Weekly Illustration

Twins fans have become Haters.

2011-07-13T08:22:00.001-07:00

Word for Weekly Illustration: Stay

It has been a long baseball season for the Twins. It has been riddled with injuries, pitching issues, and loosing. Twins fans have rightfully become frustrated and now just angry - and their target is Joe Mauer. They are angry about his performance, lack of playing, and salary. While I do think it his obligation to provide as much as he can for his team (this really is every player’s obligation) I don't think pinning this long season on him specifically is called for. People have lost sight of the fact that while he is currently in a rut after his return from his questioned injury – he has provided quite a bit for the Twins, is over all a good role model for our community, and did not sell out when the opportunity arose.

Am I complaint free? No, I have shouted at the game and wondered if I our hometown hero will step up – or better yet start getting the hits he is so famous for here. However, my rants are more at the game, the situation, and just desperate shouts to get the Twins back on track.

They have been doing fairly well. In fact we are on positive up swing that will hopefully continue after the all-star game. Joe did play first base in Chicago (after all of the push to play there) – and he did very well. In fact well enough for me to want him to stay no matter how much he makes – because he could be making more elsewhere and making us miserable.

Can a King wear no ring?

2011-06-29T20:27:00.006-07:00

King James was drafted to the Cleveland Cavaliers where he led his team to consecutive playoffs (2006-10), received the Rookie of the Year award, and two MVPs. He has always been an All-Star since 2005. But this King was ringless in Cleveland. So he did what he wanted, he stomped on the people that loved him and was lured to Miami. King James was provided with a team that could help him get his ring. They failed. So the continually question of can a player be the best player if they have not won a championship, comes up again. Along with that question there are more - is this karma? Can a player alone carry a team all the way? Can a team be built for a king? How invested should a sports icon become invested in the city that loved them? Does James have what it takes to be a king or is he too busy looking ahead for what he wants that he does not notice he is about to stomp on his own crown?

First Fireworks

2011-06-28T19:17:00.004-07:00

[Midsummer Night for Illustration Friday]

This is an illustration of us taking our six month daughter to fireworks for the first time.

I love fire works, love them. To me there nothing says summer night like fireworks. I know there are fireworks during winter, such as news years, but from where I live there are weekends one after another of fireworks. Each city has a small carnival that usually has a firework display to mark the end.

For me it is a perfect summer night when we can grab a blanket, the dogs, (and now our daughter) and find the right spot to lay down, hang out and wait for the show. Why is this so wonderful to me? Well aside from the fact that fireworks are just simply awesome (we had them at our wedding) this is a simple thing to do, that is free which allows us to relax and enjoy family time. This is why I was so glad to introduce them to our daughter. I was nervous they would scare her and we would have to take this summer off from them, but lucky me she loved them. She watched in amazement and giggled - I was relived to know we could continue with perfect summer nights.

Instinct [Weekly Word @ Illo Friday]

2009-02-21T06:00:00.006-08:00

Always sitting on the edge
of what could be
I tire of my doubts
and wrap myself with
my desire, fertility, and moon
I set off with a determination
to conquer the land
that I have reaped and sown
with my endless daydreaming

Before starting I take
a weighty moment
to find the beast within
that wicked creature
has whipped me around feverishly
with all the things
I have done wrong
and all of my shortcomings
I look her right in the face
and deny her the right
to throw me off course

Instead I transform
her into a being
ruled by speed, grace, and nobility
I allow the being to run free
with my spirt
and find its place in the
land, sun, and moon

My spirit becomes one with the being
allowing an inner acceptance of
who I am
giving me the ability to move
instep with no boundaries
I roam freely
feasting upon life

I take in the nutrients needed
to comeback instep with existence
the fears of the past
are finally gone
and now I center myself
with an inner peace
and a sense of excitement
from engaging in my passions
and being who I am

Necklaces for Sale - Last Day!

2009-02-21T05:27:00.002-08:00

Weekly Word: Blanket

2008-02-04T06:30:00.000-08:00

At night time, when little girls should be sleeping, Libby would turn her self into Dudezilla with her trusty blanket. She would fly from her bed and out into the world of darkness. All night long she would bring swift justice and defeat the dirty sidewinders that brought crime and violence to the world.

