Free Art for Coffee Lovers

'Perfect Night Cup'

Digital Illustration. 2011.

'Party Mate'

Digital Illustration. 2011.

Love coffee?  Then you'll love these. For a limited time, you can download, print and frame these two artworks I made for Coffee-mate.  All for free, how fun is that!  

'Perfect Night Cup' is a silhouette illustrations of four city landmarks from Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Ohio.  'Party-mate' is a celebration-themed rendering.  Feel free to tweet and share these on Facebook.  

Click here to download both.  Enjoy!

Pastels and Patience

'Robin's Peach Tree'Chalk pastel on paper. 9 x 12 inches.
I learned that although my boy enjoys painting with me, you can't expect two year olds to sit down on a 'real' art workshop. Not yet.

During the recent arts fest in our town, I signed him up for a two hour pastel workshop for a mere $8. The first fifteen minutes, he was doing fine. Until he realized that it was more fun to run outside. The 'fifteen minute attention span' won over.

So, there I was. Left with a box of pastels and a black paper scribbled with abstract lines and curves. I felt sad for the teacher, she must have thought my boy didn't found her workshop interesting enough.

I apologized and was relieved to hear she knows exactly how toddlers are. I decided to 'salvage' what was in front of me and this is what I came up with in less than an hour. The only time I could spare before I lose sight of my toddler and my four month old baby (in my sling) wakes up.

I could have left it as is and brought another abstract work to add in our growing collection (and I mean 'growing'). Moms and dads, you know what I mean.

Instead, I took that opportunity to show my boy what patience can bring forth. When he exclaimed, 'Mom! My bird, nice!', I knew it was worth the effort.

- Posted from my iPhone

The Beginning

'A thousand steps begin with one', so goes an ancient Chinese proverb. Today, I officially embarked on my 'hundred paintings' project featuring garden themed subjects.

I chose to paint these two white cheeked birds as to start with, as a symbol of the new heights I'm taking. Why two? Because this project is a two-way collaboration between me and the garden enthusiasts across the globe.

If you love photographing gardens or simply enjoy them, I invite you to join my project by sending your photos.

Tomorrow, I'll post the details about this painting.

See you at the gardens!

Baby Bursts

'Baby'

Watercolor Illustration. (c) 2010

I painted this for my cousin's baby shower. We're due on the same date! How about that.

I must have missed mentioning that we're expecting our second child. Yes! Another boy on the way. Growing the baby has been one of the things that was keeping me occupied that's why I wasn't able to update my blog regularly.

Although I've been down this road before, parts of the pregnancy journey seems all so new again. And I'm enjoying the perks that come with being pregnant. I get to use the 'Stork Parking' at Babies R Us and enjoy the heavenly foot massages courtesy of hubby, to name a few.

I've been receiving messages requesting updates on my recent 'projects'. Recently, I've been busy making baby gifts for relatives who are either having a baby or just had one. On top of that, I'm preparing for my upcoming one-woman art show this coming March in downtown Chicago. To make it even more exciting, the opening will be four days before my due date.

Hopefully, our baby won't decide to come out by then. I'll keep you posted if he decides to or not. If you're a mom who's expecting like me, the illustration above is dedicated to you too. I wish you all the joys a new baby brings.

Happy Belly Burst Day!

Reserved

'Reserved 1'

Mixed Media Illustration by Sherie Sloane.

In my heart, 

I reserved a spot for you.

 Take a seat my friend, 

Know that you're always 

Welcome here.

Illustration Friday: Homage

"Emma Jean"
Watercolor on cold press 140lb. Arches aquarelle paper, 6x10 in.
Watermark not present on original artwork.
Click here for your own custom watercolor portrait.

Entry to this week's Illustration Friday's theme 'Homage'.

To a woman of virtue and kind soul.
A daughter,
A sister,
A cousin,
A grandchild,
A niece,
A Christian,
An artist,
A horse lover.
She is one of us.

This is for you.

Illustration Friday

Click here to buy an archival print of this painting.
Watercolor on Arches aquarelle paper, 6x10 in.
Watermark not present on actual print, $19.

