Lois's Art Blog

2 Possibilities

2012-01-11T08:56:00.000-08:00

Goals for 2012. Bring my sketches to a higher and more finished level. That means spending more time, revising and drawing and trying to perspectives.

Possibilities

2012-01-11T07:10:00.001-08:00

Happy New Murals at Sunnyside

2012-01-01T07:31:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-27T06:49:00.000-08:00

The Artist's Wave

2011-11-29T12:22:00.000-08:00

Ups and downs of rejection and hope

BWAAAKKKK!!!!

2011-11-21T16:34:00.001-08:00

School Play

2011-11-19T06:14:00.001-08:00

Not sure whose smile is bigger hers or mine,
but watching Sunny have so much fun in the school play was awesome!

Moon face embrace

2011-11-16T06:58:00.001-08:00

Look what landed on my drawing table this morning...

2011-10-08T20:37:00.000-07:00

Mike Benign Compulsion

Click on it to get a preview of the cool new LP. I did the cover, and I love the close up!

Fun with pastels

2011-09-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

Pastels are such a fun medium for me. They are like drawing and painting at the same time. They are very expressive and sometimes I need to just make anything, with no agenda. So in between dropping off and picking up the girls from school Iturned the computer off and made a fun mess with chalk.

My dog Ginger

storm cloud

ummm.....eyebrow nest?

So not crafty

2011-09-13T02:48:00.000-07:00

Turtle

Okay, I am so NOT crafty. I can paint, I can draw but when it comes to crafts, or neatness, or projects I am the worst. It has taken me over 2 hours to print out 9 pictures for my daughters pre-school scrapbook projects, along with $$ of wasted paper just now. Whenever the girls want to do a project we look at all these amazing craft blogs, and even simple stuff like national geographic kids. We were going to make a CD disco ball. I didn't really have all the stuff...kinda, so spread it all out and almost put their eyes out, so we put on sunglasses, and blah blah blah, directions, directions directions. Finally I gave up and said" let's just make stuff out of this junk". AND we did! Actually turned out to be kinda fun, and cute, and just a little sharp. So I hung them on the bathroom wall with some of that ticky tacky gummy poster hanging stuff. In the middle of the night, I heard them all crash into the bathtub, lucky the kids weren't in it.

Toucan

Star Fish

fish or maybe owl?

peacock

Here's another one for my Anti-Craft record book. Kinda cute, except for the dog ate all the lentil beans, threw up and I lost the other button eye before I could finish it. But the kids learned how to sew, just like their mother.

Third Grade

2011-09-07T06:48:00.000-07:00

Interesting News....

2011-09-06T14:21:00.001-07:00

Another year, another birthday, another walk...

2011-08-30T11:39:00.000-07:00

It's my Mom's birthday today. She has Alzheimer's Disease. Since this is my art blog, I try to keep it filled with just sketches and current projects that relate to "art". Which actually is ridiculous because my whole life seems to be revolved around trying to make art. I have another blog documenting the care of my Mom in hopes of helping research and ultimately cure of Alzheimer's. It's here. So another year has gone by, so many changes have happened in her. Last year the whole family visited and although still in her wheelchair, she could participate. This year, she was just present, and the presents I did bring were really just for the girls because she is so unaware of anything, except hugs, she kinda likes those.

Happy Birthday Nana

So today, on her birthday I am starting the fundraising for this year's Alzheimer's Association Walk to END Alzheimer's. Please click here to get to my donation page and support the care, research and awaremenss needed to eliminate this terrible disease. THANK YOU!

