Featured artist of the day on Redbubble!!

I am soooo happy and proud, last week one of my designs on Redbubble was shown in the found page, on Redbubble's homepage!

And I also show up as one of the featured artists of the day.

So happy! Please visit my shop on Redbubble.


I have uploaded some lovely puffin Christmas designs, great for greeting cards and gifts for Christmas. The greeting and postcards have a discount; if you buy 8, you get 20% off and if you buy 16, you get 30% off. Get ready for Christmas!

New patterned design of orchids

I have been working on some new designs, to be used for products in my RedBubble shop.

This week I have been painting orchids. This orchid is one that I already have for a long time in my windowsill. I used old sketches from one of my old journals, and added new watercolor sketches in my Moleskine watercolor journal.

I made these sketches a few months ago

And a few new sketches in my Moleskine watercolor journal

I scanned the orchid paintings into the computer and created a lovely patterned design using Photoshop. I uploaded the design to my RedBubble shop and it creates this lovely products. Products are for sale, there are many more products with this design and other. Take a look!

RedBubble orchids pillow

RedBubble tanktop with my orchids design

RedBubble dress with the orchids design with a grey background

RedBubble shop (kittyvdheuvel)

Since a few weeks I have a shop on RedBubble. RedBubble is a print on demand shop, where customers can buy lots of products (t-shirts, posters, prints, mugs, pillows, clocks, phonecases, etc.) with the designs that artists all over the world have created.

I have been uploading lots of my older paintings, drawings and illustrations. And I am very happy that some of my designs have been purchased by customers from all over the world. Really exciting!!

My best selling design is my dancing puffin watercolor illustration, I have a single puffin and a 3 puffins design, both sell well. This is an example of the pillow:

And another bestseller is my watercolor illustration of this sweet dog:

And I also sold 2 wall tapestries of this alcohol ink landscape painting:

I am so thrilled that people appreciate my work, and I think I might go and order some Christmas gifts myself :-). I do love how my mixed media collages show on the different products!

My shopname is kittyvdheuvel, just type it in the search box and you can take a look yourself!

Getting back into the rhythm

I cannot believe I came home only 2 weeks ago. I have been so absorbed in the daily rhythm, that I almost forgot how it was in California. Well... I know it was warmer there, as I am constantly feeling cold. And I miss the sunshine and the care-free lifestyle. But it is great to meet up with family and friends again. And I just need to make sure I have enough time to create.

Last weekend I met up with the Urban Sketchers Amsterdam, and we went to Artis, the zoo in Amsterdam for a day of animal sketching. I had a great time, and met some really nice people. I sketched in my Stillman and Birn sketchbook, with pencil and later added ink (with my Pitt pens and with the Tombow, my new best friend) and a little watercolor.

And the last 2 weeks I have been working on two collage paintings. I started with the blue apple in Elizabeth St. Hillaire Nelson's workshop and finished it at home. The collage of the sunflower was created last weekend. 

I have registered myself for the local yearly art exhibition at the end of the year. Hopefully I will be able to show some of my new work. I have been in the last 2 exhibitions and there are always lots of people coming to check out the local artwork during the holiday season. Last year I sold 6 paintings (a few monoprints, a pastel painting, 2 alcohol ink paintings and a mixed media collage. Fingers crossed.

Art-is-You in Petaluma

Wednesday my sister Anja and I went to our first workshop at the Art-is-You art retreat in Petaluma. We both picked the same class to start with, 8 Objects - 8 ways from Jane LaFazio. She showed us how to create a journal page with several objects, using several different techniques, from sketching with just a pencil to watercolors etc. It was a great day, and I even met some people I met at the CREATE art retreat in Irvine last year and the year before :-)

At home I finished another page, using only shells.

And I really liked the continiuous drawing exercise. I sketched a sunflower in pen and added the watercolors later. I got the sunflowers from another attendee in class, she bought some flowers for the workshop and gave me the bunch as she had to leave early.

And before the flowers are all wilted.... another sketch in watercolors

A quick sketch of the wine country Sonoma

Yesterday evening we went to the doodle party at Art-is-You. We got a foamboard tile and a pen, and several stencils to use. It was fun, we created, had some lovely cakes (yummie) and had a great evening.

The left tile is mine, the tile on the right is created by Anja.

The next few days we will attend some more art workshops, and then it is almost time to leave.... We will be flying home on Monday. This has been a great trip and I am sure we will be back.

Moving on

The last few days in Pacific Grove have passed quickly. My sister and I went on a whale watch trip on Monday and after about 5 minutes we found a large group of whales. A group of about 20 humpback whales, not too far from shore, playing, eating, and lunge feeding (coming out of the water with their mouths open to catch the fish. It was a great trip!!!!!

On Tuesday we took a road trip south, along the Pacific Highway 1. Lots of beautiful views along the way. We saw a large group of whales from the shore, beautiful. When we came to Big Sur we had a great chocolate milkshake before heading back. We stopped for lunch at the Rocky Point restaurant. Marvelous food and views.

Wednesday it was time for our kayak trip in Monterey. We got a flattering pair of trousers and jacket and off we went. The group was not too big, Anja and myself, and a family of 4 from Australia, who lived near the sea but strangely never kayakked before. We saw sea otters, sea lions and seals and lots of birds of course. 

In the last days I worked on 2 larger paintings, both with sea otters.

