2010 Wrap Up

All in all, it’s been a pretty darn good year.  I’ve had the opportunity to work with some really great people, some old friends, some new.  I turned out an enormous amount of new ink work, (guess I have a lot more in me when I’m not planning a wedding.)  I followed up “The Year of the French Bulldog” by taking in a homeless one (what are the odds?!) AND, as of last night, I have finally put up our engagement, wedding, and honeymoon paintings (2 years in the making.)

…though I’m likely to move them, when I decide where to hang everything else in this house…

Best wishes to all of you for a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

Scout – Custom Pet Portrait

Scout, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named after the character in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

8″x10″

Acyrlic & Oil Wash on Patterned Paper

Old Family Home Custom Pen & Ink Drawing

I always get excited to draw an old family home.  This one’s located on Savannah’s East Side.  Mini-prints were made for the entire family and given as little gifts over the holidays.  A nice way to remember your youth, no?

Even though we moved a lot during my childhood, I still feel a connection to each of the places we occupied.  Our time there may have been short-lived, but we worked hard to make each house a home.

A few weeks ago, my brother took a trip to Richmond, VA, and snapped this pic of our old place.  Oh the memories it uprooted!  I’ve often pondered sketching all of our old homes (I’ve had several clients do this, and it makes for quite the collection), but finding all those old photos from the pre-digital camera days, would be quite the challenge.

 

Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas present (Thomas Jay) is all tuckered out…
and so is his big sister…

The Truth about Holiday Nut Cake

My observation:  it’s really just fruitcake with extra nuts.

but don’t tell my fruitcake hatin’ Granny this…she claims they are culinary worlds apart (and she made the nut cake)

A striking resemblance to the ugliest painting I’ve ever painted, no?

I LOVE Wrapping Presents

…perhaps my favorite of all the Christmas traditions.

I’m a sucker for paper rosettes and love any excuse to glue rhinestones and wayward buttons to things.

It’s a rather organic process, though I do like to keep a theme.    This year, I went for silver and gold with icy blue and the occasional pop of red.  I pulled every scrap bin out of my studio, and just started building from what I had on hand… (I always save lil remnants of ribbon!)… an eclectic mix of luxurious Italian handmade papers, basic kraft, and even a roll I found at the dollar store…(you’d be surprised at the paper you can find at the dollar store, just be aware that it’s usually thin and a little harder to work with)…now if I just had a tree to put them under…

First Presbyterian Church of Savannah Watercolor

After several requests, here she is!  Built in 1956, I love the nod to Gothic architecture.  I also love the fact that it’s located on the beautiful, oak-lined, Washington Avenue.  A real treat to draw!

First Presbyterian Church of Savannah – pen & ink w/watercolor – ©2010 Heather L. Young

Hand-watercolored & Signed Prints available for purchase via theinklab.etsy.com.

2010 Vayda Christmas Card!

Vayda’s First Snow – pen & ink with watercolor washes – ©2010 Heather L. Young

 

Azalea Inn & Gardens Custom Pen & Ink

Sometimes I really luck out!  I just worked up a sketch for the beautiful Azalea Inn and Gardens located in Historic Savannah!

217 East Huntingdon Street

The color version is available as an 8×10 Hand-Watercolored Print, for sale at the Inn as well as in theinklab.

It was a pleasure working with Teresa, the innkeeper, and her gracious staff.  Azalea Inn, while beautiful and grand in every detail, still feels like home.  I think little Joey, Greeter and Ambassador, has something to do with that…

All artwork ©2010 Heather L. Young

 

Lover complete!