GTS 2016

It's that time of year again! I submitted this tea cup design for Lilla Rogers' Global Talent Search. This year, Sunny (sister of Antoinette, last year's character) is expanding her pastry shop to include a tea room. All those entered (usually over 1,000 designers & illustrators around the world) received a brief about Sunny which included peeking into her current shop and "following her to the UK" to research tea sets. We were treated to a variety of styles. 

Here are some of my preliminary sketches. One of the 1st things I did was choose a palette. I chose colors that I thought were similar to those of her shop and to sweet treats inside.

A week before receiving the final, Lilla offered some fun mini assignments as warm up. Something I've learned a lot from in her MATS courses. It really helps to be loose and have fun with the prep and research before starting. 

Above, an illustration of my favorite drink (I chose a summer cocktail)

These are just a few examples of packaging/product designs I've saved over the years.

Onto the final ...

We were required to include some text on our piece. I chose to use it on my napkin design. I took my cue from a reference photo that showed a saying on the wall in the pastry shop - "because every cake tells a story." At least, I think that's what it said, it was partially obscured by a dessert stand. In most of my paintings, the little animal characters are filled with some type of wonder at the big bright world. I think that the perfect treat can inspire a similar response :)

Above, my 3 designs - paper napkin, tea cup & saucer with a surprise bunny peering up at you!

Here are some detail pictures -

Lilla encourages strong presentation and I think I need to work on a logo for myself. Otherwise, I liked my choice to present my work within the style of a picture book. 

You made it through! I actually edited this down a bit. Hope you enjoyed the post. I'm pleased with my piece, which should help regardless of whether I make it to the next round or not. Of course, I hope I do. I'd love another assignment and the judges for the next round are all fantastic! They range from Blue Q to Chronicle Books to Oopsy Daisy, Galison, Madison Park and more - All dream companies!! Cross your fingers for me and if you're in the competition - Best of Luck!! 

Thanks for taking a look. And finally, I leave you with one of my favorite treats, Haagen Dazs ice cream :)

Little coin purse by Blue Q :)

Have a wonderful weekend! xo, A

Good News

I'm still feeling thrilled about being included in the latest issue of UPPERCASE magazine, issue #30. If you aren't familiar with it, Janine Vangool founded, designs and publishes this quarterly magazine. It celebrates art, design and craft like no other. I love it and this one is particularly beautiful! 

Above, is the edited version of what I wrote. Only a little was taken out and it is better :)

I was also profiled on Print and Pattern at the end of June. It was a sweet surprise! Fellow artist, Julie Wilson, alerted me early one morning on Facebook to "go to Print and Pattern right now".

                                                                                       This is a screenshot, visit Print & Pattern to see the selected pieces.

Visit the blog to see what was selected - Print and Pattern

Hope you're having a whale of a summer!

I had the chance to visit friends in Breezy Shores, Greenport, LI over July 4th weekend. Margaret and Scott share a large cottage with two other couples. It's referred to as 'The Big House' since it is quite grand compared to the other cozy spaces. It's filled with charm! Here's a taste (more pics in my Instagram feed)

Back to Brooklyn... I try to get as much painting in as possible. Currently, I'm working on HBO's final season of "Girls", as a scenic artist. It's a great job and I love the people with whom I work, but working every day takes some time and energy away from my own work.

This is why I'm sitting here on a Sunday night writing a post and preparing a newsletter that I promised myself I'd send out each month. I'm not complaining. For whatever reason, I feel the need to explain why I'm not putting out as much new work as I do other times. I'm excited about a licensing partnership I'll reveal in the fall, when the products are available and I have an illustration project coming up. And, I've entered Lilla Rogers' Global Talent Search again this year. I really hope I can make it past the 1st round this go round. It starts end of July. Still time to sign up, people!

I often like the early stages of a painting as much, if not more, than the finished piece. Thought I'd share some of them here.

Enjoy your week! Thanks for taking a look.

xo, A

Happy July 4th weekend

I painted this on the glass door of If I Were A Toy store in my neighborhood, a few years ago. 

I share it every year :)

Safe travels if you're heading out of town for the weekend!

Thanks for stopping by.  xo, A

Happy Father's Day!

