A Year of Bag Art Benefits Caitlin's Smiles

A year long personal art challenge to draw a weekly sketch on a white bag has led to a bundle of colorfully illustrated bags being delivered to Cailin's Smiles for their "bags of smiles" program. The bags are sure to be smile makers for the children who will receive them.

Cheryl Kugler, artist, and Cheryl Hornung, founder of Caitlin's Smiles.

A menagerie of colorfully, illustrated bags by Cheryl Kugler.

I came up with my own personal art challenge to get myself back at my studio art desk. I made a New Year's commitment, um 'er resolution, to build a creative habit.

My plan: From January to December 2019, draw a sketch each week on a white craft bag for Caitlin's Smiles "bags of smiles" program. I also planned to recreate every drawing into my own personal sketchbook. Shouldn't be too daunting, right?

Mission Accomplished: On January 10, I delivered 53 illustrated bags to Caitlin's Smiles.  And, my sketchbook is full.

The Creative Habit.

*Whew*...It wasn't easy to keep to task. Some weeks I'd have an immediate idea and I could knock out the sketch just like that. Other weeks, six days would go by and come Saturday evening, I'd be struggling for a creative idea. My not-so hard deadline became a soft deadline and I found myself extending the creative process into Sunday, and eventually it became Monday evening. I fell behind a few weeks, then had double-duty to catch up and keep to task. In the end, my sketchbook is full and 53 artsy bags are now in the hands of Caitlin's Smiles.

About Caitlin's Smiles.

Caitlin's Smiles is an amazing organization based in Harrisburg, PA that fills their "bags of smiles" with arts and crafts items and delivers them to children in hospitals. The organization's service imprint is commendable, to say the least. They not only serve south central Pennsylvania, but several east coast states, as well as southern states grappling with hurricane devastation.

The service footprints of Caitlin's Smiles extends beyond Pennsylvania.

Why Did I Need This Art Challenge?

Yes, I truly needed it. For four previous years my creativity was directed at retraining myself as a "creative aging" teaching artist and building lesson plans for "creative aging" art classes that I teach at Pennsylvania senior centers and continuing care retirement communities. My own output of art was waning. Well, actually, I was barely sketching, drawing, or painting at all. My creative well was empty, as they say. My canvases, blank.

An artist's inspiration needs fueled by day to day things, sights and sounds that inspire, and to make time for artist dates as the great Julia Cameron of "The Artist's Way" writes. Otherwise, there is nothing experienced or internalized to spark the imagination. Small steps to break the dry spell can be daily or in my case weekly sketches. That small step begins to build an artist's creative bank and provides ideas that are ready to draw upon for future paintings.

Why Caitlin's Smiles"? http://www.caitlins-smiles.org/

1. It is an amazing organization. Pssst!...Donations for the arts and crafts items that go into the bags can be made through their website.
2. Bag art for Caitlin's Smiles is a project I've had my students do during artist residencies. Yet, I had not taken the time to do any bags myself. Their enthusiasm and beautiful art served as my creative spark. 

Pass The Baton.

Any artist interested in taking on the challenge for 2020? I'd love to pass along the baton. Guidelines as far as appropriate messaging content for on the bags can be found on their website. The blank white craft bags can be purchased through Amazon.com.

Snapshots of Bags:

There are two full postings recapping all of the bags over on my Facebook Art Page:

Post 1: Weeks 1-25

Post 2: Weeks 26-53

A Few Favs of Inspiration.

Anticipating Spring. Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

Tree cutting day. Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

A NYC kitty. Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

A guest's delectible dessert. Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

A July 4th kitty. Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

Brrrr...chilly winter day. Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

Snails at Phipps Conservatory. Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

A resident at Speranza Animal Rescue. Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

Sunflower fields in bloom. Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

Delivery day to Caitlin's Smiles. Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

A bitter cold but sunny day. Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

Inspired by a wall mural at the beach. Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

A beach day. Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

After watching "A Dolphin's Tale". Artist, Cheryl Kugler.

Happy Valentine's Illustration

In celebration of Valentine's Day weekend, here's the creative process behind an illustration I completed last Fall for a story in Sparkle magazine.

Final Illustration: 

Valentine's Day Illustration by Cheryl Kugler for Sparkle magazine.
Gouache and colored pencil on paper. 

Thumbnail Sketch:

Thumbnail sketch.

Sketch:

Sketch.

Painting:

Painting and colored pencil.

Finishing the illustration:

Finishing the illustration.

Close up:

Close up.

Published:

Published in Sparkle magazine.

Have a happy Valentine's day! Thanks for stopping by.

A Turkey Illustration for a Children's Magazine

Creating children's illustrations for Sparkle magazine is always a lot of fun! Here is a final illustration for the November issue, under-painting in gouache with pastel pencils:

The Process:

 The Thumbnail Sketch:

The Rough:

Figuring out the Gesture:

Under-painting:

And, almost done!

I always lose my seat...

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Sketch for Painting Storefront Windows in Lebanon, PA

So, I'll be painting the storefront windows for the holidays at the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce. It's part of a downtown awareness promotion for the town over the holidays. Votes will be taken for the favorite window via a Facebook contest.



More information about the contest will be forth-coming. Check my artist Facebook page for more updates.

Thanks for stopping by!

Painting ABC's for a Nursery

Apples, Bears and Cats....oh, my! I recently completed a series of ABC paintings for a nursery. Come along and see the process...

Rough sketches:

 

Fun variation in the backgrounds:

Chalking the sketch:

Roughing in:



 

 

Final canvases!

 

 

If you enjoyed this post, you may also be interested in:

* Snowman Handstand?....An Acadia Christmas Card

* Creating Chalkboards from Cabinet Doors - Upcycle!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Ted E. Graham...The Seagull

We named this seagull Ted E. Graham. A few weekends ago, hubby and I enjoyed several days at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and this funny seagull camped out at our beach spot with us.



Although we didn't have any food in our hands, he must have know that we had a bag of Teddy Grahams, sealed closed and tucked away in our beach bag. He paraded in front of us, then stood and stared. We thought for sure that he would fly away any minute. But, nope, he inched closer to our chairs then stood and stared at us again.

Well, what's an artist to do, but get out the sketch pad and pencils and start doodling away. He stayed in one location, but gradually made a 360 degree turn in the sand so that I could see every possible angle.

Eventually, he became bored, and acted like he was going to leave. But, I wasn't done with the drawing. So, I had to lull him back with a few of the Teddy Grahams that he was so patiently waiting for.

Hmmmmm....so I guess that WAS his strategy after all. I'm such a sucker!

This link will take you to the full blog post about Rehoboth Beach.

And, if you enjoyed this beach post, please check out my blog post from Myrtle Beach in June.

Thanks for visiting!

Sketch - Creek at Stewart-Laughman Sawmill in Spring Grove, PA

My hubby is a fishing fanatic. I like to fish too, although, I have to admit, not quite as much as he does. So, over the weekend, he loaded up his fishing gear, and I decided to grab my sketch pad and pencils and head out with him.

We went to a creek in Spring Grove, PA. I plopped down on a wooden bench beside the creek and Black-eyed Susan's caught my eye.



Needless to say, we only had about an hour to enjoy the quiet time beside the creek before we packed up and enjoyed dinner with friends.