05.06.15 More Phantom Fun!

Hey there!
I've finally finished the layouts for the un-masking scene from Andrew Lloyd Webber's  "Phantom of the Opera."  I have only had time to bring one of these pages to completion and I love how it looks, I will show you that first--here it is:

"Stranger than you dreamt it..."  pg 4

I love the lighting!  With this work I want to create a sense of being in a theatrical setting, as opposed to an actual room or environment.  This book is about the experience of the play and I hope that will come across, strongly....here are the layouts:

"Stranger than you dreamt it..." pages 1 and 2 

"Stranger than you dreamt it..."  pages 3 and 4

"Stranger than you dreamt it...."  pages 5 and 6

I love it so much!!!!!!  I love Phantom.  I love Opera, too.  I love playing with lyrics, music and poetry, so I've been really inspired by this project and now I have a thousand million more ideas!  HOWEVER, since I'm about to be completely bogged down with work (goodbye any thoughts of summer fun times!) I won't be able to take these pages much further past this point for a few months. :-(  I do love how it's coming along, though! And BTW the next scene I'm going to jump in to will be  "Notes/Twisted Every Way..."  Another scene with great emotionality and lots of musicality to play with--plus all the main characters! I'm SO looking forward to it!  (and so are you!!)

 Before I sign off, I would love to share these character designs for Meg Giry.  I am working on the look of all the characters but I decided to start with Meg because she is totally beloved.  She is a bit in the shadows at first but she is such a badass in the end.  This what I'm thinking she'll look like:

Meg Giry, character ideas, 2015

So far the reaction on the inter-webs has been great, so thank you so much for all the phantom love and encouragement!  It's great to know that there is a strong audience out there for this work and I can't wait to bring you more, more more!!!!
BUT!
For now, I must get back to other projects!  I'lm working on more theatre posters (YAY!!!) as well as another coloring book and, of course, MY book, which is now called  "Joseph, the Dreamer."  which I like because that's what he is and that's what I am, too. :-))))  Back to work!

Love, Beckaroooo!!!

04.16.15 A Quick Birthday Post!

Just a short and very special post to say:
Happy Birthday to my twin sister, Elly!
I made this for (y)our birthday:

Elly's Birthday Turtle!  2015

Elly loves turtles and she has a little turtle named Yertle with a super fancy tank--he lives SWANK.  She also has one tatooed on the top of her foot (OUCH!!!)  I couldn't even watch it happen, I had to leave the room!

Being twins is awesome, Elly is more than my best friend, she's also my worst enemy, biggest fan and the one who knows me the most of all.  I love her SOOOOO much!!!  that's why she gets a whole post from me to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY, twinsie!!!!  I hope you love this silly little guy!  Mostly I hope you have a wonderful, fabulous day!
You are my favorite and also you are a super hero.
I Love you!!!

Love, Beckarooo!!!!

3.12.15 Sock Monkeys!

Hey there,
This post is all about my sock monkeys!!!  I love making sock monkeys and because recently a friend gave me a sewing machine (thanks!!!) I have been making more and more.  I don't know why, but making a monkey is a very relaxing activity for me.  People seem to like them, which is always nice.  I like to give them as gifts--and only my most favorite people have one--but mostly I like seeing them.  They are so cute, I love taking pics of them...They are best in large group shots like this:

Monkeys, monkeys everywhere....

Many Monkeys...

Of course, I have also made a few traditional monkeys....but they aren't as much fun--except for the second guy from the left--he's got a bit of a drinking problem...:-/

Stranger in a Traditional Land...

The traditional monkey holds a special place in my heart--they often figure into my stories..

....but I love my monkeys more, of course...I love all the different patterns and colors--and no two monkeys are alike!  (which is why I hate selling them!!!) Lately, I've been trying to be good about documenting them, but it's not a big deal so I tend to forget and plus I have other, more pressing deadlines, usually...but here is a small sampling...

I have thought a lot about making little  monkey selfie portraits, like these:

My monkeys give me a lot to think about!  I have a lot of different ideas for them, so in time you will see my sock monkey--tons of them, everywhere!!!!! So, I thought they deserved to have a little blog post, since they inspire me so much--it's the simple things in life, you know? ;-)
And now, back to Joseph and lands of Canaan...
Thanks for the visit!
Love, Beckaroooo!!!

