Kate Boyan's Gallery: April 2011

Friday, April 22, 2011

STYLISH BLOG AWARD

So, my niece Annie (who is a wonderful photographer and has a very cool blog with her work, http://anniedennisphotography.blogspot) has sent me this award. Part of the deal is I have to tell you seven little known things about myself. Hummm, right off the top of my head:

1. I like watching HGTV, especially House Hunters International. So many cool places out there in the world!
2. I got married 24 years ago in Dawson City, Canada. Just my husband Robert and our dog Max, standing in the Justice of Peaces back yard with some blackjack dealers as our witnesses.
3. I have a best friend who I've known since the 6th grade. Susan Anniskett, she is a beader extraordinaire http://globalbeadwork.wordpress.com/ She lives in Florida now so we talk on the phone.
4. I had an outhouse until my 50th birthday, yea flush toilets!
5. When I was a kid I did a cartoon strip, Bug Boy, and I wanted to be a cartoonist.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kFeNsN0Y5ak/TZSz7bFGmMI/AAAAAAAABKY/u5od-sIv7MY/s1600/stylish_blogger_award.jpg

oldest bird fossil beadwork

6. Left my parents in Connecticut and went to live in Juneau Alaska with my 19 year old sister when I was 15.
7. I love Alaska but if I was rich I would probably live in Hawaii, I just love swimming in a warm ocean!
So now I have to pass the award on and I am sending it to Kid Lit North. I love keeping up with Ann Dixon's information on books and all things related. http://kidlitnorth.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

TULIPS, RABBITS & BLUE BUTTERFLIES

Awhile back I did the blue butterflies and I really liked them. Thought they looked great with red so I designed this bag with that in mind. It's an example of doing certain elements of the same design twice, sort of perfecting it. Then because I liked the simplicity of the big flowers I decided to do another one the same shape and with big up close flowers. I chose tulips because they are my favorite spring flower, the shape is so classic. My tulips haven't come up yet, but I am a little worried about them because we have soooooo many rabbits this year! The little guys have already eaten all the fresh chive sprouts and every other bit of greenery that is popping up!

THE BLUE BEAD

Can an old trade bead find new life in print? Could the saga of an 18th century blue Bohemiam bead be a book that will hold interest for children and artist alike? This book "The Blue Bead" is a fictional account of a young beadworkers experience with the gift of an old trade bead and how it finds its way into her life in present day Alaska. It is based in part on historical fact. Where a bead has been and who its previous owner was often remains a mystery. The 25 illustrations were laboriously beaded, each taking over 200 hours to complete, some much more than that. "The Blue Bead" has taken 10 years to finish and is an exquisite labor of love by author/illustrator Kate Boyan.