Carrie K.'s High-kickin' Art Adventures

Also gave me a chance to try out my new soft pastels!

Currently on my easel - inspired by a character whose story reminded me that what you go through can leave it's marks on you, but it doesn't need to define you.

I just got news that the new (and full) version will be included in a brand new local zine called Snack Diaries, to be released later this summer/fall!

Old version: teal / New version: pink

Stay tasty, friends!

30x40" acrylic

Why “Doorway”? There are moments that fundamentally change us, our perspectives, and the way we live. Once through, we can't go back, even if we wished to. I wanted to share how my doorway moment of loss both fully absorbed and unmoored me, and how it also provided opportunity to see myself more clearly.

It's been 3 years since I lost my pup Tavi and I'm just starting to feel up to drawing her again. Grief is weird. I felt super engaged with and in touch with my creativity in a big way right after she passed, but had a brain block on drawing her. Now it feels comforting.

A brief compendium of pets:

- the long stroke from the tip of the nose to between your eyes

- a more vigorous palm stroke along both sides of your face

- a gentle tug on the ears, starting at the base and ending at the tips

- behind the ears, fingers trilling

- feathering my fingers through the curls on top of your head

- scratches under your chin (sometimes you'd press your head into my hand and I'd just hold you, you chin resting in my palm - I loved it when you did that)

- scratches down the front of your throat and chest (oh you really loved that - both hands dug into your scruff, kneading the folding skin and heavy fur there)

- gentle strokes down your legs, pulling gently on your paws, sometimes a gentle squeeze on the pads

- and course the butt scratch on both sides of your hiney, gentle up and down motions to not hurt your spine

Been practicing figure drawing (semi-mostly) daily since Feb with a friend. It's been fun to do something this consistent and even start to experiment with mediums like today's alcohol markers.

In the meantime, learning how to build floater frames!

I've wanted a honey bee colony since seeing Chuck's rooftop hives on Pushing Daisies.

I got particularly interested in those hives where you have to cut a hole in your wall so you can see everybody doing their honey making thing. Anyways… this is charcoal pencils.

This chipmunk babe has got to be the cutest thing I have ever drawn.

I remember in grade school, making that typical kid mistake of thinking that opossum began with the letter ‘p’.