This is my dad, R. Henderson Howard.

Here, waving as my train departs Amtrak from my hometown, Richmond, Va.

                                                                           Hello there

I love you, dad! xo, A

Sunshine

The warm weather makes me happy!

I have fond memories of tanning by the pool as a teen. These days, I slather on SPF just to walk to the nearest CVS. 

I'm working from my studio today and not on a job site (a stage - painting sets or location for mural) It's sunny, mild and all my windows are open. It seems like a nice day to write a quick post and send out my newsletter. If you receive one from me, you are one of a small select group :) Feel free to sign up! 

I recently added some new items to my  Society 6 Shop. Above, some of the bags with their corresponding paintings.

Like mother, like daughter.

My good friend, Melissa Zexter, finally broke down and purchased an iPhone for her older daughter, Mirabelle. I'm calling her phone case the Mirabelle Rose :)

She bought the Tropicali case for herself. Just look how happy it makes her!!

These beach must-haves, are just that, must-haves and every illustrator I know has probably painted or drawn some version of this. It's fun to paint the icons of summer!

I thought I'd end with a Wednesday round-up! I love painting portraits, cocktails, cars and cute characters. 

Enjoy the rest of your week. Go get some sun, your essential vitamin D!

xo, A

Happy Mother's Day (weekend)

This is one of my favorite pictures of my mom and me. I was about a year old, at my grandparents' house (dad's side) on the James River in Newport News, Va. 

My mom is Anne Howard and she is one of the kindest, most intelligent, quirky and fun people I've ever known. She has been a wonderful mother to me, so it is extremely sad that for the last 5 years, she's suffered a debilitating form of depression. It's still hard to believe how hard it struck, although there is family history. It just feels strange when it happens to someone so full of curiosity and life, at age 68, which she was when she became so ill. It's not to say that she didn't suffer a lower level at other points or display some symptoms that may have been overlooked. I don't know for sure. All I can say, is that I cherish all the time I spent with my mom growing up. Of course, I had some rebellious times in high school and in college, but somehow we've always remained very close. I feel incredibly lucky for that. 

Here, we are in good times with my friend, Kristine. Each summer, from 2006 - 2011 she loved coming up to go to the US Open during the 1st week to see great players like Tommy Robredo, David Ferrer and even Roger Federer play up close! We'd usually go 2 or 3 days and a friend or two would often join. My mom has always loved New York and is a big part of why I grew to love it at a young age. I started visiting NYC with her, and often a few of her friends, when I was 14.

Here I am with Tony and friends at The Algonquin Hotel. Mom always had a fascination with the Round Table, particularly with Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley. So it was a thrill for her to stay there. She tends to make friends wherever she goes and we met Tony on our 1st stay when I was about 16. When he learned that I was interested in art, he gave me 2 books, one on Monet and the other on Manet. I was in college for this picture, but she continued to stay here even after I moved to the city. It wasn't until 2004, that I finally convinced her that Brooklyn is nice, too ;)

Here we are, bathing beach beauties late '80s style, Virginia Beach, Va. She's in the middle, her friend and coworker at the State Capitol, Mary is on the right. That's me on the left. None of us tan like this anymore! I love that we all have the same hairstyle, despite the range of ages.

This is us at The Hotel Excelsior on Lido, Venice. Pure luxury, an amazing place (and not too horribly $$$ when you visit during "off peak" season, which includes early May :) Mom and I went to Italy twice, in '05 and '06, feels like yesterday. Regardless of how many times we got lost walking through Venice, we always enjoyed ourselves. Both of us appreciate finding the out of the way, less touristy, local spots to stop and take in the view, sip a perfect cappuccino or glass of Prosecco. I've noticed, most of my friends are like this, too! My favorite memories are from traveling to parts Italy, France, the UK and Spain with mom. I sure wish she could still do these things!!

I love you, mom.

This is her, before I was in the picture, so to speak. This photo reminds me of an old film still, I love it. 

I wrote a more in depth post to mom and included some of my friends' moms in a Blipadee post in 2010. Take a look!

Both of my parents have an affinity with animals and that's probably why they're what I most love to paint!

To all you great moms, out there - Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

xo, A