Illustration Friday- INFLUENCE

2011-08-26T21:56:00.000-07:00

So last week's topic was INFLUENCE. It was such a timely word for me because I have definitely been under the influence of other writers and illustrators these days. Just coming off of the SCBWI conference here in LA, I was overwhelmed by the talent, creativity and well just plain hard work it takes to make a great book. That being said, I had a slight glimmer that I could do it. I WANT to do it, I just need to do the dang work! The really cool thing is that some of the people that influence me gave me actual encouragement. I wrote to David Small, he wrote back....he stoked my fire. Marla Frazee breathed air into my dreams, Denise Doyen looked me in the eye and told me I could get there. Today SCBWI sent me a "certificate of merit" for my book What's Your Name Again.
So, I've taken everything and am pushing myself. I signed up for Karl Gnass's figure drawing on Friday's, unplugged my computer during the day and got four solid hours of writing and drawing time. (Thank you Antoinette Portis!) I'm reading Stephen Frys The Ode Less Traveled. Taking Ann Whitford Paul's rhythm and rhyming workshop and then....well this quote from Ogden Nash expresses my best of intentions moving forward. (have you noticed people saying that a lot lately?)

'For better or worse, I have followed the course, and the only course, that enabled me to set pencil to paper as a writer; that is, to proceed as if nothing you have to say has been said earlier and better is a paralyzing one, and the only thing to do is ignore it, and assume that you are living in the first day of the world." OGDEN NASH

Natural Science Mural

2011-08-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

My assistant

The Earth, from it's inner core all the way out to the thermosphere.

The Water Cycle!

Bridge to Books

2011-08-21T01:06:00.000-07:00

Sunny at the Armory

We had a pretty cool day at the Armory Center for the ARts. We went to the library yesterday to hand in Sunny's summer reading stuff, and Ms. Barbara the wonderful librarian there told us about Bridge to Books special event yesterday. Bob Boyle, Dan Santat, James Burks and Kazu Kibuishi were heading up a graphic novel workshop for kids! Adults, (me) got to listen and learn more about graphic novels for all ages. Yeah, living in LA has it's benefits.

Big Bang Theory Mural

2011-08-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

I'm back in the science lab. Mrs. Belateche had some great ideas how to show complex subjects in a fun and "enlightening" way.

Light, Stars, Big Bang Theory, protons, neutrons and atoms, oh my!

Serendipity- I just took a drive up the the Mt. Wilson observatory where Hubble sat in this chair and developed the theory of our expanding universe.

Favorite food, cherries!

2011-08-12T09:23:00.001-07:00

SCBWI Summer Conference 2011

2011-08-09T09:01:00.000-07:00

Wow, so I was totally inspired by the work and artists and writers at the conference. I have lots of work to do, but believe I can get there... just keep drawing. So instead of telling you about all of the amazing artists and writers like Judy Blume or David Small, Denise Fleming, Kadir Nelson...click on the title and see for yourselves. I'll be at my drawing table.

Who am I?

2011-08-04T01:40:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for the conference, and I am filled with excitement, anxiety and caffeine. Trying to get my portfolio and 10 images that represent me, that make me stand out among hundreds of people that already stand out. My cards from Moo are cute, but tiny, too tiny...

my dummy books are not glued together and photoshop is NOT MY FRIEND!

Now here is some real conference advice from Ingrid

Ballerina color ink sketches

2011-08-03T06:48:00.000-07:00

Snail Salon

2011-07-25T06:53:00.001-07:00

Curls of squirrels

2011-07-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

Having fun with my new theme

Natural Beauty

A Beauty

2011-07-23T07:35:00.000-07:00

I am Bee-yoo-ti-ful!

Working on my portfolio for the SCBWI annual conference.

Rainbow playground mural

2011-07-23T07:31:00.000-07:00

More kid mural action. Rainbow playground....Spent the two week break, touching up, adding some new stuff and putting sunscreen on all the pre-school murals at both Sunnyside's. Outdoor murals need to be protected against the elements. I highly recommend Nova Paint for any outdoor work.

