All Blog Posts – Page 2 – Alexandra Schaefers

Newport

Posted on December 1, 2019December 1, 2019 by Alexandra Schaefers

I had a great time at the coast a couple weekends ago, taking my books to the Newport Autumn Fest and Lincoln City’s Artisan Market. I really appreciate all the support from people who purchased my books or just spent time reading them in my booth.

One woman purchased a copy of “Patefacia and the Crickets.” for a teen she knows who is struggling with depression. It was very touching to me that one of my art pieces might provide solace and understanding for someone who’s having trouble stepping fully into life. It’s not as easy as it should be.

I got some beach time in as well as a hike after the shows were over. It was a great weekend.

Since I’ve been back I’ve started work on some final draft pages for my next book, it’s slow going right now but I’m really excited about it!

Remakes

Posted on October 21, 2019October 21, 2019 by Alexandra Schaefers

I remade a couple of my books from 2013, The Wind Returns with Autumn. and Patefacia and the Crickets. I didn’t have good photo editing skills back then so the books always printed dark. Also I made a new cover for The Wind Returns. and shortened the title. The old cover was smaller than the print size and I never really like how that turns out. The new cover does not exactly flow with the illustrations but I still like it better.

I was tempted to redo the whole thing since I’ve gained a lot of skills since 2013 but I want to move forward with my new book. Maybe in the future I will get to that. The poem is one of my favorites and one of my more relatable ones so I think it deserves the attention. It’s always challenging as an artist to know when promoting old work detracts from what you are doing now and when it adds to your history and depth.

Both books are in my shop on the front page!

Studio Update

Posted on October 13, 2019October 13, 2019 by Alexandra Schaefers

I had a great time at the Belmont Street Fair last month. Since then I’ve started a new book which will be my first attempt to channel my illustrations and writing into a children’s book format. So far I have the pages all sketched out and have been doing some studies to develop my style more intentionally before I start in. I also bought some new boards for stretching paper as I will have a lot more pages going at once than normal!

You can always catch the latest on my Instagram @alexandra.schaefers

I am taking a break from Landscape Diaries, because I feel like doing some experimental writing and not being on (or wishing I was sticking to) a posting schedule.

I just rearranged my web-site a bit. If you have opinions about that sort of thing, let me know what you think!

Belmont Street Fair

Posted on September 13, 2019September 13, 2019 by Alexandra Schaefers

I’m going to have all my books at the Belmont Street Fair this Saturday September 14th from 10 am to 6 pm. I’m in booth #144 between 33rd and 34th street.

I’ve been very busy getting my Landscape Diaries chapbook ready! I’m really happy with how it turned out! The hardest part was choosing which pieces to include. I asked a couple friends to tell me their faves. One of whom is a very gifted printmaker whose work you should check out, Patricia Giraud. I’m not great at analyzing art but it seems to me that Patricia and I both work closely with the moody, dark and intricate beauty of the human connection to the natural world but that we do it it very opposite ways. Patricia renders exquisitely detailed drawings and prints and I make more gestural paintings and whimsical illustrations.

If you can’t make it to the fair Landscape Diaries is available on MagCloud.

In the Dry Grass

Posted on August 13, 2019 by Alexandra Schaefers

I finished a new Greeting card book! I will get it printed next week and let you know after I have it in the shop.

Cover of “In the Dry Grass” by Alexandra Schaefers. Watercolor illustrations of meadow grasses and blue hills.

Title page of “In the Dry Grass” written and illustrated by Alexandra Schaefers. Watercolor illustrations of meadow grasses on a green background.

Watercolor illustration of meadow grasses and yellow leaves, one red oak leaf embraces a long green stalk of meadow grass. Handwritten text reads: “It’s my favorite time of year when Summer promises herself to Autumn in the dry grass.”

Watercolor illustration of meadow and wetland grasses with crickets on them and sun rays in the background. Handwritten text reads: “Each ray of warmth feels like the etymology of goodness and the crickets sing in rounds from their stalks.”

Watercolor illustration of a trail to a meadow through a tunnel of trees with brilliant yellow leaves changing to orange and then red, meadow grasses in the foreground. Handwritten text reads, “I walk to the meadow under a golden canopy. The scent of drying sap making new words for light.”

pages bordered with yellow leaves and meadow grasses on a green background.

back cover of "In the Dry Grass" meadow grasses and blue hills

Two New Songs

Posted on July 27, 2019 by Alexandra Schaefers

Illustration of 2 hairy woodpeckers on a tree. Hand written text reads: "The sun is dazzling in the woods.
Just bright spots here and there
on the brown trunks and the summer leaves.

Two hairy woodpeckers fight over a single tree trunk,
their sharp toes scittering across the bark
while a Pacific Slope Flycatcher sings behind them.

The song is familiar but I just learned of the flycatcher today."

Illustration of a flycatacher. Handwritten text reads, "It’s so enchanting—
this soft grey-green bird that’s been around me in the woods all this time.
And also, the fellow in the soft shirt who taught me its song.

We stop by the creek to listen to it run over the rocks.
The thoughts I believed were mine get caught and carried in the current.
This enchantment has always been my song."

The Gift of Birds in Print

Posted on July 2, 2019 by Alexandra Schaefers

top on top of original illustrations used in the book

The Gift of Birds is now available in my shop!

The above photo shows one copy on a pile of the original illustrations. I took this to get some Instagram glam in my on-line presence. Probably not most people’s idea of glamorous but I really enjoy turning my writings into illustrated books!

I took a copy to the nearest Little Free Library at 35th and Spring Garden as has become my tradition when I finish a new book. I’ll keep that up until I no longer live in walking distance of a Little Free Library.