Feline Friday: The Saga of Mr. E

It's been quiet on here for a while.  I do apologize, but things have been a little less than crazy around these parts.  For one, I've been under the weather for a few weeks.  But, the thing that really threw a wrench into things was the development of a hematoma on Mr. E's ear.  It developed almost over night.  Thus, he had to surgery to drain the hematoma and to make matters worse, he also had a couple of problem teeth removed at the same time.  On top of everything else, Mr. F didn't recognize Mr. E when he came home from surgery and hissed and attacked him for the first week.  They had to be kept separate.  It hasn't been the best of months for Mr. E, but things are starting to luck up.  His ear is healing nicely and hopefully he gets his stitches out sometime next week and he can finally shed the dreaded cone!  We are trying to make the best of things and enjoy the remainder of the holidays.  I hope you are too.  Happy Holidays and Happy Friday!

Mr. E post surgery, complete with cone and ear cast.

Feline Friday: Mark Your Calendars!

The Crafty Supermarket is tomorrow!  Grab your shopping bags!  It is sure to be fantastic!  My mini calendars are packaged and ready to make the trip to Music Hall.  I gave you a sneak peek last week, but now you can see all 12 months of kitties!  Each one consists of 12, 4"x6" loose calendar pages.  Not only do I have the cat collection, but I also have a monster collection!  Happy Friday!

Crafty Supermarket
Saturday Nov. 23, 2013
11am - 6pm
at the Music Hall Ballroom
1241 Elm St.
Cincinnati, OH 45202.

12 month 2014 Cat Collection mini calendar

12 month 2014 Monster Collection mini calendar

Feline Friday: Calendar & Events!

The Crafty Supermarket is next weekend!  I'm almost ready.  Just finishing up some little details, like the new 2014 - 12 Month Desk Calendars!  They will be making their debut at Crafty Supermarket, so be sure and stop by.  Here's a sneak peek.  Happy Friday!

Monster Monday: The Satyr

Today's Monster is a piece completed for a special project that will be revealed at a later date.  It's a little bit of a departure from the norm, but I love the way it turned out.  So, here he is.  He's such a sleepy satyr, and today I'm such a sleepy girl.  Off for more coffee.  Happy Monday!

Monster Monday: Mr. Eddie, the Hook Hand Vampire Man!

This one, like many here on Monster Monday, will take a bit of explaining.  This little dude came about one evening while hanging out on the porch with a few friends.  The scenario is one of those "you had to be there" things, but this a short recap of how the legend of Eddie, the Hook Hand Vampire Man was born. 

Let me set the stage.  There were 3 main players: Person A, Person B, and Person C.  Person A was wearing an Iron Maiden shirt.  Person B was trying to figure out which shirt Person A was wearing and asked, "What's on your shirt?"  Person C, cough, Shannon, cough, blurted out "HOOK HAND VAMPIRE MAN!" This was a pretty accurate analysis of what was depicted on the shirt, despite the fact that it said "Iron Maiden" atop the picture of "Eddie."  Laughter ensued.  See, it's definitely one of those "you had to be there" stories.  I will leave it at that because the events that followed have sparked much controversy among this particular group of friends. 

In order to ensure that this memory will never be forgotten I give you my version of the Hook Hand Vampire Man that adorned the shirt in question.  My personal version includes a mock Iron Maiden font.  The version that will be available in my store shortly will not have the text included.  I figure that the image may be confusing enough without the text.  Anyway, here he is!  Happy Monday!

My personal version of Mr. Eddie, Hook Hand Vampire Man, digital illustration  ©Geri Shields, 2013

Mr. Eddie, Hook Hand Vampire Man, version for print, digital illustration  ©Geri Shields, 2013

Feline Friday: Bad Kitty #4

Bad Kitty #4 is completed and will be making it's debut tomorrow at Cincinnati Mini Maker Faire!  If you are able to make it out, stop by my booth and check it out in person and be transformed into a bad kitty yourself!  See you there!  Happy Friday!

Cincinnati Mini Maker Faire
Saturday, October 19
Noon-10pm
Washington Park
1230 Elm St 
Cincinnati, OH 45210

Bad Kitty #4, 8"x10", acrylic on board      ©Geri Shields, 2013

Me as Bad Kitty!

Monster Monday: Hook

What's up with this?  Check back next Monday to see what this hook hand is attached to!  Happy Monday!

Feline Friday: Photo Op In Progress

Still working on the photo op.  It doesn't look like much now, but I'll be finishing it up this weekend. The final reveal will come next week.  Stay tuned!  Happy Friday!

