Waiting for a proof...

All of the editing and reediting is done and I am waiting for a proof before going to the next step...

I am very happy to finally be done with my first book.
I am proud of the story I wrote, the way the words fall together to create a certain level of suspense. I am a bit embarrassed to admit it took so long to finish this project - not because I was totally goofing off - but because there were so many other projects in between that I let take priority over finishing this one.

The picture to the right is the area behind my drawing table when I started The Last Monkey in 2005. I had just moved back to the bay area. I had the idea and a bunch of scribbles of how the story should end...the hardest part for me. I broke down the text into pages that would each need an illustration. 142 in total. I began to slowly work at creating the drawings I would need to complete the book. I did not know at the beginning how I would publish it. I only knew I needed to finish.

I made a lot of linoleum prints and paintings and other smaller projects. I had my day job, teaching art to 6-12 graders. I worked to get my art into galleries and show as much as I could. I dated. I moved a few times. I thought about getting a Masters Degree. All the things that get in the way of a low priority project. Time passes with multiple re-starts. A few more moves and a wonderful wedding, a few new drawings added each time. As I get older, my drawing style changes - improves - I think! I wonder if it will ever be finished. I wonder which of the older drawings will need to be redrawn to fit my newer work?

More false starts, but this year I decided to really commit to completing the work. More than half of the drawings have been made since January 2017. Several older drawings redone. Four editors to look at the text and imagery and other details I never thought of before getting to this point.

So close! Now I am just waiting for the proof to arrive. So I can say go! The book will be available in traditional book format and on Kindle. The next step is to reread the multiple ideas in my old notebooks and choose which to complete next or perhaps work on completely new stuff. The next book will not take 12 years...

East Bay Open Studios 2015 – This weekend and Next!

I am participating in East Bay Open Studios this year. I though some of you might be interested and I would love to see you there. The show runs of June 5^th to June 30^th. If you can’t make it for one of the weekends there are other opportunities to see my work.

Almost Ready for the show...

Here is the information:

I am one of four featured artist along with Leslie Cobb, Woody Miller & Heather
Piazza during the East Bay Open Studios at Creative Framing Oakland. I will be carving a new print during the show and Woody will be working on two large murals. The is a lot of great art to experience!

First Friday, Opening Art Reception:
      June 5th, 2015, 6-9pm

EBOS Weekends: Saturday & Sunday, 11-5:
      June 6th - 7th, 2015
      June 13th - 14th, 2015

The show will be up for the whole month of June.

Gallery Hours: Tues, Thurs, Fri & Sat: 10:00am - 6:00pm (Wed: By Appointment)

Creative Framing Gallery  
2700 Park Blvd,
Oakland, CA 94606
510-482-1200  More details
on Facebook

In case the links do not work for you…

My website: www.KatheWelch.com

My announcement: http://www.fouroceanspress.com/kathe/2015_open_studio.html

The Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/439164822919166/

The Gallery: http://www.creativeframingoakland.com/gallery

Bring Them Home! - a Call for Entries.

Four Oceans Press recently released a Call for Entries for the show Bring Them Home!

The Deadline to enter is October 15th, 2010, the show sates are December 1 - December 31, 2010 at Creative Framing & Gallery in Oakland.

The Idea:

July 2011 is set as the date to withdraw troops from the war in Afghanistan. This is not the first time a date has been set and will not be the last...

Regardless of what each of us may think of this or any war - there are many problems in our own nation that could be solved or at least improved by bring our troops home - failing infrastructure, slumping economy, families divided due to deployment - to name a few. Not to mention the lives lost and billions of dollars spent with little result.

What if we spent that money here? Wouldn't we be better to help other nations - who want our help - if we took care of ourselves first?

Send us your artwork related to or created around this theme. Keep an open mind. If our troops came home now: What would be the impact - on us - on the rest of the world? How might families - military and civilian - be better off? Could our nation - and the nations we are fighting in - be made whole and how?

This show is open to all artists working in any media. Check out the details of this exhibition and send us your work. 

Read all of the details and join the effort.

Watch for more coming soon from Four Oceans Press and join one of our new Hand-Pulled Print Exchanges.

Steam Roller Prints, RoadWorks at the San Francisco Center for the Book

RoadWorks at the San Francisco Center for the Book on September 20, 2008.


The Print shown at the end of this video was made in collaboration by three artists: Kathe Welch (me), Mark Knot & Heather Piazza. We talked about the image, I drew it and we all cut it out. It was very exciting to be a part of something this big. When our print was pulled, Heather followed it to the drying table to get a better picture and an art lover bought it right away...

Read a full review of the event on my website.


Or Learn more about the San Francisco Center for the Book.

Maps

This is the front cover of Maps.

‘Maps’ is a hand made artist book. It is the story of how maps shape up and how maps affect our daily lives. I wrote 'Maps' while driving home from work one day and it was inspired by many road trips ‘Maps’ has 18 pages and is full of illustrations. The center page folds out into a large map. This book is hand-made in a limited edition of 200 and is currently displayed in the Post Card Show at The Lab in San Francisco.

You can see more images from my book and get directions to the lab here.

I also posted a few things on the Four Oceans Press store on E-Bay including Maps. Mark wrote a E-Bay guide called 'How to draw a naked Guy.' - It is really about how to get started drawing and how to work with a model - but it is a catchy title.

We are still looking for artist for our two exchanges. The Winter Exchange has 13 artists so far and the Food Alphabet has 11 artists. Q, X & Z - some of the hardest letters are taken.

Communication

My students want me to show them how to draw certain cartoon characters and I want them to use their imagination and experiment and try to figure things out. This sketch grew out of a drawing I made to show a kid how to make a cartoon monkey and a cow. I thought it would be funny if the two of them had a conversation.

This drawing is based on the Illustration Friday theme of Communication. Cick on the link below to see more.




I am starting to list some of Art on Etsy. Etsy is similar to E-Bay but with out the auction format and all items are handmade.