N E W . D I G S

In more way than one! After many happy years as a little old lady from Pasadena, I'm packing up my shoes and books and moving to Brentwood. I'll be closer to work and sharing the place with an amazing room mate. In other news. Artist Eric Nyquist's new site is live! Be sure to check it out and +1 it on Google!

N E W . S P O T

Now you can check out my illustrations here on this fancy new TUMBLR I created called kathryndraws.tumblr.com. 

D R A W I N G

J A R - O L D . B U T . G O O D . N E W S

The love affair has been underway for some time, but I'm remiss in getting it down. JAR calls itself a modern chophouse in the heart of Los Angeles. That seems right, but incomplete. It's also one of the most satisfying, you-won't-leave-hungry, virtually fuss-free, foodie experiences in Los Angeles. Trust. Suzanne Tracht's updates classic American comfort food (like pot roast and skirt steak) that bring you back to the best home cooked meals while spoiling you with gourmet touches like green peppercorn sauce or lemon caperberry relish. To die for her sides is to die happy. Especially the japanese yams with creme fraiche and chives. But please, whatever you do, save room for dessert. Refreshingly, this top notch dinner joint has also mastered the sweet finish--chocolate pudding. Doesn't sound like much, so prepare for ironic bliss. 

C A R M E L A ' S . D I V I N E

Aside from my ordinary obsession with ice cream, Brynn and I have been doing lots of research for a project at work. Friday night, Eric took me for an after dinner treat to a place he discovered in Altadena. Carmela's ice cream is heavenly. Their menu included flavors like Guinness (yes, beer flavored ice cream), Lavender honey (which tasted like heaven...that's my best comparison), strawberry buttermilk, and espresoo (made with Intelligentsia beans, #hipsterpoints). The best part was, the owner encouraged us to try everything, and he was so enthusiastic about every flavor--a regular Wonka. The homemade waffle cookie was buttery and perfect for nibbling between bites of what I feel comfortable calling dream cream. Check them out at the South Pasadena farmer's market or make the drive to their parlor on Washington boulevard.

C H E G O

To celebrate their one year birthday, my friend (who works for the Kogi group) commissioned me to paint a mural in the bathroom at Chego. Filled with things that inspired the restaurant and represent Los Angeles. To see it up close, you'll have to stop by for a Pork Belly Rice Bowl or some home made Rock Yer Road.

B R A N S O N . T U R N E D . C O U S T E A U

Eric just wrapped up an incredible image for the launch of Richard Branson's newest frontier--the deep. Virgin Oceanic launched a entirely new submersible, that will dive at 5 locations around the world, going deeper than any other ocean craft before it. Learn more about it here.

W H A T . A . L I T T L E . T U M B L R . C A N . D O

What started as a little inside joke between me and Brynn has turned into a small following. I'm pretty sure people show up for the cat truths and not my illustrations, but either way Brynn & Ray is becoming a well loved side project. Meaning, we love it. If you haven't already checked it out on Tumblr, you can find it on facebook. Like it?

A L L . D O L L E D . U P

I grew up with Madame Alexander and American Girl dolls. They were hugely important in my world of make believe. But Brynn sent me a link to this, which was equally fun as playing dress up with an actual doll (even as an adult). You can accessorize and customize your very own princess avatar, not to mention animals, Harry Potter characters, ninjas, and pirates. Why didn't I think of this? Check out Doll Divine to make your own.

T H E Y . D R A W . A N D . C O O K

If you haven't seen this site yet, definitely check it out. I made the cut, check it out here.

N E W . O B S E S S I O N

I realized this weekend that I wanted to know where certain foods came from. Like ice cream, for example. So I started to research and draw my way through the history of how ice cream came to be. Although it's originally derivative of a frozen dessert in ancient Persia, it was also championed by Catherine De Medici. When she married a french duke in 1533, she brought Italian chefs with her who made flavored ices and sorbets--introducing ice cream in France.

B R Y N N & R A Y

Emotionally, Brynn can't decide if Ray is her boyfriend or child. 


My partner Brynn has a black cat named Ray. Ray Finkle actually. Anyhow, her relationship with him is ...fascinating. I decided to draw up some of the scenarios that take place at Brynn's apartment with Ray. You can see it on BrynnRay, a tumblr site.

V I D E O . L O V E

L A T E S T

I've been really into my brush pen lately. 

G A W K E R . H E A R T S . M E

check it . like it . love it . tweet it

S W E E T . S O M E T H I N G S

The best thing about this Valentine's day promotion is I don't think you actually have to be in sticky sweet love to participate. The other is that you can win up to $1000 toward any of the  businesses in One Colorado. That's the brick shopping center in the heart of Old Town Pasadena (Johnny Rockets, Il Fornaio, Crate & Barrel, J Crew, Patagonia, etc.) Follow them on twitter and like them on facebook to participate starting Feb. 1, so you can win daily prizes and qualify for the whopping $1000 shopping spree at any of the businesses in the complex. Look for the posters that look like this around the complex for more information. Or check here.