12.31.14 One Last Post for 2014!

Hey there!
welcome back to my studio....for this, my last post of 2014, I thought I would focus on the other work I do that gets tons and tons of hits--my dancing drawings!  This year I had my first solo exhibition featuring these drawings. Normally, I view drawing as a means to an end because as a story-teller, I am using it as a visual language to communicate but this project was just about the act of drawing--and drawing the thing I love to draw the most which is the figure in motion.  I'm not much of a dancer but I love to watch it and even more, I love to draw it.  I'm not a fine artist and I never had any ambitions of being a gallery-type artist so it was a really nice treat to have had this experience. Thanks, Altered Esthetics, for putting it on!  And here, direct to you, is the full collection:

Company BLU, 2013

Dancing Arms, 2013

Saut de Chat Arabesque, 2013

Twirling, 2013

Twist, 2013

Spiral Arms, 2013

Zenon 2, 2013

Zenon Arms, 2013

  And here is a bunch of solo poses:

Solo Poses, 2013

It was really fun to have an opening with all my friends and a bunch of strangers!  And overall the show had a super positive response, which was really cool...here's a pic of me at the show (this one is my fave:)

Beckaroooooo!!! 2014

But there was even more!  I submitted some other dancing themed work for a juried show at the Las Lagunas Gallery in LA and I got in!  Well...this piece got in:

Ballerina Graffiti 3, 2013

 I really liked the moody lighting in that photo so I made these, too:

Dancer Adjusting Her Shoe, 2014

Neon Tutu, 2014

I did a few more of these but I'm running out of time and space!  So those are the ones you get.

My favorite part of this project was getting to sit in on rehearsals and dance classes and to see and draw the dancers in action right in front of me--it was such a fun experience working on this series and huge ego boost to boot! haha  ...But, alas, I haven't been able to pursue it recently because I've been so busy with my book and other things and that's cool--I really enjoyed the experience--I'm sure I'll do more in the future, in the meantime--thanks for all the hits and all the encouragement and compliments--I love compliments!! :-)))

I hope you had a good 2014, mine was pretty cool, I must say.
Thanks for visiting and I'll see you next year! :-)
Love, Beckaroooooo!!!!!

12.24.14 A Holi-DAZE post!

Hello friends!
It's been quite a year for me and, after reviewing my blog traffic, I've decided to create for you an all Phantom post!  It's a Happy Holi-DAZE present for you! (since you all love it so much--thanks!!!)  I'm working on hashing out a script for it but that is not something I will post--it does mean there is more to come, though!  I'll be posting layouts as I go along, of course...anyway, it was a lovely surprise this year to learn how much people like the work I've done for Phantom, it's very encouraging and much appreciated! :-)
 So here you go--
A Very Phantom Collection for the holidays!

"The Chandelier" 2013

"Christine Daae" 2013

"No More Talk of Darkness..." 2014

"The Trapdoor"  pages 1 and 2

"The Trapdoor" pages 3 and 4

"The Red Death" 2014

"Masked Ball, panel detail" 2012

"The Masquerade" 2014

Of course, the Opera House has a dark side too....

"On the Underground Lake" 2014

"That Voice Which Calls To Me" 2014

"Secretly Possess You" 2014

And here are some sketches that I'm particularly fond of:

I think I will play a bit with those Paris Opera House sketches...I love this project and I'm excited to see what new work for it will come in the new year!  Right now it is the holiday time and I am determined to relax and have fun!!!!! ....I kinda suck at that--but I'm working on it!!!
  Happy Holidays!  And thanks again for all the Phantom love I got this year!!  I love the love.
Now for some eggnog and roasted chestnuts....(:
Love, Beckarooo!!!

11.18.14 Little Red Riding Hood!

Hi there!
 Welcome back to my little studio...  I was recently asked to pitch a series of toddler books based on Grimm's Fairy Tales--and I jumped at the chance of course!  Not only do I love Grimm's Tales but, having worked with toddlers for several years, I also love little primer books---BUT!!! when the series gets picked up I will have to delete this post, so enjoy it while you can!

