Mini Art Show & New Illustrated Victorian Watercolor Portraits

If you've been wondering what I've been so busy doing lately, well, I am happy to say that I have been creating on a whole lot of new art. Starting tomorrow, I have a bunch of lovely new illustrated watercolor paintings up at the Mysterious Rack (12 Clement Street) in San Francisco.

Here's a peek:

Morris, a interior designer

Miss Ester (in progress)

Miss Stella in progress

Little Elijah, a foundling looking for someone to take him in.

Madame Josephine and the Lovers, a tarot reader waiting for her cards to change

Maxwell, a tough "business" man

Miss Allie and her kitty, hoping for the best of outcomes and families

Miss Ester Framed, hoping that she might too, find someone to love her.

Miss Hazel, widow, wishing for another chance at love.

Miss Leonora, Victorian fangirl, loves a good Gothic tale.

Say hello to Miss Stella, a sweet country girl new to the big city.

Simon (in progress), a Entomologist, looking for love beyond all that creepy and crawly.

There will be a opening for them at the Mysterious Rack (12 Clement Street, San Francisco) on Thursday April 17th, 6-8pm. Stop by and say hello!

The show will be up through May! I hope you like it!

I'm in a video!

Well ok, not me but my artwork...This is so fun. A couple of paintings are featured in this award winning music video. Can you spot them? A thank you to the folks at Guerilla Wanders (especially Elizabeth, you rock) for including in this.

"Moving Out" - Cassandra Farrar & the Left Brains from Guerilla Wanderers on Vimeo.

Amazing amount of work went into creating this video, and it really shows. Congrats on getting it out there into the world!

note: you can spot em' at 2:45 and 4:12.

New Work! New Ladies & Gents Victorian Portraits!

I just finished a couple of new Victorian Portraits! Having so much fun adding new work to my shop. These two were really fun to create. I have been enjoying creating new worlds and stories for each of my characters.

Howdy Sailor...

Say hello to Patrick! He is a sweet guy that is tired of spending his life upon the waves of the high seas. He left his ship behind after years of loneliness and hoping he might find his perfect lady to discover a happy life and new world on land.

This is Eva with her cutie pie daughter, Elsie. She faces a life on her own, after her husband left her suddenly and has never returned. She wants to challenge her fate and start a search to meet a wonderful gent and to maybe add some love and happiness to her life.

These two are both looking for love and are part of my series, The Ladies and Gents Victorian Dating
 Service. They are both available in the shop, here and here.

New Work, Meet the Beetle Boy

It's the new year and I have plenty of brand spanking new ideas flowing around in my head. This year I want to work on a children's book. Something for the tomboy in all of us. I grew up spending my days walking in the woods and discovering all the cool creepy crawly things. I've already created one character for the book Abby, The Moth Girl.  Now, I wanted to introduce to my newest illustration and character, George, The Beetle Boy.

Pretty cute, huh? It's so fun to sit here dreaming up all the adventures that Beetle Boy and Moth Girl will get in. Woo Hoo!  I'm so excited to start another project. Of course, I'm still finishing up the other book but I'm going to let this I love just thinking about it.

Also, if you are interested, George, The Beetle Boy is available in the shop!

Hope you like him!

Happy New Year from Bluehour Studio!

Debbie Styer 2013

 2013 was a strange year. Full of triumphs and disappointments. My business was pretty steady and I got into a few new shops this year but really need to focus and get myself out there in order to survive and thrive as an artist. My biggest disappointment? The holiday season. Truthfully, it was a pretty harsh reality check this season. I suppose I need to figure out how to sell illustration when customers are more interested in buying hand knitted scarves...Anyone have any ideas? My head is still spinning....

So, of course, It's that time of year and I'm sitting here thinking of all big changes I'll make happen in the next 12 months. The New Year is filled with such promise. It is a great time to reflect, get rid of what is not working and start again with a clean slate. I'm getting so excited to get going! Here's to an amazing 2014!!!

1. Redo portfolio site! I need to add some of the illustrations from the book I've been working on.
2. Finish that book! My deadline is April 1st!
3. Create a hand written typeface for the book!
4. Find part time job. This is pretty crucial to my well being!
5. Get more involved with The Makeshift Society.
6. Get more involved with my SFEtsy family. Help out more!
7. Introduce myself to more magazine and blogs. Get published!
8. Make more art! (At least 2 pieces a week!)
9. Experiment with new projects!
10. Make a new jewelry collection!
11. Apply to City Arts Gallery!
12. Less Etsy, more Gallery! (Of, course I will still be adding more work to my shop, but I think I need to get my work out there in the real world, where people can appreciate it up close)
13. Start working on larger, more complex editorial pieces. 
14. More walks, more cafes (basically get the hell out of the house more)
15. Daily Journal writing... I'm restarting The Firestarter Sessions book!
16. Get my work into more stores. 
17. Start visualizing what my Big Picture looks like, instead of being bogged down by the little things!
18. Exercise, move...get more energy to do more stuff!
19. Make more connections, collaborate on projects!
20. Redo this blog! Write more, post more, connect to others work.
21. Keep learning and pushing forward!
22. Bring camera with me always, take more photos, capture more references for illustrations.
23. More mini vacations! 
24. Get more organized!

A thought...I going to print this list! Carry it with me. Post it on the wall! Don't forget it!

What is on your list? 

Now imagine yourself with all the things DONE! Feels pretty good doesn't it! Yep!

Here's to You! May you have an amazing 2014!