Monster Monday: The Witching Hour

What's the best way to get the most candy in the shortest time?  By broom, of course.  Miss Witch knows this and is ready for the candy harvest.  Happy Monday!

Miss Witch, digital illustration, ©Geri Shields, 2013

Feline Friday: Photo Prop

I've been getting ready for the Cincinnati Mini Maker Faire which is in a couple of weeks.  To have something interactive included with my booth, it was suggested that I make a photo op, or photo prop, whatever it's called.  It's one of those boards with characters on them and a hole for you to stick your face through.  I'm still not completely sure what the proper term is for them.  Anyway, that is what I have been working on this week.  I decided to use one of the new sketches for the Bad Kitty series as the image for the photo prop.  Of course, I enlisted the help of the misters and they have been more than happy to lend a paw.  Here's some in progress photos.  Soon, you too can be a Bad Kitty!  Happy Friday!

Mr. F keeping my template in place. 

Checking the placement of the hole in the template.

Mr. E, the original Bad Kitty, glaring at me through the hole.  I take it the placement is spot on.

overhead view of painting in progress.

Monster Monday: C.H.U.D. completed

Mr. Chud is done!  Prints are coming soon.  Happy Monday!

Mr. CHUD, digital illustration             ©Geri Shields, 2013

Feline Friday: Another Bad Kitty

I'm continuing to come up with ideas to expand the Bad Kitty series.  Here's the latest sketch.  Happy Friday!

Bad Kitty sketch, ©Geri Shields, 2013

Monster Monday: Progress Report

WHOA!  Last week kind of got away from me.  I'm not quite sure where the time went.  That being said, Mr. Chud isn't complete, yet.  Below is how he looks so far.  Tune in next week to see how the rest of him materializes!  Happy Monday.

Chud in progress, ©Geri Shields, 2013

Feline Friday: Bad Kitty Returns.

As most of you probably know, years ago I did a short series of "Bad Kitty" paintings.  These depicted an angry gray cat wearing an e-collar (or cone, if you prefer) that was up to no good.  Each piece was inspired by my own cat's trials of dealing with the monstrosity of the e-collar after having surgery on his ear to remove a hematoma.  With the monstrous cone around his neck he had difficulty maneuvering, eating, bathing, getting into the litter box and just basically being a cat.  The weeks that followed the surgery were filled with guilty amusement at his expense.  Poor guy.  He recovered, the collar was removed and things went back to normal. 

I've recently been contemplating adding on to the "Bad Kitty" collection.  This new sketch was inspired by the unsuccessful attempt Mr. E made at eating after bringing him home from surgery.  The collar was so big that it stopped him from being able to reach his head down to his food bowl.  He ended up unintentionally scooting his food bowl around the kitchen floor with the edge of the collar just trying to get a little snack.  I had to rig up a special feeding station that he could get the cone around and that put his food at a height that his face could reach.  It took a lot of trial and error, but we got it figured out.

My style has evolved a bit since the original series of paintings, thus Bad Kitty has gone through a slight evolution in the way it is drawn as well.  Don't worry, though.  He still has the e-collar and the bad attitude.  He wouldn't be Bad Kitty without them!  Happy Friday!

Bad Kitty sketch,  ©Geri Shields, 2013 

Out & About: Crafty Supermarket Fall 2013

This just in.  I'll be at the Crafty Supermarket on November 23, 2013, 11-6pm.  This time it will be held at the Music Hall Ballroom!  Check out the list of all the wonderful vendors here.  You're sure to find something to help make the holidays special.  Hope to see you there!

Monster Monday: C.H.U.D., a sketch

Well, it's getting into that season that I look forward to oh so much, Halloween.  That means a return to Monster Mondays!  To kick things off I finished a sketch I started a while ago of my take on a C.H.U.D.  It's still pretty rough, but it'll find itself in a more complete state over the next few weeks.  If you're not familiar, C.H.U.D is a horror movie from the 80's.  Happy Monday!

©Geri Shields, 2013

Mission Completed: The Purple Cyclops

I've been getting ready for Cyclops Fest in Yellow Springs, Ohio this Saturday.  This will be my first time at Cyclops Fest, so in honor of that I completed a new piece.  Prints of my purple cyclops will be available this weekend at the festival!  Hope to see you there!

