Buenos Días Paella! … I Mean Oranges! … I Mean Valencia!!

// November 29th, 2011 // 4 Comments » // illustration, painting

Todays Ephemeral Adventurer is about to touch down in Valencia, the ‘Bright City’.

Valencia is the birth place of Paella and famous for sweet oranges, stunning beaches, Medieval churches, and for hosting America’s Cup Yacht races (yawn).

Bonus Fun Fact: Valencia oranges are delicious, and have nothing to do with Valencia. They were hybridized by some farmer in Santa Ana, California.

Jizo Bodhisattva: Study

// November 23rd, 2011 // 2 Comments » // painting

Here’s a change in direction for the Art Every Day Month challenge, as I wanted to do something that also fitted the Illustration Friday theme for this week: Round.

I’ve been wanting to do a series on Jizo Bodhisattvas, they are a kind of Buddhist Deity / Saint. Jizo Statues are everywhere in Japan, often sitting alongside roads. Jizo Bodhisattvas are protectors of travellers and children, particularly unborn children, they offer support to beings as they journey through different worlds/incarnations.

This is a study using acrylics and bristol paper. I might be getting a few canvases to do the final paintings but this is a good way to play around a bit and work things out.

More ephemeral adventures tomorrow! If you’re enjoying the series, most of the artwork posted to my blog for Art Every Day Month is now available in my Etsy shop.

Paper Crane: Coming Home To Hirosaki

// November 16th, 2011 // 6 Comments » // painting

So, after much fussing and sketching I finally got a paper crane painting done for Art Every Day Month.

These are much more intimidating to do than the paper planes, but I really enjoy painting and drawing them. My wife knows how to fold paper cranes so we have a few scattered over the house, the boys love them.

Hirosaki was a medieval Castle town, which basically means a town built around a big old castle. The Japanese term for that is jokamachi (thank you Wikipedia). Hirosaki is also famous for apples, and is a favorite nesting site for migrating paper cranes. Believe it.

Clouds Break Over Copenhagen

// November 8th, 2011 // 7 Comments » // painting

Welcome to Copenhagen for todays Art Every Day Month (AEDM) painting. Copenhagen is about a thousand years old and a thriving green city-it’s one of the most bicycle friendly cities in the world AND the harbour is clean enough to swim in, just ask the Little Mermaid statue. Of course we wouldn’t expect anything less from a city founded by awesome Viking guy Sweyn I Forkbeard.

Sky Lantern Over Thailand

// November 3rd, 2011 // 7 Comments » // painting

Here is a bit of a departure form the paper airplanes. I have a small list of the different ‘vehicles’ that I want to play with over Art Every Day Month, Thai Sky Lanterns are one of them.

I’ve been itching to try one of these and a little intimidated, too. They are a bit more difficult to pull off and I think it will take a few tries before I’m really happy with the results. Today’s lantern will do as a start, though.

Sky Lanterns were originally a Chinese invention and were used as a military tool. Later they were used for Children’s festivals in China, and in Thailand they are a symbol of good luck and embody the metaphor of troubles and worries floating away.

New Art: Blue Jizo

// June 27th, 2011 // No Comments » // painting

Jizo Boddhisattva is a Buddhist saint and protector of children and travelers through physical and spiritual worlds. Jizo is often depicted sitting in the hell realms as he has taken a vow to not enter into full enlightenment until hell is empty, so he sits there saving all the trapped beings. One of the ways he does this is to shine a mirror into people’s faces so they can truly see themselves as they are. I know, not the cheeriest subject for a painting, but I do find the image of Jizo exuding peace, strength, and compassion amid the flames an inspiring one.

Acrylic on gallery stretched 5×5 inch canvas.

This painting is available to buy over at  my new Art page.