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.

Illustration Inspiration: Mary Kate McDevitt

Sorry, I have been so quiet around here lately. I'm still working on the book and reworking the size and design. This being my first book, there is a lot more to do than I expected... But hopefully it will be done in the next month or so.

One of the things I'm learning for this book is hand lettering. And yes...I have a lot to learn. As the wife of a sign painter, I am surrounded by so much incredible work. It will take me years to catch up.

But I suppose, I need to start somewhere right?

For a little bit of lettering inspiration, Here is one of my favorite illustrators, Mary Kate McDevitt.



Pretty incredible, don't you think?

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!

Introducing Virginia Woolf and Charles Dickens...My New Writers Portraits!

Here's my latest illustrations for my series, "The Writers Project". I'm having such an amazing time creating  these portraits. It gives me time to study the faces of my literary heroes. It is kind of like reconnecting with old friends.

Meet Charles...

Charles Dickens started my obsession with the Victorian Era . He showed me people and world I'd never new existed  and he did it with such compassion. Something that seems pretty rare these days. He grew up poor and spent his life trying to help those he could.

"A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to each other".
Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens in Blue by Debbie Styer 2013


Charles Dickens by Herbert Watkins, 1858


Charles is now available here in my shop!




And welcome Virginia...

Virginia Woolf has always been inspiration. Her courage and ability to speak the truth in her writing is both courageous and so sad. Virginia's writing paved a way for me find away of taking myself serious as a artist and a women. I'll always be thankful for her brilliant essay, "A Room of One's Own".
"For most of history, anonymous was a woman."
Virginia Woolf

The Sad Eyes of Virginia Woolf, by Debbie Styer 2013



This lovely Virginia Woolf print is also available in my shop.

I would love to do a bunch of these writers portraits. Who is your favorite writer? Maybe I'll paint them next...

Upcoming Events! Meet me in person!

Hi Everybody! Well it is that time of the year and I will be out and about selling my prints and artwork! This year I will be participating in a few upcoming events:

 Dec 2nd: I will be participating in this years CyberMonday Event... Save 20% off all my prints in my shop with coupon code: CyberSFEtsy

I'll be at the SFEtsy Booth on Sunday, Dec 8th!


 This is brand spanking new art fair. So make sure you check it out! (It's across the street from Flora Grubb)
I will be there on Saturday, Dec 14th!


Stop by and say hello! And even get a little shopping done. What could be better?

Are any of you going participating in any upcoming art fairs?

The Wonderful Oscar Wilde, A New Writer's Portrait.

 I love to introduce you to the lovely Oscar Wilde. Oscar is one of my favorite writers. I just love the way his mind worked. His life was so creative, his work was ground breaking, yet his life ended pretty tragic and lonely.

Oscar is my latest illustration for my "Writer's Portraits" series.



One of most prized possessions is a 1916 copy of "The Prose of Oscar Wilde". Here's the story of how I got it.

When I was student in Boston, I worked in this small art gallery in Harvard Square, in Cambridge, MA.  Everyday I worked, I was greeted by these two sweet brothers from Ireland, Noel and Steven. They would hang out outside the gallery with all the other homeless men. (I was a small town girl and I was told I should be afraid of people like this). But as I got to know them, I loved their positive attitudes and their stories, we also talked a lot about books and our mutual love of good literature. We got to be pretty close and a day didn't seem right until I saw them and knew they were ok.

At a certain point, and a cold New England winter, they wanted to go home. I had the opportunity to help, but I was scared.  Their mom was going to send them money but she needed a bank account to send it to. So I let them use mine. I know that it was only a little thing, but it was one of those trust in the universe things. They were able to go home and start their life over. I was actually able to help someone...

As a thank you, they gave me this book... It was a old copy and they had it rebound for me. Noel and Steven were so proud to give this to me. Here's what they wrote...




“Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Critic as Artist
Oscar Wilde by Napolean Sarony, 1882
They connected me forever to Oscar Wilde. And the book itself is amazing. You should all give it a good read. It was about twenty years ago when I got that book, and I wonder what happened to those "irish brothers". Maybe someday, our paths will cross again, until then I envision the best for you all.


 Oscar is now available here in my shop!

Happy November! It's Meetup Time!


Saugatuck Summer Art School, 1948 for Life Magazine via Back to the Five and Dime
 Ahhh...November! As a small business owner it is the month where you really need to step up your game.  I think it is a month of opportunities to kick a bit of ass. And I am gonna put on my most ass kickingest boots and see how far I can go.

This month my husband and I were supposed to go to Ireland for a conference he was teaching, but due to things beyond our control, it is not happening. I will admit, I am a pretty bummed, now I have almost 2 weeks unplanned time to plan. So here's what's up for November:

  1. Work on more Writer's Portraits! I Portrait a week.
  2. Tiny Show Opening!(Opens today!) I have 4 paintings in the show!
  3. SFEtsy Art Fair at Ruth's Table in the Mission November 17th .
  4. Bee Unique Holiday Boutique. This is something new my friend is starting.
  5. Painting for Southern Exposure
  6. Painting for Uppercase Magazine, open call for "notion"
  7. Rework Book Cover.
  8. Work on getting more Custom Portraits!
  9. Contact Magazine and Blogs about my work. I really, really need to get over this fear...
  10. Keep inventory up for new art fairs! (Order new supplies)
  11. Drop Portrait necklaces off at Molte Cose. (Yay, a new store for my Pendants)
  12. Get together with Book Author to make the final adjustments and changes...and get this thing done!
  13. Start my Christmas Cards!
  14. Get back to posting more on the blog.
  15. Diversify shop! Thinking of opening a Zibbet shop and a Big Cartel shop. Maybe get more eyes on my more!
Ok, well I think that might be enough for this month! I suppose it will also include me starting to get ready
for the holidays myself. Yikes...I'm tired all ready!