©Geri Shields, 2013     digital illustration

Feline Friday: An Ode to the Fallen Cricket

Crickets!  Some way, some how crickets keep getting into the house.  But never fear, Mr. E is near!  I've haven't really experienced the hunting abilities of Mr. E.  Mostly, I think, he's too lazy to care, even if a bug crawls in front of his face or on his paw.  But there is just something about crickets, I guess.  Mr. F plays with them, but Mr. E gobbles them right up.  Just run's across the room and puts them in his mouth.  Sometimes he watches Mr. F playing with the insect, then snatches it up when Mr. F isn't looking.  It's a rarity that he chews his food, but he chomps crickets quite loudly.  CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH!  It's quite a spectacle to see him with insect legs sticking out of his mouth.  So far the count is 4, that I'm aware of.  Good kitty.  Poor crickets.  Happy Friday!

©Geri Shields, 2013

Feline Friday: Grapes

A few weeks ago I was having a small get together with family.  There was a bowl of grapes on the kitchen table.  Not thinking anything of it, I ventured out to the porch with the rest of the family, leaving the grapes on the table.  A short time later, someone went back to kitchen for something only to discover Mr. E face first in the bowl of grapes, doing his best to try to eat them.  Apparently nothing is safe in our kitchen when Mr. E is on the prowl.

©Geri Shields, 2013

Out & About: Cyclops Fest

I'll be making the trip up to Yellow Springs, OH next month for Cyclops Fest.  If you are in the area, come by and check out the booth!  I can't wait to see what other amazing artists are there!

Kiki the Office Cat: Help this Sweet Girl Find a Forever Home

This is Kiki the Office Cat, for those of you that don’t know already.  She is the stray that waltzed into my office one day and decided to stay.  She was a welcome addition to the office and has proved to be a loyal companion.  I had the hope of bringing her home with me one day and making her a part of my family, but that dream is not to be realized due to concerns of allergies and asthma.  It seems that 2 furry companions are all the our household can hold.  The time has come, as painful as it is for me to admit, to start the search, once again, to find her a forever and loving home.  A home where I know she will be safe and will receive as many tummy rubs as she desires.  She’s a wonderful little cat and deserves a more stable living arrangement.

This is her story:

Kiki the Office Cat was dropped off in the parking lot of my place of employment.  She was skinny and starved for attention.  For a very short while she lived under a storage shed at the back of the lot.  One day, someone came to take her home.  She was gone for a few months.  Sadly, she was eventually brought back and left behind, again.  I had been feeding her for a few weeks after her return and then one day she wandered into the open door of my office building and took a seat in an empty chair next to me.  Since then she has been a constant fixture in the office, Monday through Friday, 8:30-4:30.  She’s been here for over a year.

She now has a little house on the side of my office building.  She waits for me to arrive at work every morning, trots inside with me, gobbles her breakfast then naps most of the day.  Occasionally, she will venture off for a midday hunt, lounge under my car in the parking lot or play with her toy on the office floor.  

She stays outside nights and weekends.  There is a wonderful lady that checks on her over the weekend for me.  From time to time I have pulled into work to find her limping or with scratches on her face.  I’ve had to take her to the vet a time or two, but she has always ended up being ok.  I do worry about her safety, though I think most of the scratches come from the thorny bushes she likes to lay in.

Kiki the Office Cat is very sweet and has a stellar personality.  She’s very friendly and loves a good tummy rub, but can be unsure around strangers.  She’s a pretty laid back cat but also has a feisty and playful side.  Her hygiene is commendable.  She keeps her coat looking nice and wipes her paws before getting a drink of water.  She’s a funny cat with an adorable run and a wide assortment of noises.  And, like most cats, she is an accomplished napper.  She’ll make a wonderful and entertaining companion.

Here’s her other stats:

-I would guess she is around 2-3 years old, but I’m not entirely sure.

-She has been spayed and her ear has been tipped to indicate as such.

-She tested negative for both FIV and FeLV.

-She has been vaccinated for FIV/FeLV.

-She is up to date on her other vaccinations.

-She has been steadily treated with Revolution, so fleas should not be an issue.

The following will be coming along with her upon finding a permanent residence:

-cat carrier

-small bed that she used once.

-her raccoon toy  

If you or someone you know live in the Cincinnati area and would love to give this kitty a loving home, please let me know.

-Geri

gerileighshields@gmail.com 

Kiki was the inspiration behind this lovely illustration.

Out & About: The O.F.F Market

The Oakley Fancy Flea (O.F.F.) Market is just a few weeks away!  I'll be there Saturday, August 31 from 10-4.  Hope to see you there!

Feline Friday: Adventure Time?

