New "Cute As A Button" Series - MONSTERS!

"Good art is in the wallet of the beholder."

-- Kathy Lette

Since deciding, "I'm going to paint for a living," I've actually been painting for a living!  (A very modest living, but it's living!)  I have to say, it feels good.  After leaving a career in comedy/performing, it's nice to still be able to do something that is creative that doesn't involve playing at instrument on the subway. (Yesterday's in-car concert, JAZZ FLUTE.  So rude.)

My concentration lately has been on creating art for babies, toddlers and kids.  I believe that art is an ESSENTIAL in a child's life.  It helps spur creativity, happiness and imagination.  So I came up with my "Cute As A Button" line for my nephew, Nate.  These animals hang over his bed and keep him company while he sleeps.  Yesterday, I came into his room to get him after his nap and he was sitting in his crib, looking up at the paintings.  I like to think he was thinking, "Wow, that Auntie Jennifer is quite the talent!  I can feel my brain making new neural pathways and my synapses are firing on all cylinders!"  (He was probably thinking, "I think I pooped."  Bygones.)

So now I have a new line for toddlers: Cute As A Button - MONSTERS!  But they are fun, cute and happy monsters (unlike Frankenstein or the IRS).  I came up with them one day and doodled them in my "doodle book."  (Look, some people have little black books, I have a doodle book.  Shut up, I know I'm single.)

Monster inception.  Rated PG.

Next, I got out 2 5x7 inch stretched canvases and starting outlining.

At this stage my friends thought I was making a rabbit
and a Pac Man ghost.  NOTE TO SELF: Don't let friends
see your art until it's done.

And then finally, the finished product! 

Introducing Abernathy & Bartholomew the Monsters!

Each "Monster" will teach a toddler a lesson through a poem.  (I'm writing them now and they will be revealed on my Etsy site when they are finished.)  Abernathy loves to smile and brush is teeth, while Bartholomew likes to keep his shoes tied and put them under his bed at night. 

So what is the point of all this?  I'll tell you:

* Inspiring kids to draw, paint, whatever!  CREATE!

* Getting kids interested in the arts, museums, etc.

* Conversation pieces for children and their parents

* Giving parents nice artwork to hang in their kids room that isn't a piece of plastic crap from China.  (No offense, China....)

So stay tuned, the Monsters will have more joining them and will be coming to my Etsy store SOON!  (Also note, I do commissioned pieces so if you have something specific you want, let me know!)

Thanks for helping to support a struggling, new old biddy!

Even Newborns Need Art... No Really, They Do

Many people believe that bright colors are best for newborns... however, that is not so!  But this isn't common knowledge which is why after I sent my mother an email with my latest paintings for a friend's baby shower, she sent back: "Aren't they a little dark?"

Okay, so these would probably also look good on Tim Burton's wall.

Fact: Babies actually can only see shades of black and white, not bright colors.  And it's been proven that black and white (high contrast) art is the best for a newborn's development.  I watched this first hand as my newborn nephew, Nate, marveled at the book, Art for Baby, (a compilation of high contrast art from contemporary artists).  Nate had his favorite pictures and his least favorite.  His favorite was a picture of dots in many different shades of black and gray.  He would coo, work his hands and focus for long periods of time on this picture.  The pictures that bored him (and there were a few) would cause his eyes to wander and he would make his bored sound (aka "cry").  I'd like to note that MY least favorite, along with Nate's, was that of a overly simply drawn carrot that was titled, "Untitled."  No, for real.  "Untitled."  AHEM: It's clearly a carrot!  How is that sort of vaguery good for a baby?!  It teaches indecision while teaching focus!  What a dichotomy!  Sheesh!

ANYHOO... back to the subject of this blog: ME.  These new creations of mine are part of a series I've created called "Cute As a Button."  The buttons on these paintings add dimension and pattern contrast.  Plus they make them cute as a button for little ones.

Rainclouds!

Rain Drops

And for babies/toddlers who have mastered focus, I have this line in technicolor:

Cute As A Button!

Let me know if you like these paintings as I'm starting to put together my Etsy store and I'm getting a handle on what people want/demand.  And let's face it, babies are DEMANDING.  And they need art that isn't a dopey yellow bear whose surname is that of a turd.  I'm just asking, does that not bother ANYBODY ELSE OUT THERE?  Sigh...