Art and Wanderlust

Autumn in Mystic, Conneticut

2012-02-09T18:21:00.000-08:00

A drawing of the landscape across from the Mystic Seaport last fall.

Quick Museum Weekend

2012-01-16T20:26:00.000-08:00

Went to the American Museum of Natural History with some friends this past weekend. Didn't get a ton of time to draw, but I snuck in some time to play with pencils and pastels. Its been to long since I had last been to the museum. I need to get back there again sometime soon for a good drawing session.

Walrus!!

T-Rex!

2012-01-09T18:58:00.000-08:00

Hello blog, it certain has been a long time. Over a year is seems as my last post was for Christmas 2010. It's been an interesting year. Full of ups and downs, as any year I suppose. And now we are back at the beginning again, a full circle in the spiral.

As I thought about my goals and resolutions for this upcoming year, there are so many things I can choose: save more money, use Facebook less, update my blogs more, finish that apartment purging project, or maybe I will finally do that pull up I have been trying to do for three years. All fine goals and I fully intend to continue to strive for them. In the end though I only have one resolution I am going to grant myself this year.

I resolve to make more mistakes.

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I am very hard on myself. I judge myself very critically, I berate myself when I do something wrong... or even things I perceive to be wrong. I have come to realize how that holds me back. How fear of making mistakes and of failure has prevented me from growing.

So my resolution is to make mistakes. To allow myself to realize that I am not perfect and not everything I do has to be perfect. That mistakes are good, mistakes are growth, mistakes mean you are trying something. To realize mistakes aren't something to be embarrassed by or ashamed of. Just another step on the journey.

Surprisingly, one of my greatest inspirations, Neil Gaiman was thinking the same thing for his new years wish. And so now hanging above my desk are his words reminding me and holding me to it. Expect more on this blog. Expect to see some mistakes.

Happy Holidays

2010-12-25T21:37:00.001-08:00

Who visited you this yuletide season?

St. Nicholas or the Krampus?

Hope you all had a good holiday, full of family, memories, good food, gifts... and not being dragged to hell. :D

-Christine

Mythology

2010-06-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

Edith Hamilton's Mythology is being reissued this upcoming January as an oversized, mass market edition. I got to not only design the cover but use one of my own drawings. This is a big first for me, so needless to say, I am so ridiculously happy and get giddy every time I think about it. And what an honor it was to work on this particular book! European mythology has not only been a huge influence on my art and design, but also my life in general and Edith Hamilton is such an important figure in the field.

Below is the cover design, the art by itself and the original sketch:

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Cover art and design Christine Foltzer
Lettering by Lauren Sheldon/Parliament of Owls

Tats!

2010-06-04T04:36:00.000-07:00

Occasionally, I get hired to do tattoo designs. My friend Sara hired me to design this one for her. She came up with the concept of Fenris being bound inside of the Teiwaz Rune. Took a little while to really work out the best way to do it, but I am pretty damn happy with the results. She is too and that's really what matters.

Freshly inked.

The Easter Alpacas

2010-04-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

I went to my aunt and uncle's for Easter. They live on a small farm in NJ and have been rescuing an odd assortment of animals. This past week they adopted four alpacas, bringing the animal count up to 29. They are certainly strange looking animals... sort of a cross between a sheep and a llama, raised for their high quality wool.

What did the easter alpaca bring you this year?

Unlike the goats and sheep, the alpacas were really curious about you. They came right up to the fence and wanted to know who you were and what you were up to.

Here are couple other drawings from the farm:

Chickens run all around the property, and sometimes following you.

Jack the horse. He was quite upset that I was drawing rather than giving him treats. What is the point of standing next to his stall if you aren't giving him treats?

St. Patrick's Day Parade NYC

2010-03-17T19:11:00.000-07:00

I work in midtown, not far from the parade route on 5th Ave. So, I figured on my lunch break to hop over and get a bit of drawing in before heading back to the office.

Queen of Shamrocks?

Marching Band

The men of Cavan, Ireland getting ready to march.

Also, huzzah for the first post!

Christine