resolutions for the new year…

I’m doing this on the fly,  but felt it was necessary to create a list this morning…

1.  Draw more for me…(people always assume my house is decked out with murals all over the walls, and artwork splashed everywhere…not the case…I simply spend too much time on commissions for other folks to focus on my own abode…)   Time to get back to my creative roots.

2.  Take more risks…Time to break the old routine and fly by the seat of my pants a little more.

3.  Get the food prints to production…if any of you know of a place that will print on canvas and stretch and mount it, do let me know…(that’s the current “hang-up” on this project)….

4.   Well, I’m not quite sure what number 4 is…but I suppose I have the rest of the day to figure it out…I’ll keep you posted.

Happy New Year!!!

a few savannah inks…

These were part of the Christmas rush.  I love the unique architectural details of historic Savannah homes…

107 E. Oglethorpe Avenue, copyright 2007 Heather L. Young

124 W. Gaston St., copyright 2007 Heather L. Young

Madeline

Madeline, a Miniature Schnauzer, Acrylic & Oil Wash on Fabric

copyright 2007 Heather L. Young

holiday recap

Nick and I celebrated our very first Christmas this year, and it was fantastic. It meant so much that he came to Florida with me, and we had a wonderful time with family and friends. We spent a few nights around the fire pit…and we all know how much Nick loves to play with fire….

Gran and I attempted to make pretty sugar cookies…we all know I don’t cook…but I’m even more ashamed to say I decorated these….

(photo taken with cell phone does no more justice to them)

Then Jasmine, adorable girlfriend of my brother, showed up with these….

(and no, she does not work in a bakery)

Of course Santa Paws was a little too good to Vayda. She boldly defied her grandfather’s wishes, and took every opportunity to sit in his chair…

Meanwhile, I spent too much time in the kitchen…(eating not cooking)…so I won’t be posting any pictures of my bloated face until after the new year…

Hope you all had a safe and wonderful Christmas…

Merry (almost) Christmas

That’s right folks, I’m taking a siesta from all things FLYoung Studio for a few days.  Special thanks to all of you who have supported my work, and made this Holiday Season a prosperous one for me and my family.  I am truly blessed to have such great network of family and friends, and I would not be able to continue living this dream without each and every one of you.

I’d like to wish a very special Christmas this year to my dear friend, Cima.  I am thankful every day that our friend Dana Jo introduced us to each other.  You are a true gem, and I hope I did your Queen Athena justice…see below:

“Athena” Acrylic & Oil wash on Fabric, copyright Heather L. Young 2007

love me some crafty time…

Those of you who know me well, know this is the time of year when I get to satisfy the Crafty Goddess inside me. Christmas is the best excuse to try new techniques, and make funky gifts for all my gal pals. In years past, I’ve crocheted scarves, revamped old costume jewelry into modern styles, learned to sew handy tote bags, and made hand-bound journals with vintage fabrics…this year the Crafty Goddess really got the shaft, as I had too many commissions to fulfill and not enough time to get my hands on a new medium…(this, I might add, is not a bad thing…so keep the work coming folks…) but anywho, after putting the finishing touches on the last two pen & ink jobs yesterday, I took some time to wrap presents…and seeing as though the Crafty Goddess had been locked away all season, she emerged with a keen interest in paper rosettes. See below:

I must give credit to Martha Stewart, the original Craft Goddess, for this clever little adornment…

and yes…I did individually cut out the tags and stamp the edges.

and here she is…our wonderfully “classic” (as Nick would call it) Christmas tree. Decked out with the original vintage ornaments his grandparents supplied us with some years ago…and the dollar store tree topper I could not resist. Don’t you think it screams for some tinsel? I mean, Christmas is the only time of year when you can truly be as tacky as you want to be, and get away with it…so why not roll with it?

critique?

Meet Mr. Jack Daniels, a weimaraner and dear family friend, lost to cancer this year.  This portrait was like pulling teeth at first…(sometimes a painting just clicks, and sometimes it feels forced)…this one definitely felt like the latter to begin with…so I just rolled with it, and let it evolve on it’s own.  I’ve just passed the “subtractive” stage of this painting, and this is usually where I begin to tweak things with an “additive” technique…but something is telling me to stop, and appreciate it in its simplicity…I would love any comments / suggestions ya’ll might have…

All artwork copyright Heather L. Young 2007

happy birthday aunt jess…(sorry I’m late!)

at least your present made it on time…I’ve been dying to post these cuties, but didn’t want to spoil the surprise.

Bella…This pooch has a spunk similar to my darling Vayda.
Copyright Heather L. Young 2007

Mollie…Painted on patterned paper, acrylic & oil wash.
Copyright Heather L. Young 2007

feeling a bit “off”

I guess that’s no surprise considering I devoted an entire blog to the Magic Rub Eraser yesterday…but anywho…my head is just in way too many places at once, and I’ve inhaled a few too many paint fumes this week…oh and something is “off” in my hip, feels like one leg is 3 inches shorter than the other…that can’t be “right.”  (If anyone knows a quick fix for this…do tell)

ode to magic rub…

I love LOVE love love LOVE…could not live without…Magic Rub Erasers. I usually have a grand stash hidden away from Nick, although recently I’ve found it hard to buy them by the box locally…(you can imagine the looks I get from clerks when I walk up to the counter with 15 erasers…) Or the time I ran out of Magic Rubs while visiting my folks in Fernandina Beach…egads! My brother’s girlfriend, Jasmine, took me all over that island looking for a magic rub…(most times I’m cheap enough to try an “off” brand…but spare no expense when it comes to these supple little gems.) I mean, I don’t think I’ve ever even found an eraser that comes close…behind every acrylic/oil wash illustration, there is at least one Magic Rub…If you’re a Magic Rub maker and you read this blog, I’ll take any misfits that come off your line..(if I had a giant box of a 1000 I’d use them for potpourri…that’s just how much I love your product….)