The Brokechella Project

What a thrill it was to be asked to contribute original artwork to Brokechella 2015! In addition to the four pieces I made last year for Elizabeth Birnbaum's exhibit on corn, I created four new original pieces centered on the theme of water. The drought in California, to be more specific: a San Francisco fountain, an Oakland waste bin, a pitcher of water on a restaurant table, and rows of dry farmed crops in San Juan Bautista. Each of these images illuminates one facet of the complex and devastating shortage of water facing this state and country. I am very pleased with how they've turned out, and look forward to listing them for sale on Etsy in the near future. In the meantime, enjoy these process photos!

The beginning stages = lots of measuring

test-driving the placement of hillside and crop

This design ended up being discarded in favor of another.

I place some elements while I figure out the rest...

This one is my favorite! from the Conservatory of Flowers, SF

The red backgrounds match the "severe" color on California's drought monitor map

See that blue spray bottle? Eyeglass cleaner helps me keep everything lint-free!

Have to be careful not to use too much glue

The finished "San Francisco" piece

"San Juan Bautista" in its final format

"Berkeley" features a table from downtown favorite La Note restaurant

The street structures of "Oakland"

My DIY Wedding: The Decorations

My Valentine

My amor and I love to read aloud to one another, but he left for Argentina before we could finish our current book, The Little Prince by Antoine Saint-Exupery. For Valentine's Day I thought I'd send him the next chapter in the form of a tiny accordion book:

Maybe I'll add a border, or a "binding"?

Before coloring

Before I added color and pop-up illustrations.

After I added pop-up illustration and color!

Here's the Geographer.

Top view

In his full three-dimensional glory

I added this map, which does not appear in the original book.

Close-up of the Geographer's map

My brother loves a girl

He came to me with a favor: Could I create personalised stationery for him and his girlfriend, so they could write to each other during his summer internship in Washington D. C.? We researched some images online, discussed overall "themes," and went to the Paper Plus Outlet on San Pablo (a crafter's dream store).

 

Preliminary sketch of girlfriend's stationery, featuring the gate to her house in El Cerrito. 

  

Final product (not shown) was printed on marbled cream paper with matching envelopes.

 

Draft detail from Evan's letterhead

 

We found airmail envelopes at Paper Plus. Score! Handmade 'luggage tag,' recycled ribbon.

Finished product wrapped in protective and professional plastic envelope. Girlfriend's packet had blue organza ribbon, and included 13 airplane stickers as envelope seals.

How To Recycle

Step One: Set up shop on delapidated backyard table, and bring a snack.

Step Two: Choose a "Learn Spanish 101" podcast to enhance the crafting experience.

Step Three: Use snacks to weigh down loose pages of your project.

Step Four: Give present to the birthday girl before everyone heads out to the bluegrass club.