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Gretchen Ellen Powers

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Henry Turns Four

June 24, 2016

Henry Turns Four  15"x13" watercolor & gouache on paper

Henry and his friends from The Neighborhood are celebrating the occasion of his fourth birthday. The little boy in front of the stork in my previous painting is turning four and he is throwing a party. He has invited the children who appeared on the street as well as one or two new friends. The party has a circus theme, with toy animals in miniature party hats. They are singing Happy Birthday and blowing out candles on a cake. (Noise makers are being put to good use as well!) Even the dog has gotten in on the fun!

In Art & Illustration (mine) Tags watercolor, watercolour, gouache, paint, painting, birthday, party, kids, children, cute, circus, zoo, animals, fun, friends, friendship, neighbors, NYC, new york, new york city, illustration, illustrator, childrens illustration, Children's Art, art, artwork, artist, picture book, children's illustration, children's book, children's art, childhood, sweet, cake, balloons, party hats, party animals, animal, dog, Happy Birthday, birthday party, kids party, Brooklyn, color, colors, pastel, pastels, home decor, character, characters, character design, celebration, original painting, lion, tiger, elephant, Giraffe, theme, themed party, party theme, safari, safari animals, neighborhood, green, pink, family, clown, big top, big apple, city, urban, interior, vintage, retro
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The Neighborhood

June 16, 2016

The Neighborhood   20"x16"  watercolor & gouache on paper

A happy scene is unfolding before the eyes of these little Brooklyn row houses. The neighborhood children have come out to play and enjoy this beautiful day together, and it just so happens to be someone's birthday on the street. A mother and child walking down the sidewalk are carrying balloons and bags, it is certain that a birthday party is in the air. And to top it all off, a stork mailman has made his way to the Big Apple from the woodland post to deliver a special birthday letter, and perhaps a little bundle of joy as well!

In Art & Illustration (mine) Tags painting, watercolor, watercolour, watercolor illustration, watercolor painting, mixed media, multimedia, gouache, water color, original painting, new york, ny, nyc, new york city, brooklyn, apartment, apartment buidlings, apartments, street, street art, illustration, illustrator, Children's Art, children's book, children's illustration, stork, mailman, picture book, characters, character design, bird, feathers, post, postman, brownstone, brick, houses, house, home, playing, kids, children, boy, boys, girl, girls, kids lit, kid lit art, Kids Lit Art, nature, urban, urban landscape, city, city life, big apple, big city, row houses, hopscotch, scooter, hula hoop, cherry trees, trees, flowers, blossoms, floral, parents, father, mother, balloons, birthday, party, woodland, anthro, anthropomorphic, animals in clothes, Animals In Clothes, neighbors, neighborhood, friends, friendship, art, artsy, artwork, artists on Tumblr, artists of tumblr, creative, design, graphic design, pencil, graphite, surreal, whimsical, whimsy, birds, sidewalk, paper, happy, sweet, cute, animals, animal, flight, delivery, baby
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Sneak Peek Part II: The Neighborhood

June 15, 2016

Part 2 of my work in progress: This painting has been a labor of love and a good experience for me. It is quite a large painting by my standards, measuring 20"x16". This photo is from a few days ago, since then my happy little New York City scene has come together quite well. The finished illustration is coming your way in a day or two. Until then, happy playing!

In Art & Illustration (mine) Tags wip, work in progress, artists on Tumblr, artists of tumblr, art, artsy, children, nyc, new york, new york city, brooklyn, brick, process, painting process, painting, paint, artist, illustrator, illustration, kid lit art, kids, Kids Lit Art, neighbors, neighborhood, street, play, playing, pastel, color, colors, watercolor, watercolour, watercolor illustration, watercolor painting, water color, gouache, mixed media, multimedia, pink, red, green, trees, nature, urban, urban landscape, street art, photo, photography, picture, picture book, animals, stork, bird, mail, letter, woodland, anthro, anthropomorphic, cute, sweet, whimsical, birds, feathers, flight, birthday, balloons, modern, quirky, characters, character design, fashion, kids fashion, girl, girls, boy, boys, parents, mother, father, friends, friendship, big apple, big city, city, city life, suburban, suburbs, row houses, house, houses, home, sidewalk, cherry trees, pencil, graphite, sketch, sketchbook, work, artwork, surreal, sneak peek
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Sneak Peek: The Neighborhood

June 14, 2016

All week I have been illustrating a happy scene from a street in Brooklyn. Here's an earlier sneak peek of the work in progress. 

