A Seasonal Sketch Book Page

Tiny Mysteries

Sometimes life's smallest details -- the tiniest mysteries-- can seem most profound.

Hearts, and More Hearts

Just got a box from Sunrise... Samples of the new Valentine cards we designed for the Elliott Bay line. Love is in the air!

Winter

Picture a single icy pinecone lying half-visible in a field of blue-white snow on a cold, clear December day. Close your eyes and smell the smoke from a distant juniper fire.

January Will Be Here Soon

This coming January and February, are you planning to be in Washington, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Ohio or New York? If so, check out the provisional schedule for Sungtrul Rinpoche's long-awaited 2009 tour!

Many Mushrooms

November is a beautiful slice of the year. It's the time we get to look through our window and see this.

Earth Spirit

More new Challis & Roos checks from Bradford! Check 'em out here

You Know What's Awesome? Owls!

Brand new from Bradford-- Our "Awesome Owls" checks! (Click on the Bonus Buy picture to see the matching address labels and checkbook cover.) Hooty-Hoo wouldn't love paying their bills with these fun checks?

Skateboarding Spider Monkeys

Saturday in Seattle-- sure seems like a swell season for some swift simians. And such a good excuse to sneak a peek at the "S" page from our Animals A to Z book!

Now I Know My ABCs

Next time won't you sing with me?

Balance

The best thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man. --Euripides

Another Item For The "To Do" List...

Let Your Life Reflect Your Dreams

M Is For...

Middle of a Monday Morning, Miles Davis, Mighty good coffee, and... Monograms!

A Joyful Reunion Awaits Your Arrival

Summertime -- It's A Wrap

Just noticed that our friends at Current are still offering this cool gift wrap. (Good news-- it's on sale!) We love this wrap. And, according to their description, it's "peekproof!" Who knew? The lighthouses are all from illustrations we did a few years ago for our "Summer Fun" book.

The Future... (Every Morning)

"My future starts when I wake up every morning. Every day I find something creative to do with my life." --Miles Davis

Aloha, Your Checks Are Ready...

We're happy that our "Island Cool" check sets are now available from the folks at Bradford Exchange! Check 'em out here

Gnome Is Where The Heart Is

Gnome sweet gnome. There's gnome place like home. There's no place like gnome. To gnome me is to love me. Gnome sayin'?

A Little Every Day

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries to comprehend a little of this mystery every day.
-A. Einstein

Enjoying...

Why Is It?

I've never played my accordion in Mendocino. Nor have I ever heard anyone play an accordion in Mendocino. So why is it that I can never play my accordion, or hear the sound of an accordion being played without immediately thinking of Mendocino? Specifically this magical little tree, growing on a cliff in the windy Mendocino headlands.

Slightly Distracted Meditation Boy

This is a sketch for a new 40" x 48" painting which hasn't been painted yet. (But chances are very likely that by Monday that will no longer be the case!)

Hail To The Mid-Century Chiefs

Here are 4 of the 42 pieces from a recently re-discovered batch of illustrations we did during the previous presidential campaign season. Do you recognize these guys? (Hint: their initials are FDR, HST, DDE, and JFK.)

Paradise Palms

We're happy to be working with the folks at Bradford to introduce some nifty new check designs. "Check" out our first set right here

Solstice

Some brand new artwork to celebrate the summer solstice...

It's All Right There

Every leaf on every tree. Every brick in every wall. Every piece of every puzzle. It's all there. (Always there.) It's all right there.

But, On The Other Hand...

Where does the little bird go when he jumps from his branch? Does he fly with eyes wide open, ready to seek out fresh discoveries? Does he revisit familiar nests from some long-forgotten springtime? Or is he content to pay his fare, hop the D train, and rest his eyes until he and his weary flock reach Coney Island? They say Coney Island is lovely this time of year. But even walking along this familiar boardwalk, one can't help but hear the beckoning waves of Bora Bora.

"K" Is For...

In honor of the Karmapa's visit to Seattle, here is the "K" page from our Animals A to Z book!
(Also, here's a photo that Jim took of us last weekend on Lake Union.)

New Arlanda Everyday Designs

We've been working on lots of new stuff. Here are the new Arlanda-style images that Running Rhino chose for their new release. This collection made its debut last week at the Stationery Show in New York.

New Shower Curtains At Target.com

Hey, check out our 3 brand new shower curtain designs at target.com! Additionally, there are really cute coordinating shower hooks, towels, waste baskets, etc, for each pattern!

