illustration
Ode to a family recipe~
Champagne Mangoes are my favorite. It was a delight to paint & collage these golden fruits. This family recipe was handed down from mother to daughter. Vivid colors of India enliven ingredients to compose this mouthwatering accompaniment. This is why I love what I do!
Starbucks ~ Thrilling news!!!
Biggest project to date!!
Starbucks enlisted me to paint 3 large scale maps of coffee growing regions: Asia/Pacific, Africa and Indonesia. These large scale watercolor maps are 3 x 3 feet big.
Each letter, and all the writing on these map was done by my hand. Each stroke of the pen reflects who I am as an artist. As a result, the lettering is highly expressive with a distinctly unique style.
The Sumatran tiger was completed using Inkblot technique, creating the markings on the coat and face. Inkblot creates an expressive uncontrolled mark. It's incredibly laborious but well worth the effort, resulting in deep, rich, expressive lines. This technique was the finishing touch on all the maps created for Starbucks.
The maps will be installed in Starbucks across the country.
{Details of these paintings can be seen at abbiezuidema.com}
"In 2011, the brother-and-sister design duo of Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell founded the website They Draw & Travel (www.theydrawandtravel.com). Today, it is the internet’s largest collection of illustrated maps created by artists from around the world.
This book contains 100 illustrated maps of places in the United States that were drawn by the fine artists, professional illustrators and amateur doodlers who make up the very creative community on They Draw & Travel. The illustrated maps in this book provide inspiration on many levels.
From a purely artistic standpoint, the variety of illustration styles is amazing. From the cool linework of James Gulliver Hancock and the painterly style of Abbie Zuidema to the sharp graphics of Nate Padavick and the cuteness of Aunyarat Watanabe, the illustrations in this book are a great reference for exceptional style and talent.
As a travelogue, these maps provide a fresh way to look at and learn about a particular place: through the eyes of an artist. Do you know where to go for a really great bike ride in Vermont? Did you know there are 36 places to eat cashew chicken in the town of Springfield, Missouri? Or, how about all the great things to do with kids in Los Angeles? This book takes armchair travel to a whole new artistic level!"
(thank you Nate Padavick, I couldn't have said it better myself!)
Get your copy on Amazon.com! Perfect for a holiday gift!
Stavit Allweis, asked me to contribute illustrations for her graphic novel, Isness.
It’s a bold, uninhibited graphic novel about a post-apocalyptic family, integrating live action photos with detail-drenched miniature environments.
She has dedicated years of her life to chronically working this project. It’s HUGE. I paid a visit to her studio & saw the diorama in real life. The details are astounding! She makes miniature sets, then photographically shoots them, then adds the actors into each scene-there are so many facets to each of environments. It was inspiring.
The watercolors that follow are to be placed within the novel, as illustrations. They were a treat to make. Thank you Stavit!
You can learn more about this epic project at: www.facebook.com/sallweis and www.countercomics.com
Exciting!!! My Alaska map is front & center on "they draw & travel" website! Awesomeness. TDAT showcases maps illustrated by artists from around the world.
I love what Nate & Salli are doing on "they draw & travel" & I am SO pleased to be able to be able to contribute. If you havent seen the website have a look. They also have a website, they draw & cook.
Introducing, Brooklyn, the newest addition to the map series! I made two versions of this map. I can never decide which one I like best, so I always manage to make two. Brooklyn was a tough one. There are so many great things that make up this place that I live in-that we live in. It was impossible to list all them all. Instead, I focused on what makes Brooklyn, Brooklyn to me right now. I'm sure there are things that I overlooked, I might just have to make another rendition.....
Pick your favorite. I personally love Mr. Pickle, but that's just me. It could be the top hat.
Click on the thumbnail to see a larger version.
My friend Jill Meerpohl made this amazing corn pudding for the 4th of July party at Vinegar Hill House. I had the pleasure of working with her at VHH. She makes delicious things! This is my version of the recipe.