William Powhida- FROM MEMORY

2011-07-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

William Powhida

I went to the Kohler Art Centerr in Wisconsin on our trip back to the Midwest, the exhibit was all about memory. I encourage you to read more about my experiences and the exhibit here at my blog about Alzheimer's
www.lois-peggy.blogspot.com

But, this is my art blog and I want to post my response to William Powhida's interactive piece which encouraged us, the general public to draw from memory or imagination someone we have never met. When I go back to Wisconsin, I always feel a little melancholy. I look out at the lake, and wonder how, where, when, why and will I ever meet my birth family. I was born by the lake, and she must of looked out at the water the same way I do. Anyway...so I drew these.

Home

2011-07-05T20:53:00.000-07:00

Home

New Mural Umbrella Idea

2011-07-02T14:17:00.000-07:00

Splashy rain can be fun, choose your umbrella and boots. Gidget inspired me to add the faces, like she did on her drawing. What do you think, better with more space around them so that you can actually figure out that they are umbrellas, or with tiny rainboots sticking out underneath? Please comment!

Thursday Thingy: The Cherry Tees are ready! (Sweet!)

2011-06-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

Look how cute! Please join my friend Amy Krouse Rosenthal in raising money for the make a wish foundation by buying one of my cheery cherry T-shirt designs!

Thursday Thingy: The Cherry Tees are ready! (Sweet!)

Illustration Friday-MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM

2011-06-27T07:32:00.000-07:00

My girls midsummer night dreams are about roller coasters and swimming all by yourself (with floaties)

Paint Pants

2011-06-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

Hanging up some old paint pants. Finally ripped and now too thin to keep the paint from my knees. Probably had these at least 10 years.

Creation Station Mural

2011-06-27T07:25:00.000-07:00

We love creation station!

I got to do this super fun mural inspired by all the cute kids.

Science Lab Murals

2011-06-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

Well...there could definitely be worse jobs! I am starting on the science lab murals at Carpenter Community Charter thanks to our fantastic science teacher Mrs. Lori Belateche. First up, the marine sciences. Then on to the physical sciences and life science. The last week of school was spent cleaning up and me being up on the ladder and observing (that's a scientific word) all the kids K-5 coming in to hug the science teacher, see what's up with the chics, guinea pig, turtles, bugs, magnets, snails, and all the cool stuff in there. Lori read me a letter from a graduating 5th grader that told her how much she helped him learn and pay attention, where as in other classes he couldn't concentrate. He's going to the science academy next year. Public school is tough in California. But our awesome families have made this one work by funding this program, that otherwise would not be here. PLUS added benefits is that Me and Sunny and Gidget get to play with the chics all afternoon.

we get locked in afterschool....

our awesome science lab! Marine mural.....

inside the whale

outside door whale of a tail

Illustration Friday- SHADOW

2011-06-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

"I hate this show"

This is the first time I ever colored something in photoshop!

Spuds.

2011-06-06T19:21:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for the SCBWI conference this summer. Thanks to Denise Doyen and my awesome writer husband Allen Keller, I got my manuscript in for critique just in the nick of time.

Two Little Giraffes

2011-05-26T17:01:00.000-07:00

Very rarely do I paint on canvas these days. Actually I have never even used my mural paints on a canvas. Today, I MADE myself paint. No motive, no objective, no job, no computer, and no appointments. And here's what happened. Ttwo little giraffe's painted and hung in the girls room. Fun!

FrisBee!!

2011-05-24T16:41:00.000-07:00

BIG SUNDAY MURAL

2011-05-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

My friend and neighbor helped create this amazing reading garden for SFIAM in conjunction with Americorps, We Change LA and Big Sunday.

Mural Review

2011-05-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm having trouble updating my website...and the entire murals section is missing. SO...here are some pics of a few of my favorites.