And after a quiet day, we said our goodbyes to the ocean.... I am sure going to miss Pacific Grove :-(

We made the 3-hour drive to Petaluma an art orientated drive. After one hour we stopped at the Hobby Lobby, after an another hour we made a stop at Dick Blick in Berkeley and then went on to our final destination Petaluma. 

Yesterday I did some sketches with the new Tombow markers we bought, and a little sketch of the kitchen soap. Only today I did a sketch from our back porch, looking over the Sonoma hills.

Vacation!

As from yesterday I am officially on vacation :-). No more getting up early to work a few hours in the mornings before leisure time. From now only leisure time.

Tuesday, I did some more sketching. The kelp that is washed upon the beach is beautiful. It does smell a bit... and the flies.... but does make a beautiful still life.

The scenery is changing every day. Tuesday there were many (read hundreds of...) pelicans on the Bird Rock near the Scenic Drive in Pacific Grove. 

and I took the scenic drive in Carmel. Beautiful beaches and houses... 

Then Wednesday arrived and I drove to San Francisco to pick up my sister from the airport. Luckily the flight arrived on time and on the way back she did her first purchase (LOL).

After a quiet day on Thursday, we went to the Monterey Aquarium on Friday and took a boottrip on the Elkhorn Slough yesterday. We saw many sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions and birds. We had a mainly Dutch boat, the captain came from the Netherlands, the oma, mother and daughter were from Dutch origin and us of course. It was 'gezellig'. 

A pile of sea lions 

Sea otter sketches

Today another quiet day, it is Sunday after all. The Pacific Grove triathlon in town, so we are going to take a look. Tomorrow we are going whale watching. Oooops, forgot to tell you we saw already many jumping, breaching and playing whales from the shore last Thursday. 

Labor Day weekend

This weekend is Labor Day weekend. Lots of people have a long weekend off and go to the coast. The little town is completely jam packed and the beach is crowded. I love the atmosphere, people are picknicking and bbq-ing in the park at Lovers Point and I saw a beach wedding, a birthday party and a family reunion.

Last Saturday I took the Elkhorn Slough safari boat trip from Moss Landing. I was a lovely trip, the boat is a pontoon boat  and it leaves from the harbor in Moss Landing and visits the Elkhorn Slough, a wetland nature reserve. Lots of wildlife to see (and hear... and smell...). Harbor seals, sea lions, sea otters and lots of birds. The kids on the trip get all an assigment, so we have sea otter spotters, seal spotters and every animal we see gets counted and written down and make up some impressive counts at the end of the trip. 88 sea otters, more then 400 sea lions (most of them piled together on 2 pontoons), lots of habor seal and lots of birds.

I started 2 bigger paintings, one from the little watercolor sketch I did in my journal. The size is 11"x 14". The paper is from the same brand I use at home, but it behaves completely different. The pelican is painted on smooth watercolor paper and is difficult to work on. Not sure I like it...

Pacific Grove

Pelican

And some sketches of rocks with pen in my sketchbook, I added a little bit of watercolor later.

Today I am leaving the car behind, and will take another walk to Monterey on the recreational path next tot the ocean. I might do some people see-ing :-) and go for lunch. I will be back later!

Time flies when you are having fun....

WOW, it is already Friday. Which means that my first week is almost over. Time flies when you are having fun....

Wednesday afternoon I went to the aquarium and started to sketch the giant octopus when I got home. I finished it yesterday, with pen and watercolors.

Yesterday after work I drove to Carmel. I took the scenic route, along the coast. An amazing sandy white beach in the middle of Carmel! The plan was to visit the mission in Carmel. I have been there last year, but was planning to sketch it this time. Well, I was dilly dallying around Carmel and never got to the mission. Maybe later.... Anyway, on my daily drive along the coast, I saw some blows out in the bay. Whales! Not too far from shore, I could spot some with my binoculars.

Back at home I drew a sea otter, with my Faber Pitt pens and added a little watercolor.

Today I drove to the Fisherman's wharf in Monterey. There are lots of sea lions, harbor seals and some pelicans near the wharf. I walked around, had a marvelous cappuccino (with real taste, sorry my US friends..) in an Italian coffee shop and I visited the Monterey museum. 

The Fisherman's wharf

A pile of sea lions at the wharf

I  booked a boat trip for tomorrow. The boat is leaving at Moss Landing and will visit the Elkhorn Slough. I have been here on my way to Monterey. Lots of wildlife, I do hope to get some better pictures of sea otters tomorrow.

Enjoying myself

Monday after work I went to find a SIM card for my mobile phone. And I did find a good deal at the local shopping center. 30 days of unlimited calls, so I can dial into all the conference calls for work.

Then I moved on to what I came to do, relax, sightseeing and sketching/painting. I took the Ocean View, just around the corner and it is a beautiful scenic route. There are lots of places to stop along the road with beautiful views of the ocean. I did some sketches with a brown Pitt pen in my journal (sorry for the bad quality of the images, but I do not have a scanner here :-)).

And a lovely photo I took of the lighthouse.

After the tour I went to the local farmers market and bought some fruit, tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini's. I am making pasta tonight!

And we are already in the next day. After a few hours work I decided to take the same scenic route again. Yesterday was a full day and I had hardly time to sketch. And that is what I am here for! So, now in a slower pace, stopping and sketching along the way. Rocks and a little beach in pencil.

On the way back, I stopped at Lovers Point, no(i)sy seagulls were wondering what I was doing...

It has been (and still is) a beautiful day, lots of sunshine and relaxing. I hope to paint a bit more now that I am back at the cottage. There are still a few hours in this day!