Do you have crazy big plans for November? Anything that you are feeling too scared to do? Please feel free to share!

What's The Meetup? Do you have any business goals to share? You are welcome to join us at The Meetup, where creative people join together online and encourage each other to share their goals and dreams each month. Sound interesting to you? You can find out more here.
 



New Work - My Victorian Portraits at the Tiny Show!

I'm so excited to be part of the upcoming Tiny Show at Studio Gallery in San Francisco. The "tiny" part of the show, is all artwork must be no larger than 7x7 including frame. So...these Victorian lovelies just made it...

Here are the paintings...

Miss Genevieve, Private School Mistress

Harold and his cat, Coal. Orphan

Miss Bernadette, assistant at her Father's Hospital
Paul, Historian and Archivist
Group shot...

I love Studio Gallery! Their are shows always so fun to do. The owners Jennifer and Rab are wonderful and so full of great advice!

Tiny
November 1st - December 23rd, 2013
reception:  Sunday, November 3rd, 1-6 pm
10th Anniversary Party:  Sunday, December 3rd, 1-6 pm

Studio Gallery: 1815 Polk St (between Washington and Jackson)  San Francisco

I'll be there on Sunday, stop by and say Hello!

Victorian Spirit Photography

It's that time of the year...

As you probably know by now, I'm into all things spooky, and old. So, finding these amazing Victorian Spirit Photos is a truly awesome thing. It gets me in the Halloween mood and I thought I would share some of the favorite photos I found.

I really love these things. There is something so sweet and innocent about them. Maybe it was just a trick done by the photographer on a naive sitter wanting to connect to their loved ones. Or maybe it is something else. Maybe something we want to believe. Everyone wants to believe that we have someone watching over us, someone protecting us. No one wants to be alone. These spirit photographs might just have given these Victorians a little bit of hope that they were indeed not alone.

Spirit Photo via Vintag.es
The Ghost in the Stereoscope, photographer Unknown, c. 1856
Lady Helena Newenham and the Spirit of Her Daughter via Photography Museum
Portrait of Prince Arthur, 1854, Roger Fenton, The Royal Photographic Society Collection, National Media Museum
Mrs. Bentley and the Spirit of her Deceased Sister via National Media Museum
Ghost Stories, via Blenders
Photographer Unknown, Woman with Daisies and Spirit, 1875 via American Museum of Photography







Want to see some more? Here's a wonderful post from the American Museum of Photography.

This also fascinates me....

Here's Medium Stanislawa with her Ectoplasm from 1913
 What's Ectoplasm? A lovely post from Cabinet Magazine.

Pretty amazing stuff, don't you think? Although I am way too cynical to believe 100% in any of this stuff. I do enjoy letting myself imagine myself in a time where anything spiritual was possible.

Do you believe in Ghosts?


Here's a post on Victorian Spirit Photography I did a few years ago.

New Work - Abby the Moth Girl

I have always been a bit of a tomboy. I grew up on a farm in Massachusetts and one of my favorite things to do was take walks in the woods. I loved looking for bugs and salimanders, but I was really facinated by Butterflies and Moths.

Abby is a girl after my own heart. She loves Moths too. And man, do they love her. They give each other strength and energy. They even glow together.

So, I say, Welcome to Abby!










And as always...you can find Abby in my shop!

I hope you like her!

Dreaming of New Steps...




I'm having one of those days when everything seems a bit off. You know the ones, when you can't justify spending money you don't have and feel guilty about it. Guilty you aren't doing better financially and the anger and self loathing that goes along with that.

Truth is I'm fine. My husband has been pretty much a saint in helping support me over the last year or so. But I know now something has to change. I love doing what I'm doing but I need to be surrounded by more people. So I am giving this thought to the Universe...I need a part time job.

Something that will move me forward and teach me something.  A job to get me out of my rut and something creative. I know it is a lot to ask but do you guys think finding something like this is still possible in "this economy?"

Can we still dream about finding the perfect job, that would make our dream job balance itself out?

Do you guys believe in visualization? Maybe if I can imagine this perfect place for myself I can figure out what direction I should go in. Then commit to the changes and work I need to do and make this thing happen.

Note: The above video by Laura Marling, "Devil's Resting Place" is just the type of songs that gets me in that dark serious type of mood. Something that connects me to little bit closer to my true self. Do you have that connection to music? 

Isn't perfect music to set energy of early fall...I do love this season. Don't you? 

Oh...and p.s. If any of you lovely readers know of something out there, please...please...fill me in. Thanks!

Art Hero - Alfonse Van Besten

I love Autochromes! They were the first colored photography invented by the Lumiere Brothers. One of my favorite photographers is the Belgian artist Alfonse Van Besten (1865-1926). His work is just fantastic. His colors have been a huge inspiration for my illustration lately. I love how the colors are muted and a bit dark. I find them almost anti-pastel...I think they are incredibly beautiful. Don't you?

 Here are a few of my favorites:

Red and Green Wigs, 1912
Modesty, 1912


Purity, 1913
Van Besten Painting in his Garden, 1909
, 
Young Girl Amidst Marguerites, 1913
Two Girls Picking Cornflowers, 1912
Musing, 1910

Japonisme, 1913

Veiled Lady in Abbey Ruins, c. 1910
Groupe Antique Composition, 1912

 Strangely enough, there is not much information about Alfonse online. But you can find a little bit more about him and his contemporaries at the wonderful site Belgian Autochromists. There is also so really interesting Autochrome information here.

Maybe Instagram will come up with a Autochrome filter, one can dream...