©Tim McCabe
12/30/09
12/27/09
12/23/09
Woodcarving: The World's Second Oldest Profession
Several years ago we made a trip to Germany. I had been there before in 2000, but the second time my wife and I, along with some friends, made it more of a road trip.
The biggest highlight for me was a meal in the small town of Kippenheimweiller with some ancestors on my mom's side. I am a bird nut, so I gave the family a watercolor of a European Jay as a gift. The people and town were amazing, charming all the way around. (Later I painted the home as a Christmas gift to my more immediate family.)
What I came home with, however, was an unabashed love for German Woodcarving. From the cuckoo clocks to the architecture and altarpieces, Germany is home to some of the finest and most picturesque woodworking.
One small shop carried hundreds of Christmas Nutcrackers, and collections of wooden incense burners in the forms of people, or "smokers".
These have a rich history, dating back to the 1800s where woodworkers lathed these statues in the winter months specifically in the Eastern mountains of the country...
So I spent my own winter months creating my own. These three characters are a birdwatcher (naturally), a chef, and a golfer. I still love my smokers, both the ones I made and the ones we brought back from Deutschland.
(And speaking of Wood Work, how'd you like to be the poor Friar who affixed the cross atop this Alpine cliff...)
Images © Tim McCabe
12/15/09
12/11/09
12/5/09
12/3/09
A Trip to Conception Abbey
Recently, I read a book by Washington Irving in which he writes of his travels through England, spending time at two ancient monasteries: Newstead Abbey and Abbotsford. I have always had a fascination with Monks, from their mysterious and devout existence in History to their diligence for craftsmanship. (Not least among these: their ability to brew beer...)
For a while now, I have wanted to make a pilgrimage of sorts to Conception Abbey. It is a monastery of the ancient European model, but located in Missouri and accessible to those of us here in the Midwest.
The Abbey was founded in 1881. The basilica and campus grounds are absolutely rich with art and traditions rooted in their Benedictine culture. Aside from the appeal of the sponsored Day of Reflection, I was most excited to visit the Monastery's working Printery.
Images from the Abbey's website:
Everything from the hand-lettered calligraphy to the final print production of the cards is impressive. But their artistic skill has not been limited to the print - the great murals of the basilica (along with the rest of the interior) was also rendered by early members of the Abbey.
T.M.
12/2/09
Random Travel Sketch: Utah '08
I-80 runs through Salt Lake City. Within several miles of the metropolitan area you can still see dugouts in the cliffs where the Pony Express riders would entrench themselves. Along much of the highway the Union Pacific Railroad is still in use.
At certain junctions, the past meets the present. Planes, trains and automobiles travel the same paths as Americans before.
I guess that's how in a land of deserts, salt lakes and mountains, I ended up with a sketch of a power plant...
11/30/09
Jupiter and its Moons
Last night I went out for a walk, and since it was a clear cold night with nearly a full moon, I thought I'd see if I could spot an owl or two...
No owls, but did notice a very bright planet in the southwestern sky. With the binoculars, several of its satellites were clearly visible, and a red light on the side of the planet was prominent.
When I looked online to see what it was, I found this from SkyandTelescope.com:
Sunday, November 29 - Jupiter's Red Spot transits the planet's central meridian around 8:42 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
Pretty cool-
11/29/09
11/27/09
Book Jacket Designs
A friend of mine and his brother have started a publishing company called Minor Planet Press. I helped them design their book jacket layouts, and had a great time doing it.
"The Bible In Rhyme" is exactly that, and Kyle Holt has poured his heart and soul into the undertaking. Take a look for yourself:
Meanwhile, his brother Bryce has written a series of thrillers. The first installment is "Red School" available here:
How about that? Designing a Biblical cover and then switching to an espionage series. Good luck to the authors at Minor Planet Press-
11/26/09
11/25/09
11/24/09
The Late Don McCabe
My great uncle Don was a commercial artist during the golden years of advertising. He worked for a studio in downtown St. Louis that did wonderful campaigns for Anheuser-Busch, Ralston Purina and other companies in the Midwest.
In the 1940's, Don came back from the European theater where he flew bombers. You can see in his syndicated comic strip "Thirty Paige" the detail and discipline of his skill.
What I loved most about going to visit his home studio were the stories he told of his work. One job led him to the pressbox of the old Sportsman's stadium, where he took photos and sketches of the three legendary Cardinal announcers Harry Caray, Joe Garagiola and Jack Buck.
Eventually this piece was used as a cutout on a Busch beer billboard featuring the stadium as a backdrop. Harry leans over with a net to scoop a foul ball. Uncle Don said the three were perfect gentleman, and a lot of fun to spend the afternoon with.
Back in 2006, it got me thinking of how it all would look, if the three could see the new Busch stadium on opening day of what would turn out to be the Championship season. Regrets Uncle Don!
11/23/09
Lia Playing with her Pooh Car
Well, I'm looking forward to wherever this blog takes me. Not sure where to begin, so why not start with a sketch of my one year old daughter Lia.
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