it's in the abc of growing up

This weekend we will celebrate my sister's birthday with family, some friends and a lot of nice food.
I made a drawing of an old picture of us. The photo is hanging in my room and it's actually really small: 2 cm x 4 cm. I think it was a seperate test print of the actual photo. I love this sweet, small memory of the past...

full of play

I finished a new drawing and I'm very pleased with this one. I like that the girl looks so innocent and naughty at the same time. She is saying: it wasn't me, but you know she is guilty...

drawing challenge

This week the drawing challenge is hosted by Patrice and her theme is "I". She asked herself: who am I, outside and inside, what do I show and what not?

Well, I loose myself in these questions. I think we are a lot of different "things", it depends on the situation which one you are. I'm a different person if I deliver the mail or if I sit with my family. And the next question is: what do you show of yourself: at work or at friends and then the next level: at your blog. Everyone can see that and what do you want people to see? I had a lot of different ideas for this theme, also of course a self portrait and even a photo, but I guess I'm not really ready for that... And then I thought I just make a combination of ideas: I'm away for the weekend, I make a little trip to Rotterdam and I have to wait at the train station for my train. So that's the drawing and it also tells you something else about me: where ever I go, if it's far or only the waiting room at the docter office: I always carry books, magazines or newspapers around. You hardly catch me without one. I can totally loose myself in stories or articles, even if I'm at a public place like a train station...


Because I'm away tomorrow this drawing is posted a day early. Tomorrow on saturday you can find more about this challenge on Patrice blog!

so we wait

I totally forgot that I finished this drawing and show it to you! I finished it in May, even before the exhibition, but then so much happend.

The last weeks some of you asked me why I draw girls, inspired by Pippi Longstocking. I realised that I started working on this drawings about a year ago, which is a long time for me, working on the same images and themes. I get bored easy... But since then a few new followers came on board (welcome!) and maybe I need to tell you a bit about it. Just a bit what motivates me, because I always like it when people make their own story to go with a piece.

So: I know it's a bit violent but at the same time: what can shock us these days? And that is a bit what I'm working on for a year now, which is a bit weird at the same time, because I hate weapons. I take this figure of Pippi, and I wonder: how much longer does it take before they take away our childhood heroes and make them also "bad", along with the rest of the world. Maybe it's not enough for these heroes to be strong, or that they can fly or become invisible. They have to reach out to "our" weapons to be heard these days. To be noticed by people.

drawing challenge

This week the drawing challenge is hosted by Helen and her theme is: my favourite object. I have a lot of favourite objects: my teacup that I use every morning, the ring of my mother, the wooden souvenir horse from Sweden and so on and on and on.... But I didn't have to think a minute of the object that still stands on the top of that list: my oldest stuffed animal. I got it when I was a baby and I still adore it! It's a sheep and I actually posted another drawing of it about a year ago where I told you seven things about myself. If you're curious, click here.
For more favourite objects, check out Helen's blog.

if you show you show

I made another bag, this time a red one. And I thought I make a funny picture to show it to you. A bit like Pippi going strong and full of power and joy. So I dressed myself in green stuff and walking and jumping in the grass with a green background so that you could see the red bag really good.... Well, you don't, haha! So because it's all about the bag and not me: a close-up picture off the bag below:

drawing challenge

Mano invited me for the drawing challenge of this week. Her theme was: Letters. So I made a drawing inspired by an older Pippi-drawing of mine. I like what came out of it: is the girl happy because she got so many letters, is she throwing them away or is she handing them out?
If you want to see more of the drawing challenge of this week, check out Mano's blog for all the participants.

give-away

For the exhibition last week a made a postcard of the drawing "play my darling play". I would like to send some of them to you as a thank you for reading and following my blog and taking the time to leave such nice comments. And it's also my 201 post, hurray!
Same rules as before: leave a comment and I contact you for your address. The first 5-15 comments get a card!

it comes to you in slow attacks

A few days after the exhibition and my head is full of ideas. At first I just thought: well, back to work and finish the drawing I started. But now the new ideas just keep coming and I have to write them down and make some new sketches so my head settles down. The funny thing is that if I have a lot of new ideas, it paralysis me at first and I can't really start. It's like I can't get a grip on it. But that's over know, back to work, now for real!

quite happily

Some pictures of the exhibition. It went really good: the weather was very nice this weekend, different locations took part in this exhibition-route, so there were a lot of visitors who took the time to come and see the exhibition. I'm very pleased how everything turned out: my drawings looked very good, a lot of visitors and nice reactions.

pressure is building up

Tonight is the opening of the exhibition. I'm looking forward to it but I'm also a bit nervous, but everything should be done by then.