Baby Jungle Mural

2011-05-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

Well, jobs don't get much better than this! Welcome Baby Zoe, born 5/11/11

check out this article in the STudio City Patch

2011-04-07T22:49:00.000-07:00

http://studiocity.patch.com/articles/studio-city-pair-grow-tree-people-street-care-event

Murals in Action

2011-03-25T22:10:00.000-07:00

These are great pics, of the murals in action. Our first Carpenter Charter Elementary School Earth Day fair was really fun, simple and successful. Million trees LA gave out free shade trees, we exchanged fruit, heal the bay came, recycling,

tie die, paper making, trading post, battery and
light bulb recycle. Go Green Team!

Diversity

2011-03-23T06:20:00.000-07:00

With all the rain, I got it done, probably good... so that I didn't over work the darn thing. Although.... should I put the names of the fruit in the ground? AND, are the sun rays in the right places? Or is it done. Someone, stop me. Please.

Illustration Friday- STIR

2011-03-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

Despite everyone's warnings,
Mel decided to see what would happen if she did STIR the pot.

Not quite ripe, but getting there...fruit tree mural

2011-03-10T15:25:00.000-08:00

Work in progress on the Fruit Tree Mural....

The best part about the mural is that Sunny and I get to have lunch together.

Illustration Friday- SWARM

2011-02-26T06:51:00.000-08:00

Beatrice's new fashions were not only cute, but "swarm" too.

Illustration Friday

photosynthesis

2011-02-24T18:52:00.000-08:00

Work has begun on the science mural at Carpenter! Can you guess what it's about? Not done yet, but I love how it's turning out that I couldn't wait to post it.

Blank Walls

2011-02-19T11:00:00.000-08:00

My friend Mary gave me this card last night. She is so thoughtful. It really made me smile to see this blank wall and what we created together. Thanks Mary! Click here to see what I'm talking about.
Carpenter Garden

Illustration Friday-SWEATER

2011-02-15T06:06:00.000-08:00

This little sketch is from my pregnancy journal when I was pregnant with my first daughter.
I drew sketch journals for each of the girls.
You can view more of them here
40 drawn weeks

Home and City Mural

2011-02-14T01:46:00.000-08:00

home

city

Really fun new murals at Sunnyside Sherman Oaks, or as we like to call it. Sunnyside UP!

city

I love to make murals interactive, that help create space that emphasizes imaginative play. The city was super fun to do and has an "L" train like Chicago with lots of shapes and colors all condensed into a big bright beautiful city.

Illustration Friday-REVERSE

2011-02-09T07:02:00.000-08:00

Reverse

Reverse is such an appropriate word to explain my Mom's Alzheimer's. I feel as if she is going in reverse, and also that we have reversed roles. So here is a reflection of me getting my hair braided by my Mom when I was little as I am doing her hair and my own little girl with her hair braided too.

Fruit Tree Hands Mural sketch

2011-02-05T06:53:00.000-08:00

Coming to a school near you!

New early morning sketches.

2011-01-26T06:08:00.000-08:00

New sketches...

bristol board with grey marker

not sure, how to continue...

Illustration Friday- chicken

2011-01-18T08:10:00.000-08:00

peggy days: Deja Vu for Illustration Friday

2011-01-12T12:45:00.000-08:00

This weeks Illustration Friday word was. Deja Vu, I've posted it here and also on my blog about my alzheimer's blog...because dealing with alzheimer's is certainly a sense of deja vu in hyper mode.

peggy days: Deja Vu for Illustration Friday

Jungle mural sketch

2011-01-03T09:11:00.000-08:00

Nursery- Jungle

Pink Raincoat

2010-12-22T08:04:00.000-08:00

Don't you just wish you could spend the whole day doing this?

2010-12-13T08:09:00.000-08:00

Pomegranate Painting

2010-12-02T08:30:00.000-08:00

Painting Pomegranates, is just too much fun to say, so when my friend Denise Doyen and wonderful writer commissioned a pomegranate painting from me, I was very happy to do so. What a great assignment. She sent me this photo and a nice note about how much she enjoyed it. Check out her book
Once Upon a Twice, you'll love it.