Weekly Word: Plain

2008-01-24T19:44:00.000-08:00

Its plain and simple. Dude's heart belong's to Tony.

Weekly Word: Stitch

2008-01-24T19:40:00.001-08:00

Cool Pens

2008-01-24T19:39:00.001-08:00

Update of Illos

2008-01-22T08:05:00.001-08:00

These are the illustations I made for my godson Ethan. My cousin Heather made the matts and framed them.

...I'll Pull Down Your Underwear

2007-10-30T05:48:00.001-07:00

Weekly Word: trick or Treat
Trick or Treat, smell my feet,
Give me something good to eat
If you don't I don't care,
I'll pull down your underwear

-apparently this rhyme is different all over. Where I am from this is how it goes!

Sleeping Death

2007-10-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

The Moen Castle has an old hag lurking

around, appearing as an apple peddler.

The hag will try to con you into eating one of her

magic wishing apple.

Don't be tricked by her treat!

Her apple is pure poison.

One bite

will put you into an eternal state of repose called,

The Sleeping Death

This is a illo I did for my mom, of the old witch from Snow White. Disney's Snow White is one of her favorite movies and she also loves Halloween.

Elle

2007-10-24T18:55:00.000-07:00

This is a re-do of the illustration that I did for my Godson, Ethan. It took a while but here it is.

Don't Let Your Nose Grow

2007-10-23T05:45:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Grow

Pinocchio was not surprised by his nose growing, after all he new that he had lied from time to time. What shocked him was not only how long it had gotten but also the weight it caused him to carry. Pinocchio had allowed himself to become so involved in his lies that his nose grew faster than he realized. He was going to have to try and tell Gepetto that the Devil made it grow and that his nose was helpless wrapped up in the devils tail - a lie to cover all of the other lies.

Boxing Extremes

2007-10-18T08:05:00.000-07:00

@ the last minute!

Weekly word: extremes

Putting his body to extremes, Barney decided to try the One Hour Boxing Test provided by Uppercut Boxing Gym. In the end he was wiped and could barely pick up his arms or move his feet.

One Hour Boxing Test

The boxer and trainer will create and follow 5-6 different drills. Drills must be between 8-12 step combos. For the first 45 minutes of the test the boxer is to work at a 75-80% pace with the trainer. The last 15 minutes of the test, a "testing instructor" will take over and work the boxer 100% in free rounds. It is the trainer's responsibility to keep their boxer going. When the boxer begins fatigue, the trainer should switch the drill, as well as talk them through the different drills.

Watching TV with One Eye Open

2007-10-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

Singing Out the Blues

2007-10-03T06:16:00.000-07:00

Don't juggle your assets

2007-09-24T06:08:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday: Juggle

Things for Family

2007-09-24T06:00:00.001-07:00

The three jungle illustrations I did for my Godson's Room in watercolor and ink.

This illustration was done for my cousin's baby shower in October. The illo was used for the invites. It's supposed to be her but it doesn't really look like her.

Tony and Dude

2007-07-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

This illustration is for our wedding in May of '08. We met at a boxing gym in NE Minneapolis and will be having our wedding reception there.

Sad Guy

2007-07-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

Sunday Park Walk

2007-07-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

Capture Maddy

2007-07-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

Rounds

2007-07-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

Flying' Ghost

2007-01-22T17:23:00.000-08:00

George was a Ghost would could not fly. He could not graduate high-school if he did not fly high over the city at night. So all day George worried about failing his parents. He tried and tied but he could even rise an inch. At the end of the day, his best friend Sara stopped by with a bunch of balloons to cheer him up. When he grasped the bunch he began to rose. Soon he was as high as the homes and began to float over the city. George cried to Sara that it didn't count. But Sara said so what! "Ghosts get caught up in small things that don't matter, and what was inside of you is more important. And George, if they can't see what is inside of you there is something wrong with them. You are after-all a ghost."

Big O Eye Spider

2007-01-22T17:20:00.000-08:00

I just love the eye of the spider, it reminds me of simple but unique hand knitted dolls.

