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.

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

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. 

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.

From the Garden - Adaptation of Autumn in the Air

From the Garden

 During my time as a greeting card designer, I learned to take seasonal art and make it more versatile.

As you can see below, the original illustration I created was more limiting with the pumpkin in a piece I call Autumn in the Air.

It was a challenge to think what would look good in place of the pumpkin, but then I am a fan of birds. That design element also comes from greeting card design 101; adding live interest to warm up the design. 

Old habits die hard...Lol...

Bird Song

Bird Song

Sometimes I get inspired by a quote or verse that I like as opposed to coming up with another illustrated letter. 

This time I got inspired with a spiritual verse.  

I must confess, I like it as a pillow too!

You can find this on Fine Art America.

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.

Review and Redesign: Flowers in a Teapot

Flowers from the Garden:

Flowers in Teapot with Bird

Yes, I am at it again.

When staring at my artwork on the walls of my tent in summer art festivals, I start to think this one or that design look better. I start redesigning them in my head. 

Below is the original.

Originally, I wanted to add a bird, but I never did. I just was not quite happy with it as it felt not quite finished. Although I have sold one, I am not sure many are wowed by it.

So the structure was there, it just needed tweaks and come color change. 

Where Flowers Bloom

Where Flowers Bloom

Winter is having its last hurrah during this month of March. So tired of gray skies and snow. 

But this is what March does. It bounces back and forth between Winter and Spring. 

So while looking in my sketch book where I also jot a few quotes, I came across this notation about hope. The sketch finally became the illustration you see here.

My hope is that Winter does not linger after Spring officially debuts on the 20th of this month.

It will be nice to see flowers bloom again.

J is for Jar of Jonquils

J is for Jar of Jonquils

In puzzling about the letter J, I decided this time to take a different approach.

Rather than using the shape and subject to create a letter J, the J is rather apparent in this design. That being said, there are many things in this design that begin with the letter J. 

You may see more, but here is my list: jar, jug, jonquils, jasmine tea as well as linear subtle jasmine pattern in the background, juniper, jack rabbit on the jug with a border made out of J's, and of course the use of Jade green. 

Chasing Away the Gray Days of Winter

Do All Things with Love

Here is a new piece to brighten up the gray skies of winter.

I brought back my blue bird from the recent letter design: B is for Bird and Birdcage to set him free so to speak with his pals. This time he is surrounded with flowers while perched on a tea cup. 

Now it is just counting the days till spring!

T is for Two Tulips with Tea

T is for Two Tulips with Tea

 

I wanted to illustrate some kind of still life with flowers, yet design another illustrated letter. 

So I compromised. 

 

Beside the obvious T words such as Two Tulips, Tea cup and Teapot, there is Turquoise as well as Tartan.

  

For the Love of Flowers

Summer Bouquet

Finally it is feeling like spring!

The old I get, the more I love flowers and look forward to them growing in my garden as well as filling the empty vases that have been barren all winter. 

Of course I can always fill my walls with flowers as well! 

Hope this one will brighten someone's wall as well as my own. 

You can purchase a print here at Fine Art America.

 

Chasing Away the Cold Weather Blues!

Coffee Pot Surprise

This May has had its ups and downs. This morning when I looked out my window, I thought I woke up in late February! There was snow on the roof tops as well as some light coverage on the grounds! Fortunately by the afternoon it was gone.

All the more reason to finish an illustration I was working on. I pulled up an old illustration that I did called Coffee Pot Quotes.

I had done this illustration years ago, when practicing using fonts. However, it did not really resonate with people enough to buy it. I still liked the shape of the coffee pot, so I thought I would start again using the coffee pot shape. I am hoping that Coffee Pot Surprise will tickle someone's fancy this year enough to buy it.

Meanwhile, think warm and beautiful weather. 

 

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. 

Chasing Away the January Blues

Reflection of a Promise

Cleveland winters are known to be filled with gray skies and snow. Today is no different. However, it is great down time to start on a few more illustrations. 

Here is my latest, where the picture tells the story. 

Only 69 more days till Spring!

Flowers for the Winter Solstice

Flowers From My Garden

FLOWERS IN TEAPOT

This was done based on several sketches I did at the Cleveland Fine Art by the Hand this past November when the traffic got slow. Cleveland skies get quite overcast this time of year and I though illustrating a floral was a nice change of pace.

 

Spring's Promise

Spring's Promise

Okay, I know Christmas is in less than two weeks, but it has been unseasonably warm. Yesterday it felt like a warm day in March. If I didn't see the Christmas wreath on my door, I  would have thought time traveling was possible.  All this year, the weather has been a bit out of sorts. March was like February, April like March and so one. But these last two days, I have seen men sporting shorts, and I live in the Cleveland area! 

Anyway I had fun in illustrating it. 

Must be all this warm weather we've been having!  

I Was Here First!

I Was Here First!

It is back to the birds! They seem to become a secondary theme!