On The Dock, There's A Highway

So, let me get this straight-- you're telling me there's this highway, right?  And it's on a dock?  ok.  Am I the only radio listener who spent decades thinking this was the opening line to Hotel California?  It never really made much sense, unless maybe they were singing about a pretty short highway, or perhaps a rather lengthy dock?  Anyway, we've been working up some artwork based on #1 pop hits of the 70s.  1977, to be exact.   Fun project, but it will be quite a while before the theme from Rocky leaves my head...

Flight Time

Did you know that there are over 200 species of owls?  It's true!  Ranging from the tiniest (the Elf Owl) to the largest (the Eurasian Eagle Owl) owls can be found in a dizzying assortment of sizes, shapes and colors.  The brand new coordinating trio above seems to be in a class all their own.  With a combination of style, color, and playfulness not typically seen in nature, these quizzically confident little guys are ready for flight.

Ahoy, Pirate Monkeys!

Our playful little Pirate Monkeys have set out on another adventure.  Rubber swords in hand (paw?) and ready to peacefully search the seven seas for another cache of hidden treasure.  For this crew, it's all about the thrill of the chase and the joy of embarking on another voyage with true friends.  

Check out the animated invitation at Smilebox here

Blue Mountain, White Cloud

"The blue mountain is the father of the white cloud.  The white cloud is the son of the blue mountain.  All day long they depend on each other, without being dependent on each other.  The white cloud is always the white cloud.  The blue mountain is always the blue mountain...  This is how we live."  Tozan, as told by Shunryu Suzuki

Exotic Peacocks!

Full of rich color and over-the-top tail plumage!  Our new collection of peacock-themed designs is now available on checks, checkbook cover, and coordinating personalized labels.  Check it out here

To See The Skies

Painting To See The Skies

Drill two holes into a canvas.
Hang it where you can see the sky.

(Change the place of hanging.
Try both the front and the rear
windows, to see if the skies are
different.)

1961 summer
yoko ono

Delicious Imagining

"Today I watched the beginnings of storm -- the first trickle of rain on the glass, the little graceful surrender of the trees to the wind.  The thought flashed across my mind.  I'll love it when I get to be a tree.  Out of my senses?  Delicious imagining.  The romance of imagining making us see possibilities in the impossible.  I shut the door quickly to crowd back the shadows."  (from the writings of Irene V. Currey)

"Just Trying To Get To The Other Side Of Town"

Jimi Hendrix.  Crosstown Traffic.  Living Colour's cover version supplies a nice soundtrack on a busy summer afternoon.  (By the way, one of the houses in this design is based on Ian's childhood house, and one is based on David's.)

Red White Blue

Fireworks--
Giddy little fireflies,
Bursting with excitement
Zooming about the energized playground of the night sky

Unparalleled Possibility

Unparalleled possibility, hidden inside every seed.
Tear open the packet and pour the contents into a light summer wind.
Bang.
Tiny, parallel universes begin once again.

New Video!

Check out the video for the song "Value Added Texture" by Typographic Sailors.  We had so much fun putting together these illustrations...   These are some images from a couple of the scenes-- but be sure to check out the entire video here

Space Needle View from Every Room!

Just picture a penthouse way up in the sky, with hinges on chimneys for stars to go by 
--Marianne Faithfull

Just rediscovered this 12" x 60" pen and watercolor drawing of a tiny, memory-filled 1 bedroom apartment on Seattle's Capitol Hill.  Ian and I lived here during our college years, and for several years after as we started our little greeting card biz.  The two of us would sit on the floor with drawing boards on our laps, listening to Marianne Faithfull, Grace Jones and Nina Simone as we made handmade cards one at a time for Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and lots of great little independent bookshops from coast to coast.

Such a magical space.   

Still have the elephant marionette.  And the Cheer box, which is filled with many of the original cards and stacks of artwork.