LOOKING FORWARD TO SPRING!

 LOOKING FORWARD TO SPRING

With so many gray skies this February, I anxiously await the sunshine of Spring.

Playing with illustrating my hopes for Spring to come quickly!

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!

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

Spring's Promise

 Spring's Promise

Yes, it is finally Spring!

I have been waiting for what seems like forever.

In design review, I took an older design to give it more detail as well as add to it with more design elements.

Here is what it originally looked like.

That is what is nice about working digitally. It makes it easier to go back and make changes.

Above are some fun products on Fine Art America that carry my illustration.

If you are interested in seeing more click on:

Fine Art America 

Moving into March

 Hello March!

Love the month of March! 

We will soon spring ahead with more daylight as well as the season of Spring itself!

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.

Forsythia Spring Bouquet

Forsythia Spring Bouquet

By February I really start to tire of winter and all its grays. I miss the colors of spring. So here is a new illustration to capture some of the colors and flowers that make spring so welcoming.

I also dedicate this to my mother whose birthday is tomorrow. She loved spring as well.

Happy Birthday Mom!  

Hello Spring!

Hello Spring!

Once again I looked at one of my older pieces to liven  up a bit for spring.

In the greeting card industry, we called it a "rework".

Will see this year if it will make a jump in sales with a fresh look at the festivals this year, however it simpler version is also available on Fine Art America.

It is available as a framed print where you can pick your choice of color.

Or as a pillow.

Adding a touch of spring to one's home decor certainly helps to chase away the grayness of winter. 

D is for Duck and Daffodils

D is for Duck and Daffodils

As January is coming to a close, I am definitely looking forward to spring!

The idea of this design came to me early this morning. 

While trying to think of a new letter E, D using a duck came to mind. Maybe it is the memory of the cute duck that lived next door when I was a kid. Her name was Clownie and she was the watch duck of the neighborhood. So when thinking of her fondly, I created a new letter D.

You can also find this delightful letter D on a T...t-shirt that is!

Just click on the t-shirt for a link to my Fine Art America site.

Revisiting and Refreshing: Two Birds on a Watering Can

Two Birds on a Watering Can

While sitting in art festivals, there are some designs I target to refresh.

The design below was the original, and while I sold quite a few, I thought it use a little more punch.

Updating Updating art goes back to my days as a greeting card designer. Even good sellers got updates over time.

This time, I also added a little more live interest to tell more of a story by adding the beetle.

This design is now available on Fine Art America 

It is also available on other products such as a tote bag.

It is a nice way to escape the winter blahs!

Looking For Spring!

Looking for Spring!

You can tell Cleveland winters get to me with all the cold, snow, and gray skies. 

I think the gray skies are the worse part.

So of course while counting the days till spring, I created this illustration to add a tough of brightness to this day.

Here's hoping this winter is a short one.

H is for Hummingbird

H is for Hummingbird

Wahoo! A new letter H!

H is for Hummingbird and Hyacinth too!

Have to say, I had to strain my brain on this one!

The newly created design is available as a pillow and more on Fine Art America.

Yellow Bird's Love Song, a Second Look

Yellow Bird's Love Song

Here is a new redo. Every now and then I take an early piece that seems tired, or in the case of the original below, did not have much selling appeal and take another stab at it. 

 I hope the make over will have a better response in the upcoming shows.  

 

Home is Where You Bloom

Home is Where You Bloom

A while back I did a piece that was about home. It was an early piece and though I sold one, it really did not blow up my skirt, as my husband would put it. Because I have always thought of home as a blessing, whether it was the home I grew up in or the home I live in now, I thought to take another shot at it.

Inspired with the feeling that spring is upon us as well as seeing the birds starting to visit the abandoned birdhouse outside my window, this is new illustration I created.

 

 

A Second Look

Tulips on a Spring Day

One of the many things I do while watching the flows of people at art festivals, is to watch how they react to my illustrations. Which ones make them smile, which ones do they buy. 

A while back, when greeted by the first tulips of spring, I illustrated 3 pink tulips in a pot. I was so happy just to see the first signs of spring.

But for one reason or another, these sad little tulips did not have much appeal. So it was added to my list of so called do overs.  

Now that I look at the first version, maybe it just was not finished. Maybe they just looked too lonely. It will be interesting to watch and see how people will react to the new version this year. One of the biggest payoffs is seeing people light up with a smile as they walk through my tent, and best of all is making one of my pieces of art their own. 

Y is for Yellow Bird

Y is for Yellow Bird

The Letter Y is a tough one. Don't believe me, just check the dictionary. Okay, Yak, maybe, but I was not in a Yak mood. 

My husband calls me Yellow Bird sometimes. That is a long story in itself. So here is a yellow bird standing in the shape of the letter Y.  A stretch, I must confess, but I have only one other Letter Y and I thought it would be nice to have some variety there. 

Signs of Spring!

Hello! 

Blue Bird and Ladybugs

The nicest part of April is hearing the birds sing when I work outside clearing the debris of winter. Who knew such little ones could bring so much joy after winter.

Tea for Two

Tea for 2

I am done with winter. 

I started this design in the middle of gray skies and snow. I kept wrestling with the color. Guess I needed to see some green. 

Today the sun was out and the snow was melting and I was finally able to finish this design.

Yes, it is supposed to get cold again and I am sure there will be plenty more gray skies, but my thoughts are in Spring and warmer weather.

Looking for Spring

Sweet Spring!

Yes, I am tired of the Polar Vortex! 

Tired of snow! 

Tired of freezing cold temperatures! 

Tired of gray skies! 

Tired of boots, gloves, and heavy overcoats!

I know the ground hog said six more weeks of winter, but my thoughts are flying toward SPRING!

The Letter H - H is for Hose and Hare if You Dare

H is for Hose and Hare if You Dare

Okay, it is January and we are having record freezing temperatures here. Brrrrr just doesn't describe it. So rather than bemoan the cold, I tried to think of warmer thoughts. So here is a new letter H for my illustrated alphabet series. Don't ask me how I came up with hose in this weather, but the days are getting longer and I have spring on my mind.