Time Traveler

Please be announced that Keiko and I have an illustration show, Time Traveler, at graphite. on January 8-16, 2011.

Opening Reception is on January 8th, 7-10 PM.

http://www.graphiteny.com/

Please visit and say hello to us!

Happy holidays and Happy New Year!

Holiday Card

Before I came to the U.S., I never doubted that cats of all countries love fish and don't like meat. It was one of my shocking moments of entire my life when I saw a cat ate meat on TV. But, I can't accept the fact still now and I decide to stick to my old knowledge about a cat. My beloved cat, named Yuki (Yuki means Snow), in Japan loves Tuna fish very much. When I go back to Japan, I buy Sashimi for her and we eat together! I used to keep one more cat, named Chiko. He was a connoisseur of Sashimi. He was discriminating when it came to Sashimi. When I was a high-school student, I bought a pack of Sashimi for him with my money. But he rejected it, because the sashimi wasn't fresh enough. Then, I ate the Sashimi alone...

Anyway if I were Santa, I would put this into her sock.

It could be an ornament?!

Happy Holidays and Best wishes!

Tea Party

This image is 30x22 inches with Gouache.

As Gouache lover knows, it took me a week to finish this big piece (for me). Good thing is that I can paint details of each part.

I gonna try two more till the end of the year.

Letter Press

This is a illustration for a wedding invitation card for my special friend in Washington. It is hard to tell with this photo, but this cards were printed by letter press! I love printmaking.

I took a silkscreen class and etching classes at SVA, but I didn't take a letterpress class. Finally, the chance of doing letterpress came to me. This is a collaboration work with a graphic designer who has a expert knowledge and a long experience of typeface and design.

We visited a printmaking studio in Bedford, Brooklyn one Friday night and printed! People working in the studio are all kind and nice, and two dogs living in the studio are very cute, too.

The pressed letter and image came out very beautiful more than I thought, and my friend and her fiance are happy with the card. The cards were sent to invited guests last week.

Gordon Ramsay

I like to draw a portrait of a celebrity in whom I am interested.

This guy is very interesting for me.

Yesterday, I talked about him and his TV show, Hell's kitchen, with my co-worker,

and she suggested me to draw this guy's portrait!

So I did today.

It was quickly finished more than I expected, and it was so fun!

Second Story - Dual show

I have a dual show with Keiko Tokushima, an illustrator, at Grumpy cafe in Chelsea by the courtesy of the owner of the cafe. When you get a chance, please visit and enjoy a cup of coffee and our works!

Grumpy Cafe

224 West 20th Street (between 7th and 8th Avenue) New York NY10010

http://www.cafegrumpy.com/2010/11/second-story-illustrations-by-shigeko-okada-keiko-tokushima-chelsea/

Snuggle

Suddenly Autumn visited. I drank a glass of cold tropical ice tea last week, but I love to sip a cup of hot green tea now.

Last time, I tried to make illustration by digital and I was back to Gouache this time. I got used to use a vertical 11x13inch paper, but I tried a new weird size, 3 1/4 x 17 inch plus margin. It was fun to think a composition of a work.

I realized that I haven't make any final illustration in past two-months, though I drew many idea sketches. Then, this work is not from those idea sketches. What a waste of time!