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ARTISTRY
In addition to writing and genealogy, I've always loved creating art. One of the things I began learning as a teenager was pencil drawing. I loved the big cats such as tigers and lions. Fun to practice drawing eyes and I always drew those first. One of the first drawings I did was of the cat looking at the fish in the fishbowl, my interpretation of Figaro and Cleo (at the heart (center) of the drawings below).
I was given Corel Photo-Paint at that time as well, a relatively new product for the computer. It came on floppy disks! That's how old it was. I discovered a new way to create art - electronically! Throughout my early 20's, I also studied graphic design at university - both in how to do it by hand and digitally (which was a relatively new concept in the early 1990s). I've since worked with numerous other art programs and worked digitally for the interior artwork book design and exterior book cover design.
I studied art throughout high school and into university with fine arts and art history lectures. Each of the courses I took in some way helped shape the art I create today - from doing graphic design to book covers, and the colourful webdesign you see today.
One medium which I truly enjoy is the art of taking a well framed photograph. Several of my newest books contain my photography and artwork.
Select any image to open in a pop-up (larger) image with description of art medium and date
Pencil drawings
 Tiger No. 2, pencil drawing,1989Tiger No. 2, pencil drawing,1989 |  Flutterbys, pencil and coloured pencils drawing,1995Flutterbys, pencil and coloured pencils drawing,1995 |
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 Tiger Le Tigre No. 1, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1990Tiger Le Tigre No. 1, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1990 |  Reflection No. 1, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1995Reflection No. 1, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1995 |
 Lion No. 1, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1986Lion No. 1, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1986 |  Self Portrait, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1989 (age 18)Self Portrait, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1989 (age 18) |
 Leopard, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1988Leopard, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1988 |  Tiger No. 1, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1988Tiger No. 1, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1988 |
 Cheetah, pencil drawing, 1986Cheetah, pencil drawing, 1986 |  Rome Sketch No. 1, pencil drawing, 1989Rome Sketch No. 1, pencil drawing, 1989 |
 Figaro & Cleo, pencil drawing, 1989Figaro & Cleo, pencil drawing, 1989 |  MU Jesse Hall, pencil drawing, 1990MU Jesse Hall, pencil drawing, 1990 |
 Cat and Fish, pencil drawing, 1987Cat and Fish, pencil drawing, 1987 |  Horse "Gypsy Epona", pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 2008Horse "Gypsy Epona", pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 2008 |
 Flowers Study, coloured pencil drawing, 1989Flowers Study, coloured pencil drawing, 1989 |  Sleepy Tiger, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1993Sleepy Tiger, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1993 |
 Small Animal Study No. 3, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1993Small Animal Study No. 3, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 1993 |  River Phoenix, pencil and charcoal, 1994River Phoenix, pencil and charcoal, 1994 |
 Kurt Cobain, pencil drawing, 1994Kurt Cobain, pencil drawing, 1994 |  Leopard No. 2, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 2001Leopard No. 2, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 2001 |
 Mark H. (drawing from live subject), pencil drawing, 1989Mark H. (drawing from live subject), pencil drawing, 1989 |  Annette F. (drawing from live subject), pencil drawing, 1992Annette F. (drawing from live subject), pencil drawing, 1992 |
 White Tiger, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 2010White Tiger, pencil and coloured pencil drawing, 2010 |  Tigers Playing Cards, pencil and coloured pencil drawing on vellum paper, 1993Tigers Playing Cards, pencil and coloured pencil drawing on vellum paper, 1993 |
 Rome Sketch No. 2 (drawing a statue in a museum), pencil drawing, 1989Rome Sketch No. 2 (drawing a statue in a museum), pencil drawing, 1989 |
Paintings
 Repainted a birdhouse in a Scandinavian design, 2022Repainted a birdhouse in a Scandinavian design, 2022 |  Sunflowers No. 1, acrylic paint on canvas, 1996Sunflowers No. 1, acrylic paint on canvas, 1996 |
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 Interpretation of "The House at Rueil (La maison du Rueil)" by Édouard Manet (1882), Oil painting onInterpretation of "The House at Rueil (La maison du Rueil)" by Édouard Manet (1882), Oil painting on canvas, 1990 |  Gingerbread, acrylic on canvas, 1987Gingerbread, acrylic on canvas, 1987 |
 Painting a cardinal on glass, acrylic, 2023Painting a cardinal on glass, acrylic, 2023 |  Trying my hand out at a paint-by-numbers kit! 2024Trying my hand out at a paint-by-numbers kit! 2024 |