Funky Snowman

2007-01-22T17:13:00.000-08:00

Funky Snowman is inspired by Calef Brown's Poem: Funky Snowman

It is a fun poem about dancin' with no feet.

Clownin'

2007-01-22T17:04:00.000-08:00

This is an illo based on fears. A lot of people fear clowns. In this illustration even clowns fear other clowns. Joe-Bob the meanest clown robs and destroys the Town of Glee people in late November of 2006. After loosing all of their money, booze, kids, and bunnies the town becomes enraged. The towns people unite to create the worst clown that is larger than life, a mirror image of Joe-Bob. Once Joe-Bob is confronted by the Great Dude Clown he can't take the horrible reality and leaves Glee Town. He spends all of 2007 crying himself to sleep after he saw all of the horrible things in the Great Dude Clown.

smokin'

2007-01-22T16:58:00.000-08:00

This is an old illo idea from school. I love the take me as I am attitude my character has. After I finished it my boyfriend thought it was influenced by a rollerderby teammate of mine.

An update of illos

2007-01-22T16:55:00.000-08:00

This is a fun illo of an octy enjoying the city. The illo is not what I wanted it to be, but it was fun doing it anyways. Due to the red pants I thought I would post it up

2006-09-21T05:19:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Change

Title: Get a New View

When the weekly word came out I had just gotten my hair cut. So instantly I thought of how easy it is to change your look with a haircut, unless of course your hair is really short or you have none. However I had grown my hair out and it was making me crazy in my melon piece so I was dreaming of chopping it all off, just like my illo! Of co use when I sat in the wonderful seat I was not so willing to lob it all of but I did get a healthy cut. Not only can I actually run a brush through my hair I am also impressed with the look. I stood in front of the mirror for quit some time the next day to try and duplicate what the stylist had done to my hair but I failed. Even though I can't pull off what she did I am still pleased with the new do. After all this I realized that having a new do also changed my view on things, since I am a good mood about the look of it things are not so bad. But of course the style will grow old and I will grow my hair out again, visit the salon, and have another experience of a wonderful haircut!

2006-09-11T11:48:00.002-07:00

Weekly Word: Farm

Title: Midnight Corn Family

This family of corn comes out at night when no one is about. They sight together gravely each night that they have left. Not to long they will be picked and sorted, more than likely losing each other. After they are sorted the will be sold to families that can stay together for a much longer time. They then will be cooked over the stove or grill and eaten to death...one kernel at a time.

2006-09-07T05:36:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Safe
Title: Saving Dude's Zipper Head

After a not so smooth skate, Dude decided that wearing a good ol' hockey helmet is for the best. This way Dude's very fragile melon piece would be saved from splitting open at the zipper seams. Soon Dude will be fully padded and headed off to Roller Derby!

2006-08-24T05:55:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Match
Title: Chess Pieces Boxing it Out

My boyfriend suggested that use chess pieces fighting in a match. I loved this idea right away because I love the idea of our objects coming to life. Here the chess match is being settled while we sleep in a good boxing match. The knight is a brawler and is facing a skilled boxer. This is a typical match of who will win, the boxer or brawler.

2006-08-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Play
Title: Play Nice?

Grr... I had a busy week and ran out of time so I just quickly colored in my sketch. The word play instantly reminds me of parents saying, "Now play nice..." Oh yea like that is gonna happen. Especially if I am playing a game of air hockey. I have to win. In the process, I get very angry and violent words fly out of my mouth. Their evil essence slaps my opponent around and makes them very happy that there is a table in between us & that we are not playing real hockey. I often leave the silly fool exhausted from my aggressiveness and constant demanding for just one more game. That person will usually never play air hockey with me again... unless of course I hypnotize them!

2006-08-10T02:41:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Capture
Title: Always capturing My Lost Mind

Since I loose my mind all the time I decided to illustrate the need to capture it. I was going to use my self at first but the sketch looked to spiritual and not like a person that looses their mind easily. I decided to use my character that I created in my Children's Illustration class. I feel that he represents one side of me and with a zipper head it is easy to loose your mind!