I'm away until Wednesday, so pictures of the exhibition next week. I wish everyone a nice, sunny weekend!

rise and shine my sister

As I showed my t-sirt experiments to my sweet little sister she immediately said that she also wants one, even if I'm still in the try-our phase. So off course I made her a shirt and I hope she's happy with it. And me too: my first order, even if it's not an official one.

pack my bag

After making two t-shirts with my drawings on it, this time I made a drawing on a bag. What do you think of this experiment? I think I like it.

At the same time I'm still working and thinking about the t-shirts. I did some research on printing the drawing on the shirt, but that was not really what I want or what I'm looking for. Maybe I find a place where I can do some tests with silkscreen. But the real question here is: do I want to make a lot at the same time to sell or do I want to make an artwork on a t-shirt? Which means it will be more expensive but exactly the way I want it to be. Or is it just an experiment and for me? Well, as you can see: I have a lot to think about...

KunstTour

For everyone who wants to visit or happen to be in Maastricht: you can see my drawings during the KunstTour Maastricht. More than 200 artists of international diverse backgrounds will exhibit their work. The opening takes place on friday the 25 of May and you can visit the exhibition on the 26, 27 and the 28 of May. You can find my work in The Royal Mosa, a former porcelain factory, which is also the epicenter of the Art Tour and starting point for the walking and bike routes which will take you through the studios, squats and art institutions.
For more information, routes and addresses: www.kunsttour.com.

the edge of May

The last two weeks we had a lot of rain over here. At the same time it was very warm so that are good conditions for plants to grow. Because it was so cold for a long time, there was not a lot of work in the garden, but now everything just exploded! So this weekend I have to work a little bit in our garden. Not to much, I like a wild garden, but I still want to see the funny schulpture and my strawberry-plants also need some space. And I have to sort out my drawings: which ones I will show in the exhibition. A busy weekend it will be, I hope you will enjoy yours too!

still in control

I started a new drawing, this time she has a weapon again....

A few of my drawings will be shown in an exhinbition during Whitsun holidays in two weeks. More information soon!

happiness for a day or two

We have this tradition in my family that every year we spend a weekend together. We rent a large house (I have a big family) somewere in The Neherlands and spend two days together. We started this as my grandparents died and we didn't see much of eachother. My grandparents were the ones who kept us all together. I'm a real family girl so I love it and in two hours this year's weekend starts. I have to go and pack my bags. I wish you all I nice weekend!

What do you think? and more...

As you can see I made a second t-shirt with a drawing on it. In this post I showed you my first steps into the world of t-shirts, fibre-tip pens and fabric. I told you of my concern that the drawing would fade or even be totally gone if I washed it. Well.... It's not gone, but the drawing is fading away. I did some research and the first shirt I used was not 100% cotton. Even if it's only 95% cotton, this could be the reason. So I made this yellow version on a 100% cotton shirt (it's not easy to find a nice cotton shirt for a woman...) and I washed it twice and it's looking good! I'm going to wash it a bit more, because I want to sure. And by the way: I'm standing in front of a new finished drawing.

rules of the queen

Every year on the last day of April, the Netherlands celebrates the birthday of the Queen’s mother. On this day, all Dutch cities, small or big, are bustling with street parties and other festive events.  There are also parades, craft shows, flea markets, freemarkets, children’s parties, free music performances, street theatres and fireworks.
We dress up in orange-themed outfits, locals and tourists gather in the streets for this internationally renowned celebration, which goes on until the evening or even until the next day. We start celebrating Queen's Day from the evening before the Queen's Day itself. Usually, the parties start from 7pm and go on until the early hours of Queen's Day. So It's going to be a busy weekend and monday: we don't have to work on Queen's Day! Wish you also a nice weekend, whatever your plans are.

eyes blink bright lights

At the same time that I'm trying to put my drawings on a t-shirt, I'm also working on a new drawing on paper. I wish you all a good start in this new week!