Because it’s that time of the year….

What are you doing October 17, 2008? Here’s what I’ll be doing:

IT’S IN THE CARDS:
TAROT FOR OBAMA
fundraising event
Friday, October 17, 6-9 pm

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the accidental retailer

Since my open studio (see previous post), I’ve thrown myself back into finishing up Doomed Queens. Though my deadline is July 15th, I need to finish everything by July 7th — a vacation with nonrefundable plane tickets awaits.

On the art end, I’ve six more full page drawings to go, out of fifteen. Most of the spot drawings are finished or can be filled out with old drawings and woodcuts. (Did I mention that I’ve included period art in Doomed Queens? These pieces range from medieval manuscript paintings to Victorian etchings. I think they give the book a rich playfulness.) Of these last six drawings, five of them are started (ie: sketched and transferred onto watercolor paper); one awaits a last piece of photo reference before I can start on it.

On the text end, my editor just sent me second page proofs. These mainly consist of moving a comma here, a sentence break there. In other words, we’re very close to the end and are just burnishing the manuscript to a sheen.

And what of the open studio for Kris Waldherr Art and Words, my little storefront studio-gallery? Well, it’s apparently engendered a lot of buzz in the ‘hood. Those who attended the open studio seemed stunned by what they discovered here and lingered a while to drink in the atmosphere. I guess Arts and Crafts-style ataliers aren’t run of the mill, even here in hipster Brooklyn. A typical comment: “I would have never expected to find this here. But then I would have never expected to find this anywhere. It’s so beautiful.” Based on others’ recommendations, people have been knocking on my door to view art, to buy books, ask questions about my work, solicit advice about publishing, and more.

This has forced me to consider what I intend for my studio-gallery. Do I want to be in retail? Not in the traditional sense — I don’t want to be a storekeeper or gallerina. But I do love the idea of creating an environment to share my work with the public, where the art and books on display just happen to be for sale. I also love the idea of hosting events where I can create experiences that offer beauty, wit and wisdom, especially if they inspire others to go forth and do good in the world.

In a much smaller, rudimentary way, Kris Waldherr Art and Words (the storefront) is my Red House. I intended it as a physical place where I could explore ideas about beauty and environment. The reason I chose to rent a storefront, instead of a private studio, was because it offered more opportunities for sharing with the community.

So toward that end, Kris Waldherr Art and Words will be officially open to the public Saturdays 12 to 4pm. In the autumn, we’ll start presenting events such as readings, a film series, even a tarot night or two. Click here for more information and a small preview of what we’re planning.

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art is underway

Right now, I’m about halfway through the art for Doomed Queens — and I’ve just over six weeks to go until my final deadline. As an amuse bouche, here is my drawing of Catherine of Aragon, which was gamely posed for by my friend Diane Saarinen. Yes, I’m designing each drawing as sort of a royal danse macabre through queenly history.

Quick trivia question: Can you name the other wives of Henry VIII surrounding her? To jog your memory, here’s that old rhyme:

Divorced, beheaded, died;
Divorced, beheaded, survived.

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save the date!

Though I’ve posted this over on my “events” page, I thought I should mention this here.

I’m opening my new studio/gallery to the public for the first time in June, as part of the Flatbush Artists Studio Tour! Autographed books, art, prints, cards and decks will be available for purchase. 27 artists will be participating in this self-guided studio tour located in historic Victorian Brooklyn.

Here’s the pertinent info:

June 7 - 8, 2008, noon to 5pm:

Kris Waldherr Art and Words
1501 Newkirk Avenue (entrance on Marlborough Road)
Brooklyn, NY 11226

Directions: Q train to Newkirk Avenue. Studio is around the corner from subway.
Street parking is available.
Map and driving directions.
for further info: e-comment at artandwords dot com.

I hope to see some of you then!

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of queens and models

Some of you might be wondering what is going on with Doomed Queens, the book I’ve been working on for the past year. Short answer: Lots. Long answer: Aside from (1) copyediting the manuscript, (2) designing the Doomed Queens website, and (3) trying up lots of loose threads, I’ve been working on the art.

Part of that process is working with models, as you can probably tell from the above photo. Right now, I’ve had about half a dozen models come and pose over the past week. This week, another four will generously spend some time in front of my camera.

Yes, camera. I take reference photos for a number of reasons. The primary one is that I can’t bear to have people hold poses for hours as I draw — it’s too much to ask. From a practical standpoint, it’s also much easier to capture a moment from a quick photo than it is from a sustained drawing. What if I wanted to draw someone twirling? Or jumping? (That written, I might feel differently if I was a more skilled draftsperson….)

The process of working with models is somewhat alchemical — meaning that each of us bring something to the table. The end result is sometimes unpredictable, though I generally have a clear vision before we begin. I know I’ve mentioned before that my models are usually people I know, rather than hired professionals. That’s because it’s easier for me to feel a sense of connection with the character I’m illustrating if the model is someone I know. It also reflects my belief that these stories are something universal, that we carry them within ourselves in some mythic way.

For the most part, I’ve chosen my models well. Occasionally, I’ll ask someone to pose who might be more uncomfortable than expected with the process; this discomfort is passed down to me and shows in the art. Fortunately, this is a very rare occurence. Generally speaking, any discomfort has fled by the time I’ve dressed up my model. (Yes, dress — I have a variety of costumes and props that can propel someone from the twenty-first century back to ye olde medieval times and beyond.)

But the photos aren’t the end result, as inspiring as they may be. After that, I still need to work out the composition before I even begin to draw. Plus photographs need to be adjusted, their perspective corrected and so on.

Nonetheless, these model photographs are the first step in my creating an illustration - and perhaps the most important step. They offer me a place from which inspiration can flow.

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