Valentine's Day

 Happy Valentine's Day!

Wishing you all a day filled with love!

BLESSINGS OF GOOD FRIENDS

 FRIENDS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME

My newest illustration was inspired after creative burn out due to several surgeries the last couple of years. I was suffering burn out...sadly not feeling very inspired. 

The inspiration grew by the treasure of friends who are a tonic to one's soul when facing struggles. As I browsed by sketch book I came across a sketch I did of birds perched in friendship on the rim of a coffee cup.

When thinking of those who uplift me in life, I pushed myself to take the sketch a step further.

Good friends are truly a treasure in life!

CELEBRATING THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING!

 Signs of Spring!

Yes, it is the first day of Spring!

Although the weather today here in Cleveland would seem to communicate otherwise, I got caught up in creating an illustration to celebrate the coming of Spring!

Wishing all of you beautiful days ahead!

The Love of Designing Touches of Whimsy

 Special Friends

Two Birds with Teacup

I have always enjoyed adding a touch of whimsy to my illustrations. I guess it comes from designing for a greeting card company for many years. 

Our goal was to design for and uplift the customer. It seems those goals still stick with me.

Hope this newest illustration gives you a smile!

To see this illustration as well as others click on the link below.

https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/valerie-drake-lesiak

 Teacup Wisdom

A recent update to a favorite illustration as seen below.

Think it gives it a bit more punch.

You can find the updated illustration on Fine Art America  featured on a verity of products as shown below.

R is for Raccoon and Rake

 R is for Raccoon and Rake

Will escaping the cold of winter it was fun coming up with yet another letter R for my whimsical letter collection called Alphabet Soup.

R is not only for the raccoon and red rake but robin as well.

You can fine this illustration and many others on my Fine Art America site.

HELLO SPRING!

 Hello Spring!

Here is my latest. 

I have had this idea in my sketch book for awhile.

Finally, inspired by the Spring weather, I have finished it.

Here it is as a pillow for all cat lovers!

To see this pillow as well as this illustration click on this link:

Fine Art America

Thinking About Spring!

Bird on a Clothesline with Lilacs

Tired of winter blahs, I decided to redo and revise an older spring illustration of Bird on a Clothesline as seen below.

I liked the subject matter of my original illustration, but decided to make some changes like changing the bird and adding less rigid lilacs. The project helped to put the gray winter blahs at bay.

I also decided to create a pattern from the lilacs that you can find on some of my offerings on Fine Art America.

As you can see I love lilacs and thought they would be fun on things like shower curtains and tote bags. 

You can check out more here by clicking on the link below:

Fine Art America

 

 

Wonder Begins Wisdom

Wonder Begins Wisdom

Inspired by a quote from Socrates, this is my latest illustration I created to escape my quarantine blues.

It is also available as a quarantine mask on Fine Art America as you can see below.

And on a cheerier note it is available for prints and as well as other products as well. Check out this pillow!

Again check it out by clicking on this link

https://valerie-drake-lesiak.pixels.com/featured/wonder-begins-wisdom-valerie-drake-lesiak.html

Hope my illustrations brighten your day. 

Peekaboo Bunny and Bird

Peekaboo Bunny and Bird

While on quarantine due to the coronavirus, I have more opportunity to design. 

Here is my newest illustration to uplift us into Spring. Sending out love and prayers to all as we work to get through this. 

I have also design it for a throw pillow.

Check it out by clicking here: 

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/peekaboo-bunny-and-bird-valerie-drake-lesiak.html?product=throw-pillow

Hang in there my friends.

Revisiting and Updating: Bright Side

Bright Side

Here is a new version of an illustration that I have revised more than once.

As you can see, the beauty of working digital allows for change. Hopefully the third time is the charm.

A Mermaid Moment

A Mermaid Moment

I decided to do an illustration for all mermaid lovers.

I did a sketch months ago, but I finally got around to finishing this illustration. 

I grew up with a tub like this. It was wonderful just to sit in, soak, and daydream.  And yes, even once in a while daydream about what it would be like to be a mermaid.

And yes, if you go to click on this word: 

Mermaid Shower Curtain

You will find it on my Fine Art America Site.

Check out other options here:

 https://fineartamerica.com/featured/a-mermaid-moment-valerie-drake-lesiak.html

Come Let Us Have Tea!

Come Let Us Have Tea

As I started to work on this idea, I came down with a cough and cold. Of course  I have been drinking a lot of herbal tea while working to complete this. 

For all you tea drinkers you can find my illustration on a 

T-shirt on my Fine Art America page.

O is for Otter with an Oh so Delicious Doughnut!

O is for Otter with an Oh so Delicious Doughnut

I illustrated a Doughnut for my first letter O as scene below.

I was not thinking of tying into the letter at the time, but just using the doughnut for the shape of an O. What I discovered later is that there are many fans of doughnuts including children.

So to make it more whimsical and to tie into the letter O, an otter would make it far more fun than a simple still life with a cup of coffee. 

I even added more sprinkles to the doughnut to sweeten it up!

B is for Brown Bear

B is for Brown Bear

B is for Brown Bear and more...book and bee or bumble bee...as well as beret. 

The bear reads a book on the boardwalk trying not to be bored.

As a pillow, this bear is great for a kids room! 

To check it out, click on this link below:

B is for Bear Pillow - Fine Art America

For all Cat Lovers

Cat Love

I miss my cat. Yes, I am a secret cat lady. 

I have had many cats in my life including cat lady friends.

So here is my latest for all cat lovers. 

T-shirt

Of course cat lady T-shirts as well as pillows and totes are available on Fine Art America.

Pillow

Pillow

Tote

I is for Ice Cream Cone

I is for Ice Cream Cone

A while ago, I was talking with a friend whose son's name began with the letter I. Most of my letter I designs are not exactly designed with kids in mind. So finally I got going on the project, and here it is... especially for all the hot whether we have been having this June!

Tea for Two Revisited

Tea for Two

Artists do spring cleaning to their artwork sometimes.

Maybe it is that need to re-arrange the furniture, but some illustrations, I feel, need a bit of sprucing up or a bit of an update.

Below is the original.

This was from my days of mix media and collage techniques.

Again, any thoughts, please add to comments below.

The new version is available as prints or even as pillows as shown above on Fine Art America.

L is for Lemur and Lark

L is for Lemur and Lark

L lends it self to many images as opposed to the letter I.

This time it is a fun image of a lemur and his lark buddy. So here is Lamar Lemur and Lucius Lark in their debut with lucky ladybugs of course!