After Harper



Weaver Bird in color pencils and Pigma pen

It seems like it has been a while since I posted a swap-bot swap.  I have been busy with other projects lately so I only have three cards to share.  The top two designs were inspired by the artwork of Charley Harper.  Instead of ATC's this swap was to design a circular card.  I chose the Weaver Bird which is so common in Africa as my subject.  I have had the pleasure of taking many photos of these birds and I thought their homes would work well with a Harper-like geometrical emphasis. 

I have enjoyed Charley Harper's artwork every since I ran across his original prints while working for Creighton Davis gallery back when I lived in the Washington DC area. (By the way they are having an online auction this Wednesday.)  I wish I had been in the position to purchase a couple at that time.  Sadly, Charley Harper died in 2007 but his work looks as fresh as ever.

Weaver Bird and Mate hand drawn with colored pencils and Pigma pen

This ATC was for Sender's choice, so I modified one of the Tree series I had painted earlier adding this giraffe and the suggestion of the background  trees. I used photographs taken in South Africa as a reference.

South African Bush with Giraffe painted and hand drawn with acrylic paints and Pigma pen

Weaver Bird & Nest

This is second in the series of bird stamps I am creating.  The first was the Scops Owl and this is the Weaver bird with its nest.  I photographed this bird on my street when I just arrived in September (spring in South Africa.)  The Weaver bird has a bright yellow mating plumage and this one was near its nest in a Fever tree.  The artist trading card is the stamped image with color pencil.