In Art & Illustration (mine) Tags watercolor, illustration, painting, wip, work in progress, nature, brooklyn, new york, mixed media, children, urban, landscape, floral, cherry trees, process, detail, gouache, pencil, graphite, city, big apple, kids, Kids Lit Art, kid lit art, children's book, Children's Art, children's illustration, illustrator, watercolor illustration, paint, multimedia, red, pink, trees, street, art, scene, neighborhood, neighbors, culture, stork, surreal, whimsical, whimsy, anthro, anthropomorphic, sweet, cute, animals, Animals In Clothes, sneak peek, artists of tumblr, artists on Tumblr, creative, suburban, NY, party, birthday, mother, child, brownstone, apartments, big city, city life, modern, new york ny, ny, street art, artwork, artist, graphic design, character, characters, character design, picture book, kids lit, kid lit, painting process, details of paintings, pastel, fashion, flowers, colors, colorful, photo, photography, picture, house, houses, row house, row houses, town house, apartment, apartment buidlings, buildings, brick
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The Town Mouse & the Country Mouse: Dollhouse

May 23, 2016

The Town Mouse & the Country Mouse: Dollhouse   5"x7"  Watercolor & gouache on paper

Oh to be a few inches tall, then you could crawl into the walls of a miniature dollhouse! That is where the town mouse makes his home in the city, within the toy house of the little children who live in the building he takes shelter in. It makes for very lavish mouse-size living quarters, and I am a bit jealous of them! 

The country mouse seems to be a bit uneasy and awkward as she stands atop the table holding her china plate. A cup has fallen on the floor and shattered amid the hustle and bustle of city life. This is perhaps my favorite of the two paintings, mostly due to the awkward positions they take while sitting at the miniature toy table. 

This Aesop's fable was such a fun thing to interpret, but they were also a present to my Mother for her birthday as we have always called her and her sister "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse". My mother is a country mouse, and I am as well. Although, I could be tempted to take up residence in a local dollhouse if one could be provided or I could find a drink similar to Alice's when she shrunk in Wonderland. Keep me posted if you come across anything of that nature!

In Art & Illustration (mine) Tags mice, mouse, field mouse, nature, wildlife, animals, animals in clothes, anthro, anthropomorphic, surreal, fairy tale, aesops, aesops fables, fable, tale, classic, storybook, aesop's, aesop's fables, literature, literary, vintage, country, town, dollhouse, miniatures, miniature, doll house, house, home, decor, home decor, victorian, cottage decor, cottage, country living, country life, food, fashion, dining room, cute, sweet, illustration, children's book, childrens illustration, children's art, kids lit art, kid lit art, classic book, book worm, book nerd, art, artists on tumblr, watercolor, watercolour, water color, watercolor illustration, painting, illustrator, mixed media, gouache, charcoal, woodland, rustic, children, kids, city, city life, big city, birthday, toy, toys, kids toy, kids toys, vintage toy, children's decor, nursery, picture book, artists of tumblr, paper, pencil, graphite

The Town Mouse & the Country Mouse: Blackberries

May 20, 2016

The Town Mouse & the Country Mouse: Blackberries   5"x7"  Watercolor & gouache on paper

I have been working on a companion set of paintings to illustrate the classic Aesop's Fable, The Town Mouse & the Country Mouse. The first one takes a peek though the briers and brambles into the modest abode of a little country field mouse. She has invited her well-to-do cousin, who lives in town, to visit her. He happens to arrive during blackberry season, and so he is just in time to partake in the art of preserving the harvest in the form of jams & jellies. Glancing over his shoulder, spoon in hand, he is looking to his cousin for instructions on the recipe.

I will admit that I am a bit of a country mouse myself. Nothing like having bare feet in the grass reading a book, or snacking on wild fruit.

In the next illustration (coming soon!) she will be visiting her cousin's home in town.

In Art & Illustration (mine) Tags country, town, city, picture book, aesop's fables, fable, aesop, classic, literature, storybook, mouse, mice, field mouse, nature, wildlife, blackberry, blackberries, food, jam, jellies, preserves, anthro, anthropomorphic, animals, animals in clothes, vintage, victorian, retro, rustic, surreal, fairy tale, childrens illustration, children's art, children's book, kids lit art, kid lit art, graphic design, home, house, decor, home decor, classic book, book, story, art, painting, gouache, watercolor, watercolor painting, watercolor illustration, watercolour, water color, mixed media, charcoal, cottage, country living, english countryside, country life, Aesop's, tale, herbs, kitchen, preserving, homesteading, cozy, cute, sweet, artwork, artists of tumblr, artists on Tumblr, illustration, illustrator, artsy, artist, fashion, woodland
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