Just a quick sketch of adventures to come.

©Geri Shields, 2013

Mid Week Sketch: Ms. Groundhog

A very rough character sketch.

©Geri Shields, 2013

Mission Completed: Aquatica Promo for Broadhope

Recently, I had the privilege of joining Broadhope Art Collective in Cheviot, OH.  It is a store and collaborative space featuring the work of many wonderful, local artists.  If you live in the Cincinnati area, definitely stop by and check it out.  My work is on display in the shop, and on occasion I can also be found in house behind the register or working on projects in the shared studio space.  

At the end of June, Broadhope Art Collective will be starting a new series of themed art shows featuring original works by the collective members.  The first of these shows will be "Aquatica."  It opens Friday, June 28.  In addition to having a piece or two for this show, I designed the poster for the event.  For more info on Broadhope and the Aquatica show, check out the events section of my blog or the Broadhope Art Collective website.

Feline Friday: Lily Pads

The studio is still in shambles from the move, but things are starting to get back to normal.  And with that being said, this is the return to Feline Fridays!  I know.  You're excited. 

I'm still working on sketching out the illustrations for my story book.  I had gotten away from that as well as painting during the move.  Now, I'm back at it and here is the latest sketch!  At least the latest sketch involving a cat.  There have been other doodlings going on that I will share at a later date.  Just hang in there.  Anyway, here is rough sketch of yet another misadventure of the main character of my story. 

©Geri Shields, 2013

Out & About + Updates

It's been quiet on here for a while now.  I've been in the huge process of moving!  I've been in the new place for about a week now and all is well, though the studio is still in boxes.  Hopefully I'll be tackling that this week and getting back into the swing of things shortly. 

Through the craziness of packing, moving, and unpacking, I did have time to create a promo poster and postcard for an upcoming art show.  The Bird Show: A Celebration of Spring, is an art exhibit curated by The Flying Cat Collective and will be held at Pike Street Lounge in Covington, KY.  I did not have a chance to complete new paintings for this event, but I will have at least one older work that has never been shown before on display for the duration of the show.  I will also have a digital piece (basically the illustration for the promo) on display.  Sadly, I won't be able to attend the opening, which is Friday, May 10th at 7pm, but there is sure to be some fabulous artwork see and talented artist to meet!  If you're in the area, please do stop by! For more info, check The Flying Cat's website.

Mission Completed: Footbridge

I finished up the footbridge painting.  It's currently getting framed and will shortly be on it's happy way to it's recipient.

This piece was a nice break from the usual "cuteness factory" that is my little studio.  I do not do a lot of landscape painting, but from time to time I am asked to and I happily accept the request.  This particular painting is of a small footbridge just off the side of a country road in Warren County Kentucky.  It's actually not that far from where I grew up.  On my last visit home, I got the chance to take a peek at this small wonder and get some good reference for the painting.

Footbridge of Warren County, acrylic on board, 8x10                    copyright Geri Shields, 2013

In the Studio: Footbridge progress

Recently I was asked to do a smallish painting of a footbridge.  It's not my normal subject matter, but sometimes I do like to work on something a little different.  I spent last night in the studio blocking in the colors. 

Mid Week Sketch: Dragons

Companions...

copyright Geri Shields, 2013

copyright Geri Shields, 2013

Mission Completed: Mini Goats

The Craft Menagerie is tomorrow!  Anyone excited?  I know I am!  I had time to make a couple more mini paintings to bring with me.  More goaties in honor of Bockfest!

The Craft Menagerie
Saturday, March 2, 2013
at Arnold's Bar & Grill
210 E. 8th St.
Cincinnati, OH  45202
11am-4pm

Mini goat, acrylic on illustration board, 2.75"x2.75" copyright Geri Shields, 2013  

acrylic on wood plaque, 4"x4"  copyright Geri Shields, 2013

Mission Completed: New Piece for Bockfest

As you may know, I will be at The Craft Menagerie this Saturday!  I've been busy getting ready for the event the past few weeks.  To my surprise, I've finished up my prepping ahead of time.  With this little bit of extra time I have I wanted to come up with a new piece in celebration of the event.  The Craft Menagerie is part of Cincinnati's Bockfest, and since the goat is a staple image of Bockfest, I decided to come up with some goatie goodness of my own to bring to the celebration!  Look for prints of my little billy goat at The Craft Menagerie located in Arnold's Bar during Bockfest this Saturday, 11am-4pm! 

Billy Goat          copyright Geri Shields, 2013