#EFFit

And the other pile of pictures I’m sitting on was from Elgin’s first annual Fringe Fest.  I took part because if I look at everything as a no, I won’t do anything, right?  So here was a never before art show for artist who were not quite mainstream and I thought, yes, let’s see what can happen here.  I inquired, was (enthusiastically, I might add) encouraged to join in the fun, and after much daydreaming, I narrowed it down to my five favorite (that week) shapes.

I participated on a Saturday, first at the Family Fringe Fest, in a wee park in the middle of town.  Here’s my table…

I chose shapes and techniques based on what I thought would demonstrate my skills as an artist.  I don’t usually use that word self-reflectively, as art is usually in the eye of the beholder, but if I were to attempt to convince you that lovely things can happen on a cookie, as well as a on canvas or stage, I’d have to bring the good stuff.  So I brought:

Rockets—a composite shape, and the airbrushed water-color spots make the moons look nice and cratered.

Asters--A mini fondant cutter added extra petals to a sun shape, with multiple shades of yellow to accentuate the wavy contours of the petals.

Grapes—each grape was a piped dot, sugared in 2 shades of purple, or brushed with purple pearl dust.  They were gorgeous up close.  It’s also a composite shape that I made with a mini maple leaf and an upside-down Christmas tree.

Geckos—aqua blue, like a gecko isn’t, with little arabesque gold dots.  Scales are so unevolved, right?  These were the hot seller—they might be my favorite too.

And the fest was selling stenciled t-shirts with the twitter hashtag #EFFit.  So I made a few myself with a homemade stencil and some “paint splatters” with my airbrush.

When the Family portion ended, I packed up and finished up the afternoon and evening outside the Side Street Studio Arts, so incoming ticket buyers would see my wares.  I did well, but probably could have gotten away with simpler designs for less.  The kids wanted cookies no matter what they looked like.  But I wasn’t there to “sell” my baking skills, though I always bring them of course, I really did want to make this hard on myself as an illustrator—making them in volume, and making them awesome.  And I did it.  And if I have the space and time this summer, I expect I’ll be signing up again.  So see you on the fringe ;)

Colts... and the Cosmos...

back when i started this blog, i had participated in my husband's church's silent auction. i offered a year of cookies, a dozen a month, so i had at least one picture to show you on a regular basis. after the year was up, i kept busy, a party here, a birthday there, my wedding, and when i had a job i brought a plate to the office every month. then last October i thought of how we only throw birthday parties for Andrew and Grace on Jeff's side, and my side of the family is all out of town, and that's just not enough birthday cookies. so with my brother's "over the hill" cookies, i got working on a year of birthdays. these 2 are the last in the series.
my niece and nephew, Jackie and Derek, are twins who just turned 24. Jackie, though confined to a wheelchair with cerebral palsy, can paint (with a paintbrush in her mouth!) and enjoys sci-fi (we're fellow Trekkers). Derek, though deaf, can play football. i haven't seen him play, but the hearing impaired have some technique by which they signal with lights. they're 2 pretty competent young people, so i made sure i did my best. :)
the rocket/planet combo was a composite with 2 cutters. both "Neptune" and the horseshoe were done with the airbrush. the planet was freehand before i surrounded it with black, and the Colts logo was a stencil, made from a plastic lid. they were received today--the Indy-fam gave them a thumbs-up. i had a moment's worry about using the football helmet and little rocket for the first time, but those little moments are getting smaller and smaller...
coming soon, a lonely owl, a dead but festive trio, a really cool witch, and it looks like some wine glasses too! stay tuned....