2006-08-03T05:36:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Clean

Title: Roxy, Rawls, a toilet, and Frank the Rat

Roxy was babysitting Rawls. Everything was going along and then Rawls needed his diaper changed. Roxy was disgusted by the fact that the toddler was not potty trained yet. So she decided to teach him a lesson. She wanted to show him where the poo goes by rinses his dirty bum in the toilet. She sat him inside the toilet and flushed the toilet in hope that it would wash the cold water across his bum and then all that poo would go down with the water. Nope. Rawls foot went down with the water causing him to become stuck. Roxy tried to pull him out but had no luck. She decided to try and get him out by placing the plunger on his head and pulling him out. She plunged him out and right after his foot came out a rat from the plumbing system. Roxy was glad she managed to get Rawls out and got a new pet. Right after she unclogged his foot and gathered her new pet, Rawls flushed the toilet again thinking that it was a game. Roxy got him out a second time but broke his foot in the process. She brought him into the emergency room and was arrested for child abuse. She is now in jail with her new pet rat, Frank.

2006-07-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Opposite

Title: Opposites Making it Work

'T' is taller
I am shorter
I am messy
He likes order

I am a nerd
& Tony is cool
He is very serious
& I like to be a fool

I go to bed early
Tony stays up at a night
I love him more &
He loves me with all his might

2006-07-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Sacrifice

Title: Turtle wins with Hare

This about what happens when you sacrifice a win for laziness, you lose. The hare could have won easily but he was too lazy to do his own work. So he had the slow and steady turtle do it for him. Through doing the work and not quitting the Turtle won. An old but good story that will always hold true.

2006-07-11T15:32:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Skyline
Title: Ball Breaking Skyline

Watching the Pre-All Star Game Activites convinced me to draw a skyline behind an outdoor field. I can't wait untill MN gets our outdoor field! Gotta love a good baseball game during summer.

2006-07-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Sticky

Title: Smore Goodness Stuck on Front Teeth

Smores are sticky. There is nothing better than enjoying the sticky goodness of a smore!

2006-06-29T05:54:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Rain

Title: Moxy shovin' Miss Rex in to the acid rain to kill her

I got two bunnies from my boyfriend for Easter. He built me a great cage and all. We went and picked the bunnies out. A black lion head and a brown and white satin-both male. I named the black guy Moxy and the other Rex. After becoming familiar with cage Moxy began to show signs of dominance over Rex. I also began to suspect that the store was wrong about Rex being a male. Shortly afterwards Moxy began to rip Rex's fur out by the crap loads. Moxy would only do this when we were not around. In fact he was really good with us. Anyways he is always shoving Rex outta the way for food & water. I am sure one day he will gain mighty powers and shove Miss Rex out of the cage, into the acid rain, and leave her to die.

2006-06-22T05:38:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Dance
Title: ... so I put a jar of ants in my pants and I did a little boogie dance!

This was a sketch from when I took children's book illustration. The story was about a monster dancing. I decided to finally finish the sketch once I saw the word dance.

2006-06-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Dance
Title: Mama's pissed 'cuz I was kicked outta dance class... but I don't care I hated my partner & teacher plus I wanted to take boxin' lessons.

This is a reflection of when I took dance as a kid. Although I did not get kicked out for hatred of anyone I often felt awkward with my body and wished I was at practice for soccer, basketball, or softball. I did however get kicked out once for sticking my tongue out at the tap teacher. I was forced to apologize.

2006-06-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Jungle
Title: Daily Jungle on a time schedule

Rush hour... sometimes I am amazed I get through this daily jungle!

2006-06-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

Weekly Word: Portrait
Title: Portrait of Mr. O
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain. This why Mr. O ended up in jail one evening in June of '06.

2006-06-01T06:41:00.000-07:00

Weekly word: Cake
Title: I WILL have my cake and eat it like a monster

I always hated the saying "you can't have your cake and eat it too." What would be the point of getting the cake then? Who would get a cake to let it sit there and not be eaten?

Instead:
The things people want are often incompatible. This proverb is easier to grasp if it is understood to mean “You can’t eat your cake and have it too.”

2006-05-12T06:26:00.000-07:00

Weekly Illustration in assocation with Illustration Friday. Art work by Stephanie Moen.