  In my opinion, you're not hit over the head with it, but there are visual clues to trigger the perception. After all, what better way to depict an oppressed totalitarian regime, than the dark and disturbing imagery of the nazis.  In my post today, I've gathered a few examples to draw these parallels. 

Classically beautiful Katniss Everdeen with her, rather anachronistic, braided hair.

1930's era German propaganda poster

 Standing shoulder to shoulder, the girls of District 12 evoke scenes from a Leni Riefenstahl film.

 Effie Trinket's eccentric wardrobe contrasted with the more traditional sensibility of District 12

Three Prostitutes on the Street, Otto Dix 1925.
 
 affluent citizens of Panem's Capitol City.

Berlin Street Scene, Ludwig Kirchner 1913-24

 Berlin Street Scene, Ludwig Kirchner 1923

Avenue of the Tributes, Capitol City.

Panem's Capitol with it's broad central avenue leading to a domed structure on the horizon. There are shots in the film that even more closely resemble fascist neoclassicism, but I couldn't track them down online.

Albert Speer's model for what would have been a new Berlin, called Germania. Note the geometry of buildings and most similar to Panem, the long central avenue leading to a domed structure. It's effect is brilliantly imposing, a white-washed and conformed, nightmare of a city.  

All of these long avenues, neoclassical monuments, and domed buildings may remind you of another capital city.  But in contrast to the previous two, I think we can all agree that boy did they ever get it right in Washington D.C.  It's such a stunning and inspired cityscape. In contrast, the scale and ornament of the Federal-style uplifts and empowers, serving as a symbol of hope and freedom in the world. You may think me too patriotic for saying it and I know our country (and government) are by no means perfect, but it still remains the best shot at justice and representation the world has ever known. Well, unless Obama loses, I'm kidding. Ha! ; ) But before you go, take a look at this shot of the National Mall from across the Potomac.  Gorgeous! 

Potomac river and Washington D.C. 
(taken with my iphone near the Iwo Jima Memorial, my new favorite spot to spread out a blanket and read :)

a tale of two mansions

Le Chateau de Lumiere, The Building Group Inc.

I caught wind of this story on Huffingtonpost last week. If you would like to read more about it click here. To sum it up, some rich guy with rather opulent taste wants to build the palace (above) in an upscale development outside DC. The neighbors are in an uproar over the scale of the thing and feel it isn't in keeping with "Hidden Springs's traditionally Washington aesthetic, elegant but understated." That part cracked me up because in a way, it is very much in line with the aesthetic of the area. In fact, I think Pierre L'Enfant, the enigmatic architect and engineer credited with designing Washington, would actually be quite pleased with it.

Notice the similarities in the house (below), columns and neoclassical ornamentation, sloped French roof, even little cupolas. Pierre L'Enfant designed this mansion for financier Robert Morris in 1794. Inflated construction costs eventually drove Morris into bankruptcy and the unfinished structure, known as Morris's Folly, was demolished. If history is any guide, the residents at Hidden Spring need only wait it out.  Ha!  It seems things have resolved themselves, even before I could get this posted.  The homeowner backed out! Folly averted. Read more here. 

 Morris's Folly, Pierre Charles L'Enfant 1794

Fort Hunt Park, our favorite new picnic spot

I wanted to share the full size photo used in my title bar this month. It was such a glorious sight that day, as if we were walking through some 18th century landscape painting. I don't know, could we get some hunters riding through on horseback, chasing the hounds?

Mercury Summer Stock 2012












I'm so excited to share my latest collaboration with Pierre and Brian at Mercury Summer Stock. This year we came up with the show posters, a promotional brochure, and a new logo that better reflects the creativity of this truly unique community theater co. The amount of talent and enthusiasm that goes into each of their productions is an inspiration to me. If you'd like to learn more about MSS, check out their site here. I just hope we get the chance to be back in town for a show this Summer - break a leg guys!

OH and I want to see one of these Backstage parties.. for myself! ; )

Spring 2012


Hard to believe we've been in DC a little over year now, it sort of feels like we just got here. I'm still trying to figure out my way around the place! The seasons changing, as always, helps to give you a little perspective on things, horizons and prospects seem to be brightening all around. Hope it's finding you well too!

Now if we could just find a place to get a decent mojito...!