Immersed in Lilla Rogers' Course

I just finished week two of Lilla Rogers' online course Make Art That Sells. It's been a wild ride so far, filled with inspiration, excitement, overwhelm, doubt and little bursts of triumph!

Lilla has shared so many nuggets of wisdom to help us get in the creative groove, one of which is the importance of setting up your art-making space. I have done this to some degree naturally, but now I am doing it with more intention~ Clearing off my work table, lighting a candle, some fragrant japanese incense, and cut flowers. Music is also vitally important for getting me in the art-making mood, and I've been listening to Heather Masse and Sara Tavares all week. 

Our week one assignment was to create a fabric design based on 1950's & 1960's kitchens, vintage casserole dishes, and mushrooms. Lilla structures the class so that we have a mini assignment (given on Monday) to get us in the mood for the main assignment (given on Wednesday). Above is a photo of my mushroom studies. 

Mushroom project in progress

Here's my finished piece~ Mushroom Mothers Serving Casseroles

I struggled a bit getting into my groove for week two~ The art market we studied was Home Decor, and our mini assignment was to draw/paint sculptural flowers and seed pods. I went on a walk near Tomales Bay in Pt. Reyes Station to shoot some photos for source material. I loved the spiky and soft quality of these thistles~

But when I got home to paint them I wasn't very happy with what I was doing. I was getting frustrated and things just weren't flowing. Lilla has told us that "People buy your joy", and I was definitely not feeling the joy! It wasn't a good place to be heading into the main assignment, so I decided to shift my focus and attention to discover a subject matter and technique that felt joyful and flowing. I know I am happiest cutting paper, so I decided to go with that. The assignment was to design two plates with a floral/seed pod motif that could be sold at Anthropologie (my favorite store) or Crate & Barrel. I got a wonderful flash of inspiration and decided to create two floral zodiac plates, incorporating floral shapes, zodiac constellations, and gemstones. (BTW~ I am thinking about designing all twelve zodiac signs and perhaps producing a calendar & greeting cards~ What do you think?)

Floral Zodiac Plate~Leo~With Sunflower and Citrine

Floral Zodiac Plate~Pisces~With Blue Water Lily and Aquamarine

I had a blast creating these! The blue water lily was inspired by this Spagyric from Al-Kemi.

And last but not least, I'm happy to announce that I have a brand new website! It's the same address: www.dreamspeakdesign.com and it has galleries of all of my card collections organized by subject, information about my background, press mentions, contact info and a link to my blog. Please take a look!

Wishing you all the best! I'll be posting on the blog more regularly, including my assignments for the Lilla Rogers' course (under the "Projects" tab)

Thanks for reading!

If you are interested in Make Art That Sells, I can't recommend it highly enough! There is a second session starting in October and there are still spaces available. :-)

Logo by Suzy Ultman

The Gift My Mother Gave Me

This Mother's Day I spent some time reflecting on the gifts my mother has given me. Various memories from childhood came to mind~ I saw my family at the breakfast table set with candles, fresh flowers, tea, orange slices and homemade buttermilk biscuits. Over a leisurely breakfast my mom and I would share our dreams from the night before. This early sharing led me to a lifelong connection to my dreams, a frequent source of inspiration for my art. I also remember my mother showing me how to hold an orange slice up to the light so that it glistened like a miniature stained glass window.

So much of my artistic sensibility comes from my mom, who is also an artist. I grew up watching her create beautiful hand-cut paper murals for the Children's Room at the public library, and develop her own line of greeting cards. Art supplies were always available for me in a little station in our kitchen so I could draw while she cooked. 

When I was ten, my family moved to northern Virginia, and we often visited the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. I vividly remember seeing an exhibit of Georgia O'Keeffe's evocative watercolors~ Images of undulating southwestern landscapes, larger-than-life flowers, and impressionistic cloud sky-scapes. A Henri Matisse exhibit also stands out as an early influence~ His exuberant use of color; confident, playful brushstrokes, and cut paper collages are still fresh in my mind.

Through my mom's dedication to her art, the beautiful home she kept, and exposing me from an early age to art of all sorts, she nurtured my artistic path, but even more importantly, she showed me how to notice and appreciate the simple beauty in everyday life.

This new greeting card is dedicated to her~
I love you MG!

1978

1980

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