If you don't know J.C. Leyendecker, you ought to!  He is an exceptional painter characterized by a style of luscious color and dynamic expressions.  Bold lines and gestures fill his paintings down to every last brush stroke!

When most people think of the Saturday Evening Post they think of Norman Rockwell.  In-fact, after discovering the Post and Rockwell at a young age, I can honestly say I didn't even know J.C. Lyendecker existed until much, much later.  Now, with little reservations, I can honestly say that I believe when people think of the Post, they should think of J.C. Leyendecker!  I immediately ran out and bought copy of a Biography filled with images and information about Leyendecker and drool over every page in it.  Now if you own this book, bravo good sirs and madams!  Hat's off to you!  And if you don't own it, get a copy!  Artist or not, I can guarantee you won't be disappointed!

Anyways, above is the original painting cover done by Leyendecker for the Saturday Evening Post.  And below is my photoshop in progress study!  I actually like how abstract it is looking right now, especially with all the lines of the under-drawing showing through.  :)  Hope you like it!!

Fox Jump - a work in acrylic and thread

My First Finished Artwork as Mary B. Highstreet!

Not sure where I am going with this series yet, but this is the idea for a new series of artworks I want to embark on - when I started this idea I was going for something modern and simple, juxtaposing a single action with action lines.  Much like a piece of music, I can hear Mozart's Symphony No. 25 in G. Minor starting as I see this jump take place.

I first created a rough sketch of the fox then added the lines spontaneously catching the rhythms and emotions I saw in the fox.  I then painted the fox on another paper, and threaded colors through the lines.

The colors I chose reminded me of a wild stream and silver fish!  What do they remind you of?

 Check back for more on this series!!

And be sure to check out my new BLOG on www.maryhighstreet.blogspot.com!

Japanese Pagoda and Pidgeons

I did this painting in a watercolor class I took in 2005. This piece won 1st place overall at the San Mateo County Fair that same year. Below I have a close up of the matting, since It was one of the first matts I picked out and cut myself.

Fox 40 News -- Live TV spot of Me teaching at the Animation University!!

This was my summer job, working at the State Fair as a Character Sketch Artist! I taught 5 characters and taught 5-6 classes a day.

Here, Bethany Crouch, was touring our "Get Animated" Exhibit and peeking in on our class. Click the link below to see the video!

Click Here -- VIDEO -- Fox 40 on the Move, Live with Bethany Crouch

Old Sample Website - Screen Cap

I built this website as a portfolio website my senior year of school. Here is the screen cap of the Illustration Page.

"Death Dealer" Converse

These shoes I painted for a friend, it's a study of one of the great ones from Frank Frazetta, "The Death Dealer." I painted it so that back to back, they make the full painting.

Calvin & Hobbes - My First Rough Pencil Test!!