Skateboard show "The Hyena Men"

So, yesterday my deck was delivered to me, and I'm now ready to start plotting out my painting. 

I am SUPER excited, and SUPER nervous. 

Excited because I love having a reason to paint, and I love being a part of the local art community and I think this will be a really fun project! 

It Will be a challenge and that excites me. 

Nervous, because I haven't had a piece in public exhibition since my first Thursday show in the pearl a few years ago. 

Also, I am not a skateboarder. I have never even managed to successfully propel myself standing vertically on a skateboard from one point to another. (Success based upon remaining vertical and unscathed). 

My concern, is that I will be painting on a substrate which represents an activity and sub-culture of which I have not participated in. 

My goal is to just make a cool piece of art that people dig without looking like a total poser in the process. 

(Do people even say things like "poser" anymore?)

So, I have really been into hyena's for a while and thought this is as good a time as any to paint some hyenas! 

 I am thinking of incorporating a floral damask background with the hyena in the foreground. I also really like the idea of working some African animals into the repeat of the pattern like this Purple and blue damask pattern below. 

In terms of a palette, I'm leaning towards something similar to my Dodo painting. I like the richness of those colors and the nod to classical portraits that palette gives.

 As I have been looking up imagery for hyena inspiration, I was seeing these incredible images of these men with huge spotted hyena's. the pictures are stunning and I'm absolutely in love with them. 

The story behind these "Hyena Men" is really interesting as well. 

Here's a link about who the Hyena men are, and this photographic story by Pieter Hugo. 

I've been neglecting this page for sometime. 

I was recently asked to participate in a group show, which I am really excited to be a part of, so in an attempt to sink my teeth back into creation, I thought I would tend to my long forgotten little blog.

What's been keeping me away?

My amazing family keeps me busy, and blogging is all too often an unwanted distraction from the time I get to spend with my two favorite people in the world. 

Work. The shop is a full time and job...and then some. Most time spent on the computer at work is blogging for the shop, promoting our wonderful wares or searching for new goodies to bring into our Aster + Bee fold. 

Then, somehow in between my family, and work I manage to...

Eat

Drink

And be Merry

(That's me...and my sweet lady Lee)

I'm just sure you're all dying to know so... without further ado, here's a little taste of what I've been doing in my little studio. 

My husband and I had our first collaborative project together.

My very talented husband is a book artist and we pulled together our skills to create these carved portraits. It was so much fun to work together!! 

We are planning out many more collaborative projects to complete with one another!! 

Super fun little painting for a dear friends 30th birthday. Her two favorite things...cats and sandwiches.

My little dips dips into Kitsch keep me smiling in the studio!  

Another small piece for another lovely friend. 

In honor of our polar bear plunge. 

That's her there in the Vader mask on plunge day!! 

 Been keeping our walls covered here in the shop. This piece goes up when our Queen of hearts displays go up around Valentines day! 

My sweet Dodo...for my sweet husband.

My husband read a book a while back and became infatuated with Dodo birds...so...I painted one for him. I still have a bit to go, but here are the process pics.

I've got some other commission pieces in the mix, but as they are dictated and guided by my patrons and in all cases pretty personal to them, I feel odd about putting them up here. 

So...this will have to do! 

Thanks for catching up with me! 

Cheers!

Alexis