Sailing in the Direction of My Dreams

I've got some news to share~ I just signed up for an online e-course with the fabulous Lilla Rogers, a renowned illustration agent with clients like Chronicle Books, Anthropologie, and Real Simple Magazine. The course is called Make Art That Sells , and it's all about creating work you are passionate about, work that is filled with energy and spirit, because as Lilla says in her new book, I Just Like to Make Things, "People buy your joy." 

I jumped on this opportunity to learn from a top-notch agent. We'll study the different markets for art and illustration, with weekly assignments and online support. 

Lilla has invited students of the course to create an original illustration to celebrate enrolling in the course. Here's what I made using cut paper, metallic gold ink and gouache~

Sailing in the Direction of My Dreams

I titled the piece Sailing in the Direction of my Dreams because I enrolled in this course to propel myself forward in my art career. I love making greeting cards, and I'm excited to branch out and explore new venues for my art~ licensing,  illustration commissions, and using my designs for surface patterns and product designs (a dream of mine since I attended art school in 1998!) 

Make Art That Sells starts June 3rd. I'll post some of my weekly assignments here.

If you would like to see how I created the illustration, here are some process shots:

Initial sketch

Selecting colors/paper

Painting and cutting 

Assembling and working on layout

Final product!

This image had some unexpected changes~ I left off the text and added a mermaid weather vane~ Fun to feel the creative improvisational flow. :-) This music fueled my day: Suna

Happy Spring!

~Tenaya

Press Feature

Dream Speak Design is featured as a "Local Producer" in the March/April Good Earth Natural Foods newsletter~ 

Happy Spring & New Cards

It sure feels like spring here in northern California! Blossoms blooming, daffodils popping up and the smell of fresh cut grass in my backyard. Exciting things are happening at Dream Speak Design~ Three new card designs have just been released:

Love With a Light Touch~ Dragonflies at Phoenix Lake

I love walking around Phoenix Lake in Ross, CA~ The undulating gold and green hills, gently lapping water, ducks, etc. And what seem like *hundreds* of dragonflies~ Electric blue, brilliant red, all lilting on the breeze. On one spring walk, a card image came to mind, and I decided to try to photograph them, but let me tell you, they are fast little fliers! I must have been quite a sight darting this way and that on the trail trying to capture a picture of them mid-flight with my iPhone! (They all came out kinda blurry) 

Silent Fox at Pam's Blue Ridge

This image was inspired by a fox I encountered while hiking at dusk in the hills above Fairfax, CA in June of 2012. I came home and sketched out the scene, and wrote this:

Dancing dusk and the wind on my face

Golden grasses fanning the hillside

Sage, Tarweed, Mugwort 

The scent of summer 

As a silent fox crosses my path.

Artemisia Dream Witch with Mugwort

A dream witch sharing a sprig of Mugwort, an herb renowned for it's healing properties. (Anyone recognize her beautiful garment? Inspired by Dmitry from Project Runway Season 10) For a magical mugwort dreaming supplement, check out Al-Kemi's Spagyric~

Easter cards are available at Good Earth Natural Foods and from me directly. 

Eggs in Nest

Milk Chocolate Bun Bun

Dream Speak Design has been featured in Good Earth Natural Foods March/April newsletter. The newsletter focuses on local producers that sell to Good Earth. I'll upload some images as soon as I get my hands on a copy! :-) All the best and happy spring!

Holiday cards are in production!

Holiday cards are now available~ Celebrate the icy beauty of winter!
 Cards are $6 each or any four for $20. 
***Special holiday pricing*** If you purchase 20 or more cards the price is $4 each! Please send me an email @ dreamspeakdesign@gmail.com to place an order.

Sacred Reindeer

I created this design after reading about the possible shamanic origins of the flying reindeer/Santa Claus story from Scandinavia's Sami people. Watch this fascinating short video from the BBC:

Slow and Gentle Drifts

 Snowy Owl in the Birch Forest

Pineapple of Hospitality

This card is inspired by the fruit sculptures that are displayed above front doors as a sign of welcome in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia:

photo from: rebeccasramsey.blogspot.com

Adorned Boughs

Saint Lucia's Light

This card draws from the Scandinavian tradition of Saint Lucia's festival. A young girl wearing a long white robe and wreath of evergreen boughs lit with candles represents the return of light at the darkest time of year.

Thanks for visiting~ Wishing you a bright and beautiful holiday season. Please contact me with any questions or comments.

~Tenaya

Halloween Cards at Good Earth Natural Foods

New Designs coming soon!

New Autumn Cards Coming Soon!

Jack the Cat 'O' Lantern

New Card Designs! 


Greetings~ I just finished four new card designs and I'm excited to share them with you.

It's a Small World Terrarium

After seeing a beautiful hand-blown glass terrarium at Park Chow in San Francisco I was inspired to create my own paper version with bright orchids and little gold mushrooms. 

For this series of cards I created hand-painted background paper to add a layer of depth and texture.

Joy Cupcake on Jadeite Stand

Nestled on a Jadeite cake stand, this raspberry-filled chocolate cupcake dons a festive little banner proclaiming "Joy!" 

Cup of Joy

A modern take on a traditional Jadeite tea cup, this card is perfect to share your sentiments of care and joy. Matcha anyone? 

Highway 1 Hawk

Every few months I drive from Marin down to Santa Cruz to visit my grandma, and along the way I usually spot hawks perched on telephone poles, electric lines, and circling over open fields. Their majestic form always gives me a thrill, and I wanted to honor them with a card~ Rolling hills, sea and sky.

Cards are $6 each or any 4 for $20. Please email me to order. Dreamspeakdesign(at)gmail(dot)com  Cards are also available at Good Earth Natural Foods in Fairfax.

Sending Love~ Celebrating 2 Years!

Greetings~ This month I am celebrating 2 years of Dream Speak Design card-making! Here's a pic of my first batch of Valentine's Day cards:

Anyone remember these? 

My first Good Earth display

As some of you may know, Good Earth Natural Foods has been a wonderful retailer of my cards, and they are opening a brand new store tomorrow, February 15th. Take a look:

Thank you to everyone who has supported my business over the last two years~ It has been an enriching and delightful experience! Blessings & Happy New Year, Tenaya

The Fairfax Scoop Mural is Complete!

Today I put the finishing touches on the Fairfax Scoop Ice Cream Tree mural. Each cone depicts a different flavor with symbols of the flavor in the ice cream. Can you guess what the flavors are? If you live in the Bay Area and want to taste some seriously yummy ice cream, Fairfax Scoop is the place! :-) 

Fairfax Scoop Mural & New Cards on the Way

Happy Autumn~ I've been busy refurbishing the Fairfax Scoop mural I painted 8 years ago. It's been delightful to paint in public again, and I have changed and updated some aspects of the design. Take a look~

Autumn card are in production and available at Good Earth Natural Foods in Fairfax, and Spirit Matters in Inverness Park. You can also contact me directly to place an order: dreamspeakdesign@gmail.com

Cards are $6 each or any 4 for $20. 

Jack the Cat-o-Lantern

Jack the Cat Takes a Ride

Barn Owls on Bolinas Ridge

Fig Leaf Still Life

New holiday designs are coming soon!