Sunnyside UP

2010-11-28T20:31:00.000-08:00

Working on the farm mural at Sunnyside.
p.s. the Silo is actually a rusty old billboard post.

then suddenly a crocodile came up and out of the grass and into the pirate ship ocean sky filled with sea stars!

I'm back on blogger!

2010-11-27T07:14:00.000-08:00

Facebook, websites, yahhoo, twitter and blogs oh my! When is there time to paint? It's hard to focus, but there is so much I want to share, and document. And so much community and interaction with people that I seek and need as an artist and as a stay at home mom so....I'm back on blogger Yep, I think this is a better place to be. More community, more interaction, more comments and more fun! What's the point of having a blog, if not to share it and be part of the blogging community.

New Blog

2009-09-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

I've moved this blog over to my website, please visit.
www.loiskeller.com

I'm sure there is a way to link the two, and I tried to do it...
but pencil and paper is more my head.

An Illustrated Blog. by Lois Keller

Bee Sketch

2009-09-06T16:54:00.001-07:00

caution fire

2009-08-31T22:04:00.000-07:00

blog demise

2009-08-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

I thought I was so savvy with my new website I made myself on my mac. Ugh, having a hard time updating it all the time, hence the free space between March and August. This is where I am now....here, awake, grateful.

Agent for a Day

2009-04-14T06:49:00.001-07:00

Anyone interested in children's book publishing should take a look at this crazy contest by Nathan Bransford!

Third Street Mural- Los Angeles

2009-03-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

This one is 80' long!!! It really transformed the playground for the kinder area. Thanks to Dina who made it all possible. She is awesome.

Illustration Friday- Time

2009-02-06T13:41:00.000-08:00

This one if for Penelope. I felt the same way she does now and did this sketch while I was waiting for my first baby girl to be born in Feb. 2003.

Inauguration Day

2009-01-22T13:46:00.000-08:00

Sun Mural at Sunnyside

2008-12-02T06:55:00.000-08:00

Rinoculous

2008-12-02T06:54:00.000-08:00

Layers

2008-10-10T12:36:00.000-07:00

Alzheimer's Walk

2008-10-06T06:51:00.000-07:00

There were so many people and families of all types walking for thier loved ones, it was very moving, and I don't just mean because we were walking.

all this and more

2008-09-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

just sat down

2008-09-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

Melissa Green -

2008-09-25T07:59:00.001-07:00

10 Years

2008-09-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary!!!!

hopefully dissapointed again

2008-09-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Go! Gidget! Go!

2008-09-17T22:20:00.000-07:00

Sunny's 1st Day of School

2008-09-03T21:56:00.000-07:00

The lonely ones by William Steig

2008-09-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

Sea notes

2008-08-31T19:28:00.001-07:00

Peter Buffett- Imaginary Kingdom

2008-08-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

I did the cover art for Peter Buffett's new album. Look for it on itunes and cdbaby and in stores in September.... check out his website, (click on the title and you'll get there) The music is cool and modern as is he and his world vision.

Children Cartwheel

2008-08-17T22:48:00.000-07:00

the outside play yard!!

Ducks

2008-08-17T22:46:00.000-07:00

Grasshoppers

2008-08-17T22:39:00.000-07:00

Dragonfly Murals

2008-08-17T22:32:00.000-07:00

the wonderful world of sunnyside pre-school

The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman - Show Open

2008-08-15T20:38:00.001-07:00

Notes from the conference-Yuyi Morales, Little Night

2008-08-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

I sketched most of the speakers and here is one great author illustrator I was very inspired by. She is like the Gabriel Marquez of children's books, and her personality so matches her art. The acceptance speech for the Golden Kite Award was so moving, and she took us to a place of great imagination with her flowerful words and voice. Her book is amazing it's called Little Night....

The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman

2008-08-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

I love the show The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman, and Laura Kightlinger is a good friend of ours, and a great supporter of the "arts" ie: me, as we collaborated on this really cool mural on an outside garden wall of her house.