E R I C . O N . G A W K E R

 Check it   Like it   Tweet it

T H E . N E W . O L D . F A S H I O N E D

Until recently, I didn't know about the modern wedding trend of hand-drawn or watercolored maps to accompany wedding invitations or save-the-dates. It seems like an old-fashioned approach in a world where everybody has photoshop and access to "decorative" typefaces courtesy of sites like Dafont.com. I think it's interesting that today's bright-eyed brides and grooms gravitate towards something so analog and personal for their big day. A friend of a friend hit me up to do one for her wedding, and I had a blast. Maps are interesting already, but one that combines the places you and your significant other have made memories over the years is even more so. So, while I've never been there yet, here's Boston illustrated by me and envisioned by a young couple who'll get married at the Four Seasons there in October.

E X P L O R E R S

In a campaign we recently finished for Belkin we partnered with THE FADER and the launch of FADER TV to produce video profiles of cool people doing cool things. Take a look:

T H E . G I F . T H A T . K E E P S . O N . G I V I N G

 

When Brynn and I got the holiday card assignment, we knew we wanted to make use of our hand-craftiness. Eventually we got to the idea of animated .GIFs and from there we embraced the pun The GIF that keeps on giving. While the best holiday cards are fun to receive, this one was fun to make and give and receive. Check it out!

PS: AD FREAK even liked it.

MEIN FAVORITE .GIFs

T H E . N E W . S T A N D A R D

Just stumbled across this video of Eric from last year. It's an interesting look at the artist behind the artwork, and that art is work. He is always doing things the right way instead of the easy way.

P O S T . I T . S H O W

Giant Robot's post-it show is just around the corner. Eric will be in the show again this year. The post-it show features a large group of new and established artists with each participant producing art on post-its. Each post-it sells for $20, so it's an affordable way to start collecting your favorites. The post-its go quickly, so be sure to get there early and beat the crowds. Post It Show 6 Saturday, December 11 at 6:30pm

G O O D . G I F T

My cause-centric friend Allison inspired me to enter a contest for GOOD magazine. They're promoting Mercy Corp's Alternative Gift Giving Site by asking designers to create a poster promoting alternative holiday gifts. Mercy Corp's site details a variety of gifts you can give in the developing world that really make a difference in people's lives. I was totally inspired by this site and decided to pitch two posters into the ring. More importantly though, I encourage you to check out this site. It's both heart wrenching and empowering to know that giving a family a goat for $70 can make a huge difference in their food supply and nutritional health. If you're list doesn't have a lot of checks yet, consider giving the people who have everything the power to change something.

I N . C A S E . T H I S . W A S N ' T . E N O U G H

Check out my about.me profile!

THAT'S.A.WRAP

After a weekend of pulling hundreds of prints with the help of Lacey, we have finally wrapped the wrapping paper production process. (For our first pattern that is) The design is a combination of illustrations by Eric and me, and the wrap is hand-silkscreened on 100% post-consumer waste craft paper. That means it's more environmentally friendly than the standard stuff, and it's sturdy enough to reuse. Order online or email us directly.

A W A R E N E S S . S T A R T S . W I T H . A . C L I C K .

October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and my friend (and fellow artist) Lacey Waterman and I created the artwork for these limited edition archival inkjet prints. Every three minutes an American woman is diagnosed, and these posters are meant to remind you of the women in your life. The women you can protect by spreading the word, and encouraging them to get regular mammograms. Know your girls, and your girlfriends. Lacey and I will be donating a portion of the sale of each print to the Susan B. Komen Foundation. Buy one here.

B U Y . T H E . B A Y

Close-up of Eric's Poster available for sale, buy one and you become a member.

Don't just love the beach, protect it--by shopping. In celebration of 25 years of working to protect Los Angeles beaches and watersheds, Heal The Bay announces Buy The Bay, a site offering unique gifts and posters inspired by the intangible things we love about the beach created by local artists. Shop items like "The world's tallest sand castle starter kit" or "All the time in the world". All of the proceeds of your purchase go to Heal The Bay's clean-ups and legislative efforts to protect something everybody in LA enjoys. And if you're feeling especially inspired, become a member for $50 and receive a commemorative 25th anniversary poster illustrated, silk-screened, and signed by Eric Nyquist. The best part is, more items and artists are in store, so check back again when you start your holiday shopping and give someone a gift that gives something back to the beach.

All the time in the world, sterling silver and glass necklace designed by Khobe DeLucca

Silk-screened and signed poster featured LA landmarks rendered in sea life.

Elizabeth Saveri's miniature paintings on plastic bag ties retrieved from the beach.

S C R E W . V I R T U A L . G I F T S

Los Angeles

New York

Darth Vader

My good friend Lacey just opened a virtual store for real-life products. Her hand-pulled silk screen prints of popsicles that turn your lips blue, catchphrases made graphic, and teenage mutant ninja turtles are the perfect thing to warm up a grey mesh cubicle or apartment wall. She uses 100% cotton rag paper (the nice stuff) and doesn't cut any corners--some of her designs have seven different layers of hand-mixed ink. Besides, who doesn't like getting something in a mailing tube?

Ninja Turtle