'The Heavy Sleeper'

Entry to Illustration Friday's weekly theme 'Heavy'.
A plein air painting done in Sausalito, CA.

Four To Go

Click here to buy this painting.
Acrylic on heavyweight fine art paper, 2.5 x 3.5 in.
Watermark not present on original artwork, $42.

Eighth day.  

I am getting there.  No rush, I'll take my time and savor every sensation in this journey.  The palette is wet, brushes are soaked, my hands are flowing.  I am creating, giving glory to the One who has given me this gift.

Even the flower is rejoicing, petals opened up, praising.  

Four to go.  Four more reasons to be joyful.

The Fourth

Click on photo to buy this painting.
Acrylic on heavyweight fine art paper, 2.5 x 3.5 in.
Watermark not present on original artwork, $42.

Life turns like a wheel, my mom would often say. Sometimes you're on top, other times you're down. Either ways, she say, you win. You learn humility when you're at the bottom and cheer more when you're up. What's important is to enjoy the 'distances in between'.

While painting this piece, I contemplated on those times in my life when I ended up fourth. This is the fourth painting anyways, so let me talk about being 'fourth'.

I was an achiever early on. My parents mentored me well when I was going to school. My first taste of victory as a child was when I graduated first honor in pre-school. That was the start. It will be followed by handfuls of academic achievements over the years until I finished college as a cum laude.

Not always the first. Some years I'll end up third, fourth or just in the middle. I stumbled countless times in my attempts to be the best. I learned to get up and move on. That's the beauty of being in the 'fourth'. You're still not there, but you know you're close.

Knowing there's a chance you'll even fail teaches you to remain humble. But there's still a reason to celebrate. If you turn your back, you'll realize you progressed from being the fifth, sixth, and so on. You're still a winner.

Fourth - that beautiful 'distance in between'. Just like this piece, my pledge won't be complete without it.

Mom was right all along.

Second Tulip

Click on photo to buy this painting.
Acrylic on acid-free & archival heavyweight fine art paper, 2.5 x 3.5 in.
Watermark not present on original artwork, $42.

Second day on my pledge, second painting. I love the contrast of the pinks against the blue background. Subtle yet powerful.

An Apple and a Brush

Click on Photo to Buy this Painting.
Watercolor on cold press 140lb Montval watercolor paper, 6 x9 in.
Watermark not present on original artwork. Price $90.

Two interesting subjects but an unlikely combination. Why together?

The apple. One of the most beloved fruit. The symbol of man's first reproduction. An easy meal replacement or snack which is also conveniently nutritious. 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away' won't be a popular phrase for no reason. It's pleasant to look at and boasts the prettiest primary color - red. For centuries, this succulent fruit has been the popular subject of still life paintings. The fine art masters painted it incessantly.

Which brings me to the brush. What will be a palette and a paint without it? Unless you're a finger painter, this bristly tool is indispensable. It's art's most esteemed metaphor. Museums and collectors have prided themselves not by just procuring and displaying works of art but with historic finds of antique brushes used by the masters.

So this is not 'just' a still life painting. It's a toast to two of life's greatest symbolic creations. One by God, the other by Man. Two incomparable beings brought together.

Just like my apple and my brush.

Pineapple

Click on Photo to Buy this Painting.
Watercolor on cold press 140lb Montval watercolor paper, 6 x9 in.
Watermark not present on original artwork. Price $90.

The icon of the tropics. It melts the winter blues away just looking at it. I bet whoever discovered this edible fruit long time ago, was very adventurous.

Who would think that inside the rough surface and spiky leaves is a sweet, tangy, slightly sour (when it's not overripe), juicy and fibrous meat. That's a lot of adjectives for one fruit. And don't forget the vitamins and cancer-fighting agents you get too. And again, the dietary fiber that is so good for you. I can almost hear my mom saying 'Eat your fiber.'

We ought to be more like that person who discovered it. Be more adventurous, look beyond the surface, love and appreciate others more despite their rough surfaces and spiky characters. Be a little more forgiving.

I can't wait to slice it and divulge on its sweetness. But first, let me paint it.