First, a fun little cover design....here is my final little sketch and also the final inked lines:

Of course, I did a lot more sketching than that....you should do as much sketching as you can before settling on a final image!  And here is the final cover image, btw:

"Little Red,"  cover design/concept art 2014

I love the bold color scheme and it's exactly what would appeal to the toddler-aged eye.  I have so much 0-5 development info, it's insane.  I sometimes surprise myself at how much I know about it and now here is my chance to incorporate that into my work--YAY!!! Also, FYI, the flowers are rhododendrons and in the language of flowers, they translate to:  BEWARE!  DANGER!  which I thought was apt.

...and here is a sample of a couple of pages from inside the book:

"Little Red, concept" 2014

  This is just a concept piece so a lot, some or none of it may change...but I am so loving this book already! Can't wait to move forward in the process,,,,:)))

  SO....even though I haven't made any dancing drawings in a while, this piece will be in a group show in December here in Minneapolis.  Here's a link to info on the web:

http://www.alteredesthetics.org/ae-presents-solo-exhibitions-program-alumni-show

--come say hi to me and have a drink!  

"Chyna in Fifth Position," 2013

Why did I choose this one?  Because it's the one of the ones people responded to the most strongly.  Two people wanted to buy it, but as I have stated before I'm a selfish artist and I don't like selling my work. It's MINE! :-P  but thanks for liking it, too--you can always see it on my blog!

  And to close this post, here is a new picture of me because it's always nice to know what I look like:

Beckarooo!!

I'm plotting world domination in this pic--that's why I look so happy. ;-)  

  Well...back to doing what I do best, drawing pictures and cuddling with cats...thanks for the visit and come back soon!  As always, there is much more to come!

(And bring me pumpkin pie when you come, it's that time of year.) (:

Love, Beckaroooo!!!

08.24.14 Even More Sock Monkeys!

Hey there!
This week was pretty crazy, which is a perfect way to end a crazy month!  I've been packing for a move and so I've been finding little art gems to share with you. First of all, I found a few more of my Sock Monkey Tarot cards that I love!  When some people read cards they like to say that no card is all good or all bad, but when you start researching their meanings and making illustrations of them, I don't know, some cards are pretty tough! These are the cards with the darker meanings, in the Major Arcana:

#12 The Hanged Monkey

 The Hanged Monkey card represents a time in life in which you are required to make a sacrifice of some kind--hopefully, for the greater good.  This is the card whose image was so clear in my mind that it spurred me to begin this project.  FYI.

#13 Death

 The meaning of the Death card is actually about change, not death.  But new beginnings are usually begun from something else's end, so there is a deep sense of loss with this card that is likened to death, hence its name.  

#16 The Tower

The Tower is one of the worst cards to pull!  It's meaning is exactly what it looks like--all your foundations crumbling, things around you falling away.  Though it usually is tempered with the idea of something new coming on the horizon, this card is not happy at all.  It is about being in the midst of destruction.  (notice that the blocks spell out Beckaroo!)  It's so fun, challenging and rewarding to work on a project with such clearly defined narratives and such a huge breadth of subject. Which is why I keep working on it, in my spare time.

  I think building up  a body of work is a lot like making a mountain.  It takes FOREVER, first of all, and most of it is made of up all the same old crap around you, nothing special--however! within the mountain, like gemstones and fossils, there are things that, over time, prove to be more valuable and worth preserving than the crap surrounding it. Haha Anytime I can use a geology metaphor I'm happy! (:  Here are a few little gems I found--this is the very first sock monkey themed project I did:
 Once upon a time I went to coffee shops and house parties and drew the people around me but I replaced them with sock monkeys.  These are just a few and all at The SpyHouse, in  Minneapolis...in like 2005!
  I wanted them to have a photographic feel, so I kept them smaller and tried to compose them as I would a photo.  But they are graphite on paper:

SpyHouse Monkeys, 2

Jordan Monkey

SpyHouse Monkeys, 3

Graphic Designer Monkey

I love these!  I totally forgot about them and when they fell out of a portfolio in my closet I was pleasantly surprised. Sock Monkeys improve everything, I swear!  :)
  Well, back to working, packing and avoiding craziness--with only mild success....Thanks for the visit! More to come...
Now, I'm off!
Love, Beckarooo!