patter pitter patterns

There's something about patterns that seem to fascinate people; maybe there's a soothing quality in repetition, or a subconsious recognition of the patterns that make up this universe? Either way, I often use patterns as part of my own illustrations, like this one above - the final piece of the exhibition I shared with my sister last month. (See that cat down there in the right hand corner? That was the only cat in the exhibition but she represents all the ones that have come - and gone - throughout our lives.)

Speaking of the exhibition, I really should thank all the people who came to the opening day and to the show for as long as it lasted - thank you! :)

I should also give a HUGE thanks to my sister, who not only came up with the idea to do this in the first place, but also had to take it upon herself take care of the sales and the upkeep and all of the practical stuff in connection to the closing of the exhibition - since I couldn't be there. And, with that in mind, I also need to thank my sister's boy J, who drove us to and fro and and took my place helping her out!

So, continuing with the patterns ... yesterday, the inspiratin was South korean artist Suh Se-ok and his very simple ink patters, so clean and vibrant and impossibly beautiful and alive:

But I've got to admit, if it comes to happiness of the more bubbly kind, I really really do like Yayomi Kusama; here are her patterns in Aix-en-Provence earlier this year:

Image source.

So I had to do a little bit of doodling myself!:

 

Let's finish with a mountain view and all those patterned rows of citrus trees (not really sure if it is citrus, but there's so much of that around her, it seems safe to assume;)!

Murcia, Spain.

How a cat can make anything look better. :)

 I have this tote I made earlier this year, so it's not that old, but it is a work-bag, meant to hold paint tubes and brushes and chocolate bars that melt in summer, sun lotion bottles with a loose cap ... you get the idea.

 

But I didn't really want to throw away a perfectly usable bag because of a few stains (or perhaps, rather, I didn't feel like sewing a whole new bag;) so I decided to cover up the stains with more paint!

What I did first was to create a simple pattern with masking tape and then use a roller to apply the paint. Since I'm out of fabric paint, I used regular acrylics but I'm sure it'll survive a trip to the washing machine - I've got paint stains several years old that still wont come off!
I then took off all the strips, cut out a stencil for the cat and ta-da! A brand new bag! :)

From bags to boxes, the postman delivered  a brand new toy/bed/sun chair/whatever for Valentino & Co!

fishing for fun

Are you the one who'll go up a ferris wheel even though you don't really like heights, just because your friend didn't want to go alone, or are you the friend who nags and nags until you get what you want?

I think I might be a bit of both; I'm good at encouraging my friends, but I'm also more than game if asked! Especially if it's something a little bit on the scary side ... ;)

baby it's cold outside

It's warming up nicely now but apparently Ido and Bello thought it was too cold for a morning walk today (and Emil didn't even bother to get up), but here are photos from yesterday morning! 

I'm off to do some baking now - today feels like a day for using the oven and smelling the freshly baked bread in the kitchen! :)

Illustration Friday: "shadow"; ひかげ hikage

These past two weeks have been oddly confusing; for three days in a row I've been sure it was Friday, until Friday actually came, and it didn't feel like Friday. This week has felt like a Saturday ever since Tuesday, except for yesterday when I spent an entire morning convinced it was Sunday.

So somehow I feel as if I'm trying to catch up with all this time flying away from me, but only catching shadows.

BTW, did you catch google's Dr Who game today? It's quite the sight seeing 11 doctors jumping up and down with their arms in the air like hyperactive children.

Sometimes you just need a little extra support (what I wore yesterday)

Usually when on the bus, one might be just sitting upp straight, looking out the window ...

... or have a (hopefully) good book with you.

But, yesterday, the road was unusually bumpy and the bus could clearly have used more padding , scrambling not only my brain but my chest, too!

So I had to spend the entire drive with my arms acting as an over-clothes bra.

Illustration Friday: "Tail"; しっぽ shippo

For this week's challenge I present to you a set of cards I made earlier this summer, andyou can't tell me this isn't all about tails!

I've been wanting to do larger pritns out of these for a long time now, but unfortunately I don't have the originals anymore, so I've got to start from scratch making new ones. It would be nice to get them done before the end of the year though, short as that deadline may be! ;)