Adelle Circa 1920 Studio Updates 2023

Posted in Art, Creativity, Illustrating, Inspiration, Reading, Writing by Cindy Adelle Richard

Work Table

I have softened things up a bit in my studio since I last posted on this blog (I am not even going to get started on how quickly time goes by – sigh). I have included softer lighting, creamy tones, and tan rugs/bins. I love the results!!

This is my work table from another vantage point. I have scaled back on what I use day to day for the sake of simplicity.

Inspiration Wall

Next to my work table is my inspiration wall for my current project. In as few words as possible, I am working on an illustrated journaling project about mages in Paris during the 1920s. This is all I know right now.

Reading Nook

Moving around my space, there is a former closet which I have turned into a reading nook, complete with pillows, blankets, and snacks. This is probably one of my favorite features in my studio space. I created the art on the walls to go with the fairytale vibe I was going for in my studio.

Favorite Books + Journals

This corner is where I keep my favorite books and all of the journals I have produced to date. I pull inspiration from this corner on a regular basis.

Reading Chair

How could any studio be complete without a reading chair as well? I spend just as much time here in the mornings as I do in my reading nook; readers need to have options.

Tea Cart

My next favorite feature in my studio space is my tea cart. The fact that I can just come into my studio, click that little button on the tea kettle, and settle in to create helps so much with my level of productivity in the mornings.

Fairy Tree

This tree is purely for decoration, but it makes me extremely happy to plug in the lights and bask in the glow every morning. There are peacock feathers, moons, Eiffel towers, and many other ornaments on this tree.

Conclusion

Since I ended my last post with some views from my studio, I thought it would be fun to provide you with some studio updates. It feels good to finally feel like I have some time and energy to blog again. I know that a lot of people are venturing into the podcast space, and I actually do enjoy listening to them. But personally, I still prefer blogging because it is similar to journaling (and clearly I LOVE journaling).

I hope that you enjoyed this peek into my studio, and I hope that you have been able to make room for creativity in your life lately as well.

26Jan2018

Circus Calendar: Enter the Circus Tent

Posted in 1920s, Art, Imagination, Vintage by Cindy Adelle Richard

Enter the Circus Tent by Cindy Adelle Richard

I created a 2018 circus calendar inspired by the film THE GREATEST SHOWMAN. I adored the film from start to finish – the performers, the costumes, the music, and much more. I felt great after leaving this movie, and I went home and got right to work on some sketches of a vintage circus straight from my imagination.

This calendar is available on my Etsy shop at http://adellecirca1920.etsy.com

Here is the full gallery for the calendar:

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6Feb2017

Posting for Practice: My 365 Day Challenge

Posted in 1920s, Art, Creativity, Inspiration, Jazz Age by Cindy Adelle Richard

I started the new year by setting a challenge for myself: complete and post one drawing each day on Instagram. Here are a few of my sketches:

I really wanted to establish a practice which would require me to draw at least once a day, and so far I have been sticking to it – I just posted my drawing for Day #37! By the end of the year, I hope to have some drawings that would be worthy of starting my online shop (my goal for 2018). I am focusing on practicing, experimenting, and putting it all out there. I always feel a little vulnerable just before I hit SHARE, but people have been really supportive so far.

This is what I have learned so far:

this is a great way to keep creative ideas flowing – the more I create, the more ideas seem to just come to me
having a back up file of content to share is really helpful on the days I cannot create art but I still want to post; whenever I have more time, I draw more than one sketch to keep in a file
this has been great for experimentation; I love so many styles of illustration right now, but ultimately, I want to develop my own style – the only way to figure it out is to try out lots of different styles to see what sticks

If there is a creative habit you have been wanting to establish, I highly recommend taking on a daily challenge of your own. If you would like to follow me on Instagram, my handle is @adellecirca1920

I would love to hear what you all are working on in 2017. Please share in the comments if you have a chance.

3Aug2016

Bright Young Things at the Crane Estate

Posted in 1920s, Jazz Age by Cindy Adelle Richard

Hello Jazz Lovers,

I hope you are having a fabulous summer… I certainly am! I had the pleasure of attending the Roaring Twenties Jazz Party at the Crane Estate (Ipswich, MA) on July 31st, and I wanted to share some tidbits with you. The picture above is me hanging out by a genuine model T from the 1920s (man I would have loved a chance to drive that vehicle).

I went with my friend, Myriam, and as you can see, she did a little shopping while we were there. She scored this “come hither” fan which she intends to use to drive members of the opposite sex wild. She also received a fun cheat sheet about how one wields a fan communicates much more than one might expect:

With handle to the lips = kiss me

Fanning slowly = I am married

Fanning fast = I am engaged

Open wide = wait for me

Drawing across the cheek = I love you

Carrying in left hand = desirous of acquaintances

Twirling in the left hand = I wish to get rid of you

Twirling in the right hand = I love another

Closing it = I wish to speak to you

The Crane Estate is a gilded jewel with enchanting views. I tried to capture some of its beauty in these pictures, but of course, they can never do it justice.

This party would not have been complete without my fellow revelers making merry on the grounds and on the dance floor. Here are some of my favorites:

The vendors helped to make this a memorable experience by selling the type of vintage treasures it is hard to find anywhere else. If only I had $1,000.00 to shop to my heart’s content…

I hope you enjoyed these pictures. Maybe some of you can join us next year if you happen to be in Massachusetts in July!

2Dec2015

Summer Memories

Posted in 1920s, Inspiration, Jazz Age, The Great Gatsby by Cindy Adelle Richard

Hello Jazz Lovers,

I have been meaning to share some photos of my jazz inspired adventures from this past summer, but time has gotten away from me. Although summer is long gone, I thought you would enjoy hearing about a few events. I attended a Gatsby themed party at the Star Island Resort, and it was quite the affair. The soirée included a lawn picnic accompanied by a jazz band, lounging on rocking chairs on the massive porch sipping our beverages of choice, and exploring the picturesque island at our leisure. The 1920s style hotel was the main attraction on the island, and there were cottages sprinkled about which made it feel like a little colony. Star Island Retreat Center offers all types of personal and group retreats to fit just about anyone’s interest. I certainly have plans to return to partake of the art and writing retreats! In case you are interested in visiting, here is the link http://www.starisland.org In the meantime, here are some pictures to feast upon:

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The other event I attended was a murder mystery cruise held by the Actors’ Studio of Newburyport. We cruised around the harbor, and watched the antics of a professional acting troupe as they tried to deduce “who done it”. The audience actively participated throughout the performance, so there were some interesting ideas presented. My favorite character was CiCi, the hostess, because she was oh so southern and a master at skating around unpleasant topics (such as the fact that their last ship sank just before our voyage). Here are some fun photos from the event (I am sure you can guess which parts each these actors played just by looking at their costumes):