Category: Art

Dr. Sketchy’s OKC, Roller Derby Edition 2010.03.14

Flyer for Dr. Sketchy's OKC, March 2010, feat. Poison Okie

Hey Sketchers, come join me tonight at IAO Gallery for another episode of Dames, Drinking, and Drawing. In that order. Marilyn sez, “If you bring gently used or new art supplies you have a chance to win a fabulous prize. These art goodies will be going to Haiti.” Yee-haw!

Abstract Dr. Sketchy's 8, ink on paper, 2010 by Sarah Atlee. Click image to view source.

Abstract Dr. Sketchy’s 8, ink on paper, 2010 by Sarah Atlee. Click image to view source.

Check out the new additions to my Flickr site – abstract drawings from this year’s previous Dr. Sketchy’s sessions.

Typo: Words and Pictures, Friday 02.26.2010 @ OKCCOCO

Birdhouse (In Your Soul), acrylic on masonite, 2007 by Sarah Atlee. Click image to view source.

Birdhouse (In Your Soul), acrylic on masonite. Click image to view source.

This Friday night, come on down to the okcCoCo and see the group show Typo: Words and Pictures.

When: Friday 02.26.2010, 7-10 pm.
Where: Oklahoma City Coworking Collaborative, 723 N Hudson Ave (map link)
Who: Marilyn Artus, Sarah Atlee, Bryan Dahlvang, Kris Kanaly, Christopher Lee, romy owens, Josh Reynolds, and Cassie Stover.
&c: Light refreshments will be served. Family-friendly, free.

Erin K. is interviewing some of the artists in the show, and I thought I’d share some more detail by answering her questions here.

What is the purpose of this exhibit?

Typo is a group invitational exhibit exploring the collision of text and imagery in two-dimensional art. I put out a call to artists asking for work incorporating hand lettering, graffiti, advertising, typographic design, or any other combination of words and pictures. What we got is work in a variety of media, approaching this idea from many different angles. This show is at the Oklahoma City Coworking Collaborative, at 723 N Hudson in downtown OKC, through the end of February.

Why are you participating in this particular exhibit?

I wanted to put together a group show for the okcCoCo’s unique, vibrant space. This is a place where freelancers, entrepreneurs, and other creative professionals come to work and share ideas. Showing art here adds to the lively dialogue among creative thinkers in central Oklahoma.

Was your piece created specifically for the show or is this part of your creative style?

I have been interested in lettering as a visual tool for most of my life, so I often incorporate text into my paintings. The two works that I put into the show, Undies and Birdhouse, are from 2005 and 2007, respectively.

I love how when letters are added to a visual composition, they become a visual element in addition to conveying meaning through language. To emphasize this transition, I often paint text in a way that is intentionally unreadable. I hope viewers will appreciate the letterforms as much as the other shapes and textures in the work. Plus, if someone is trying to “read” my painting, then they’ll stand in front of it for just a little longer than usual.

Why do you think people should attend this exhibit?

People who come to this show will not only enjoy the work by some of my favorite local artists, but also learn about the okcCoCo and all the great things we have to offer here. (Folks can also learn more at www.okccoco.com)

Dr. Sketchy’s OKC Sunday, 2010.02.21

Dr. Sketchy's OKC flyer feat. Daphne Chardonnay

Tonight’s session will feature Daphne Chardonnay and the Red Hot Mannequins.

4 models, 2 stages, live body painting, drawing contests, prizes, cash bar & great music, ‘nough said!

Join us at IAO’s beautiful new space, 706 W Sheridan in downtown OKC.

Portraits of Ryder & Atti, Christmas 2009

Ryder, acrylic on canvas, 2009 by Sarah Atlee. Click image to view source.

Ryder, acrylic on canvas, 2009 by Sarah Atlee. Click image to view source.

These portraits were commissioned as a Christmas present to the subjects’ Dad.

Atti, acrylic on canvas, 2009 by Sarah Atlee. Click image to view source.

Atti, acrylic on canvas, 2009 by Sarah Atlee. Click image to view source.

Would you like to have a portrait made of yourself or a loved one? Download my pricing sheet here.

Feeling Stumped?

Here are some tools that can help spur your creativity. Don’t try to execute every idea all at once — pick a link at random and follow it.

The Brainstormer (Read a history of The Brainsormer here.)