IFC took advantage of the writers strike and cancelled it like bandits in the middle of the night, leaving the fans like me to wonder "what the hell happened?" Sign the petition and lets get the show back on the air. Watch the show on u-tube, you won't regret it!

Sign it here (click the title on my blog)
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/woodman/signatures.html

SCBWI Conference was AMAZING

2008-08-05T20:21:00.000-07:00

When I sat down in the big room at the conference on Friday morning, I cried.... I did, I actually cried. I couldn't believe I was there. I couldn't believe I cried, and would continue to do so throughout the 4 days at odd moments of inspiration, hope, gratitude and fear. Every single person there was an inspiration. The lectures were informative, the speeches were profound and my children were having a blast with their Dad.

I came to the conference as an artist/illustrator. I came with my book. "What's Your Name Again?" I didn't come as an illustrator. People always told me, you should do children's books. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I never felt that way, I didn't just want to illustrate some random story. So.... I came with my own. My family's story, my story inspired by my 5 year old daughter and her relationship with my Mom, her 78 year old Nana who has Alzheimer's disease. The story came from my sketch book, which I drew after she visited us for Thanksgiving last year.

I even entered the manuscript review.... Mac McCool a graphic novelist, really liked it. He was thrilled that I could get so much emotion out of so few words. 110 to be exact. I, was even more thrilled. He nominated it for the Sue Alexander award, which picks one manuscript from the whole conference and the winner wins a trip to the New York Conference and a review with 3 editors. I find out in September.

The keyword here is MANUSCRIPT, not pictures, he didn't really like the pictures. But, I'm an artist? It was odd information for me, information that I didn't really know what to do with.

After I picked up my fragile artistic ego off the floor, I began to think a little bit....

I've learned a lot making this book, going to the conference, and listening and looking and....well, I love my story, my book, my idea, my drawings. I want the world to see it to, I want to make a connection. I'm looking at the drawings again, sketches really, they were a means for me to tell the story, and while I spent so much time on the book, making sure it was 32 pages, that it told the story right with the help of my very own personal and talented editor Allen Keller , and working on the computer, I never re-visited the art, I took them for granted because in my mind I know what they will and should look like. I love them, but I want them to have a more finished look, so that they can be seen and felt better by the viewer, ie: editors. I thought a "dummy" book was just that, a dummy or mock up of unfinished sketches that gave the tone and character and action of the book, without having to do all the work. Wrong! I learned that, that is not necessarily so. Yeah, sure, maybe if you have a couple of books published and your editor knows what to expect and your style is. But... an unknown like me, the illustrations must be spot on how you want them.

So, here I am. Home. The children are sleeping, I should be too, actually I should be drawing, but I'm too tired and excited and in my case makes for really crummy pictures.

Thank you to all the wonderful people at the conference for giving me this belief in my art and also in myself.

Society of Children's Book Writers and Authors

2008-07-31T13:17:00.000-07:00

I'm doing it... Allen is watching the girls while I spend time on my art. Thanks honey.

Bozo

2008-07-03T20:27:00.000-07:00

I paid homage to Bozo in this public art piece for the "Suite Home Chicago" event. It was called morning TV fun time. It still resides out on Navy Pier. I grew up watching Bozo and Ray Rayner....I even went to the show once with my brownie troop and another time I actually met the real Mr. Ned (the guy in the top hat)!

Thanks Bozo!!! I loved you.

Firefly

2008-06-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

Sara- a commissioned portrait

2008-05-31T21:33:00.000-07:00

Dawn

2008-05-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

Coffee

2008-05-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

a self-portrait

Seahorse Mural at Sunnyside

2008-05-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

WOW! Look at all these helpers! The kids did great, just imagine 18

4-5 year olds with buckets of paint in their little hands, yikes! It turned out so beautiful, a real underwater spectacular spectacle.

My View

2008-05-23T13:30:00.000-07:00