4.25.12 "Woman Reading on Rug with Cat"

This is an artist's proof of a new etching I'm working on. It has a chine-collé. That's the small, color print of El Corazon (the heart) that I got in Mexico. I put it on the etching plate before I printed. I love the woman's white body and the cat on the pillow over the detailed pattern of the oriental rug. The size is 9"x12". I'm working on a series of nudes reading. Maybe one will be chosen for the poster for Nat'l Library Week? Not.

4.15.12 Woman reading in her bath

I was searching Google images for Pierre Bonnard's painting of a woman in her bath. Great painting. I think the model was his wife. Anyway, I found a photo of this scene (sans the flowers) and drew it. I love the private moment. She's enjoying her bath. Reading a book. Having a smoke and a glass of wine. It's sensual without being pornographic. I'm going to use the same image for an etching.

4.14.12 Tulips in Vase

Although I love the colors of tulips, I'm also interested in their linear quality, especially in a glass vase. Most people think of The Netherlands when they see tulips but they originated in the Ottoman Empire (Turkey, Persia, Iran) before they were brought to Northwestern Europe. In the early 1600's, they became so valued that they were considered a currency by many, creating a "tulip mania" for awhile.

4.11.12 Dominick's Daffodils

So, I was at Dominick's this afternoon, buying cayenne pepper for my daughter who's on a weird but effective diet, and I saw these daffodils and thought they'd make a good subject for a line drawing.

4.7.12 Columbine

4.2.12 Margot Loved Artichokes

My mother lived in Hollywood during the 1940's. She met my father, a Commander in the U.S. Navy, after the war, married and moved to Redondo Beach. She was an amazing cook and loved California artichokes. So do I.

3.29.12 Daughter & Mom: Panera Buckhead

I'm guessing these two are daughter and mom. I was having breakfast yesterday and noticed them looking at photos on the iPad.

3.28.12 Checking In

3.27.12 Hat & Sunglasses

Another beautiful day in Atlanta. I'm here to help move Kate, our daughter, back home to Winnetka, IL where she'll continue her job search for an Advertising Art Director position in a top ad agency. 

3.24.12 Dan Balser's Podcast

"Don't Get Me Started" is Dan Balser's biweekly podcast about the advertising business and the people in it. Dan has been an ad copywriter for 20 years, and since 2002 he has also been a teacher and Department Head at The Creative Circus advertising school in Atlanta, where our daughter, Kate, was a student for the past two years. She graduated from the Advertising Art Director program yesterday.

Today, Dan interviewed my wife, Lisa Cochrane, about her experience as head of Integrated Marketing Communications at Allstate. You can hear Dan's podcasts at his website, www.balserville.com.

3.25.12 Kate and Lisa

Saturday late afternoon by the pool at Kate's apartment in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia. A beautiful day. We drove to Stone Mountain State Park. Walked trails by a lake with Eden. Enjoyed a picnic lunch under dogwood blossoms and pines. Perfect weather.

3.18.12 "Meimei"

"Meimei" was a beautiful Siamese who brought comfort and joy to my friend, Lee Caligiuri of Lake Worth, Florida, during her short life. Meimei passed last September. Lee asked me to paint this watercolor in remembrance of her kitty.

3.6.12 Calamity Layne

I was picking up Lisa at Benefit Cosmetics in Evanston recently. She wasn't finished so I started talking to Stephanie, one of the cosmeticians (?). She told me about her etsy.com shop, CalamityLayne (http://www.etsy.com/shop/CalamityLayne) where she sells "vintage threads." I told her about my gallery shop on etsy and asked it I could take her photo along with Anne Marie, the lady crafting my wife's eye brows. She said "yes" and proceeded to spruce up for the shot. The photo of the ladies turned out well but I like this shot much better.

2.29.12 Dennis Haysbert

I've had the good fortune of knowing Dennis since he became the Allstate spokesman in 2003 (my wife, Lisa, is in charge of integrated communications for Allstate--including advertising). Prior to that time, I only knew Dennis as President Palmer on "24." 

Dennis is also a long-time supporter, Clean Water Ambassador and Honorary Board member of RainCatcher, an organization that delivers clean water solutions to impoverished regions in Africa and around the world. Check out their website at raincatcher.org and lend your support, too. Water is life.

2.27.12 Tessa Edwards, Aerial Armadillo

Tessa Edwards' blog, An Aerial Armadillo (http://aerialarmadillo.blogspot.com), was the first blog that I followed. She was a painter, photographer, writer and poet, as well as a humanitarian. She was raised in Africa and spent the later part of her life in England. Her artwork is strongly influenced by the images and colors from her youth.

She battled Pulmonary Fibrosis and passed on December 27, 2010, surrounded by her family in Hampshire, England.

Although I didn't know Tessa, I have a feeling that she was an energetic, honest and joyful person.

2.26.12 Oliver & Mort

Oliver and Mort are Frank Spalitta's cats. I've know Frank since his U of Iowa days where he and my son, Christopher, became friends.