Happy Halloween Weekend!

Are you guys up to anything fun for Halloween? I have a ton of work to do, so Mister and I might just hunker down and watch a bunch of scary movies. I must admit have a particular affinity for bad horror movies from the eighties. Some hold up surprisingly well, others not so much. Here are some of my favorite spooky posts from around the web. . .

Oh, Martha. Surprisingly adorable zombie pumpkins.

Yum, yum, yum. Pumpkin cupcakes!

Even though I am not getting dressed up this year, I would seriously consider wearing these.

This is my favorite costume!

What a nice jack-o-lantern.

Really fun family costume ideas. (isn't the Max and the Wild Things one amazing!?)

Have a spooky scary Halloween weekend!

Tiny Tuesday: Halloween Edition

How adorable is this tiny pumpkin! I'm such a sucker for needle felted items. There is just something about the material that I find so delicate and sweet. The pumpkin, found in the Global Knits Etsy shop, is just 1" tall and is for sale here.

Inspiration Monday

I always listen to music when I'm in the studio. I usually go for either bopping along top tapping getting lots of work done or soft rambling patiently focused and kind of reflective. Which translates roughly into oldies or singer-song writers, depending.

I have an ever changing group of artists/playlists but Tom Waits is always a go to for me. I've been a fan of his since forever and his albums really cover the whole spectrum. Which brings me to his new album, Bad As Me, which is my new favorite album to play while I'm working. Holy cow, it's amazing!

It's funny to think about, but music is such a part of my process that certain paintings/drawings have become linked in my mind to whatever I was listening to when I made them. Does that ever happen to you? What do you like to listen to when you work?

Happy Birthday Mary Blair!

Yay, Google! Way to celebrate the 100th Birthday of Mary Blair with this sweet Google Doodle! It's got me thinking about Mary Blair again. I pulled out this wonderful book, and flipped through. I've shared before about how amazing and inspiring I find her work for Disney, but I am finding myself really attracted to some of her more personal pieces. Her website is an amazing source of information and imagery, and did you know you could buy prints!? Oh, boy. Here are some of my current favorites.

How sweet is this plate? I love the colors!

I absolutely love how the string spells out her name,
and again the colors are stunning. And maybe this is weird,
but I really love the teeth on the littlest boy!

I really like the different line qualities used and how elegantly
they come together to create a visually unified piece.

Hello Boston

Two Happy Apples has moved to Boston! Boston is one of my very favorite cities and I am thrilled to once again call it home. It feels great to be back!

Now that we are all settled I am excited to start posting again regularly. And I am hoping to whip up some Boston inspired illustrations in the not too distant future! 

Inspiration Monday

Today's inspiration comes from Mary Blair. Mister gave me a book of her work a few years ago, and I was in awe. Her style is so distinct. And it seems that no matter what she was working on, she stayed true to herself.
It's fun to see her Disney concept drawings, but her books are great too. I find a lot of inspiration in her treatment of space. She does great things with pattern as well. I mean how great is that donkey! I'm also impressed with how well her work has stood the test of time, it still feels so fresh. Mary Blair, you are the bee's knees!

Tiny Tuesday

How magical are these pieces by french artist Anastassia Elias. They are made inside of cardboard toilet paper rolls! I'm so impressed that she uses a completely mundane item and turns it into such a beautiful piece of art. So small, so unexpected!

Inspiration Monday (on Tuesday)

Today's inspiration comes from Erin Tyner's  photo series, Half Awake. She takes household items and natural objects to create an environment and then places miniature scale model train figures into the scene. It has such an amazing balance of magic and loneliness. This series is so narrative and existential, I love it! It reminds me of this wonderful painting.

Tiny Tuesday

image © Sarah Neuburger, 2011.

How funny are these tiny mustaches over at The Small Object. If I had a pet and/or baby, I'd be taking some pretty hilarious photos with these little mustachios!

Inspiration Monday

I watched Suzie Templeton's Peter and the Wolf over the weekend. It was so good! The color palette was beautiful, and the lighting was gorgeous. It was so lonely, still, and full of danger. Plus, I have a penchant for purely visual storytelling so I was really tickled by the absence of dialogue.

I was so inspired by watching this movie that I made a Peter and the Wolf illustration. The original is for sale here, and prints are available here.