 Still Life (painting looking at images on table), acrylic on canvas, 1990Still Life (painting looking at images on table), acrylic on canvas, 1990 |  Wall art painting, indoor wall paint, 2021Wall art painting, indoor wall paint, 2021 |
Graphic Design (by hand)
 "Dancing on Checkers Grave" booklet for Portland State Theatre, 1997"Dancing on Checkers Grave" booklet for Portland State Theatre, 1997 |  Tiger t-shirt design featuring poem by Tennyson, coloured markers on paper, 1989Tiger t-shirt design featuring poem by Tennyson, coloured markers on paper, 1989 |
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 Design Cover 2 for Flax Art magazineDesign Cover 2 for Flax Art magazine |  Black White Study, marker on bristol board, 1990Black White Study, marker on bristol board, 1990 |
 Figure Study 2 (model Anna K.), pencil, 1990Figure Study 2 (model Anna K.), pencil, 1990 |  Colour Study, strips of hand-cut coloured paper assembled on canvas, 1990Colour Study, strips of hand-cut coloured paper assembled on canvas, 1990 |
 Epsilon Sigma Alpha t-shirt Sketch, marker, 1991Epsilon Sigma Alpha t-shirt Sketch, marker, 1991 |  Cover of Disney Catalog (Tigger drawing held in hand of little girl on bottom right), 1990Cover of Disney Catalog (Tigger drawing held in hand of little girl on bottom right), 1990 |
 Tigger drawing on the cover of Disney Catalog, pencil and coloured pencil, and published,1990Tigger drawing on the cover of Disney Catalog, pencil and coloured pencil, and published,1990 |  Collage of Noise (the Reality Bites Era), paper from Rolling Stone and music magazines, 1993Collage of Noise (the Reality Bites Era), paper from Rolling Stone and music magazines, 1993 |
Graphic Design (digital)
 Map idea for "My Day in Perth" created using platform by Inkarnate.com, digital, 2024Map idea for "My Day in Perth" created using platform by Inkarnate.com, digital, 2024 |  Back cover book design for "The Ghost of Colby Drive", digital using stock elements, 2007Back cover book design for "The Ghost of Colby Drive", digital using stock elements, 2007 |
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 Back cover book design for "The Curse of the Moonless Knight", digital using stock elements and artBack cover book design for "The Curse of the Moonless Knight", digital using stock elements and art by Janet Liston, 2008 |  Back cover book design idea (not used) for "The Door of the Thousand Keys", digital using stock elemBack cover book design idea (not used) for "The Door of the Thousand Keys", digital using stock elements, 2010 |
 Front cover book design for "The Crystal Goddess and the Wish Keeper", digital using stock elements,Front cover book design for "The Crystal Goddess and the Wish Keeper", digital using stock elements, 2011 (cat's eye has 11:11 in it) |  Front cover book design for "The Ghost of Colby Drive", digital using stock elements, 2006Front cover book design for "The Ghost of Colby Drive", digital using stock elements, 2006 |
 Front cover book design for "The Crystal Goddess and the Wish Keeper", digital using stock elements,Front cover book design for "The Crystal Goddess and the Wish Keeper", digital using stock elements, 2011 (cat's eye has 11:11 in it) |  Front cover book design for "Demi-Tasse and Mrs. Grundy", digital using stock elements and newspaperFront cover book design for "Demi-Tasse and Mrs. Grundy", digital using stock elements and newspaper, 2019 |
 Graphic design sample No. 1, 1999Graphic design sample No. 1, 1999 |  Postcard design for book event 2008, designed digitally and printed on cardstock (showing old font oPostcard design for book event 2008, designed digitally and printed on cardstock (showing old font on first cover of COMK) |
 Graphic design sample No. 3, 1999Graphic design sample No. 3, 1999 |  COMK_backcover_postcardArtwork by Janet Liston for the back cover book design for "The Curse of the Moonless Knight", 2008 |
 Artwork design for the back cover of "The Crystal Goddess and the Wish Keeper, 2011Artwork design for the back cover of "The Crystal Goddess and the Wish Keeper, 2011 |  Front cover book design for "The Curse of the Moonless Knight", digital using stock elements, 2008Front cover book design for "The Curse of the Moonless Knight", digital using stock elements, 2008 |
 Front cover book design for "The Oracle of the Missing Dryad", digital using stock elements, 2009Front cover book design for "The Oracle of the Missing Dryad", digital using stock elements, 2009 |  Front cover book design for "The Secret Promise: Return of the Wishing Star", digital using stock elFront cover book design for "The Secret Promise: Return of the Wishing Star", digital using stock elements, 2012 |
 Graphic design sample No. 3, 1999Graphic design sample No. 3, 1999 |  Interior book design for "The Secret Promise: Return of the Wishing Star" book, 2012Interior book design for "The Secret Promise: Return of the Wishing Star" book, 2012 |
I am on IG for my photography as I love to travel! My photos are also seen on Google Maps and have reached over a million views. My IG profile is @skylarkartsy
Photography
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