Dino Friends
Bugs and Leaves
Zoo Park

Spring Road Trip 08

16 days, 13 states, 4,500 miles with 2 dogs, 2 sketchbooks, and a camera clicking away on about 2,200 photos. Here are some beach rocks that were collected in the upper peninsula of Michigan along the wild shores of Lake Superior.

This. Life. Now.

Some brand new artwork from this afternoon. Enjoy! (Now.)

Every Leaf On Every Tree

Nothing exists until or unless it is observed.
--William S. Burroughs

Sometimes We Like

...to transform ordinary printed books into sketchbooks. When taking a book from the shelf, we sometimes forget that we've already transformed it. Surprise!

Holiday Cheer

We designed some holiday cards for Running Rhino. Just received samples of the Arlanda-style designs they chose for this year's collection.

You Never Know

...when you'll find yourself sitting in a sports arena listening to the Dalai Lama, Dave Matthews and Death Cab For Cutie. Interesting evening!

Father's Day Is On Its Way

Just received samples of the cards we designed for Sunrise Greetings' Elliott Bay line of Father's Day cards. Fathers everywhere, from Cape Cod to Venice Beach, will appreciate the zippy full-color interiors and subtle foil details.

See What's In The Sea...

Our latest shower curtain and bath set is now available at Sears. Check it out.

Springtime

Spring has finally come to Seattle! We're celebrating its arrival by creating a big stack of new flower-themed artwork...

For Ed

Tonight I'm a tired, weary cowboy. Been up in my saddle all day.
Searchin' high hills and low valleys for cattle who've all strayed away.
My horse is tired and weary too, his legs are aching and sore.
But someday our work will be over, and we'll ride off to that other shore.

1913-2008
We miss you, pardner.

Yak & Yeti

Things to carry on the trail: (a) an open mind, (b) your sketchbook, (c) a small gift. You never know who you might meet.
By the way... if you're headed to Bhutan, be sure to check out the tips we wrote for our friend's website. While yeti sightings are rare, you'll scarcely go 15 minutes between a yak sightings!

Maneki Neko

The super-famous Beckoning Cat of Japan. Without even trying, we've accumulated quite a collection. It's hard to turn a corner in our house without running into one. This particular cat turned up in a new collection of designs that we just finished up last week.

Thinking Of You, Mom. Today And Always.

Just got these samples of Mother's Day cards we designed for Sunrise Greetings. As you can see, this spring you'll be able to send up to 7 cards to your mom. She'll be very happy to see that each card features beautiful full-color printed exteriors AND interiors! And, hey, check out the special printing processes... I do believe I see a little die-cut action, and oh man, is that foil? Why, yes it is! Nice.

Town & Country

Does it matter where the road is headed? Sometimes it's best to just crank up the tunes and drive.

Dogs, Dogs, Dogs

Looking back through old sketchbooks, it's surprising to see so many dogs! Our sketchbooks are filled with Fox Terriers and French Bulldogs. Brimming with Beagles and Basenjis. Loaded with Labs and Lhasa Apsos. Jam-packed with Jack Russells. Awash in Akitas and Airedales. Chock-full of Corgis, Chihuahuas, and Cavalier King Charles. Stuffed with Salukis and Shih Tzus. Packed with Pomerians, Pugs, and Papillons. Whew-- time for a walk!

Top Secret

For the past week and a half we've been working on a top secret project for a licensee. We've been looking at designs we've done in the past and reworking them into new "groups of four" layouts. It's fun to take a design you really like and break it down into coordinates. Lots of discoveries!

Furry Passenger

Nice morning at Greenlake. Sun... sprinkling mist... sun again. A guy on rollerblades passes by. Zoom. Notice a curious canine head peeking from the guy's camoflauge backpack. Yorkie, maybe? Bark! Very cute. Couldn't reach for the phone quickly enough, so no pic. But, here are some pretty flowers from our Fårö collection.

Bicycling Badgers

The "B" page from our Animals A to Z book!

Fun In The Dragon Kingdom

Continuing the "walk" theme started below, this artwork was inspired by a walk last autumn through a magical Himalayan valley. To see tons of our photographs of Bhutan, go here

Fun In San Francisco

Had a great time in San Francisco last week! One day we took a long (10+ hours) walk. Started at Union Square, walked through Chinatown to Lombard, snaked through Lafayette Park, Japantown, Alamo Square. Explored Haight, walked all through Golden Gate Park to the ocean. Stopped for some crab cakes at the Cliff House, and then wandered through Lands End, Seacliff, and along the coast, under the Golden Gate Bridge. Through the Marina to meet Matt and Jim for dinner at Ghirardelli Square. Highly recommended! This new artwork was inspired by that walk.