Art Show at Tea Bar and Bites

Posted on June 8, 2017 by lksukany

Tea and Bar and Bites is an amazing place. It’s this little cafe on Pickwick that we like to walk to and enjoy a pastry at every now and again.

There is always an array of eclectic art by local artists on display. I asked if I could show some work, and after sending the usual website/portfolio/resume, I was invited to show for the month of June. I recently completed a series called “15 Illustrations,” which I have now renamed “Family Life Illustrations” and that is what I wanted to use for this show at Tea Bar and Bites.

I went and photographed and measured the space months before the show. The space is limited, so I had to make a decision. Either I could hang about 10 of the pieces or I could make small art prints and hang all of the work. I decided to go with the latter decision because I think not only should the entire series be displayed together, but by putting up the smaller prints I could charge way less – should anyone want to leave with some of my art. I also created some cards, art prints, and musical magnets to sell.

I ended up taking my kid with me to hang the show, so I wasn’t sure how that would go, but it ended up working out! Tea Bar and Bites gave me a cup of tea “on the house” – a Georgia Peach – while I set up the show.

I had three walls to work with. I set up the pieces first to see where everything should go.

Once I set up the pieces, I realized that one of the plaster walls wouldn’t take any more holes, so I had to improvise and ended up using extra spaces I found.

They even gave me a little cart to set up my extra fun stuff for sell.

This show is up for the month of June. The reception is Thursday, June 15th at 5 to 7 and The Damsels in Distress will be performing.

15 Illustrations: Bonfire at Sequiota Bike Shop

Posted on March 27, 2017 by lksukany

I am working with Inktense pencils, Micron ink pens, and Canson Illustration 11×14″ 150lb art pad to create 15 illustrations (that is how many pieces of paper are in the art pad) of my current family life and inspirations.

This work is narrative in content and uses color in a monochromatic way accentuating one part of each drawing. These fun and quirky illustrations are a reflection of the current joy and activities I have been experiencing.

“Bonfire at Sequiota Bike Shop” was a wonderful, cold Fall evening where we were able to sit around a bonfire with our friends at Sequiota Bike Shop and enjoy our time together. This event really stuck in my mind because although it was a “spur of the moment” get together, I just kept thinking about what a really great time we had. Our baby just sat in my lap and relaxed, which is always such a treat. The fire was huge and toasty, and I have enjoyed bonfires since childhood, so it was even a bit nostalgic. I used Inktense pencils Cadmium Orange and Tangerine blended.

My favorite things about this drawing are my group of friends,

guy talk and girl talk,

man portraits, the little girl with her baby doll (our friend’s daughter), and mom and daughter portrait,

the other people there,

the barn bar

the rock wall, the decorative lantern lights, and the fallen leaves.

Inspiration for this drawing

15 Illustrations: Costume Parade at the Library Center

Posted on January 10, 2017 by lksukany

“Costume Parade at the Library Center,” was a fun Halloween costume parade at the Library Center in Springfield. All of the librarians dressed up and set up trick-or-treating stations throughout the library. They had the kids line up and go through the library collecting fun toys and stickers from each of the librarians. This was a super fun event, and because my kid had no intention of staying in the line, we caught the end of the line and wandered through at our own toddler pace. I used Inktense Pencil Saddle Brown to accentuate the library’s architecture and add to the structure of the space in the drawing.

My favorite things about this drawing are all of the fun costumes and patterns,

the cool arches and architecture of the library,

and the plant and “hold” bookshelf.

Inspiration for this drawing

KUAR the Holly Jolly Trolley with the Damsels in Distress

Posted on December 23, 2016 by lksukany

We were asked to come up with a fun Christmas sounding song with many variations for the KUAR Arts & Letters “The Holly Jolly Trolley: A Ride Through Arkansas History,” so we came up with “Snow Angels.”

We used vocals, electric guitar, bass guitar, percussion (ride symbol, drum pad wrapped in foil, jingle bells), glockenspeil, banjo, piano, and harmonica to create a catchy and fun Christmas tune called “Snow Angels” in which two people go out into the morning winter snowfall and make snow angels before they have to go to work.

Snow Angels
Snow angels, snow angels lying in the sun.
Snow angels, snow angels winter’s just begun (or so much fun).
You and I, we made them this morning at play.
Ten o’clock we had to go to work, we had the bills to pay.

“The Holly Jolly Trolley: A Ride Through Arkansas History” to air Friday, December 23, 2016 at 7:00 pm CST on KUAR 89.1 in Arkansas. You can listen to the show online at ualrpublicradio.org/programs/arts-letters and you can listen to the “Songs for KUAR Arts and Letters 2016” on the Damsels in Distress bandcamp page at thedamselsindistress.bandcamp.com

Happy Christmas from the Damsels in Distress!

Paintings for Livada: Orthodox

Posted on August 29, 2016 by lksukany

When I was on the missions trip with Grace Church serving the Livada Orphan Care ministry in Romania, the beauty of the country inspired me. I had the idea that when I got home to Arkansas I could paint these Romanian scenes and donate the paintings to Livada to raise money for orphan sponsorship.

We spent one afternoon in the heart of Targu Mures, Romania – our “tourist” day if you will. I really liked this small orthodox cathedral and decided to paint it.