The Psychic Sidekick

Directors Bureau Idea Generator

Michael Nobbs75 ways to Draw More and Draw Your Life

Doug Chayka’s sketchbooks

A methodology for creating new ideas (written by professional illustrator Nate Williams)

An extensive list of ideation tools

Keith Haring knew that anything worth drawing once was worth drawing a hundred times.

I like to go to movies and draw in the dark. And I love love love blind gesture drawing.

Join the BookMooch Journal Project (or just browse their blog or their Flickr pool) or 1001 Journals

Participate in the quarterly Worldwide Sketch Crawl Day.

Illustration Friday suggests a new topic once a week!

Following are some idea-generation links oriented toward writers, but they could just as easily apply to image-makers.

No one cares what you had for lunch.

Idea Generator Blog Writing Prompts

Googobs of Creative Writing Prompts

Now rock out with your socks out.

Related Posts
How (and Why) to Title Your Work (Includes some prompts to help you create interesting titles.)
Project Idea: Object Sketchbook

Dr. Sketchy’s OKC One Year Anniversary 2010.01.10

Dr. Sketchy's OKC Anniversary Flier feat. Ilsa the Wolf

Has it been a year already? Join us tonight to celebrate one year of Dames, Drinking, and Drawing in OKC! Tonight’s show will once again feature Tulsa’s Ilsa the Wolf. Bring ten bucks, a chair, and your crayons.

Ilsa the Wolf, from Dr. Sketchy's OKC, January 2009. Click image to view source.

Ilsa the Wolf, from Dr. Sketchy’s OKC, January 2009. Click image to view source.

Click here to see some more drawings from Dr. Sketchy’s OKC, or to learn more about this whole bidness.

My Naughties

That's what happened.

Yeah, I’m a little late to the top-ten-list party. Here are my top ten artistic moments (in chronological order) from the Naughts, 2000-2009 :

2000 I have my first solo show, ____ day of my life, at the now-defunct ASA Gallery at UNM.
2001 My senior thesis show, Actual Size, sells out. I graduate from UNM with a BFA.
2002 Making art on my own in Indiana, I realize that I need more instruction to become a better painter. This becomes my goal in applying to graduate school.
2003 I begin graduate study at RIT.
2004 I learn a heck of a lot about the illustration business, and my personal style really begins to solidify. I start making paintings like this.
2005 I complete my graduate thesis show. One of these paintings is accepted to the Society of Illustrators Scholarship Competition.
2006 I move to Oklahoma, and am warmly welcomed into the artistic community here.
2007 I get a beautiful studio above Mainsite Gallery, and a slot in the Art 365 program.
2008 The Art 365 show debuts, including my series Normal, OK.
2009 I join the fabulous, inspiring, nerdcore community at the Oklahoma City Coworking Collaborative, or okcCoCo.

And from this past year, 2009:

January: I make two drawings for the Seeing Other People show curated by Jennifer Barron.
February: I take my family to Society of Illustrators in NYC to see my piece in the annual Book Illustration exhibition.
March: I quit my last day job to commit to art full-time. Haaaa-le-lu-jah
April: I attend OVAC’s Artists’ Retreat at Quartz Mountain, where I learn all about residencies.
May: I began the Occupied project, on my own, because a) I wanted to and b) I can.
June: My drawing of romy is accepted to the 24 Works On Paper travelling exhibition.
July: Back to Normal: Normal, OK Revisited opens at the Gaylord-Pickens Museum.
August: I join the okcCoCo and move my studio there.
November: I’m accepted into OVAC’s first Oklahoma Art Writing and Curatorial Fellowship.
December: Looking forward to 2010. There have been so many positive changes for me in recent years, I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Found on Flickr: Visual Diary, November & December 2009

Curious Photo from the George Eastman House collection on Flickr Commons. Click image to view source.

Curious Photo from the George Eastman House collection on Flickr Commons. Click image to view source.

Visual Diary, November 2009: Heads Up

The Virtue Series: Wisdom, graphite and pastel on paper, 2002 by Scott Brooks. Click image to view source.

The Virtue Series: Wisdom, graphite and pastel on paper, 2002 by Scott Brooks. Click image to view source. (Scott G. Brooks’ website here.)

Visual Diary, December 2009: Minty Fresh

See what else I’ve Found on Flickr.